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2006-2007 University Plan Progress
College/Unit: UNIVERSITY
Texas State University-San Marcos
2004-2009 University Plan: “Embracing Change”
2007 University Plan Progress
Goal 1: Promote academic quality by building a distinguished faculty, developing the university culture of research, and managing enrollment.
Intended Outcomes:
- Increase average full-time faculty salaries at all ranks.
All faculty in the College of Health Professions were at or above CUPA median for 2007.
The College of Liberal Arts is seeking to bring lecturer salaries in Modern Languages to the CUPA median.
- Increase size of full-time faculty.
The College of Applied Arts hired five new faculty and is currently conducting ten faculty searches for 2008.
The College of Education, Curriculum & Instruction has developed a conversion plan for changing adjunct lines into tenure-track lines over the next few years in an effort to balance the ratio of tenured/tenure-track faculty to adjunct faculty. By 2012, 13 additional tenure-track positions in C&I are expected to be gained by means of this conversion plan.
In the College of Fine Arts & Communication, the Department of Art and Design hired a new DPI professor and received funding to upgrade four 75% lecturers to 10% senior lecturers. The School of Journalism and Mass Communication hired an established, award-winning scholar -- Tom Grimes, Ph.D., formerly Ross Beach Chair of Broadcast at Kansas State University-- as a full professor with tenure. The School of Music added a new tenure-track position in musicology.
The College of Health Professions processed hirings for 7 new faculty with starting employment in fall 2007. They included 3 faculty positions in CDIS, one of which was a Target of Opportunity hire; 1 Target of Opportunity hire for SW; 1 faculty hire in Respiratory Care, and 1 Target of Opportunity hire for PT.
- Establish a more rigorous enrollment management program.
During 2006-2007, the University achieved its primary enrollment goals. Overall, the University's enrollment grew 2.4 percent. We enrolled the largest freshman and transfer classes in history. When measuring the profile of entering freshmen by diversity, SAT scores and class rank also set institutional records. The freshman retention rate was 75 percent and the graduation rate rose to 55 percent, an institutional record. A new marketing effort is being introduced, aimed at developing a greater awareness of Texas State among 8th-11th graders in Texas.
The Office of Institutional Research annually provides at least one FTE of Research Analyst time in support of the Associate Vice President for Enrollment Management & Marketing. The Director of Academic Development and Assessment also invited the AVPEMM to speak to all new tenure-track faculty about Texas State enrollment and the University's enrollment management initiatives.
In the College of Applied Arts, enrollment management plans have been implemented for Fashion Merchandising and Interior Design.
In the College of Fine Arts & Communication, the Department of Art and Design is reviewing the existing enrollment management program for Communication Design, and is in the process of creating one for Digital Photographic Imaging. The School of Music enrollment management plan and recruiting plan was completed with target numbers for individual studios. Entrance audition standards were raised by an increased awareness of theory and ear training placement exams.
In the College of Health Professions, cohort programs of Clinical Laboratory Science, Communication Disorders, Physical Therapy, Radiation Therapy, and Respiratory Care are at program enrollment capacity. The School of Health Administration has spent a significant amount of time collecting data on the number of conditional admits accepted in both the undergraduate and graduate programs. The School of Social Work has worked to ensure that enrollment is consistent with faculty resources.
The College of Liberal Arts has hired a part-time Graduate Enrollment Coordinator in an effort to increase graduate applications and completions. The College has worked to improve communication with the Graduate College, and it has established a Liberal Arts Graduate Council composed of chairs and graduate program directors to provide information to and receive assistance from the Enrollment Coordinator.
- Increase university infrastructure to support scholarly and creative activities.
The Associate Vice President for Institutional Effectiveness assisted with the implementation of the Regents Professor Award this year and will continue to honor full professors whose performances and contributions to the educational community have been exemplary. Also, Professional Development coordinated 6 workshops supporting the continued development of the University culture of research. These workshops support efforts for research-oriented grant writing, contracts, and other types of externally funded activities. Academic Development and Assessment also offered a full-day grant proposal writing workshop with an outside speaker, as well as a six-part series of grant proposal writing workshops. Research and grant writing programming was also provided to the new tenure-track faculty. Faculty development workshops have been expanded to focus on "full faculty responsibilities." The Director of Academic Development and Assessment is also working on workshops specific to department chair responsibilities.
The College of Applied Arts increased indirect cost generation and invested in faculty research and scholarships in Criminal Justice, Family and Consumer Sciences, and Agriculture.
Through a competitive proposal process, $60,707 was distributed from the McCoy Endowment to support faculty development. The funds were used by faculty for training and development, software purchases to support research efforts, and travel for conference attendance and consulting projects. McCoy College faculty published 85 peer reviewed journal articles and 59 peer reviewed proceedings articles. In addition, faculty made 75 conference and industry presentations.
The Division of Research in the College of Education piloted two separate faculty development initiatives aimed at enhancing faculty scholarly and creative activities: The Scholar-Mentor program and the Faculty Fellows program. In the former, 19 tenure-track faculty members from across the COE's three departments were each paired with a tenured faculty member serving as mentor on scholarly writing and publishing. A mentor received a stipend for successful completion of work by his or her respective mentee. Two faculty from HPER participated in the Faculty Fellows program, each receiving a fellowship for a one-course release. In addition, newly hired tenure-track faculty in all three departments were assigned 2/2 workloads with 6-hour release for research with the aim of advancing their research agendas during their initial year. A number of doctoral students in the two EAPS Ph.D. programs were awarded travel funds to present research at professional conferences.
In the College of Fine Arts & Communication, the remodeling of Sabinal will allow Digital and Photographic Imaging faculty to increase their photographic research. The amount of published research from the Department of Communication Studies was the highest in its history. Dr. Phil Salem was awarded a Fulbright Senior Lecturer Award. All tenure-track or tenured faculty members produced published research. The School of Journalism and Mass Communication offered 2/2 teaching loads to all incoming tenured and tenure-track faculty in the first employment year. The School hosted a Research Brown Bag Series to showcase and develop faculty scholarship. It provides support to Professor Tom Grimes, editor, and Senior Lecturer Dave Nolan, associate editor, to edit and produce the Southwestern Mass Communication Journal, a peer-reviewed scholarly biannual publication of the Southwest Education Council for Journalism and Mass Communication. The Department of Theatre and Dance increased contributions to faculty travel and had the highest number of international trips in its history. The College held its second year of Dean's Seminar presentations - recognizing one outstanding creative work and one outstanding published work.
The College of Health Professions' academic units have established expectations for scholarship and creative activities with faculty as well as outcomes. The Department of Communication Disorders had two tenure-track faculty members awarded Research Enhancement grants for a total of $14,000 and three faculty had manuscripts published. In addition, seven of their eight faculty members presented papers at national or state conferences. The Department also provided two Brown Bag Luncheons to address faculty research needs and interests. The School of Social Work's individual faculty members developed a scholarly agenda with 100% of the faculty meeting their agenda. The Department of Respiratory Care received a $10,000 private donation to fund the Sleep Wellness Program to screen the Texas State football team and coaches in 2007. They also received a $30,000 gift-in-kind for research associated with the athletic Sleep Wellness Program. These gifts support both the educational and research agendas of the RC department. The Department of Physical Therapy had tenured, tenure-track, and clinical faculty travel to present 15 papers and had 20 publications.
During the year, Liberal Arts faculty published 26 books, authored 189 book chapters, refereed articles, essays, poems, and short stories, and presented 370 scholarly papers, presentations, and readings at international, national, and regional conferences. The College of Liberal Arts also supported research and creative activities through research expenditures of more than $2.3 million received from 76 externally funded grants. The College also received funding from sources such as the Burdine Johnson Foundation for the KAP House and its writer-in-residence, the Anthem Foundation for the Dialogue Series, the Summerlee Foundation for Anthropology and History, the THECB, the Hermann Family Foundation for Discourse in Democracy, the Wilson quasi-endowment for the Cambodian Exchange, other sources of funding for centers in Anthropology and History, and support for faculty from foundations such as the Mellon and Guggenheim. In addition, the College has implemented a plan to hire a grants specialist and a consultant to assist with development of grants.
The College of Science reports that is has filled 5 tenured/tenure-track faculty positions. Two of these are new positions in support of the doctoral program, a Microbial Ecologist and a Wetlands Ecologist; one was a diversity position, a Hydrogeologist; and two were replacement positions, a Wildlife Ecologist and a Developmental Biologist. Also hired within the College were an Evolutionary Biologist, a Stream Ecologist, and a Hydrogeologist. The College is using capital funds to assist new faculty in Engineering and Technology with start-up research funding.
In the University College, the Testing, Research-Support & Evaluation Center (TREC) coordinated with the College of Education in the implementation of MRInterview, a user-friendly instrument, for creating surveys and collecting and analyzing responses. The TREC Director also developed and delivered workshops for faculty needing basic and intermediate training in the statistical packages SAS and SPSS. The Mitte Honors Program and the Office of Research initiated a new undergraduate research symposium and poster presentations in Fall 2006 and Spring 2007.
In the Office of the Associate Vice President for Research, the pre-and post-award offices have been combined and co-located so that both the submission of grant proposals and the managing of grants is easier for faculty submitting proposals. A new electronic system (GAMS) for processing proposals and grants has been implemented. A contracts specialist has been hired in OSP. An Office of Proposal Development has been created.
- Introduce and maintain programs that are nationally and internationally competitive.
Institutional Effectiveness reports that the Directors of Academic Development and Assessment and University Planning & Assessment presented a workshop on Assessment Activities at Texas State at a regional conference.
In the College of Applied Arts, the graduate program in Human Nutrition will admit its first nationally competitive cohort in Fall 2008.
The McCoy College of Business Administration received AACSB International - The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business Maintenance of Accreditation- in April. The McCoy College Beta Gamma Sigma chapter received Premier Chapter status. The Collegiate Entrepreneurs' Organization received first place for Best Fundraiser and second place for Best Chapter Website at the National CEO Conference. The student chapter of Association for Information Technology Professionals placed in the top four teams in the PC Troubleshooting, Application Development, and Systems Analysis/Database competitions at their National Collegiate Conference. The Hispanic Business Student Association (HBSA) received the Chapter of the Year Award, and one of the members, Abel Orta, won the Representative of the Year award at the National HBSA Leadership Conference. Beta Alpha Psi was named Superior Chapter, and Dr. Lu Montondon was recognized as Outstanding Advisor at the Beta Alpha Psi National Convention. At the International Collegiate Conference in New Orleans, the American Marketing Association chapter was named a Superior Chapter and received second place in the Website Competition and third place in the Case Competition. Management major, Erika Garza, was named the 2006 Enterprise Intern of the Year for the South Texas Division, and she placed in the top ten percent of all managers and employees in the South Texas Division. A team of entrepreneurship students was among 12 teams selected to compete in the Nascent 500 Business Challenge with its business plan for the Soul Reason Café. The Texas State Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) team placed second in both the HSBC Financial Literacy Competition and the GE Consumer Products Program Sustainability Competition at the SIFE USA National Exposition.
The Department of Curriculum and Instruction prepared the Preliminary Authority Request (PAR) for a new doctoral program in Developmental Education, to be submitted to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board in Fall 2007. This will be the first Ph.D. program of its kind in the nation. The College of Liberal Arts and the College of Science will provide coursework for the proposed program. The College of Education collaborated with the College of Health Professions to plan and create a Clinic for Autism Research, Evaluation, and Support (CARES), which will open in fall 2007. The Clinic will provide much-needed services to the citizens of Central Texas and will include faculty and students from four departments: Communication Disorders, Curriculum & Instruction, Educational Administration and Psychological Services, as well as Health, Physical Education, and Recreation. In addition to serving as a site for research, CARES will provide training opportunities for school psychology, communication disorders, and special education students. EAPS faculty member Ann Brooks has been awarded a Fulbright Award to act as researcher and lecturer at the Royal University of Phnom Penh in Cambodia. Two EAPS programs successfully advanced their accreditation status. School Psychology had their full accreditation reaffirmed by the National Association for School Psychology and continues to recruit nationally. Professional Counseling completed its self-study for continuing accreditation by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling Related Educational Programs. A new graduate degree program, the Master of Science in Athletic Training, was approved by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. A distinctive program in Therapeutic Recreation (TR) is the only TR program in the state of Texas. Furthermore, it offers a National Council for TR Certification to its majors.
In the College of Fine Arts & Communication, the Department of Art and Design started a new MFA in Communication Design. The Department of Communication Studies had a significant percentage of MA students present research at national and regional professional conferences. The School of Journalism and Mass Communication established the Center for the Study of Latino Media and Markets to lead the nation in academic, scholarly and professional development initiatives in Latino Media. Two new 9-hour concentrations were created for Master's degree students in Strategic Communication and New Media -- offering competitive and cutting edge opportunities for students in these high demand areas. The School maintains academic programs of excellence, with evidence provided by the 2007 successes of students in competitive national competitions and contests, including American Advertising Federation Mosaic Center's "Most Promising Minority Student of the Year" (Antonio Banos), national Hearst Journalism Program awards (David Rauf and Erica Hernandez), and Scripps Howard Foundation Top Ten Scholars (Alysha Hernandez). School of Music faculty and student ensembles performed in Bratislava, Montreal, Massachusetts, New Mexico, Hawaii, Korea, Zurick, and New York City. The Department of Theatre and Dance was represented at the Kennedy Center for the seventh year in a row; two students advanced as national finalists in the American College Theatre Festival competition. Five pairs of acting students advanced to the regional semi-finals in the ACTF acting competition.
The College of Health Professions' programs maintain the appropriate accreditation for the respective programs. The Department of Communications Disorders' academic graduate program underwent a re-accreditation process and was successful in achieving re-accreditation for eight years by the Council of Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology. The post-bac course of studies in polysomnography offered through the Department of Respiratory Care is the only accredited graduate-level course of studies in the country by CAAHEP and CoARC agencies. The Radiation Therapy Program has maintained its national competitiveness since its startup. Based on the annual report by the national certifying examination administered by the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists, the program graduates have consistently exceeded the national pass rate. 100 percent of the graduating class of 2006 and 2007 successfully completed the certifying examination by the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists. The School of Social Work is still the only MSW degree program in the nation to be available entirely online. A hybrid program is being developed which will be offered, beginning next fall, incorporating more than 50 percent online, augmented by webcasting and face-to-face instruction. Accreditation is maintained through the Council on Social Work Education.
The College of Liberal Arts demonstrated national and international prominence by the following: 55 members of the Liberal Arts faculty served as editors or members of editorial boards of scholarly journals in 2006; Dagoberto Gilb co-edited the first collection of Mexican-Texas writers; poet Cyrus Casselss read at the National Book Festival; Anthropology received national and international coverage of forensics research and has worked to develop one of only two forensics research facilities in the US; a scholarly essay was cited by Sociological Spectrum as article of the year; an essay by Texas State creative writer Tom Grimes was included in the Best American Essays of 2006; Tim O'Brien was cited by the New York Times as one of the most important novelists of the 20th Century; Denis Johnson is a nominee for the National Book Award; the College hosted an interdisciplinary Race, Ethnicity, and Place Conference; two Geography faculty received National Council for Geographic Education's Distinguished Teaching Achievement Awards; the Center for International Studies has developed an international faculty and student exchange agreement with the Royal University in Cambodia; College faculty directed eighteen study abroad programs; the Center for the Study of the Southwest completed a match to an NEH grant that will fund an endowed chair.
The College of Science reports that this year the Computer Science Department hosted a two-day symposium on pandemic tracking that brought together industry, federal agencies, and several Texas State departments. The result was a joint proposal submitted with ManTech, a major computer security and forensics company.
The University College reports that Texas State's Common Experience, in collaboration with other units, brought distinguished lecturers (Luis Valdez, Edward James Olmos, and Isabel Allende) and special artistic and creative presentations to campus (Juilliard School concert at Texas State). Texas State's Common Experience also received the Mosaic Award of the Association of College Unions International, Region XII. The University College and Academic Affairs initiated the first ever national search for the Director of the Mitte Honors Program.
The Office of the Associate Vice President for Research reports that the ALERRT (Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training) Center has a national reputation for training first responders to acts of violence. The River Systems Institute, a national resource for data and expertise concerning stewardship of the world's freshwater resources, engages in collaborative research, public advocacy, and education on river systems. The Center for Geospatial Intelligence and Investigation studies how to improve our response to crime problems and homeland security threats, both foreign and domestic, using geospatial and other forms of tactical information to develop information management models; provides specialized training for law enforcement, intelligence, and military agencies and operational assistance for government agencies.
- Provide infrastructure to launch a capital campaign.
The Vice President for University Advancement reports that following the pre-campaign task force meetings in Summer 2006, more than 50 personal interviews occurred with alumni, friends and prospects from October 2006 through February 2007. There is significant support for a capital campaign at Texas State. Since February 2007 strategic initiatives have been implemented to build, strengthen and steward relations with donors. In late March 2007 an event was hosted on campus for donors of six-figure or more gifts. Positioning these benefactors as "heroes," the event emphasized the academic excellence of faculty and students. Since March 2007 rendering and models for the Performing Arts Center have been developed. The three aforementioned areas of Academic Excellence, Athletics, and Performing Arts are pillars of the University's capital campaign. Plans to launch a capital campaign continue. In April 2007 internal audiences met to review results of the pre-campaign task forces meetings. Development of the capital campaign case statement began. As of August 2007 the second draft of the case statement was complete. The goal for the final draft is October 15, 2007. Aggressive steps have been taken to re-organize the development staff operations. In June 2007 a plan to re-organize the development staff operations was presented to the President, Provost and Deans. As of September 1, 2007 the development officer position is now known as major gifts officer. Major gift officers are assigned to University Advancement. Their fundraising responsibilities are as generalists, representing all areas of the University identifying, cultivating and soliciting prospects. The minimum number of monthly personal visits for a major gifts officer has increased from 14 to 20. The goal is to visit with more than 200 prospects annually, making at least 50 solicitations annually and closing between 15 and 30 gifts. There is a need for a focused and strategic plan in Athletics. Since April 2007 there have been numerous meetings involving donors, administrators and faculty to review, discuss and develop an Athletics strategic plan.
Athletics reports that they have laid the foundation for capital campaign committee and set preliminary goals.
During FY 07, gifts of $6,450,293 were made to the McCoy College of Business Administration.
The College of Fine Arts & the Communication Development Officer continue to establish relationships with potential donors who have an interest in the Performing Arts Center, as well as academic areas within the College.
All academic units in the College of Health Professions are working closely with the University Advancement Office to secure funding for research opportunities and special projects. A College of Health Professions' Ambassadors Council has been established with meetings conducted twice a year.
The College of Liberal Arts expanded its Development Advisory Board, instituted a distinguished alumni speaker series, and is implementing a Distinguished Alumni Career Award.
In the University College, the Common Experience and Mitte Honors Program developed case statements for possible major donor endowments and strengthened working relationships with University Advancement.
- Maintain a physical setting that presents Texas State as a premier institution.
In the Finance & Support Services Division, Grounds Operations expanded the landscape maintenance contract to meet the needs of the campus by requiring contract mowing to be done as much as possible on weekends to minimize disruption during the week. Grounds Operations also increased the use of roll-off dumpsters during residence hall move-ins and move-outs to accommodate large volumes of trash. Grounds Operations freed up staff time by contracting landscape maintenance (mowing) resulting in the completion of new landscape projects at the LBJ Student Center, Alkek Library, Elliott Hall and McCoy Hall. Facilities, working with a contractor, completed emergency repairs to the foundation of the Fire Station Studio, a National Historic Register-listed building. Facilities enhanced the appearance and working environment of the J.C. Kellam Administration building by bird-proofing the facility. Bird-proofing will save University funds by reducing clean up costs and will also mitigate a potential health hazard.
The Office of University Marketing has taken the lead in updating current campus logo signage. They also have placed the University logo on the football stadium and launched a campus banner project.
McCoy Hall was dedicated in October, 2006. The 2006 Excellence in Construction Award of Merit was presented to the contractor, W.G. Yates & Sons Construction Company, by the Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc., South Texas Chapter.
In the College of Education, renovations to offices, classrooms, computer labs, gymnasiums, locker rooms, and all common areas in Jowers Center began in 2007 and will be completed in 2008. These renovations have transformed an outdated physical setting into one that is professional and inviting.
The University College reports that the Testing, Research-Support & Evaluation Center developed a plan for remodeling of current space in the basement of Commons Cafeteria. The Athletic Academic Center, Athletic Certification, Student Learning Assistance Center, Texas Success Initiative Program, and University College Advising Center worked with consulting architects to refine possible space in the planned Undergraduate Academic Center. The Mitte Honors Program coordinated renovations to Lampasas Hall that brought distinctive character to the building and recognized the special importance of the Mitte Foundation and alumni benefactors Roy F. and Joann Cole Mitte.
- Develop and implement a comprehensive university marketing plan to ensure consistent, accurate messaging to internal and external constituents.
Athletics has recently developed a five-year marketing plan called "The Drive" to assist in their goal of moving our football program to the Football Bowl Subdivision level.
The Associate Vice President for Enrollment Management & Marketing reports that the marketing plan is being implemented with a range of activities aimed at internal as well as external audiences. The marketing staff has been expanded and a director has been hired. The University's branding and messaging have been improved through a unified logo system and investments in signage and advertising. Better coordination of publications and website design have also been helpful.
In Institutional Effectiveness, the Office of Institutional Research regularly provides information in support of marketing to the Associate Vice President for Enrollment Management & Marketing. Institutional Research also supports dissemination of information about Texas State through college guidebooks and other external surveys.
The College of Fine Arts & Communication has taken steps to ensure a high quality, consistent look and message in all materials that are produced. There is a new marketing and communication plan for the College.
All academic units in the College of Health Professions including the Dean's Office have dedicated a significant amount of time to ensure that websites are consistent with University standards.
The University College reports that the Mitte Honors Program, in cooperation with the Office of Admissions and the Marketing Office, refined materials for promoting the University and the program to high ability students.
Goal 2: Expand access to public university education and contribute to the economic and cultural development of Texas, with special emphasis on development of the Round Rock Higher Education Center.
Intended Outcomes:
- Move forward on the Closing the Gaps goals of participation, success, excellence, and research.
The Institutional Research Office provides trend data in the new IR Fact Book Pivot Tables. IR is responsible for updating the Closing the Gaps (CTG) targets for the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and reports on the progress toward the CTG targets in the Accountability System. Academic Development and Assessment organized a session for new tenure-track faculty on Texas State students and the importance of "closing the gaps."
The College of Health Professions supported the efforts of the ENLACE program until its funding termination in Fall 2007. Diversity among the students in the College of Health Professions is: 8% Black, 25% Hispanic, 4% Asian, and 63% White.
The College of Liberal Arts hired a post-award grant specialist to strengthen research funded by external grants.
The Associate Vice President for Research has re-established institutional membership in the Council on Undergraduate Research and has committed financial support for the undergraduate research symposium hosted by the Mitte Honors Program.
- Expand Round Rock’s academic programs and support services based on identified needs.
The Office of Professional Development transmitted three workshops to the RRHEC to enable employees to benefit from development opportunities without having to drive from Round Rock to San Marcos. For the first time, an on-site 3-day 7 Habits of Highly Effective People workshop was conducted. An all-time high of 41 hours of workshop instruction were made available to RRHEC employees. Additionally, Academic Development and Assessment provided select faculty development programming to the Round Rock campus.
The Office of Continuing Education supports several course offerings at RRHEC that lead to certification, including programs in healthcare and public administration/ management.
The College of Applied Arts currently has two departments offering courses in Round Rock. Occupational Education offers graduate courses and Criminal Justice offers undergraduate courses in Round Rock.
Two EAPS programs in the College of Education expanded their scope at RRHEC. The Developmental and Adult Education program continued to develop a workplace-oriented focus; the Professional Counseling program continued to increase its offerings at this site. As part of the teacher preparation coursework at RRHEC, C&I added an elementary school field experience block, making for 4 academic blocks at that site, three at the elementary level and one for high school.
In the College of Fine Arts & Communication, the Department of Communication Studies has proposed the development of a minor in Communication Studies at the RRHEC. The School of Journalism and Mass Communication hosted Social Media 101: New Tools to Connect With Your Customers, a one-day seminar coordinated by Associate Director for Round Rock programs, Judy Oskam, in collaboration with the Round Rock Economic Development Partnership designed to provide knowledge to Round Rock community leaders in new media. We responded to student demand for courses delivered one day a week, compressed or through distance education, including piloting a section of MC 4305 - Theories of Mass Communication by distance in Fall 2007.
In the College of Health Professions, the School of Social Work is planning to offer the MSW via Internet (augmented by webcasting and other technology), which will meet the needs of some Round Rock students. The School of Health Administration has marketed two graduate certificate programs, Healthcare Human Services and Healthcare Administration, to the Round Rock community. There was enough interest in the Healthcare Administration certificate program to schedule the first course in Round Rock in Fall 2007. HA, in collaboration with the McCoy College of Business, is providing a four course area of special interest to MBA students and will schedule those courses in Round Rock as well. The development of the School of Nursing continues with an anticipated first class of nursing students to be in the new building at Round Rock in Fall 2010.
The College of Liberal Arts implemented a plan to hire a full-time lecturer to increase the number and range of courses offered at Round Rock for the Master of Arts in Health Psychology.
The College of Science indicates that Engineering & Technology is offering 1 to 2 courses at RRHEC each semester in support of Master of Science in Technology and MBA with Technology Minor. Computer Science has expanded its course offerings and has improved remote delivery. The Computer Science department funded the operation of the program with grants from the Texas Workforce Development program. Although the instructional support phase of the grant ends in August, remaining funds are being used to promote the program and to develop instructional infrastructure.
COMPLETED
- Enhance research efforts to address critical state needs.
The Graduate College encourages doctoral students preparing dissertations to develop proposals which address critical state needs.
The College of Applied Arts conducted two million dollars in research expenditures and institutionalized the Center for Safe Communities and Schools. The national certification of the ALERRT Program was used to provide training on a national basis. The total external grants funded for FY 07 was $7.9 million. A Mitte Chair in Criminology and Geographic Profiling was established.
The McCoy College of Business Administration received $544,124 in grant funding. The Texas State Small Business Development Center housed in the McCoy College received $465,042 in grant funding. In addition, $171,461 was received from the Texas Legislature to support the Center. Center staff worked with 717 clients offering 6,609 hours of business counseling. They also provided 108 training sessions reaching 1,611 attendees. Projections are that in FY 07 there will have been 446 jobs created, 107 business starts, and 73 business expansions created through the Center's efforts. The McCoy College Center for Latin American Commerce is partnering with the San Marcos Area and Hispanic Chambers of Commerce to conduct a survey of companies in central Texas and northern Mexico to study their international business interests. The results of the survey will form the basis for a trade mission of central Texas businesses to northern Mexico during 2008. Dr. James LeSage undertook a study of the economic impact of Texas State on Texas and the surrounding communities.
In the Department of Curriculum & Instruction, a $500,000 research and professional development grant, STELLAR (Science and Technology for English Language Learners), addresses the critical need to improve bilingual education teachers' content knowledge and pedagogical skills in science for ELL students. This TEA-funded project, from January 2007 to December 2008, is expected to serve as a professional development model for the state in the critical need areas of science and bilingual education. Also, the C&I department has added four new faculty positions in the critical need areas of bilingual, science, math, and special education. The faculty hired in these positions and existing faculty are pursuing major grant opportunities, planning collaborative research projects involving multiple campus departments, and proposing new academic programs that will help Texas State address these critical needs areas in education. The COE became a partner with the University of Texas Medical Branch-Galveston and Rice University in a professional and curriculum development project aimed at alleviating the critical need area of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) education at the secondary level. The TEA-funded project established a new T-STEM Center, based at UTMB, to serve selected high schools in the Gulf Coast region of Texas, one of 7 such geographically-distributed units in the state. The Galveston-based center will engage two of the largest school districts in Texas, Houston ISD and Cypress-Fairbanks ISD, along with Galveston and La Marque ISDs. ESS faculty, in conjunction with faculty from EAPS, FCS, and UTHSC, continued various externally funded research projects on lessening obesity and increasing physical activity in both children and adults locally and state-wide. ESS faculty, in partnership with C&I faculty, also submitted a basic research grant proposal to Autism Speaks. Finally, Health Education faculty conducted grant-supported research on the efficacy of sex education programming in public schools. The College of Education estimated target total external funds of $6,635,281 for FY 07; in FY 05 and FY 06, the COE received actual total external funds of $6,780,450 and $6,319,315 respectively.
In the College of Fine Arts & Communication, additional research funding has been made available to the Department of Art and Design. The School of Journalism and Mass Communication Assistant Professor Gilbert Martinez began a study of how major Texas newspapers practice effective journalism without a shield law (with support from a Texas State research enhancement grant). Professor Federico Subervi proposed a study of emergency communication policies related to non-English-speaking populations in Texas and Illinois. The McCormick Tribune Foundation is evaluating the initial proposal for possible funding.
The College of Health Professions hired new faculty members this year with the expectation that they would have a defined research agenda, including an expectation to submit grant proposals and contracts. Start-up dollars provided by the Office of the Provost to assist new faculty with their research agenda has assisted these new faculty. Workload credit continues to be given to faculty for research efforts. The Office of Sponsored Programs reports that the CHP had 15 proposals submitted by faculty for $5,569,047 and to date $1,717,336 has been funded. Funding increased by 27.6% over the last year. Faculty members continue to submit proposals for Texas State's Research Enhancement Grants. The hiring of an Associate Dean for Research was approved during Summer 2006 but the individual selected left the position during Spring 2007 without reaching anticipated outcomes. At this time the position has not been filled.
The College of Liberal Arts won 55 grants/contracts ($2,332,000) in 2006, with 23 proposals pending. Many programs that address state needs, including Water Resources Management, Geographic Information Science, Forensic Anthropology, and Texas Archaeology have been contracted to conduct research for state and local government agencies. The Department of History received grants to improve the teaching of American and Texas history in the public schools. The Department of English helped a local school district develop a high school writing center.
In the College of Science, the following initiatives involve collaboration with a variety of national and international entities: the Rio Grande Basin Initiative; Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis; Hydrological Observatory; Texas Rivers Institute Center of Excellence; and Blanco River Conservation. Engineering & Technology has been building strong relationships with regional political bodies to assist them with economic development efforts in Central Texas.
The Associate Vice President for Research reports that the Nano Applications Center (NAC) is working with the governor's office, other universities, and industry to establish a state lab. NAC and IEIS (Institute for Environmental and Industrial Science) are working with high tech industries. A Mitte Chair in Material Science has been established and is operational. The River Systems Institute is working state- and nation-wide to address the critical shortage of water. ALERRT trains first responders both state-and nation-wide to meet homeland security goals. The Center for Geospatial Intelligence and Investigation provides border security.
The Institutional Research Office within Institutional Effectiveness regularly provides data in support of grants.
- Increase university and departmental scholarship opportunities in an effort to improve recruitment and retention of qualified students.
The Office of the Vice President for Finance & Support Services along with The Staubach Company negotiated a sales contract with The Stratford Company for the University's 259.52 acres of land located at IH-35/McCarty Lane on December 11, 2006. Funds received at the July 11, 2007 real estate closing will support Merit Scholarships.
Auxiliary Services worked with the Associated Student Government to establish an ASG/Bookstore Scholarship fund based on a percentage of net surplus. The scholarship of $29,000 for FY 2007 was based on FY 2006 surplus.
In the Student Affairs Division, Multicultural Student Affairs received over $1 million in grant funds from the Department of Education for the TRIO programs.
Athletics continues to offer the maximum scholarships allowed by the NCAA.
A new merit scholarship program was introduced in 2006-2007 and it succeeded in attracting more than 100 additional high ability students to the University. As a result, the mean SAT scores and class rank of entering freshmen set institutional records.
The Graduate College has experienced continued success in the Celebrity Classic and attracting scholarship dollars from donors.
The College of Applied Arts will provide thirty $1,000 tuition scholarships for new graduate students in the college.
In the McCoy College of Business Administration, seven incoming freshman joined the five continuing McCoy Scholars in the fall. The twelve students received a total of $78,000 in scholarship assistance. At the end of their freshman year, the students had an average GPA of 3.85. Five graduate students received McCoy Fellowships totaling $19,000. In addition, $50,000 was awarded to graduate students and $50,000 was awarded to undergraduate students from the H.C. Vivian Memorial Business Endowed Scholarship. The Davila Endowed Scholarship provided $4,000 for an undergraduate student. An additional $55,200 in scholarship assistance was awarded during the annual McCoy College Awards Day Ceremony.
The College of Education centralized its scholarship operations strategies in an effort to enhance stewardship and funding of current and future scholarships. A college-wide scholarship committee was created to facilitate and coordinate the work of existing departmental scholarship committees. Actions were taken to increase student awareness of existing scholarship opportunities (e.g., posters and flyers were posted and announcements were made in classes).
In the College of Fine Arts & Communication, the Department of Art and Design is looking into the Park West donation and how to sell part of the collection in order to increase scholarship opportunities. The new Stokes Endowment provided for marching band scholarships and student ensemble travel. A total of $31,500 was awarded in marching band scholarships. Basketball band members received $100 each. More Nelson Scholarships were awarded in 2006-07. The School of Journalism and Mass Communication created a new Internship, Scholarship and Career Development Coordinator position whose role is to assist students in securing internal and external scholarship support and to develop new scholarships among potential supporters. The Department of Theatre and Dance received a pledge of $150,000 endowment from the PSH Foundation. The money is to be used for musical theatre scholarships. The College continues to pursue scholarship opportunities and improve stewardship of existing scholarship donors.
The College of Health Professions continues to award the Louis Blaney Scholarship to qualified students. The Scholarships for Disadvantaged Students awarded $106,773 to qualified students in Clinical Laboratory Science, Communication Disorders and Physical Therapy. The School of Social Work distributed an estimated $200,000 in student aid through various grants and contracts to students committed to work in child welfare and in services to the elderly. The School of Health Administration established the Hamid Scholarship during 2007 and anticipates making the first award in 2008.
The College of Liberal Arts hired a part-time outreach coordinator to replace a development officer and administrative assistant, and its departments are working to develop funds from external sources to support scholarships, especially for graduate students. During 2006, the College awarded one fellowship, 53 scholarships, and two cash prizes. It is working toward its goal of raising all existing scholarship endowments in the College to $25,000 or more. In 2006, 35 Liberal Arts scholarships had endowments of $25,000 or more; 44 had endowments from $10,000 to $15,000; and another 31 were building endowments at levels below $10,000. Liberal Arts counts a total of 135 scholarships in University and Development Foundation accounts with a corpus of more than $11 million.
In the College of Science, the Welch Foundation Chemistry & Biochemistry Departmental Grant for $45,000/year (3-year grant) was received to support undergraduate and graduate research. A $5 million Ingram Endowment was received for the School of Engineering which endows one chaired professor, two Ingram professors, academic-based scholarships, faculty development, and new program development. A proposal for increased funding to support more graduate students, and eventually to support Ph.D. students at a higher level was submitted by Mathematics. In 2007, they received funding to raise 6 masters level students to doctoral level and add 2 additional doctoral level positions.
- Complete construction of the first permanent building for the Round Rock Higher Education Center and provide services to the students, faculty and staff who will occupy the building.
COMPLETED
- Enhance on-site library and technology support for the new Round Rock Higher Education Center.
- Implement quality student services and selected student programs at the Round Rock Higher Education Center.
In the College of Fine Arts & Communication, the School of Journalism and Mass Communication has established a full degree option in General Mass Communication at the Round Rock Higher Education Center.
The College of Liberal Arts continues to offer masters degrees in Public Administration and Technical Communication as well as a certificate in Professional Ethics and an undergraduate degree in Psychology at the Round Rock Higher Education Center.
The Round Rock Higher Education Center supported its own special Common Experience event linking the RRHEC to the Common Experience initiative on the San Marcos campus.
Institutional Effectiveness reports that one of the surveys that the Institutional Research office conducts annually for the Associate Director of RRHEC evaluates the satisfaction with current programs and assesses the need for new programs. Academic Development and assessment broadcasted a workshop on student counseling services to the Round Rock campus.
COMPLETED
Goal 3: Provide a premier student-centered, educational experience that fosters retention and success and is built on academic programs with clearly defined learning outcomes and a rigorous level of academic challenge.
Intended Outcomes:
- Increase student retention through:
- Expanded student retention programs with collaboration among the Graduate College, University College, academic departments, and Student Affairs.
- Departmental and campus-wide student engagement initiatives.
- Increased collaborative programs with appropriate academic and student affairs departments to educate and respond to students with financial, physical and mental health concerns.
In the Student Affairs Division, a Director of Retention Management and Planning was hired and the cross divisional Retention Analysis Council was formed. "Datablast" sessions were held with the Colleges of Liberal Arts, Science and Education to discuss millenial students and retention statistics to generate ideas that would help to increase retention in their majors. The Retention Office implemented a baseline retention plan and increased the freshmen retention rate to 76% in one year. Through a grant from the NCAA, the Student Wellness Team composed of representative faculty, Dr. Gay James, the Alcohol Drug Resource Center and the Student Health Center implemented two phases of a social marketing campaign addressing alcohol abuse. Residence Life implemented eight residential Freshman Interest Group programs (Computer Science, Criminal Justice, Mass Communications, Geography, Psychology, Business, Health Professions and History). Career Services created virtual fairs and cyber spots to provide more opportunities for students to network with employers. They also collaborated with the Graduate College and the Vice President for Student Affairs to create a Texas State Graduate Information Day program and created a Construction Job Fair with faculty from Construction and Industrial Technology. The Student Health Center and Career Services developed internships and special programs for Business, Health Information Management, Athletic Training, and Clinical Laboratory Science.
Enrollment Management and Marketing helped plan and implement the Emerging STARS Program in 2007. The project marked the beginning of a three-year pilot study to determine if this summer bridge program could improve student retention and graduation. A total of 150 students admitted through our review program were offered the opportunity to begin their enrollment in the second summer term, rather than the fall. These students were given extensive academic and student life support services during the summer to help them adjust to college life. At the end of the term, virtually all the students completed their courses and enrolled for the fall. These students will be followed in the future and compared to a cohort of similar students who did not attend the summer program. The second cohort of Emerging STARS will enroll in the summer of 2008.
Institutional Effectiveness contributes to student retention efforts with the Director of Institutional Research and one Research Analyst who serve on the Retention Analysis Council for the Division of Student Affairs. They work with two deans on the committee to identify areas for intervention to improve retention and graduation rates. The Director of University Planning & Assessment has been involved in the pilot Hometown Bobcat program as a staff facilitator for the Valley Area group. This program is aimed at retaining first-year, first-generation students from the valley area of south Texas by exposing them to the many service and support areas available to them through Texas State. It also aims to promote community building, networking and a sense of "family" among the students and staff from the same region of the state. The Director has also committed to continuing as a facilitator for the upcoming year. The Office of Professional Development collaborated with three Student Affairs departments for five different workshop topics. These workshops educate faculty and staff on issues of financial and mental health concerns for our students. Academic Development and Assessment brought new tenure-track faculty programs to various student services to develop a strong awareness of services that can promote student success and retention early in their teaching career at Texas State.
The Graduate College has conducted thesis and dissertation workshops for students and faculty. This initiative should improve retention and quality of research.
The College of Applied Arts will expand the PASS Program to increase the number of students served and increase student retention. The College of Applied Arts received five year federal funding for the CAMP Program to recruit migrant students.
The McCoy College participated in the freshman interest group (FIG) program. Before advance registration for spring and summer/fall, the 16 members of the program had the opportunity to meet with their advisors in their dorm, and they attended several events together throughout the year including the Business Etiquette Dinner. The members also participated in Bobcat Build as part of their community service efforts. Four McCoy College departments increased student outreach efforts via online newsletters. McCoy College participated in the USA TODAY Collegiate Readership Program during the spring semester. Free daily newspapers were available for students Monday through Friday. Members of the Finance faculty created a new course, "Student Managed Invest Fund Practicum." The students enrolled in the class manage $100,000 of the McCoy College Development Foundation assets. Dr. Kay Nicols and Dr. Brian Miller organized a new student chapter of the Society for Human Resource Management. In their first HR Games competition, the chapter was a semi-finalist in the state competition and placed ninth in the regional competition. A total of 163 students participated in internships during the year. In addition, the CIS department established student internship opportunities with IBM,, USAA, Exxon/Mobil, and McCoy's Building Supply. At total of $73,500 was awarded from the McCoy student development funds to support a variety of student activities including student travel to regional and national conferences and competitions. In addition, the funds supported the hiring of a graduate student to work part-time to increase awareness of McCoy College students of the workshops and job search assistance offered through Career Services.
The College of Education moved closer in 2006-2007 to its goal of implementing a comprehensive system to identify, advise, and track students as they progress through their academic programs. Because of the growing call for accountability in teacher preparation, the first priority has been to set up pre-teacher admission management system. The Center for Student and Professional Services will continue to host meetings each semester with identified pre-teaching candidates to inform them about requirements for admission into Teacher Education and introduce them to advisors who can assist them throughout their university experience. It is hoped that the new system will not only promote early identification of teacher candidates and promote retention but also reduce suspensions and facilitate timely completion in education preparation programs college-wide. The Division of Academic Affairs undertook an extensive analysis of undergraduate student suspensions in the College, and based on results, conferred with the two undergraduate departments (C&I and HPER) about how to enact improvements. Such discussions will continue during the coming academic year, with the goal of instituting various interventions for students on suspension and probation. EAPS department faculty and graduate students played a central role in the success of the new Emerging Stars program which brought over 150 beginning freshmen to campus for advance preparation. Students enrolled in EDP 1350, Effective Learning, with Dr. Russ Hodges of the DAE program acting as coordinator and Dr. Jackie Cooper of EAPS and Linda Munoz, Mona Pelkey, and Tamara Clunis (students in the College's Ph.D. program) acting as instructors. HPER's five student organizations (the Exercise and Sports Science Club, the Pre-Physical Therapy club, the Athletic Training club, the Association of Recreation Majors, and the Delta Chi chapter of Eta Sigma Gamma) and their respective faculty sponsors remained active in recruiting membership by developing relationships with graduate and undergraduate students. These organizations also participated in extramural activities, providing a sense of community and further developing relationships among their members as well as helping to retain them. In particular, the Association of Recreation Majors (ARM) and other recreation administration and therapeutic recreation students participated in service learning assignments with the San Marcos Parks and Recreation Department, Kyle Parks and Recreation Department, and the Texas State University Athletic Department.
In the College of Fine Arts & Communication, the Department of Art and Design is creating digital presentations of programs which will be shown and discussed in foundation classes. The Department of Communication Studies initiated and maintained a series of receptions and mixers to facilitate greater social interaction between students and faculty. An advising newsletter is published twice each year for all Communication Studies majors to help students stay informed about all curricular and advising issues in the department. The Department provided increased seating areas to facilitate student and faculty interaction in lounge and hall areas; evidence suggests these "conversation spaces" have increased faculty and student conversation. The School of Journalism and Mass Communication received a Student Success Target Grant from the University College to develop career development programming for first year students. Advisors attended workshops with Student Affairs retention staff. The Scholarship/Recruitment/ Retention Committee completed the Enrollment Management and the Recruiting Plan. The School of Music participated in Day of Dialogue with community/junior college advisors and administrators working to assist transfer students. Alumni brought Hays High School Choir to campus to visit classes and exchange choir concerts with our Chorale. Collaboration with Theatre for productions engaged students and strengthened the Music Theatre degree. The Department of Theatre and Dance instituted a mentoring program for freshmen and sophomores who intend to audition for the B.F.A. acting program. The audition process for B.F.A. design-tech students was moved to the first semester of the sophomore year; this earlier review process engages students sooner and it creates an opportunity for students to reapply without extending their time at the university.
The College of Health Professions established a retention rate goal of admitted students to the major of 90% for undergraduate students and 95% for graduate students. Respiratory Care, in collaboration with Athletics, screened student athletes for sleep disorders through the Sleep Wellness Program improving athlete retention in academics and organized sports. The Radiation Therapy Program's Cancer Awareness Day required first year students to reach out to students within the campus community. Held in the middle of the LBJ Student Center, RTT students provided visual and interactive material to inform students of types of cancer and radiation therapy. A 2-day Radiation Therapy Student Seminar provided another student-centered educational experience as pre-graduates presented results of their research projects and technical papers. Participants included pre-radiation therapy students from our campus, interested students from junior college Radiation Science programs, Texas State's first year RTT students, faculty, and professional staff from clinical affiliations. The School of Health Administration has increased the proportion of full-time graduate students who are retained at higher proportions than part-time graduate students. HA continues to work on orientation materials including student expectations to ensure that students are aware of both the time and financial commitments of HA programs. Clinical Laboratory Science received a Student Success Targets (SSTARS) mini-grant to improve student retention and engagement through the University College.
Liberal Arts faculty have contributed to increasing the rate of retention and completion by mentoring students: 54 faculty mentored 142 graduate students seeking awards and preparing publications or conference papers; 21 faculty mentored 52 undergraduates applying for awards and preparing publications or conference papers. The College partnered with the Common Experience to sponsor events supporting University Seminar and encouraging students' academic interests; the College and most departments have updated websites to assist students as they plan schedules and complete coursework; the College Career Center has received temporary funding for a research assistant and a half-time professional to help students discern vocations and receive information about internships; the College supports increased study abroad opportunities through its Study Abroad Council and numerous faculty-led programs, including 21 of the 28 programs offered by Texas State during the summer of 2007. The Department of English participated in the University's Reach for the Stars initiative; Geography increased the number of students completing the doctorate by a factor of four relative to the average of the previous six years, implemented a summer cohort for the Geographic Education Ph.D. for community college teachers, and has more full-time Ph.D. students in residence than ever before; Political Science has received funding to support its Discourse in Democracy series and has sponsored a Freshman Forum to encourage retention; History has developed a senior seminar as a capstone course and promoted an undergraduate History Club for majors; Philosophy provided leadership in the American Democracy Project; Sociology developed alumni contacts by creating a directory that documents alumni and their careers. The addition of new IA lines in Geography and Political Science has permitted increased faculty contact with students in core courses.
The College of Science reports, in collaboration with the University College, the Chemistry & Biochemistry Department is pursuing a significant change to the University Seminar curriculum by having a faculty member in the department teach a section of US 1100 restricted to their majors, so that they may be introduced to topics more focused on their professional career. The student evaluations from the section taught by Dr. Debra Feakes were so positive that the department is repeating this format each fall.
The University College Advising Center initiated and evaluated a new retention program to meet with freshmen students during the first few weeks of the fall semester. Undergraduate Advising Centers adopted the advising syllabus model for assisting students to develop habits of mind and practice that will permit them to make the most effective use of interactions with their academic advisors. Emerging Stars, a summer bridge initiative targeting promising students (underperforming high schools, economically disadvantaged and first-generation to college) and fostering new collaboration among academic and student affairs units, attracted 155 students to campus during Summer II. All students who participated in the program completed the program in good standing, and more than 25% earned 4.0 GPAs. Emerging Stars participated in an intense academic curriculum, received focused advising, and received special student affairs support to create leaders among students that previously had been admitted under special criteria. University College completed development of and obtained authorization from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to offer a Bachelor of General Studies degree that combines three undergraduate minors into a focused program designed to serve students interested in a broadly conceived and carefully planned interdisciplinary degree, as well as to provide a vehicle to aid the graduation of students with multiple incomplete academic majors.
- Recognize and support intercollegiate athletics and the arts as vehicles to promote a well-rounded collegiate experience for all students.
Athletics receives a student fee for this purpose. The President also hosts dinners with championship teams.
Pending funding, the Department of Respiratory Care in the College of Health Professions plans to expand the Sleep Wellness Program to other athletic groups at high risk for sleep disorders to promote wellness, performance and academic success.
In the University College, the Athletic Certification Office has retained two full-time employees to evaluate student athletes' credentials to insure Texas State's compliance with NCAA guidelines for athletic eligibility and student athlete academic progress. The Athletic Academic Center used reallocated funds to hire four full-time staff to provide academic support for student athletes. The Athletic Academic Center and the Student Learning Assistance Center have collaborated to provide SLAC oversight and AAC funding for the training of student tutors who deliver these services in the Endzone Complex and the Athletic Academic Center. The Athletic Academic Center and the Student Learning Assistance Center have collaborated to provide SLAC oversight and AAC funding for the expansion of Supplemental Instruction into selective sections of general education courses which enroll more support.
- Develop and implement student learning outcomes and appropriate assessment measures within each academic program to ensure program improvement and provide evidence of student success.
The Associate Vice President for Institutional Effectiveness reports that the first year of assessment of student learning outcomes has been completed by all academic departments for all undergraduate and graduate programs. Action plans have been put in place where appropriate. Institutional Research provides academic departments with the opportunity to add items to the annual alumni survey that can be used to measure student learning outcomes. Academic Development and Assessment guided the deans in reviewing outcomes and assessment and established that it maintains a university-wide repository for student learning outcomes assessment.
The chairs within the College of Applied Arts will assign curriculum experts for each of their specific programs.
The McCoy College assessment endeavors were noted as a point of excellence in the AACSB visitation team report. The McCoy College Assessment Committee published the course embedded assessment results for the Bachelor of Business Administration degree program goals of written and oral communication. Five courses using eight different assignments measured student writing and speaking proficiency from the sophomore level to the senior level. Longitudinal reviews of both the Alumni Survey and the Graduating Senior Survey results were completed and published. Observations and recommendations from both reviews were transmitted to the College Curriculum Committee and the five departments. The Assessment Committee developed a college assessment website that is linked to the McCoy College website. The MBA program-level learning goals were finalized by the Graduate Policies Committee and the College Curriculum Committee and communicated to all faculty members.
College of Education student assessment and learning outcomes figured prominently at the June 2007 retreat of the COE College Council. The COE is in the process of advertising for a Data Manager who will help with the extensive data gathering and reporting needs of the College and its departments, including student learning outcome data. This individual is expected to be on board at the beginning of Fall 2007.
In the College of Fine Arts & Communication, the Department of Art and Design completed the first cycle of measuring learning outcomes using the senior students as the survey group. The Department of Communication Studies initiated a comprehensive assessment program to collect data to assess student learning outcomes at both the undergraduate and graduate level. Evidence suggests significant success in documenting learning outcomes. The School of Journalism and Mass Communication initiated a comprehensive assessment plan consistent with both university and national accreditation in Journalism and Mass Communication standards established and implemented. In the Department of Theatre and Dance two degree programs were significantly modified, and learning outcomes are being developed for them.
Departments in the College of Liberal Arts have initiated changes to courses based on the results of their assessments: the Geography chair has established a committee to review content and staffing in the Urban Planning program, History has implemented a planned capstone course, and English has modified a pretest and the title of an introductory course for majors. The Dean has worked with the Office of Development and Assessment to review each program's outcomes and methods in order to assure valid and useful measures of outcomes. The Department of History has undertaken a comprehensive study of the D-F-W rates in some sections.
Within the College of Science, a student learning assistance laboratory was created in Engineering & Technology where undergraduates can go to receive help with course specific academic difficulties during flexibly scheduled hours.
In the University College, the Academic Advisors attended the national NACADA conference in Austin, the NACADA Assessment conference in San Antonio and participated in a NACADA webinar to develop an assessment plan for undergraduate academic advising.
COMPLETED
- Revise the academic and administrative program review processes to facilitate program improvement in support of the University mission.
Institutional Effectiveness reports that the Director of Academic Development and Assessment revisited the calendar for academic program review and is seeking college input for any necessary changes. The Director of University Planning & Assessment continues to research the creation and implementation of a university-wide administrative peer review program. A committee will be formed to develop policies and procedures after formal implementation of the academic program review process.
- Develop a strong commitment to university alumni.
The University Advancement Division reports that recognition for the Distinguished Alumni Award (DAA) recipients continues to improve. In addition to being presented a medal and DVD, each recipient receives a personalized Texas State suit coat. Following the University Advancement Division's model, the Alumni Association is revising its strategic plan. The revision focuses on greater outreach and identifying major gifts prospects for the alumni center. Plans are underway to develop more formal and professional events in the Dallas, Houston, Austin, and San Antonio markets. Strategies are underway to identify and recruit prospects to participate in the Annual Scholarship Gala. Collaboratively the University major gifts officers are working with Alumni Relations staff to identify participants.
Athletics maintains commitment to alumni through their T-Association activities.
Institutional Research administers the Alumni Survey each summer to gather additional information on alumni. Permanent e-mail addresses are collected from students who apply for graduation, so better contact can be maintained with alumni in the future.
The Graduate College reports that plans are being made to initiate a graduate student alumni survey.
The McCoy College Department of Accounting began a Young Alumni Advisory Group. All alumni graduating within the last ten years were invited to participate. The Department of Computer Information Systems and Quantitative Methods added ten new business professionals to its Advisory Board, bringing the total membership on the Board to twenty. In addition to IBM, Exxon/Mobil, USAA, Samsung, and governmental agencies, companies represented on the Board now include Microsoft, McCoy's Building Supply, Wal-Mart, Cisco, Home Depot, Vignette, and Dell. Twenty-one business leaders made presentations in the "Studies in Entrepreneurship" class this year. Many of these leaders are alumni of Texas State.
The College of Education Advisory Board was established and met twice during 2006-2007. At its second meeting, the Board unanimously expressed its desire to be an active working unit that can help the COE in its development and alumni relations effort. HPER professor Stephen Awoniyi, with assistance from the rest of the Recreation Administration faculty, organized a meeting of the program's Advisory Council. This provided an opportunity for students and faculty to meet with the council. Furthermore, bookmarks and newsletters, highlighting the Recreation program, were sent to 1,000 alumni.
In the College of Fine Arts & Communication, the Department of Art and Design established an alumni organization for Communication Design. A new web page is being designed and will reach out to all our alumni on a regular basis. The Department of Communication Studies maintained contact with alumni through the publication of its 17th annual newsletter and correspondence with all M.A. alumni. The School of Journalism and Mass Communication expanded and improved the 48-page annual publication of Mass Commentary, a student-produced alumni magazine distributed to all school alumni. The University Star hosted alumni weekends and induction of alumni into the University Star Hall of Fame. The school website was redesigned using the content management system offered by the University. It incorporated a special section specifically for alumni information. The School of Music published two editions of its alumni newsletter "Encore!" Alumni receptions were held at the Texas Music Educators Association. Ensembles took recruiting trips where they performed for alumni teaching in cities throughout Texas. The Department of Theatre and Dance held alumni reunions in Houston and in New York.
In the College of Health Professions, a former Clinical Laboratory Science student is a member of the Ambassadors Council which provides opportunities for development. Alumni have access to the CLS program website and communicate via email. Alumni are invited back to campus as guest speakers for CLS Society and classroom activities. The Department of Communication Disorders organizes and sponsors a Spring Conference each year and offers 10 hours of continuing education to speech-language pathologists across the state. Many CDIS alumni attend this annual event. The School of Health Administration continues to publish an HA alumni directory and continues to host alumni events in the fall on campus and in the spring at the predominant professional organization meeting in Chicago. The Department of Respiratory Care continues to contact alumni through the CHP Ambassadors Council and through personal visits. Currently, the School of Social Work is planning an alumni reunion to be held in November 2007. All alumni have been contacted in preparation for this event. The School is also working to develop more continuing education opportunities specifically for alumni, who need regular continuing education credits for licensure.
Through its Alumni Speakers Bureau, the College of Liberal Arts has initiated a program to bring alumni to campus to visit departments and serve as role models and mentors for current students. To date, alumni from Anthropology, English, and Political Science have returned to campus. The College has also invited a number of alumni to serve on its Development Advisory Board, and it has developed plans to honor a Distinguished Alumnus/a from the College annually, beginning in 2008. The Advisory Board is hosting luncheons and dinners to introduce the Dean to other alumni and friends of the College.
The University College reports that the Mitte Honors Program expanded its newsletters and broadened the distribution to graduates of the Mitte Honors Program. Featured alumni were brought to campus and alumni accomplishments were featured in the Mitte Honors Forum, the program newsletter.
COMPLETED.
Goal 4: Expand educational opportunities, emphasizing doctoral program development, applied scientific and technical programs, and other programs that address critical state needs.
Intended Outcomes:
- In years 1 and 2 of the Plan, the provost will seek approval for implementing the following programs:
- The Ph.D. degree with a major in Mathematics Education
- The Ph.D. degree with a major in Computer Science
- The Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.) degree with a major in Communication Design
- The Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree with a major in Electrical Engineering
- The Master of Science degree (M.S.) with a major in Accounting and Information Technology
In the Finance & Support Services Division, work began under the supervision of the Facilities Planning, Design and Construction Office for the completion of the fifth floor in the Roy F. Mitte Building. This space is being finished out for the School of Engineering and Technology in support of the new Bachelor of Science degree with a major in Electrical Engineering. Space will be ready for occupancy in Spring 2008.
The Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs reports that Bachelor of Science degree with a major in Electrical Engineering is COMPLETED. The Master of Fine Arts with a major in Communication Design and the Master of Science with a major in Accounting and Information Technology have been COMPLETED.
In the McCoy College, the first students enrolled in the Master of Science with a major in Accounting and Information Technology (MSAIT) degree in the 2007 summer session. Efforts to promote this program are underway including using members of departmental and College Advisory Boards to provide information to potential recruiters and companies in the Austin-San Antonio area.
In the College of Fine Arts & Communication, the Department of Art and Design's MFA in Communication Design has been approved and the first students admitted in fall 2007. The Department of Communication in collaboration with the School of Journalism and Mass Communication were encouraged to develop a proposal for a Ph.D. in Communication.
- In years 1 and 2 of the Plan, prepare to submit proposals in years 3-5 of the Plan seeking approval for the following programs:
- The Ph.D. degree with a major in Criminal Justice
- The Master of Science (M.S.) degree with a major in Human Nutrition (Interdisciplinary)
- The Master of Science (M.S.) degree with a major in Athletic Training
- The Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree with a major in Materials Science and Engineering
Within the Finance & Support Services Division, upon the relocation of Air Aerospace Studies and the Air Force ROTC program to Derrick, Hines Academic Center was renovated under the supervision of the Facilities, Planning, Design and Construction Office in support of the Ph.D. degree with a major in Criminal Justice. Additional offices and classrooms will be available when the doctoral degree is approved. Programming for a new addition to the Family and Consumer Sciences building was completed. The addition will provide space in support of the Master of Science degree with a major in Human Nutrition. Architect selection is waiting for approval from the Texas State University System Office. The addition, as well as renovation to the existing building, will be completed by Fall 2010. Work began under the supervision of the Facilities Planning, Design and Construction Office for the completion of the fifth floor in the Roy F. Mitte building. This space is being finished out for the School of Engineering and Technology in support of the new Bachelor of Science degree with a major in Materials Science and Engineering. Space will be ready for occupancy in Spring 2008.
The Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs reports that the Master of Science degree with a major in Human Nutrition, the Master of Science degree with a major in Athletics Training and the Bachelor of Science with a major in Material Science and Engineering are COMPLETED.
In the College of Applied Arts, the Master of Science (M.S.) degree with a major in Human Nutrition (Interdisciplinary) will recruit their first cohort for September 2008.
In the College of Education, the Master of Science in Athletic Training was approved by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and will be offered beginning fall 2008.
In the College of Fine Arts & Communication, the School of Journalism and Mass Communication in collaboration with Communication Studies drafted a preliminary authority request to propose a Ph.D. in Communication with emphasis in Latinos and Media, Strategic Communication and Instructional Communication. The School of Music formed a committee to develop a DMA in Latino Music Studies degree.
The College of Liberal Arts has submitted abstracts to the Provost to develop Ph.D. programs in Anthropology and Political Science. Anthropology is hiring faculty for the program and writing a proposal; Political Science is building infrastructure by hiring new senior faculty and a director for the doctoral program.
- Expand access to distance education through reviewing distance-learning opportunities in the context of the viable fiscal plan.
The Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs reports that the Office of Correspondence, Extension, and Study Abroad Programs served 1815 correspondence students, 425 study abroad students, and 425 extension students during the 2006-2007 academic year. The Division of Academic Affairs also works with the Office of Instructional Technology to ensure all distance learning courses and programs meet the highest standards of excellence. All new courses and programs are evaluated for student demand, faculty expertise, and alignment with the University's academic plan.
In support of this intended outcome, Academic Development and Assessment organized faculty development workshops on distance education and study abroad.
The Agriculture Department in the College of Applied Arts will partner with USDA funding and Hispanic Serving Institutions to deliver online courses to community colleges.
In the College of Education, two EAPS programs, Developmental and Adult Education (DAE) and Educational and Community Leadership (ECL), both continued to use "hybrid" courses successfully, combining on-line instruction with periodic face-to-face meetings as appropriate, usually on Saturdays. C&I, assisted by the Graduate College, explored a partnership with the Public Broadcasting System affiliate, KLRU, to offer graduate credit for PBS Teacherline professional development courses, a distance education project. As a result of initial discussions, the two entities will engage during fall 2007 in a well-defined program of evaluating how their existing coursework might interface. C&I entered into partnership with Eanes ISD and the Eanes Educational Foundation via the Partnership for Teacher Excellence Project (PTEP), which will provide an initial cohort of ten teachers with a master's degree program on and off campus. The cohort began coursework in summer 2007 and is expected to graduate at the end of summer 2008.
In the College of Health Professions, the Health Information Management Program continues to offer the distance education format option to students who are not campus based. The School of Social Work is in year 4 of a 5-year $1 million federal grant to offer the MSW online to rural social workers. This program format is being expanded to a hybrid online format to serve qualified students anywhere with Internet facilities. The School of Health Administration continues to explore distance learning opportunities for its graduate certificate programs.