The Graduate School's enrollment continued to include a geographically diverse body of
students; of the total of 2,964 enrolled in the fall of 1999 Alabama residents accounted
for 1,676 (56%), 449 were from 64 foreign countries, and 839 came from 44 states plus the
District of Columbia. After Alabama, the top states sending the most students were
Georgia (126), Mississippi (108), Florida (66), Tennessee (60), and North Carolina (39).
Table 6 gives a further analysis of state of origin and
gender of US students.
DEMOGRAPHICS
Figure 5
Graduate Enrollment, State of Origin
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On campus graduate credit hours were at their highest level for many years at 56,776 compared with 53,665 in 1998 and 54,643 in the previous year. This represents increases of 6% and 4% over the one and two year periods. The average number of hours per enrolled student was 19.1 compared with 18.8 in 1998 and 19.7 in 1997. Table 8 gives a detailed analysis of credit hours by course level and by college.
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In 1999 the university awarded a total of 1,294 graduate degrees compared with 1,180 last year. This overall increase of 9.7% was realized by an increase of 28% in the number of degrees awarded by the College of Education, at 484 up 106 from the previous year. A fully detailed analysis of degrees awarded this year is in Tables 12, 13, 14, and 15.
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The Graduate School continues to provide up-to-date information to faculty and students through a variety of published materials. All of these are reviewed on a revolving basis to ensure that data are current and accurate, especially in the areas of financial support. All of the Graduate School's publications are now maintained in electronic form on its own website which further ensures the accuracy and timeliness of the information available. The current publications are:
In addition to these booklets and pamphlets the Graduate School publishes several single-page leaflets which help prospective and current students with all aspects of their academic career at the university.
The contents of this report are made available to everyone through the Graduate School's home pages on the World Wide Web at (http://graduate.ua.edu/). All of the Graduate School hard copy publications are similarly stored on the web site. It also includes an on-line application to the Graduate school, links to graduate departments in colleges, on-line forms for masters and doctoral students, perpetual calendar, and numerous other documents. Several resources are made available to students, faculty, and administrators and the sites are maintained on a weekly basis to ensure accuracy.
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 16.
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:
Terms of appointment. Full and associate members are appointed for six-year, renewable terms.
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.
Table 21 shows the current degree programs offered at the university - a total of 151. There are currently no planned new programs in development.
The Graduate School provides a variety of types and levels of support for graduate students. Departments are invited to nominate students for fellowships, scholarships, tuition awards, and travel and research grants. Federal programs specifically for graduate students are monitored and presented to students to ensure that all possible financial assistance can be given.
In the academic year 1998/99 a total of $16,995,563 was awarded to graduate students - an average of $5,734 for every graduate student enrolled. This is an increase of 3% on last year's average of $5,516.
Perkins Loans and Work-Study Support. In 1998/99 academic year 8 loans were made to students under this scheme for a total of $21,746. Under the work-study program, 38 assignments were given to graduate students for a total value of $259,489.
Travel and Research Awards. Twice in each year the Dean of the Graduate School invites nominations for awards to support graduate research and travel. For research awards, priority is given to thesis, pre-dissertation, and dissertation research. For travel awards, priority is given to (a) graduate students who have been accepted to present personally their own research at the national meeting of their discipline's major academic/professional organization, and (b) those whose department or college indicates its own support of the student by agreeing to cost share the necessary funding. In 1998/99 152 students applied for support from these funds and 117 received awards, a rate of 77%. A total of $23,256 was awarded to these successful students, representing an average of $199 per student.
Graduate Council Fellowships. During the 1998/99 academic year, the Graduate Council Committee on Financial Aid awarded 71 fellowships. Of this total, 8 were made for thesis/dissertation fellowships, 63 were made for research fellowships. The level of individual awards was: 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% of the proceeds received by the university is endowed and the income generated is used to support graduate fellowships. In 1999, sufficient funds were available to provide 27 fellowships with a stipend of $10,000. At the end of the academic year, the endowment has grown to $5,150,137.
Graduate Fellowship Supplements. Each year additional amounts are awarded to graduate students from a special Presidential Graduate Fellowship Supplemental Fund. The fund is financed from logo and licensing fees received by the university's Office of Auxiliary and Support Services.
Alumni Association Graduate Scholarship Program. The National Alumni Association also funds a varying number of graduate fellowships in each college or school that offers a post-baccalaureate degree. During 1999, the Association awarded $134,168.
Graduate and Faculty Scholarship Committee. As in previous years, the Committee contacted around 500 students to determine their eligibility for and interest in Rhodes, Marshall, Truman, and Fulbright fellowships. Eleven students were formally interviewed resulting in nine nominations, as follows:
| Scholarship | Number Interviewed | Number Nominated |
|---|---|---|
| Rhodes | 5 | 3 |
| Marshall | 3 | 2 |
| Truman | 4 | 2 |
| Fulbright | 2 | 2 |
Minority Support. There are several programs aimed specifically at minority student groups and these are dealt with in detail in a separate section.
Graduate Assistant Stipends. Departments are allocated budget each year to appoint graduate teaching or research assistants and pay them stipends up to any level which they are able to fund. The Graduate School establishes minimum pay levels dependent upon the assigned work hours and gives guidance on the minimum and maximum number of enrolled hours that each student requires in order to maintain their full-time student status. For 1998/99 the minimum stipend levels were:
For the new academic year 1999-2000 these stipend levels have been increased to the following:
In addition, the Graduate School awards grants equal to the full tuition charge for 0.50 FTE or higher appointments, and pro-rated amounts for FTE appointments below 0.50 FTE.
For fall semester 1999, the number of students who received graduate assistant appointments was 1,206 compared with 1,157 last year, with 669 teaching assistants (last year 663) and 537 research, administrative, and other assistants (last year 494).
SREB Fellowships. The SREB Minority Doctoral Scholars Program encourages ethnic minority students to pursue doctoral degrees and become college professors. The Graduate School held the #1 ranking for number of SREB doctoral scholars in 1997-1998 and the #2 ranking in 1998-1999 (behind the University of Kentucky). Since 1993, the Graduate School has enrolled 18 SREB Minority Doctoral Scholars. SREB scholars receive $12,000 annual stipends plus tuition scholarships for up to 5 years of graduate study through a combination of SREB, Graduate School, and departmental funding. In 1998-1999, the Graduate School supported nine SREB in stipends and scholarships. Six new UA doctoral students received SREB fellowships beginning in fall 1999, and the Graduate School is supporting a total of 15 SREB scholars in 1999-2000.
Future Faculty Fellows Program. This program is for students from minority groups who plan to become college or university professors. Each Future Faculty Fellow receives annual stipends of $9,000, departmental assistantships, and full tuition scholarships for up to four years of full-time graduate study. A total of 20 doctoral students have received Future Faculty Fellowships since 1991 and 7 have received their degrees. In 1998-1999, the Graduate School supported one Future Faculty Fellow in stipends and scholarships. The Graduate School is supporting two Future Faculty Fellows in 1999-2000 in stipends and scholarships.
Joint Minority Faculty Development Program Fellowships. The Joint Faculty Development Program was implemented for practicing college teachers in Alabama HBCUs who do not have a terminal degree. Faculty members participating in this program receive support from both their home institution and a stipend and full tuition scholarship from The University of Alabama Graduate School. Institutions participating in this program include Alabama State University, Alabama A & M, and Oakwood. A total of 21 fellows have participated in the program since 1989, and nine have received their degree. Academic year 1998-1999 was a banner year for the program---six Joint Faculty Development Fellowships were awarded to faculty members of partner institutions, more than any year since the inception of the program. One fellow has since resigned his faculty position at the HBCU, giving us five fellows for 1998-1999. A total of four HBCU faculty members are participating in the Joint Faculty development Program in fall, 1999. In fall, 1998, the Graduate School modified the Joint Faculty Development Program to expand the program and better meet the needs of HBCU faculty members. For example, the program previously required full-time graduate study while participating in the program. Now, the program also supports faculty members with stipends and tuition scholarships to participate in part-time graduate study at the University of Alabama, while still engaging in instructional duties on the HBCU campus.
Patricia Roberts Harris. Although the PRH program was eliminated by the U.S. Department of Education, UA had one remaining PRH fellow in his fifth and final year of graduate study in 1998-1999. To complete the requirements of the fellowship, the Graduate School provided a total of $13,216 in stipends and scholarship for the PRH fellow.
UA/Stillman College Joint Faculty Staff Development Program. The major objectives of the program are to provide support for Stillman College faculty and staff to complete degree requirements for a graduate degree and to provide inservice and staff development. The Graduate School provides tuition scholarships for 5-10 Stillman faculty and staff each semester. In 1998-1999, the Graduate School provided tuition scholarships totaling $20,016 for 11 faculty and staff members of Stillman College. Beginning with spring 1999, the Graduate School is attempting to provide extended tuition support for selected Stillman faculty and staff. For example, we are providing additional scholarships for a Stillman staff member who is enrolled in the UA Executive MBA program, a program that requires substantial fees beyond basic tuition.
In fall semester 1998 graduate assistantships were awarded to 1,157 students compared with 1,153 in the previous year. This number has increased in fall 1999 to 1,206. This represents a rise of almost 5%. From the total for fall 1999, 311 are Teaching Assistants where the student is a primary teacher of record for credit classes, 358 are Teaching Assistants who do not issue final grades or who simply assist an instructor of record with their classes. The remaining 537 have various duties including research projects, administrative positions, and other non-teaching tasks.
Out of the total number of students receiving assistantships in fall 1999, 194 were funded from third party contracts, grants, gifts, or endowments. The remainder, 1,012 - over 84% of the total - were funded by the university. The colleges with the highest proportion of assistants funded from non-university sources are Engineering (29%) and Human Environmental Sciences (38%).
Total stipend payments made to graduate assistants during the academic year 1998/99 amounted to $10,958,920. With a minimum stipend level of $7,866 for a 0.50 FTE student, this represents a total number of equivalent assistantships of 1,393 (last year 1,402). Of this total, $5,142,745 (47%) was paid to teaching assistants and $3,076,679 to research and other assistants which were funded by the university. The balance of $2,739,496 was funded by external sources. Again, the areas receiving the greatest support from external funding were College of Engineering ($708,113 - 40%), Materials for Information Technology ($234,846 - 66%), and Human Environmental Sciences ($132,118 - 40%). Average annual full time equivalent stipends awarded for the fall 1999 semester were $8,899 compared with $8,638 last fall. Again, the largest average awards were from externally funded assistantships with a total average of $9,541 ($9,293 last fall). The overall average award for teaching assistants with grading responsibility and who are funded by the university was $8,621 (fall 1999 $8,489) compared with $8,972 for TA's without grading responsibility (last fall $8,451).The top 5 sponsors for research assistantships in 1998/99 were the private business sector ($356,176), the Department of Education ($311,749), the National Science Foundation ($319,989), non-Alabama colleges and universities ($248,609), and other foundations ($173,254).
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The thirteenth annual workshop for new Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTAs) was held at the Bryant Conference Center on August 18-20, 1999. 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, instructional support services for GTAs, effective communication in college teaching, and important policies and legal issues for GTAs and professors alike. Each new GTA received a copy of 1998-2000 Graduate Assistant Guide and numerous handouts on a variety of topics related to teaching.
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.
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.
On Honors Day 1999, the Dean of the Graduate School presented the following University-wide awards. Each student received a plaque and a check for $500.
| Award | Student | Department |
| Excellence in Teaching by a Master's Student | Andrew Duncan | English (Creative Writing) |
| Excellence in Teaching by a Doctoral Student | Amy Vessel | Elementary Education |
| Excellence in Research by a Master's Student | Peggy Renner | Psychology |
| Excellence in Research by a Doctoral Student | Kevin Roe | Biological Sciences |
| Outstanding Thesis | Stefano Lepre | Aerospace Engineering |
| Outstanding Dissertation | Igor Terekhov | Physics |
The Graduate School is charged within the University with supervising both the graduate and undergraduate programs of the Academic Common Market. This 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 34 shows the current programs and participating institutions.
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For the academic year 1998/99 the data for ACM support were as follows: |
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| Fall 1998 |
Spring 1999 |
Summer 1999 |
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| Number of undergraduate students | 75 | 71 | 31 |
| Number of graduate students | 7 | 9 | 8 |
| Total students | 82 | 80 | 39 |
| Total value of scholarships awarded | $172,436 | $171,502 | $50,895 |
| Most popular ACM majors | HCM - 32 | HCM - 26 | HCM - 11 |
| AE - 10 | AE - 10 | AE - 10 | |
| MS - 13 | MS - 9 | LBIS - 4 | |
| Mean GPA | 3.028 | 2.946 | 3.079 |