Research and Graduate Studies @ KU

Faculty group supports promotion, oversight of graduate education

Competitive graduate student recruitment, a streamlined approval process for new graduate degrees, and a new oversight and advisory structure are among the recommendations contained in the recent report of a faculty group concerned with graduate education at KU.  The goal of the report is to strengthen graduate degree programs and coordinate the university’s mission in graduate education.

The 13-member group, comprised of graduate faculty, was organized last fall by Sara Rosen, associate vice provost and dean of graduate studies.  It was chaired by Susan Twombly, Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, and was asked to help redefine the relationship between the graduate studies office and graduate programs in four key areas: administration of graduate education, program assessment, recruitment and student services.

 "The message of the task force was clear," Rosen said. "Strengthen graduate education at KU by working more closely with the graduate programs.  The members have tremendous experience educating graduate students and developing degree programs.  Their report is extremely valuable, and will help us establish a new office with a new focus."

The faculty recommendations reinforce the need for a graduate studies office that supports graduate education throughout the university.  This office should strengthen academic, research, and administrative partnerships across campus.  Specific recommendations include:

• Create a policy oversight and advisory committee designed to "facilitate the goal of promoting graduate degrees of the highest quality";
• Facilitate an "assessment and rethinking of the funding model for graduate students" at KU, in order to help provide competitive levels of funding for doctoral students;
• Develop a "streamlined, supportive process for approving new graduate degrees and reviewing major changes to existing degree programs";
• Play a "prominent role in gathering, interpreting and disseminating data on graduate students and programs";
• Support a recruitment and application process that results in the recruitment of graduate students of the highest quality, including an online application and admission process and the coordination of various graduate recruitment activities; and
• Maintain current levels of student services programming and strengthen such efforts as GTA training, a comprehensive web site for current services, Responsible Conduct of Research programming, and provision of data about national/international trends in graduate education.

In addition to Twombly, other members were Tim Shaftel, business; Kent Spreckelmeyer, architecture; Mary Anne Jordan, design; Elizabeth Topp, pharmaceutical chemistry; John Colombo, psychology; Susan Kemper, gerontology; Arvin Agah, electrical engineering and computer science; Ann Schofield, American studies; John Ferraro, allied health; Rita Clifford, nursing; and Allen Rawitch, KU Medical Center.  John Augusto, Research and Graduate Studies, served in an ex officio capacity. 

The full report is available at the RGS homepage.