Chapter 1 Data Communications and Networks Overview

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Strategic Roadmap and Latest Initiatives of
Deanship of Graduate Studies
Deanship of Graduate Studies April 2009
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Outline

• Graduate Statistics
• Strategic Roadmap
• Evaluation of Admission Application Files
• Online Application System (BANNER)
• Progress of PhD Students
• Role of a Graduate Coordinator
• Awareness on the Rules Regulations of Graduate
  Studies

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Graduate Students
MS Enrollment
PhD Enrollment
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Graduate Students
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Active Master Students
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Active PhD Students
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Strategic Roadmap

• Vision
• To enable KFUPM be a leader in the region in
  providing quality graduate programs in Science,
  Engineering and Management
• Mission
• To provide quality graduate programs according to
  the best international practices that will
  enhance the research environment at KFUPM and
  contribute to the dissemination of knowledge

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Strategic Roadmap

• Goals
• I. Enhance the research environment at KFUPM.
• II. Increase knowledge dissemination.
• III. Improve quality and efficiency of the
  graduate programs.
• IV. Increase quality and diversity in graduate
  student body.
• V. Increase the efficiency of the Deanship of
  Graduate Studies.

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Strategic Roadmap

• Performance Indicators
• Graduate to undergraduate student ratio
• Graduate student to faculty ratio
• Number of active PhD students
• Average time for program completion
• Retention Rate
• Number of thesis-based degrees granted annually
• Number of non-thesis degrees granted annually
• Average processing time for admission application
• Average processing time for academic petitions
• Saudi to non-Saudi student ratio

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Other Performance Indicators

• Number of Lecturers-B and RAs who reported to
  KFUPM.
• Number of admitted students.
• Enrolled-to-admitted graduate students ratio.
• Active-to-enrolled graduate students ratio.
• Dropouts-to-active graduate students ratio.
• Dismissed-to-active graduate student ratio.
• Number of students on scholarship from internal
  and external agencies.
• Success rate Ratio of completed credit hours
  with a grade of B and above to total completed
  credit hours.
• Percentage of enrolled students to those given
  admission.
• Percentages of full part-time students.

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Suggested Strategies

• Improve incentives for graduate students
• Improve the salary package of RAs and
  Lecturer-Bs (Proposal is under study)
• Improve the salary package of Saudi Graduate
  Assistants (GAs) (Approved)
• Establish graduate scholarship programs that are
  funded by either KFUPM or companies (ARAMCO in ES
  and PETE, working for others)

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Suggested Strategies

• Introduce research-focused PhD programs
• Introduce research-based courses in PhD Programs
  (proposal in University Board)
• Introduce PhD programs with less course work
  requirement (Extension of above not yet)
• Provide more flexible and comprehensive PhD
  programs (To be discussed in Graduate Council)

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Suggested Strategies

• Reduce Visa delays
• Utilize Student Visa for international graduate
  students (through scholarship programs) (Under
  study)
• Speed up Visa processing time from the Personnel
  Department (Synchronization of processes was
  established)
• Increase KFUPM Visa limit that was set long time
  ago (Request was submitted for CoREs and RI)

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Suggested Strategies

• Improve environment for graduate students
• Provide on-campus housing for PhD married
  students (Done in 081)
• Establish the following initiatives
• Extend the role of the CAAC to handle the
  problems of graduate students.
• Establish a Graduate Students Club. (Done)
• Establish International Student Office (to serve
  their needs).
• Organize a Welcome Day/week for Graduate
  Students. (Done, 1st Day was in 081)
• Organize workshops for development of graduate
  students with the cooperation of DAD (e.g., in
  research, teaching, CV writing, proposal writing,
  etc.).

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Suggested Strategies

• Increase internal efficiency of the DGS
• Improve admission/advising processes
• Automate DGS processes (Done for Admission
  project started for other functions)
• Establish/Enhance the role of the Graduate
  Coordinators in departments. (In progress)
• Reduce the file processing time at the
  departments and DGS (3 weeks at Dept.)
• Establish a Thesis Office (Done)
• Prepare an Academic Calendar (Done)
• Revise tuition fees for part-time graduate
  students
• (In progress)

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Suggested Strategies

• Establish an outreach program
• Annual visit program
• Visit regional/international universities (Done
  Egypt, India, Pakistan, Turkey)
• Utilize MS scholarships from Gulf countries
• Reach to Saudi honor students (Done in 081 and
  082)
• Enhance marketing material
• Design easily accessible Website (Done)
• Design brochures, handouts and presentations for
  marketing (Done)
• Subscribe in advertising websites for graduate
  studies
• Prepare standard presentations for visits and
  website (Done)

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Suggested Strategies

• Introduce research-based courses in MS-Engg.
  programs
• Establish English programs for graduate students
  (In progress in coordination with CASS)
• Revise graduate studies unified regulations (In
  progress)
• Introduce different PhD and MS tracks
• Establish new internationally recognized
  programs
• Specialist Degrees (below MS)
• Professional Degrees (below PhD)
• Establish international joint thesis supervision
  programs (In progress)
• Provide graduate programs outside KFUPM campus

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Mapping Goals/Strategies Matrix
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Goals/Strategies Matrix
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Old Organizational Structure
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New Organizational Structure
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Evaluation of Admission Application Files
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Sending and Receiving Files

• Sending and receiving files in batches (by hand)
  has proven to be efficient
• No lost files
• Less delays
• Three batches are sent every semester, one every
  month
• Departments kindly need to send back all these
  batches within the deadline (3 weeks) to
  facilitate timely admission decision.

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Test Scores

• The minimum TOEFL score required is (68 IBT) for
  Master and (79 IBT) for Doctoral Applicants.
• IELTS is also acceptable. Min Score 5.5 Master
  , 6.5 Doctoral.
• Even if GRE/GMAT or TOEFL scores are not present,
  Departments kindly need to evaluate the files by
  clearly mentioning the required scores for
  admission.

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Evaluation Method

• We strongly recommend that admission applications
  be discussed in a committee meeting rather than
  circulating among the members.
• This is to make the evaluation and recommendation
  more meaningful.

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Pre-Graduate Admission

• Non-Degree admission is NO longer accepted.
• Students satisfying one of the following
  conditions
• GPA lt 2.5 (at least 2-year experience)
• Students with English Deficiency
• Students is many deficiency courses
• One year to finish the Pre-Grad Program
• Pass 3 grad courses, 2 of which are core with gt B
  in each
• Monitored periodically to dismiss low-performing
  students
• Grad courses taken are counted towards the degree

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Online Application System (BANNER)
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Background

• The Graduate Studies has started using Banner for
  admissions.
• As with other ERP systems, Banner brings multiple
  departments under one roof.
• Better statistical reports.
• Records will be stored forever.
• System is scalable.

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Future Plans

• It is planned to include the Depts in Banner
  System for the admission (expected to start in
  091).
• This will consequently lead to a paperless
  environment.
• The next phase for DGS is the implementation of
  Banner for All Academic Affairs like
  Readmissions, Degree Plans, Thesis Proposals,
  Oral Defense, etc..,

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Progress of PhD Students
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PhD Students

• Entrance Exam is not anymore required by the
  University (Optional to Dept. on
  student-by-student basis)
• Student is required to pass the comprehensive
  exam by end of 2nd year of enrollment.
• NO need to finish ALL courses before setting for
  the Comp. Exam (exam is on 4-6 courses only).
• Thesis proposal needs to be submitted by end of
  3rd year.
• Currently, max duration for MS and PhD programs
  is being revised.

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Role of a Graduate Coordinator
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For Graduate Studies

• Graduate Coordinators serve as liaisons between
  students, faculty and administration Graduate
  Studies Department
• DGS looks to Graduate Coordinators for input so
  that its services can be improved.
• They should be familiar with the academic
  policies, procedures and standards.
• A list of all Graduate Students should be
  maintained with their current progress e.g.
  degree plan submission, courses completed, thesis
  proposal, comprehensive exam, etc.

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For Department Faculty

• The coordinators need to be the head of a
  Departmental Graduate Committee that works to
  efficiently serve students.
• They need to be updated about the latest
  policies, procedures and standards of DGS and
  also keep the department informed about it.

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For Graduate Students

• Should be the first contact point for students
  encountering difficulties.
• Provide students with advices on provisional
  status, degree plans, possible research topics,
  available resources and advisor availability.
• Monitor progress towards completion by all
  candidates enrolled in the Dept.
• Keep students updated of relevant policies,
  procedures, due dates. Etc.

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Awareness on the Rules Regulations of Graduate
Studies
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Academic Petition

• Specific Form present on the website of Graduate
  Studies.
• It can be used for
• Changing status from provisional to regular.
• Waiving GRE/TOEFL/Deficiency Courses etc.
• Transferring Credits from an unfinished degree at
  another institution.
• Registering more hours than allowed, etc..

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Flow of Academic Petition
Student (Initiation)
Departments Graduate Coordinator (Approval)
Department Chairman (Approval)
Dean of Graduate Studies (Final Approval)
Registrar (Proper Action)
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Provisional Regular Status

• A student admitted with academic deficiencies is
  referred to as a PROVISIONAL STUDENT
• Such academic deficiencies could be GRE, GMAT,
  TOEFL, Deficiency Courses, GPA in first 6 hours
• Students should fulfill these deficiencies within
  the first semester of admission.
• If not changed into Regular within first
  semester, students will be held from registration
  in next semester.

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Removal of Provisional Status

• The students should use the academic petition
  form when they have fulfilled the academic
  deficiencies.
• If such a petition is approved, the student will
  become a regular student.

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Hold List

• The list is prepared twice every semester.
• Contains names of students who are still on
  Provisional Status.
• Such students should arrange to remove the names
  from the list by changing into Regular.
• Students failing to do so will be put on
  registration HOLD and will not be allowed to
  register for the forthcoming semester.

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Degree Plan

• Specific Form available on DGS website in excel
  format.
• It is a roadmap for earning a degree.
• Shows what a student has achieved and what is
  still needed for completing the degree
  requirements.
• Prevents a student from taking unnecessary
  courses that may not be approved, which could
  waste his time.
• Students should submit their Degree Plans in the
  second semester of admission at maximum.

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GPA Warning Policy

• Any graduate student has to maintain a minimum
  GPA of 3.00.
• Students with GPA less than 3.00 will be placed
  on an academic probation and they should
  eventually raise their GPA.
• Their status is reviewed every semester and will
  be issued Warning or Severe Warning letters.
• Failure to raise the GPA above 3.00 will result
  in dismissal from the program.

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Thesis/Dissertation Registration

• All students need to register for the Thesis once
  they finish their courses.
• Otherwise, they will be considered inactive and
  need re-admission.
• A student needs to register for the thesis in
  order to
• Submit the thesis proposal.
• Defend the thesis.

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Thesis/Dissertation Proposal Committee
Appointment

• Proposal and Committee should be approved by
  Department Council, College Council and by
  Deanship of Graduate Studies.
• All the required forms available on DGS website.
• Please refer to the chapter on Thesis in the
  updated Graduate Bulletin on the website of
  Graduate Studies.

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Public Oral Defense of Thesis/Dissertation

• A public oral defense is required from all M.Sc
  and PhD students as a part of their degrees.
• The oral defense form has to be submitted 2 weeks
  to DGS before the intended date of defense.
• The minimum gap between the proposal approval
  date and oral defense request is 3 months.
• Oral defense is not allowed during the
  registration periods, final examinations and
  summer semesters.

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Readmission

• For the following students
• Have been inactive even for one semester.
• Have dropped ALL courses in a semester.
• Full-time graduate students, RAs, Lecturers-B are
  NOT allowed to drop a semester or withdraw from
  ALL courses.
• A student can get re-admission for 3 times at
  max.
• The form should be submitted at least 4 weeks
  before the start of the intended semester to the
  department.
• For students inactive for more than 6 semesters,
  their cases have to be approved by Dept., College
  and Graduate Councils!!!

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Important Deadlines at DGS
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