AUBURN UNIVERSITYSTRATEGIC PLANNING

SITUATION ASSESSMENTSUPPLEMENT

May 2007

Messina & Graham

DRAFT FOR DISCUSSION

Introduction

This draft document is a supplement to the Situation Assessment produced in October 2006. It contains two chapters that extend the information base for strategic planning.

The first chapter, Overview of Graduate Education, profiles graduate programs at Auburn and illustrates the interrelationships among graduate studies, undergraduate instruction, and the funded-research enterprise.

The second chapter, Faculty Profile, summarizes basic information about Auburn’s approximately 1,200 faculty members.

Both these information sets also contain comparisons of Auburn data with corresponding measures at selected peer institutions.

OVERVIEW OF GRADUATE EDUCATION

Messina & GrahamGeorge Flowers, Interim Dean, Graduate School

Joe Pittman, Interim Dean, Graduate SchoolSharon Gaber, Associate Provost, Academic Administration

DRAFT FOR DISCUSSION

May 2007

Contents

Graduate Students at Auburn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Situation Assessment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Assessment of Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities,

and Threats (“SWOT” Assessment) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Strategic Implications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

Appendices• Sources of Greater Number of Masters Degrees at

University of Alabama than at Auburn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37• Sources of Greater Number of Masters Degrees at Auburn

than at Clemson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38

• Glossary of Selected Terms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39

2

Note: This profile does not encompass the First Professional programs in Pharmacy, Audiology, Speech Pathology, and Veterinary Medicine that are administered by their respective colleges, not by the Graduate School

INSTRUCTION• Contribute to undergraduate instruction and research by undergraduates

• Essential participants in performing faculty-led research, both funded and unfunded, which has

significant economic impact in the state

• Important in attracting and retaining quality faculty

• Significant contributors to faculty-led scholarship and service in community settings

RESEARCH

OUTREACHAND EXTENSION

FACULTY

REPUTATION• Upon graduation, key factor in building the

reputation of the University

3

Roles of Graduate Students at Auburn

Distribution of Auburn Graduate Students by Degree Offering – Fall 2006 Chart 1

4

Masters 54.9%

Ed.S.0.7%

Ed.D.3.8%

Other*5.9%

Ph.D.34.7%

Masters and Ph.D. degrees predominate

100% = 3,245 Students

* Includes graduate provisional and graduate non-degree students, most of whom will soon enroll in a graduate degree program

Distribution of Auburn Graduate Students by School – Fall 2006 Chart 2

Education 22%

Liberal Arts 13%

Business 16%

Engineering 20%

Architecture 3%

Science/Math 9%

Agriculture 7%

100% = 3,245 Students

5

Other 7%

The vocationally-oriented Education and Business Masters programs account for 38 percent of AU’s graduate students

Human Sciences 3%

Enrollment of Graduate Students by Source 2006 Chart 3

6

Other U.S.38.9%

Alabama39.2%

Foreign 21.9%

Almost two-thirds of Auburn graduate students come from out-of-state

100% = 3,245 Students

Distribution of Graduate Students by Graduate Assistant Role – Fall 2005 Chart 4

7

Graduate Teaching Assistants

23.5%

Students Without Assistantships

51.2%

Graduate Research Assistants

22.8%

Almost one-half of Auburn graduate students are graduate assistants

100% = 3,169 Students

Combined Assistantships

2.5%

8

Contributions to Mission Elementsby Graduate Students at Auburn

INSTRUCTION

• High-quality graduate students are models of academic seriousness for undergraduates

• Graduate teaching assistants interact in small groups and one-on-one with undergraduates

• Graduate assistants act as mentors for undergraduate students doing project and research activities

RESEARCH

• Graduate students are essential for serious research programs

• Graduate student involvement in research provides an apprenticeship for future researchers

• Graduate students conduct experimental and field research; do data analysis, modeling and simulation; and contribute through team activity to the training of new graduate students

OUTREACH AND EXTENSION

• Graduate students are on the front lines of delivery and evaluation through “service learning,” practicum experiences, internships, and/or assistantships

• Graduate students amplify the faculty’s outreach effort, with accompanying economic benefits

9

Contributions to Mission Elementsby Graduate Students at Auburn

Science and Engineering Graduate Students

EXAMPLEINSTRUCTION

• Teach primarily labs and recitation sections

• Tutoring and homework grading, project supervision and mentoring

• Role models for undergraduate students

RESEARCH

10

• Guide undergraduate research

• Perform funded and unfunded research

• Co-author publications

• Prepare and give presentations at conferences

and technical meetings

• 16 graduate students in Dr. David Bevly’s GPS and Vehicle Dynamics

Laboratory (GAVLAB)

• Work on navigation and control of autonomous ground vehicles

• $500K in annual research, funded by government and industry

Doctoral student Rob Daily working in GAVLAB

Undergraduate student and Graduate Student working together on DARPA Grand Challenge vehicle

Agriculture, Forestry, and Human Sciences Students

EXAMPLEINSTRUCTION (class and community)

• Assist faculty in classes

• Teach classes with faculty supervision

• Help develop and implement extension curricula and materials

• Participate in faculty-led community outreach activities

• Help supervise interns and service learning students

RESEARCH (basic and applied)

11

• Help design experimental and field research

• Help guide student research

• Evaluate outreach andextension efforts

• Co-author reports and publications

• 10 graduate students on Dr. Francesca Adler-Baeder’s Community Capacity Projects

• Work with community groups across Alabama to enhance and evaluate educational services in support of marriage and families

• $1.3M in annual outreach service, research, and evaluation funded by Federal and State government (through the Healthy

Marriage Initiative)Drs. Adler-Baeder and Ketring (at ends) with four graduate students and Governor Riley at the Governor’s Mansion for the “Marriage Celebration” event on 2/18/07

Department of History

EXAMPLEINSTRUCTION

• Assist faculty in core curriculum classes: World History and Technology & Civilization

• Teach independent classes

• Assist faculty in outreach, most notably Alabama Review and Encyclopedia of Alabama

RESEARCH

12

• Conduct original research

• Prepare and give presentations at professional conferences

• Publish single-author articles under the guidance of faculty

• Upon graduation, publish dissertations as books

• Assist in major projects, such as documentary history of

NASA or Slavery Interpretation Project at Westville, GA

• 7 students enrolled in Dr. Joseph Turrini’s Fundamentals and Theory of Archives Class

• 5 archival internships across the state during the last calendar year

• Under Dr. Jeff Jakeman’s direction, program graduates include Director of the Clinton Presidential Library, Assistant Director of Alabama State Archives, and archivists at institutions throughout the United States

• Department has placed 15 of 15 graduates in last three years in professional positions

Doctoral studentMark Wilsonpresents his research at a statewide conference

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Emphasis on Research

Students Involved in Teaching and Research

Emphasis on Teaching Core

13Agriculture Forestry Human

SciencesEngineering Science/

Math Liberal Arts

Percentage of Graduate Students With a Research or Teaching Assistantship 2005-06

Chart 5

Research is the primary assistantship role in agriculture and forestry, while core-curriculum teaching is emphasized in science/math and liberal arts

% ResearchAssistants

% TeachingAssistants

• AU’s graduate programs are small relative to SREB peers. Chart 6. Some schools award more

graduate degrees because they have large Social Work, Communications, and Public Health programs

that AU does not offer. Charts 7 and 8. The somewhat erratic growth trend in graduate degrees

awarded may reflect the priorities of different Presidents and the impact of strategy reviews. Chart 9.

In general, however, AU’s graduate program growth lags behind both Alabama and SREB schools

overall. Chart 10

• AU faculty have fewer graduate students and graduate assistants to leverage their instruction and

research than do faculty at peer institutions. Charts 11 and 12

• AU is significantly less selective in its admissions than are many leading competitors, and GPA, GRE,

and GMAT scores of entering graduate students are somewhat lower than at many peer institutions.

Charts 13 and 14

• AU does have some stand-out programs according to external rankings. Chart 15. Nevertheless,

many AU programs – such as Mathematics and Engineering – are in the middle of the pack relative to

regional competitors. Chart 16. Others – such as Education and Business – rank lower relative to

regional competitors. Chart 17

• The financial package offered to graduate assistants is uncompetitive compared to regional peers.

Charts 18, 19, and 20 14

Situation Assessment

Degrees Awarded (Per 100 Bachelors Degrees) 2002-05

15

Chart 6

4.04.2

6.47.1

AUUAL ClemsonUFL USC

7.9

GATech

11.9

6.3

UGA

1 5 9 10 15 21 22

Rank of 24 SREB Schools:

Masters Degrees Doctoral Degrees

22.624.6

29.9

39.2

AUUAL ClemsonUFLUSC

54.5

GATech

55.3

27.5

UGA

1 7 8 10 18 19 24

Source: SREB Fact Book

AU’s graduate programs are small relative to SREB peers

43

34.6

25.2

19.9

VATech

UMS TexasA&M

2 16 21 23

7.9

7

UTN

6.9

VATech

12 13

TexasA&M

5.6

UMS

3.8

23

UTN

Source: University of South Carolina Fact Book

Chart 7

16

Sources of Greater Number of Masters Degrees at University of South Carolina than at Auburn – 2005-06

University of South Carolina’s higher number of Masters degrees are mostly in the Communications, Social Work, Interdepartmental, and Public Health programs

Comm. & Inf.

Sciences

Inter-depart.

Arts & Sciences

Eng.Arch. Agric. SocialWork

Net Difference

OtherBus.PublicHealth

215

164

124

88-51

-45-40

737

200

58 24 Negative numbers where Auburn’s program has more graduate students than University of South Carolina’s

Source: University of Tennessee Fact Book

Chart 8

17

Sources of Greater Number of Masters Degrees at University of Tennessee than at Auburn – 2004-05

University of Tennessee’s Masters degree awards exceed AU’s across the board, but Education and Social Work account for half of the difference*

229

196

98

96

56

83

-40776

58

* Please see similar charts for Alabama and Clemson in the Appendix

Ed., Health & Human Dev.

SocialWork

Business Arts &Sciences

Net Difference

OtherComm.& Info.Studies

HealthScience

Arch.

Graduate Degrees Awarded Annually Since 1970 Chart 9

18

The somewhat erratic growth trend in graduate degrees awarded may reflect the priorities of different Presidents and the impact of strategy reviews

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

900

1000

1100

1200

19

70

-71

19

75

-76

19

80

-81

19

85

-86

19

90

-91

19

95

-96

20

00

-01

20

05

-06

PhilpottMuse

Martin

Visions of Excellence

21st Century Commission

Bailey Report*

Walker

Funderburk

Richardson

* President Bailey 1983 to 1984

Percentage Increase in Graduate Degrees Conferred Between 1987-88 and 2003-04

Source: SREB Fact Book

Chart 10

19

65.7%

100%

80.5%

55.1%

69.2%

42.5%

However, AU’s graduate program growth has not kept pace with the state’s or with SREB schools’ growth

Masters/DoctorateAlabama

Masters/DoctorateSREB States

Masters/DoctorateAuburn

Number of Graduate Students Per Full-Time Tenured and Tenure-Track Faculty Member (Students/Faculty) – Fall 2005

Chart 11

20

4.4

6.8

4.6

6.4

AU

5.1

4.3 4.2 4.1 4.0

3.32.8

VA Tech

UGAUFL ClemsonUTNTexas A&M

UMS UALUSC GATech

AU has the fewest graduate students per tenured and tenure-track faculty member of its peers, and of all SREB schools

Chart 12

21

1.9

4.5

1.92.0 1.91.7 1.7 1.7 1.5

1.2 1.2

AU faculty have fewer graduate assistants to leverage their instruction and research than do faculty at peer institutions

AUVA Tech

UGA UFLClemson UTN Texas A&M

UMS UAL USCGA Tech

Number of Graduate Assistants per Full-Time Tenured and Tenure-Track Faculty Member (Assistants/Faculty) – Fall 2005

Average Graduate Student Acceptance Rates for theColleges of Engineering, Education, and Business* – 2006 Admissions

Source: USNWR

Chart 13

22

AUUGA UFL

56.8%56.2%

Clemson

56.7%

USC

AU is significantly less selective in its admissions than are many leading competitors

VA Tech

UALTexas A&M

41.8% 42.1% 44.0% 45.0%

52.7%

71.3%

UTN

* Only includes Universities with all three programs. Average acceptance rates are weighted by number of new students enrolled

Chart 14

23

AU UAL UFL

3.28

3.703.81

3.38

Source: USNWR

Colleges of Engineering, Education and Business Graduate Students Average Undergraduate GPA and GRE/GMAT Scores* – 2006 Admissions

GPA GRE Quantitative/GMAT Scores

AUClemson

603

697 655

541

GPA, GRE, and GMAT scores of entering graduate students are somewhat lower than at many peer institutions

VA Tech

3.31

UGA UFL UAL Texas A&M

715

577

UTNUGA UTN

3.58

604

* Only includes Universities with all three programs. Average scores are weighted by number of new students enrolled

Source: American Academy of Kinesiology & Physical Education 2007; Auburn Office of Communications & Marketing; DesignIntelligence 2005 & 2006; Forbes 2005; Modern Physician 2006; U.S. Dept. of Agriculture 2006; USNWR 2004, 2006 & 2007

Fisheries 1

Industrial Design 3

Physicians Executive MBA Program 4

Landscape Architecture 14

Industrial and Systems Engineering 27

Health and Human Performance 28

MBA Program (Public) 39

Civil Engineering 49

Electrical Engineering 49

Chemical Engineering 52

Computer Engineering 53

Mechanical Engineering 65

Recent External National Rankings of Selected Auburn Graduate Programs

PROGRAM RANKING*

Chart 15

24

AU does have some stand-out programs according to external rankings

* Rankings include public and private programs/schools unless otherwise indicated

1 1 MIT

2 2 Stanford

4 4 Georgia Tech

14 14 Texas A&M

26 26 Univ. of Florida

30 33 Virginia Tech

71 66 Univ. of Tennessee

74 74 Auburn

68 77 Clemson

NR NR Florida State

NR NR Univ. of Alabama

NR NR Univ. of S. Carolina

AU Competitor Rankings in USNWR* – Public and Private Programs/Schools

BEST MATHEMATICS PROGRAMS (Ph.D.)

1 MIT

2 Harvard

35 Georgia Tech

47 Univ. of Georgia

47 Texas A&M

56 Univ. of Florida

56 Virginia Tech

67 Florida State

73 Univ. of Tennessee

80 Auburn

89 Clemson

89 Univ. of S. Carolina

94 Univ. of Alabama

NR Univ. of Mississippi

BEST ENGINEERING SCHOOLS

Chart 16

25

Nevertheless, many AU programs – such as Mathematics and Engineering – are in the middle of the pack relative to regional competitors

2006 2006 2007

* Rankings based on varying combinations of (1) opinions about program quality gathered from deansand recruiters and (2) quantitative measures of faculty resources, research activity, and student caliber 

1 1 Harvard

2 2 Stanford

34 25 Georgia Tech

31 29 Texas A&M

41 37 Univ. of Florida

46 46 Univ. of Georgia

59 55 Univ. of S. Carolina

66 NR Univ. of Tennessee

69 NR Auburn

73 NR University of Alabama

NR NR Clemson

NR NR Florida State

BEST BUSINESS SCHOOLSBEST EDUCATION PROGRAMS

2 1 Teachers College, Columbia Univ.

1 3 Harvard

21 26 Univ. of Georgia

45 34 Texas A&M

35 41 Univ. of Tennessee

35 44 Univ. of Florida

53 53 Florida State

70 NR Auburn

74 NR Clemson

NR NR Univ. of Alabama

NR NR Univ. of S. Carolina

Chart 17

26

AU’s Education and Business programs rank lower relative to regional competitors

AU Competitor Rankings in USNWR – Public and Private Programs/Schools

2006 2007 2006 2007

* Rankings based on varying combinations of (1) opinions about program quality gathered from deansand recruiters and (2) quantitative measures of faculty resources, research activity, and student caliber 

27

AuburnUniv. of MS

ClemsonUniv. of Florida

Univ. of KY

Texas Tech

Georgia Tech

Univ. of TN

GTA Stipends in Mechanical Engineering 2006 Chart 18

$7,932$8,040

$9,500

$12,000

$13,200

$15,300$15,600

$22,800

AU’s stipends for graduate teaching assistants are not competitive with those at regional peers in Mechanical Engineering . . .

Source: American Society for Engineering Education University Profile

28

GTA Stipends in Human Development and Family Studies 2006 Chart 19

. . . or in Human Development/Family Studies

Source: Survey by Virginia Tech

AuburnArizona State

Florida State

Virginia Tech

Texas Tech

Univ. of GA

Univ. of NC

$9,804

$15,192$15,996

$16,656$17,220$17,328

$18,660

Health Insurance Benefit for Graduate Students 2006

29

INSTITUTIONHEALTH INSURANCE

BENEFITAMOUNT OF

BENEFIT

U of Alabama full benefit 100%

U of Florida full benefit 100%

U of Kentucky full benefit 100%

U of Tennessee full benefit 100%

Clemson subsidized 30%

Mississippi State subsidized 50%

U of Arkansas subsidized 60%

U of Georgia subsidized 42%

U of Mississippi subsidized 50%

U of South Carolina subsidized $225

Auburn no benefit 0%

Florida State University no benefit 0%

Louisiana State University no benefit 0%

Chart 20

The benefit package offered to AU graduate assistants is also below that of many peer institutions

Source: Survey by AU Graduate Student Council

STRENGTHS

• AU offers a wide array of graduate programs, both vocational and academic

• AU’s graduate programs in Fisheries, Industrial Design, and Landscape Architecture, as well as the Physicians Executive MBA program, rank very highly at a national level

• Several other AU graduate programs – including Engineering, Business, and Kinesiology – rank well among public universities

30

Assessment of Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities,and Threats (“SWOT” Assessment)Auburn University Graduate Programs

31

WEAKNESSES

• The size of the graduate programs at Auburn does not reflect a deliberate strategic decision by the University. Overall, based on comparisons with other institutions, the number

of graduate students may be too small to effectively support Auburn’s research and instruction missions

• The average caliber of students in AU’s graduate programs is lower than that at many national institutions and regional peers

• The three large programs that US News & World Report ranks do not fare as well as those at leading national institutions and regional competitors

OPPORTUNITIES

• Grow overall graduate program size by selectively supporting programs that have most potential to contribute to the research mission and to undergraduate instruction

• Rationalize programs by rigorously assessing the viability, competitiveness, growth prospects, and graduate student quality of each

• Build on strengths to attract additional research-oriented faculty who tend to recruit high- quality graduate students

• Fund competitive graduate assistant stipends and benefit packages while setting a high standard for students to receive financial support

32

33

THREATS

• A lack of strategic direction for – and resources behind – the graduate programs may inhibit AU from reaching its potential in both research and undergraduate education

• Uncompetitive stipends and benefits may lead to erosion of the size and quality of the graduate student body in the research-oriented programs, and may demoralize faculty

and undermine the University’s research mission

34

Strategic Implications

• Overall, graduate education at Auburn University is not in a strong position– Many of AU’s graduate programs are not highly selective, lack clear

distinctiveness, and the faculty are under-leveraged with regard to graduate student support

– The small size of AU’s graduate-education enterprise relative to SREB peers increases the challenge of attracting and retaining exceptional research-oriented faculty

– Slower relative growth in Masters and Doctorate degrees conferred over the past decade and a half (compared to SREB overall and within the State of Alabama) means that AU is losing market share in graduate education among SREB states and, to an even greater extent, in Alabama

• AU needs to determine the appropriate overall size of its graduate-education enterprise to most effectively support its mission elements of research, instruction, and outreach /

extension

• AU’s graduate programs should be reviewed by discipline and rigorously assessed along significant dimensions – including viability, competitiveness, growth prospects, and

graduate student quality

35

Strategic Implications (continued)

• Should Auburn decide to continue to increase the size of its research enterprise, then the University may well need to expand the number of graduate assistantships to better leverage faculty in both research and teaching

• Financial packages for graduate assistants need to be upgraded to achieve parity with competitors and thus help maintain the quality of graduate applicants

• AU needs to review the organization structure of the graduate school and its Dean, and the graduate school’s relationship with the Office of the Provost and with the Vice

President for Research, to help ensure strategic alignment

Appendices

36

• Sources of Greater Number of Masters Degrees at University of Alabama than at Auburn

• Sources of Greater Number of Masters Degrees at Auburn than at Clemson

• Glossary of Selected Terms

Source: University of Alabama Fact Book

Chart 21

37

Sources of Greater Number of Masters Degrees at University of Alabama than at Auburn – 2005-06

University of Alabama’s higher number of Masters degrees are mostly in the Social Work, Communication & Information Science, and Human & Environment Science programs

SocialWork*

Comm. & Inf.

Science*

Human & Environ.

Science

Arts & Sciences

Eng. Arch.** Agric.** Net Difference

* AU does not have College** U of A does not have College

156

111

91

43

-38

-51

-45

266

Chart 22Sources of Greater Number of Masters Degrees at Auburn than at Clemson – 2005-06

While Clemson and Auburn award about the same number of Masters degrees, Clemson awards many more Engineering and Forestry Degrees – Auburn many more in Business and Liberal Arts

38Source: Clemson University Fact Book

Eng. & Science

Forestry Arch.LiberalArts

Agric.Business Education Other

88

55

29

19

15

-107

-46

-19

34

Net Difference

Glossary of Selected Terms

Graduate assistant (GA) – a graduate student who is awarded a fellowship that provides financial aid in exchange for providing teaching, research, and/or outreach-related duties

• Graduate research assistant (GRA) – a graduate assistant who works on academic research projects with one or more full faculty members

• Graduate teaching assistant (GTA) – a graduate assistant who works under the supervision of a professor to teach labs, recitation sessions, and

introductory classes

Recitation session – a class held to expand upon and discuss a lecture given by a senior faculty member

39