Investment in the Future: MSU Graduate Education

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Investment in the Future MSU Graduate Education

• FRANK EINHELLIG
• Associate Provost and
• Dean of the Graduate College
• September 10, 2008

2
Presidents Themes for 2008-09

• Foster our students success
• Enrich our Public Affairs mission
• Transform our campuses
• Strengthen our competitiveness
• Engage our communities
• Advance our understanding

• Key Graduate Connections to Themes
• Strengthen Recruitment, Marketing, Enrollment
• Further develop aspects of community engagement,
  cultural competence, and ethical leadership
• Advance Research and External Funding

3
I. Then, Now, and Tomorrow
Graduate Programs
Sustainable Solutions
Graduate Students
Faculty Mentoring Environment
4
MSU Graduate Enrollment History
5
Graduate Access Opportunities
At least 90 online. Prgs with multiple tracks
may have online available.
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Graduate Headcount Credit Hour Production by
College
Total Credit Hours 23,729
Total Enrollment 3,273
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FA08 - Largest Graduate Programs by Headcount

• Program Enrollment
• Business Administration (MBA) 438
• Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) 144
• Counseling (MS) 133
• Special Education (MSEd) 126
• Elementary Education (MSEd) 101
• Educational Administration (MSEd) 101
• Accountancy (MAcc) 98

8
Graduate Degrees Conferred
822
Fiscal Year (SU, FA, SP)
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Graduate EnrollmentComparison to Benchmark Peers

• Headcount of Total
• MSU (Fall 07) 3,093 16.0
• Average of 11
• Benchmark Peers 3,138 17.3
• Subset of 6 Peers /w
• Greater Grad. 3,664 20.5
• _____
• IPED-based data not MSU Enrollment Services

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FA08 Graduate Student Profile

• 75.8 From Missouri
• 13.3 Out-of-State (41 states)
• 10.8 International (46 countries)
• 4.9 Minority
• 58.9 Female
• 42.7 Full-time (9 or more hours)
• 22.9 First-time" degree-seeking students

As of 9/8/08
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Minority and International Graduate Student
Enrollments
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Masters Graduates Time to Degree Snapshot
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Quality Is Central to Success
Each graduate program must highlight the
strengths that establish their excellence!

• Accreditation standing
• Licensure outcomes
• Student placements
• Ph.D. programs
• Career / positions
• Professional activity of students faculty
• Faculty responsiveness and dedication to program

• External funding to support students
• Grants contracts
• Research achievement
• Thesis publications
• Presentations
• External perception what others say
• Program completion rate

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Successes on Licensure Exams

• No. Students
• Program Rept. Period Pass
  Rate Since Inception Pass Rate
• PT 2008 Class 95.8 87 95.4
• PAS 2007 Class 100 147 99
• FNP AY07-08 100 68 100
• NA 2008 Class 77 112 100
• CSD AY07-08 100 20 100
• AuD AY07-08 95 Two prior years 90
• Collective pass including retakes. Some have
  not yet sat for a retake!
• First time pass rate.

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Masters Theses Completed
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Graduate Assistantships
487
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II. Graduate ERA Enrollment, Retention,
Advisement
Mentor
Respect
Retain
Recruit
Graduate
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Graduate EnrollmentStated in the Long Range Plan

• Goals
• 3,000 to 3,500 fall headcount students
• Double the number of UG students in Accelerated
  Masters programs
• Strategies
• Expansion of distance learning offerings
• Add selected new graduate programs
• Add more Accelerated Masters options and extend
  to other local colleges
• Expand Graduate Certificate programs
• Increase number of international students

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• The Goal
• Increase number and percent of graduate students
• Increase applications and potential selectivity

• Why?
• Further develop excellence
• Position MSU to meet student needs within the
  public affairs mission, the state, and society
• Better achieve research and scholarship goals
• Request to Colleges
• Evaluate graduate enrollment targets for 2009,
  identifying possible program increases ......and
• Put into action strategies to achieve the target

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Improve Marketing Visibility

• Recast many program websites
• Program brochure development
• Targeted Feeder-School Contact personal faculty
  contacts and relationships

NOTE Some assistance will be available
from the new Graduate Coordinator for Admissions
and Recruitment
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MSU Trends, Changing Assumptions, and Perspectives

• Graduate credit hours have increased each year,
  even though Fa03-05 headcounts declined.
• Percentage of full-time graduate students has
  increased over the last 5 years. anticipate now
  more steady-state
• Student demand for degree access continues to
  increase, and online courses have been well
  received. expect this to continue.
• Students with UG degrees from MSU are a
  significant component of the graduate population.
  hope to increase this source

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Keys to Graduate Student Recruitment and
Attending MSU

• Location proximity to them
• Program availability must have the program of
  interest need availability of a diversity of
  programs
• Access time, place, mode of delivery
• Excellence of program faculty reputation
• Financial cost assistance available

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New Programs Since Fall 05 (As of Fall 2008)

• Degree Programs
• MS, Early Childhood Family Development
• MS, Student Affairs
• MS, Project Mgmt.
• MS, Criminology
• MS, Applied Anthropology
• DPT (replacing MPT)

• Accelerated Masters
• Religious Studies
• Theatre
• Project Management
• Communications
• Plant Science

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Prior Education of MSU Graduate Students
Fa07 Data Graduate Enrollment 3,150

• Number with Prior MSU Degree
• Associates 6
• Bachelors. 1,314
• Masters. 76
• Total 1,396 (44.3)

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Recruitment Suggestions and Discussion Points I

• Increase linkages with MSU UG Programs
• Market health-care graduate programs to UG
• Increase utilization of Accelerated Masters we
  have, and expand these program options for
  students.
• Utilize Senior permission effectively in advising
• Better connections to MSU Honors program
• Make connections between UG Grad research
• Enhance infusion of graduate information into
  Master Advisor training and Career Center

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Accelerated Program Enrollments
As of 9/8/08
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MSU Accelerated Programs - Fall 2008

• Program Total Students Total Accelerated of
  Total
• M.Acc. 98 46 47
• M.B.A. 403 32 8
• M.N.A.S. 26 5 19
• M.S. Geospatial Sci. 34 4 12
• M.S. Chemistry 15 3 20
• M.S. Mathematics 17 2 12
• M.P.A. 29 2 7
• M.S. Cell/Molec. Biology 11 1 9
• M.S. Project Mgmt. 28 1 4
• M.S. Biology 40 0 -
• M.S. Materials Science 13 0 -
• M.S. Nursing 36 0 -
• M.S. Religious Studies 29 0 -

As of 9/8/08
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Recruitment Suggestions and Discussion Points II

• Expand program offerings
• Online (complete the Fa07-approved online
  courses for degree programs and certificates)
• Expand non-traditional time, place, and
  mode-of-delivery
• Recruit with Financial Help Opportunities
• Graduate Assistantship opportunities
• MOGO
• Utilize Incentives Effectively (available Fa08
  only)

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Graduate Student Credit Hours Generated by
Non-Traditional Course Method
9,123
8,199
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Graduate Online Available

• Degree Programs
• M.S., Admin. Studies
• M.S., CIS
• M.A., History (American Studies Track)
• M.S., Project Mgt.
• M.S. Nursing, (Nurse Educ. Specialization)
• MSED, Elem. Educ.
• MSED, Special Educ.
• Visual Impairment
• Orientation and Mobility

• Graduate Certificates
• Instructional Technology
• Post Masters Nurse Educator
• Project Management
• Sports Management
• Homeland Security
• Teacher Certification
• Blind and Partially Sighted
• Approved for Development
• Courses for Theatre MA
• Conflict Dispute Resolution
• Fire Service Leadership

Some at approx. 90 online In progress
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Financial Incentives

• Graduate Assistantships
• 493 (as of 9/8/08)
• Stipends of 7340 or 9730 (up 4)
• A few quarter-time GAs with 10 hr/wk 6 hr
  maximum fee waivers
• Needed
• More recruitment done with our GA availability
• More grant-funded GAs

• Fa08 Incentives
• G.I.F.T 10
• Graduate Complete Your Degree 21
• MOGO (Fa08)
• 75 awarded

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Enrollment Suggestions and Discussion Points III

• Expand Research Mentoring
• Can we increase use of qualified individuals in
  Centers and organizations beyond MSU?
• I will ask the Graduate Council this year to
  review the required structure of thesis
  committees!
• Integrate internships into selected programs
  where this opportunity does not currently exist.
• Expand Program Research Collaborations
• Degree program collaboration extend our resources
• Research collaborations should further strengthen
  graduate work.

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Existing Formal CollaborationsSOME EXAMPLES

• Degree Programs
• MAT offered jointly with MSSU new group at West
  Plains
• Plant Science dual-masters with China Agric. U
  (could work for other programs)
• MBA Twinning with ISMS
• Contracts for MBA cohorts from China business
  personnel
• Library Science coop. program with UM-C

• Research
• JVIC partners
• Plant Science partnerships with Danforth
  Foundation, UMC, China Agric., etc.
• National Park Service
• Great Rivers Coop Ecosystem Studies Unit
• Vital Signs Monitoring
• Missouri Archeological Soc.
• Ozarks Educ. Res. Initiative funded by 10 school
  district
• Southwest Area Health Educ. Center (SwAHEC)

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Enrollment Suggestions IV Targeted Opportunities

• MAT offer a spring cohort, evening classes
  consider a non-cohort approach for classes
• Theatre focus on teacher market with online
  program
• Secondary Education develop and market a
  planned cycle of course offerings according to
  discipline
• MPA -- consider market and feasibility of
  program delivery to a targeted distance-learning
  site, weekend and other format

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Success Program Completion

• All Grad Students Starting Programs
• 1998-1999 70 graduated
• 1999-2000 71 graduated
• Date on completion by program varies widely --
  40 to 100 in these years
• Based on a subset of the data, few complete after
  4 years.

• Open Questions
• What is an acceptable rate in your program?
• Program steps to improve completion?

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Creating a Public Affairs Environment

• Human progress is neither automatic nor
  inevitable. We are faced now with the fact that
  tomorrow is today. We are confronted with the
  fierce urgency of now. In this unfolding
  conundrum of life and history there is such a
  thing as being too late.We may cry out
  desperately for time to pause in her passage, but
  time is deaf to every plea and rushes on. Over
  the bleached bones and jumbled residues of
  numerous civilizations are written the pathetic
  words Too late.
• Marin Luther King Jr.

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• How does MSU graduate education and the graduate
  programs reflect the public affairs elements of
  ethical leadership, community engagement, and
  cultural competency?

Answers are many and varied. One Element
RESEARCH - research of our students - research
can improve the future for community - challenge
to stimulate student involvement - external
funding helps support our research and outreach
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Research Collaborations -- Support Graduate
Programs and Public Affairs

• Examples
• 2 China-based Ph.D. students will do their
  doctoral research and some class work at MSU for
  the next 18 months, supported by China
  scholarships (1 with Dr. Barnhart 1 with Dr.
  Qiu)
• 2 China Agricultural U. faculty members will
  spend a 3 month professional development period
  at Mountain Grove this fall term.
• 1 China Agricultural U. faculty member will spend
  a sabbatical in the spring term at Mountain
  Grove.
• 1 senior-level student from Poland spent an 08
  summer internship doing research at Mountain
  Grove.

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Necessities for Good Research

• FACULTY with ideas, creativity, focus

• Infrastructure space, equipment, support systems

• Time

• Work Expectations -- motivation, incentives,
  rewards

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Sponsored Program Activity FY 2004 - 2008
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Incentives for Grants and ResearchUniversity
Level

• Proposal Development Funding
• Course reassignment Funding
• Travel Grant funding to consult with Agencies
• Equipment Grant matching funds
• Summer Faculty Fellowships
• Faculty Research Grants
• Faculty Grant Supplemental Pay Awards
• Indirect Cost sharing with Dept and PI
• GA Fee Waiver provided by MSU for grants
• Graduate student research assistance
• Thesis Funding
• Travel for Research Presentations

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Grant Infrastructure University

• Pre-Award Service Highlights
• Identification of funding sources
• Proposal Development Specialists (reinstated
  position after a years absence)
• Workshops on competitive proposal development
• Proposal submission, tracking, negotiation
• Research Compliance Infrastructure IRB, IACUC,
  Biosafety, Radiation, Export Control, Misconduct,
  etc.
• Post-Award Accounting and Financial Reporting

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College Grant Research Initiatives All
Colleges

• Provide summer research fellowships for new
  faculty the year following hire
• 6,000 minimum fellowships
• Dedicated to developing research agenda
• Basic computer facilities
• Selective --- equipment start-up funds
• Negotiated Varies according to faculty need
  funds available
• Start up funds also come from other sources

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MSU Research Awards 5-Yr Distribution by College
Deadlines SFF October 14, 2008 / FRG October
6, 2008
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Correlation of Internal Grants and External
Grants 2002-07

• Faculty Research Grants
• Faculty Awarded.99
• Faculty from above
• that applied for
• external funding 63
• Faculty receiving an
• external grant .. 36

• Summer Fellowships
• Faculty awarded112
• Faculty from above
• who applied for
• external funding.46
• Faculty receiving an
• external grant.33

Named as PI or Co-PI (OSRP records)
? Summer Fellowship Faculty applied for 352
grants ? Research Grant Faculty applied for 500
grants
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IV. Shared Decisions and Responsibility The
Year Ahead

• Educating graduate students is at the very heart
  of why our institution was designated Missouri
  State University! We must do no less than engage
  in that work with enthusiasmand do it well.

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Transition to New Operational Systems

• Banner
• Admissions
• Registration
• Pre-requisites
• Course Renumbering
• Advising processes

• Senate Actions
• Review /- grading effects on graduate policies
  (Grievance Committee)
• Repeat Policy
• (no actions appear necessary)

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Program Policy Issues on the Horizon

• Curriculum
• Possible Accelerated Masters programs
• CSDs EDHH others?
• MSAS option in Fire Service Leadership
• COED curriculum instruction masters
• Program collaboration efforts underway
• MBA collaboration with Tsinghua U, China
• PharmD with UMKC (information updates)

• Policy to Review
• Thesis Committee makeup
• Faculty Handbook clinical faculty consider
  effects on Graduate Faculty (Membership Committee
  assignment)
• Requirement for half of a Program of Study to be
  at a 600 or above number

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External Evaluations AY 2008-09

• Accreditation
• Nursing CCNE site visit in March 09
• Theatre NAST site visit in November 08
• Progress Reports
• DPT .to HLC
• NA . on licensure

• Grad. Program Reviews
• Applied Anthropology
• Criminology
• Physician Assistant
• Psychology
• Theatre (as part of accreditation)

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Access
Recruitment
Graduate Marketing
Community Engagement
Excellence
Ethical Leadership
Quality
Enrollment
Research
Cultural Competence
Student Success