The University maintained its level of on-campus graduate credit hours with a total of 53,665 compared with 54,643 last year. Once again, the College of Arts and Sciences taught the largest number (17,586), almost 1% higher than the previous year. Other successful schools included the College of Education with 12,056 (last year 12,405) and Commerce and Business with 8,118 (last year 8,305). Figure 6 shows the full analysis of this year’s total, and Table 7 gives a breakdown by course level.

ADVANCED DEGREES AWARDED

The University awarded a total of 1,180 graduate degrees in the year under review, which represented a decrease of 11% over the previous year’s total of 1,333. The reduction arose mainly in Education where the numbers of courses offered were restricted. The total included 113 Ph.Ds. (last year 109), 29 Ed.Ds.(67), 46 Ed.Ss.(74), 7 D.P.A.’s. (8), 1 D.M.A. (2), and 984 master’s degrees. Over the last five years the number of degrees awarded annually through the Graduate School has increased by 30%. A more detailed analysis of degree recipients is shown in Tables 11, 12, and 13.

GRADUATE COUNCIL

The Graduate Council, composed of 23 elected, 7 appointed, and 4 ex-officio members, is the body responsible for recommending new policies and reevaluating existing regulations governing advanced programs at The University of Alabama. Each elected or appointed member serves on one of five committees: Research and New Programs; Financial Aid; Admissions and Recruitment; Program and Degree Requirements; or Teaching and Research Awards. A full list of the current members is shown in Table 15.

QUALIFICATIONS OF THE GRADUATE FACULTY

The purpose of the graduate faculty of The University of Alabama is to set standards for graduate work and to provide graduate instruction. It is the responsibility of the graduate faculty in each division to elect its representative(s) to the Graduate Council, which acts for the faculty in matters relating to graduate work. There are three categories of members: full, associate, and temporary. Only members of the graduate faculty may teach courses numbered 500 or above, and only members of the graduate faculty may chair thesis and examining committees. Only full members may chair dissertation committees.

Criteria for full and associate members. The dean of each academic division has the annual responsibility of nominating members who meet the following criteria to serve on the graduate faculty:

I.

A. Hold the Ph.D. or other terminal degree, and

B. Hold the rank of at least assistant professor in a full-time, tenure-track position.

II.

Full and associate members must demonstrate ability and continuing interest in the graduate program and in research or creative activity. Full members must show a strong, continuing record of productive research, publication, creative activity, and scholarly activity appropriate to the discipline. These broad requirements are best interpreted by each department and college considering their unique aspects.

III.

Be recommended by the departmental graduate faculty, department chairperson, and dean of the academic division. These nominations will then be acted upon by the chairperson of the Graduate Council, the dean of the Graduate School.

Temporary membership. Temporary membership may be extended to well-qualified individuals who do not satisfy the above criteria, to perform specific functions for specific time periods, not to exceed one calendar year. They should be recommended by the departmental graduate faculty, department chairperson, and dean of the academic division. These nominations will then be acted upon by the chairperson of the Graduate Council, the dean of the Graduate School.

DEGREE PROGRAMS

The Graduate School presently supervises a total of 158 programs, with a further tentative new program for 1998-99. A formal list of current degree programs, and planned additions, is included in Tables 20 and 21.

FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR ACADEMIC DEPARTMENTS

The Graduate School continued to provide financial support from its own funds for the enrichment of academic activities. In particular, the Graduate School awarded graduate student travel and research grants totaling over $20,000.

GRADUATE STUDENT FINANCIAL SUPPORT

There are several different institutional, state, federal, and private sources available at The University of Alabama to provide both service and non-service awards and financial aid for graduate students. A total of $17,056,574 was awarded to graduate students in 1998, compared with $16,105,240 last year (Table 16). Individual awards are discussed in more detail below.

Perkins Loans and Work-Study Support. For this year, only 1 Perkins Loan was awarded for a total value of $1,130, continuing the decline in the use of this source over recent years. Under the work-study program, 30 assignments were given to graduate and professional students, with an associated dollar value of $137,969. More information on these awards is shown in Table 22.

Graduate Council Fellowships. During 1998 the Committee on Financial Aids authorized a total of 61 Fellowship awards. Of this total, 9 awards were made for Thesis/Dissertation Fellowships. A further 15 Research Fellowships totaling $150,000 were also awarded this year. The level of individual award was the same as last year and included full tuition grants and $1,500 Presidential Supplemental Fellowships. The stipends were: Graduate Council Fellows - $11,500, first-year; Graduate Council Thesis/Dissertation Fellows - $12,000; and second-year Graduate Council Thesis/Dissertation Fellows - $12,500.

License Tag Fellows. Under the provisions of the National Alumni Association Collegiate License Tag Program, 80 percent of the proceeds received by the University is endowed, and the income generated by the endowment is used to support graduate fellowships. For 1998, sufficient funds were available to provide 24 fellowships with a stipend of $10,000 plus full tuition grants. At the end of the fiscal year the endowment had grown to $4,502,670.

Graduate Fellowship Supplements. The Graduate School is able each year to award additional amounts to graduate students from a special Presidential Graduate Fellowship Supplemental Fund. This fund is financed from moneys generated by the logo and licensing fees received by the University’s Office of Auxiliary and Support Services, of which 50% is deposited as an endowment to support graduate fellowships.

Alumni Association Graduate Scholarship Program. The National Alumni Association also funds a varying number of graduate scholarships in each college or school that offers a post-baccalaureate degree. During 1998, the Association awarded a total of $121,055.

Graduate and Faculty Scholarship Committee. The Graduate and Faculty Scholarship Committee contacted approximately 500 students to determine their eligibility for and interest in Rhodes, Marshall, Truman, National Security Education, and Fulbright fellowships. From this total, 12 students were formally interviewed by the committee, resulting in 9 nominations for fellowships, as follows:

Graduate Assistant Stipends. Departments are allocated budget to appoint graduate teaching or research assistants and pay them salaries up to any level that they are able to fund. The Graduate School establishes minimum pay levels dependent upon the assigned work hours that each appointment carries. For 1997/98, those minimum levels were $3,625 for 0.25 FTE, $7,250 for 0.50 FTE, and $10,875 for 0.75 FTE. In addition, the Graduate School awards grants equal to the full instate tuition charge for 0.50 FTE or higher appointments, and pro-rated amounts for FTE appointments below 0.50 FTE.

For Fall 1998, the number of graduate assistantship positions awarded was 1,157 (last year 1,153) with 663 teaching assistantships (last year 711) and 494 research and administrative assistantships (last year 442). In terms of full time equivalent appointments this amounts to a total of 522.20. More detailed departmental information in respect of graduate assistantships is given in Tables 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, & 29.

WORKSHOP FOR NEW GRADUATE TEACHING ASSISTANTS

The twelfth annual workshop for new Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTAs) was held at the Bryant Conference Center on August 19-21, 1998. The Workshop serves multiple purposes, including familiarizing new students with the campus and University policies, assisting in new GTAs’ preparation to conduct classes, providing guidance about how to handle various classroom situations, and directing them to campus resources for ongoing improvement of teaching skills. President Sorensen welcomed the new GTAs and stressed the vital role that they play on campus. During the Workshop, University faculty and staff members spoke on a wide range of areas related to teaching. Topics included syllabus and course preparation, conducting lab and discussion sessions, using multimedia and the Internet in college teaching, collaborative learning techniques as alternatives to the traditional lecture format of teaching, instructional support services for GTAs, and effective communication in college teaching. Each new GTA received a copy of 1998-2000 Graduate Assistant Guide and numerous handouts on a variety of topics related to teaching. The GTAs attended a reception held in the Bryant Center and had several opportunities to meet fellow GTAs.

Graduate Teaching Fellows, who are experienced GTAs recognized for superior teaching in their respective colleges, led eight simultaneous breakout sessions for a full day at the Workshop. The Fellows videotaped the new GTAs who each had prepared a short presentation. Each GTA received written and verbal analyses of teaching strengths and areas for improvement. The new GTAs also had the opportunity to analyze videos in order to "troubleshoot" some of the most frequently occurring problems in the classroom. The Fellows also led the new GTAs in discussions of important issues such as services for students with disabilities, sexual harassment, academic misconduct, academic grievances, and the confidentiality of student records.

RESOURCES FOR GRADUATE TEACHING ASSISTANTS

The Graduate Assistant Guide is distributed by the Graduate School each fall to all participants in the Workshop for New GTAs. A comprehensive manual devoted specifically to teaching, The University of Alabama Teaching Handbook, is available on request by calling 348-7147. Teaching Excellence is a newsletter published six to eight times a year to disseminate some of the latest information on the enhancement of teaching skills.

The Faculty Development Office (FDO) works with a number of areas on campus, including the Graduate School, to assist faculty and departments in instructional design, delivery, and assessment decisions. The FDO has an extensive collection of books, videos, and other information on improving teaching. The collection is located in Room 211 of the Rodgers Library.

AWARDS

On Honors Day 1998, the Dean of the Graduate School presented the following University-wide awards. Each student received a plaque and a check for $250.00.

OAK RIDGE ASSOCIATED UNIVERSITIES (ORAU)

• providing of office and class space in Washington, DC for faculty and cooperative programs
• funding travel costs for University faculty to present lectures at other ORAU institutions
• funding research travel grants for University faculty
• highlighting the University's research strengths in ORAU publications
• funding University faculty attendance at research training presentations
• funding seminar presentations at this institution by ORAU scientists and engineers
• providing funding support for conferences and seminars held at the University
• providing support for graduate research assistants working on ORAU projects
• funding summer faculty research activities

ACADEMIC COMMON MARKET

The Graduate School is charged within the University with supervising both the undergraduate and graduate programs of the Academic Common Market. This program is an interstate association of 15 Southern states that permits out-of-state students to enroll in selected programs at participating institutions while paying in-state tuition rates. Table 31 shows the current programs and participating institutions.

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