Graduate School Dean

What is the program’s mission statement or statement of purpose? Why does the program exist?

The mission of graduate education at Eastern Illinois University is to provide superior graduate degree, certificate, and post-baccalaureate options designed for career specialization and advancement, certification and credentialing, professional and leadership development, and preparation for advanced scholarship.

The mission includes:

• Strengthening the quality, diversity and internationalization of the university’s student body by attracting candidates who have the potential for academic and professional achievement.
• Fostering advanced scholarship through a depth of content knowledge, critical thinking, problem solving, oral and written communication, application of technology, research/creative activity, and commitment to professional ethics.
• Expanding the curriculum with rigorous advanced courses and options offered through lectures, laboratories, seminars, forums, practicum field experiences, internships and partnerships with education, business and industry.
• Building and enhancing the excellence of the university’s undergraduate majors and options through mutual and reciprocal research/creative activity with graduate students and faculty.
• Developing opportunities for the discovery and application of knowledge with graduate faculty members who reflect the university’s teaching and mentoring priority and who have a record of research/creative activity and professional service.

The program exists to provide graduate study options to students who have already achieved a baccalaureate degree.

How does the program mission align with the university mission?

The first sentence of the university mention promises graduate education in addition to undergraduate education. The ideals expressed in the university mission are also adhered to in the graduate enterprise.

Whom does the program serve?

The program serves EIU's student populations, members of the faculty, staff, local community, region, nation, and globe.

What are the services provided? How do these services align with the university mission and program mission?

Services provided include: student admissions; degree certification; assistantship management; administration of awards, scholarships and student recognition: pursuit of philanthropy, alumni relations and development; marketing and promotions; graduate student recruiting; graduate education policy and program development; graduate program and coordinator support and professional development; oversight of graduate degree program quality with programs like First Choice; mentoring and providing a network of graduate information and students to undergraduate with the Integrative Graduate Studies Institute.

These services ensure that the university mission of superior and accessible graduate education is achieved.

These services ensure that the program mission of student diversity is achieved with recruiting and marketing. The mission of advanced scholarship is maintained by ensuring quality programs with oversight from programs like First Choice, and support of scholarship and research through philanthropy, awards, and scholarships. Enhancing the undergraduate enterprise is achieved through work of the Integrative Graduate Studies Institute, and by the work of graduate assistants integrated in the undergraduate enterprise.  Support of faculty research and knowledge is achieved with the assistantship program, with research awards, with philanthropy, alumni development, and professional development.

Describe the program’s origins (e.g. year established, purpose, expectations).

Of the four colleges governed by the Teachers College Board, Eastern was the last to establish graduate studies into its curriculum. The first recorded proposal for an advanced degree appears in the Curriculum Committee Minutes dated September 25, 1950. President Buzzard presented the proposal for the M.S. in Ed. to the Teachers College Board who granted approval on January 22, 1951. The first two master’s degrees were award in 1952 to Dwight Baptist and Don Luallen.

With permission from the Teacher’s College Board, President Doudna appointed the first dean of graduate studies. History professor Dr. Lavern Hamand was selected to fill the role where he served as graduate dean from 1961 to 1974.   During his tenure in the 1960s, the master of arts, science, business administration and the specialist in education were established.  A master of science in sociology, geography, and a master's of library science were all established in the 1960s but eliminated by the 1970s.

In 1959 President Doudna established the Council on Graduate Studies and appointed its first five members. He asked Judd Kline, professor of English, to act as the first chair of the council. President Doudna instructed that the council’s primary purpose and duty was to “act on applications for candidacy.” Today all graduate applications are processed by admissions staff in the Graduate School, and the duties of CGS have been expanded since that first council in 1959. The current chair of CGS is Dr. Wesley Allan, professor of psychology and the council now has eight elected faculty and one faculty member appointed by the dean of the Graduate School as well as a student member who is appointed by the Graduate Student Advisory Council. Today the council’s duties address graduate policies as they pertain to graduate courses and programs.

How has the unit changed or adapted over time?

The number of degrees conferred grew from those first two in 1952 to over 440 by 1972. Enrollments have remained steady in the last twenty years (1990-2010) hovering between 1500 and 1900.

 Graduate student research as measured in published theses totaled 173 in the 50s; 412 in the 60s; 921 in the 70s; 647 in the 80s; 775 in the 90s; and 1243 in the 2000s. A drastic increase in the 70s reflects the record number of enrollment in graduate programs in that period. Declining enrollment in the 80s was an issue attributed to the active job market for college graduates and also the consequences of low assistantship stipends that graduate deans have historically struggled to increase. The last decade has achieved a slow but steady increase in assistantship stipends as well as increased support for graduate study in general from philanthropic pursuits.

Today there are 29 graduate programs and eight certificate programs, including a professional science master's degree. Today's programs reflect the needs of a 21st century society with programs of study in sustainable energy, geographic information sciences, clinical mental health counseling, among many others.

If needed, provide supplemental comments to help the reader understand the program’s history and relevance to university mission.

Provide data showing the four-year trend in the number of majors, minors, options, and concentrations.

Provide data showing the four-year trend in student credit hour (SCH) production, percent of SCHs that are general education, and percent of SCHs that are taught to non-majors.

What elements of the program’s curriculum are offered specifically to support other academic majors, minors, options, and concentrations?

If needed, provide supplemental comments to help the reader understand the internal demand for the program. Note any clarifications or special circumstances (e.g., curriculum changes made by another program) that should be considered when reviewing the above data.

List relevant data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Outlook Handbook, the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) New Graduate Salary Survey, and the EIU Career Services Annual Report.

• Individuals with a grad degree earn 38.3% more than those with a bachelor’s in the same field.
• Between 2010 &2020, 2.6 million new and replacement jobs will require a master’s or higher.
• Master’s level jobs are expected to increase by 22% in the next decade.
• Average of $400,000 increase in lifetime earnings from a Bachelor’s to a Master’s.

Is the program accredited or approved by a recognized external agency or otherwise certified to meet established professional standards? Provide an executive summary of and link to the program’s most recent accreditation or certification report, if available.

Member of national Council of Graduate Schools and NAFSA: Association of International Educators. Staff have held leadership roles in these organizations(Chairperson, National IEM Knowledge Community Chair, etc.)

Member of NAGAP, MAGAP, MAGS and IAGS. Staff have served as leaders in several of these organizations(Chairperson, Vice-President, etc.)

Regularly assist all graduate programs with their individual accreditations I.E. Professional Science Masters

Is the program required to meet any regulatory or legal requirements? Is the program subject to any special auditing requirements?

Requirements are met as mandated by IBHE. 

What are the most important outreach or public service activities supported by the program?

Graduate assistantships that are served in the public schools and local mental health clinics as well as non-profit organizations.

GSAC students participate in many community philanthropic activities and service projects(Girls on the Run, Toys for Tots. One-Stop Community Shop, Book Drive, and United Way backpack drive.

We provide support as requested by graduate programs for their individual philanthropic events.

How do the local community and the region benefit from the program?

Please see above.

Community and region receive labor and resources that would otherwise be unavailable. Research, intellectual capital, etc.

If needed, provide supplemental comments or data sources to help the reader understand the external demand for the program.

We support and develop academic programs that respond to the marketplace and societal demands(I.E. Sustainable Energy and GISci Degree)

If needed, provide supplemental comments or data sources to help the reader understand the quality of program outcomes.

The Graduate School has received external awards in:

The CGS/ETS Award for Innovation for our Integrative graduate Studies Institute

The MAGS/ETS award for First Choice programs

The TIAA/CREF grant for enhancing student financial education.

Dean Robert Augustine has been elected as President of the Board of the Council of Graduate Schools and a member of the GRE Board.

Note any special benefits (e.g., personnel support, equipment, permanent improvements) that the program has received in the past three years from its grants and other sponsored programs.

Integrative Graduate Studies Institute graduate assistants. LIFE Center creation.

How does the program benefit from donor gifts (e.g., scholarships, endowed chairs)? Does donor support provide a significant percentage of the program’s overall funding?

Former dean Larry Williams regularly provides support for travel grants for students. Former dean Lavern Hamand's family regularly provides support for the Hamand Scholars. Alumna Nancie King-Mertz regularly provides support for research creative activity awards for students. The Graduate Alumni Advisory Board contributes to an endowment to support graduate students. Former admissions director contributes to an endowment to support faculty research.

List two or three key relationships that the program maintains with external constituencies (e.g., community colleges, other universities, government bodies). How do these relationships advance the university mission or otherwise benefit the university?

Educational Testing Services and the national Council of Graduate Schools have awarded funding for the First Choice program and the Integrative Graduate Studies Institute. TIAA-Cref awarded funding for the LIFE Center.

If needed, provide supplemental comments to help the reader understand the resources generated by the program. Note any clarifications or special circumstances (e.g., revenue pass-throughs) that should be considered when reviewing the above data.

Much of the Graduate School's philanthropy efforts result in gifts made to the academic departments directly as directed by the donor. Our cultivation and stewardship of these donors often result in gifts that are not directly credited to the Graduate School.

If needed, provide supplemental comments to help the reader understand the productivity of the program. Note any clarifications or special circumstances (e.g., accreditation requirements, curricular changes, program restructuring) that should be considered when reviewing the above data.

If needed, provide supplemental comments to help the reader understand the costs associated with the program. Note any clarifications or special circumstances (e.g., expenditures made centrally or externally, expenditures made on behalf of other units) that should be considered when reviewing the above data.

How does the program seek to distinguish itself from similar programs at other institutions?

Integrative Graduate Studies Institute: Institute reaches out to undergraduate students to mentor and prepare them for graduate study.

First Choice program designation(Please see below for description)

Council on Graduate Studies

Online Board

PSM Board

Interdisciplinary Board

Alumni Advisory Board

Life Center Board

Hamand Scholar Society 

Student and alumni awards programs that connect students and alumni to the university

graduate faculty development(training, seminars, etc)

Note any unique and/or essential contributions that the program makes to the university.

First Choice Programs

Integrative Graduate Studies Institute

Several philanthropic efforts and stewardship on the university's behalf including the funding of fellowships, assistantships, scholarships, travel awards, and research awards.

Provide any program-specific metrics that help to document program contributions or program quality. Examples of some commonly used program-specific metrics may be found here.

Graduate programs achieving the distinction of "First Choice" have applied for and been subjected to rigorous review from EIU's Council on Graduate Studies — with oversight from The Graduate School — to ensure they meet the highest standards of scholarly excellence as evidenced through sustained achievement of criteria developed and adopted by the council in 2006.

First Choice graduate programs are measured using specific metrics, including:

Criterion 1: Sustained achievements in strengthening the quality, diversity, and internationalization of the University's student body.  

Criterion 2: Fosters advanced scholarship through a depth of knowledge, critical thinking, and problem solving, oral and written communication, and application of technology, research/creative activity, and commitment to professional ethics.

Criterion 3: Sustained achievements in expanding the curriculum with advanced courses and options offered through lectures, laboratories, seminars, forums, practicum field experiences, internships, and partnerships with education, business, and industry. 

Criterion 4:  Sustained achievements in research/creative activity with graduate students and faculty. 

Criterion 5: Sustained record of opportunities for the discovery and application of knowledge; graduate faculty members reflect the University's teaching and mentoring priority and have a record of research/creative activity and professional service. 

If needed, provide supplemental comments to help the reader understand the program impact on the university mission.

Provide a link to or listing of the program’s goals and/or strategic plan.

First Choice programming referred to in prior sections is the plan and framework for ensuring future quality in graduate programs.

We are developing online options for course delivery and serve as the leader in online graduate programming to encourage growth in enrollment.

Responding to societal demands for programs like health administration, nonprofit management, and conducting necessary research to investigate those needs and potentials.

Working to increase diversity through Integrative Graduate Mentoring Institute, increasing enrollment and the applicant pool.

Continued research in best practices in marketing of graduate education.

Continued research and implementation of best practices in admissions and applications procedures(paperless admissions system)

What role will the program have in the implementation of the university’s strategic plan (provide link to strategic plan)?

Please refer to MAP document:

http://www.eiu.edu/~cats/vpaa/auap12-13/index.php

What are the program’s two or three most promising opportunities that could help advance the university’s academic mission? Provide an estimate of additional investments or other costs required and additional student credit hours, revenue, or other resources generated.

Development of online programming

Additional granting opportunities for the Integrative Graduate Studies Institute and Life Center.

New graduate programs including Health Administration degree and other programs that respond to societal and market needs.

Increased funding for student research opportunities and student assistantships.

If needed, provide supplemental comments to help the reader understand future opportunities for the program.