Excellence through assessment

By John Keller

he final report of the Task Force on Graduate Education: Selective Excellence has drawn attention within The University of Iowa and the higher education community, and rightfully so. It is rare that such an assessment takes place within a comprehensive research university.

All other levels of education in the United States, including k-12, undergraduate and professional programs, have come under scrutiny for quality and effectiveness. Conducting a national assessment that encompasses such a broad array of disciplines is a difficult and complex process. The most recent attempt by the National Research Council to evaluate doctoral programs was initiated in 2005-2006, but the results of the study have yet to be released.

Undoubtedly, the results will provide crucial information to guide higher education, as our institutions' stakeholders demand increased accountability. In this current economic climate, accountability is more important than ever for graduate education programs.

Faced with the need to focus on quality and sustainability, a number of highly respected institutions have completed or are currently undertaking similar assessments, including Ohio State University, University of Arizona and Michigan State University.

The University of Iowa's Task Force on Graduate Education was established by Provost Wallace Loh last year. The final report was released to the university community in February. While most attention has focused on the rating assessments of more than 100 graduate programs, the overall goal of the task force was to seek improvements in the graduate programs offered at Iowa.

There are a several key highlights from the UI report.

First, 82 percent of the programs were rated as exemplary, high quality or good, while only 13 percent were rated in the category of additional evaluation required.

Second, the task force reviewed graduate programs, not departments, faculty or undergraduate programs. The focus of the assessments was on graduate student outcomes, using multiple quantitative and qualitative parameters. External funding generated by graduate programs was not a specific criterion of assessment.

Third, the task force report presented a series of recommendations, which is only the first step in a multi-step evaluation process. The report does not mandate specific actions for graduate programs. Rather, the colleges will use the report as a guide as they move forward with key decision-making processes.

The deans and their administrators will make their recommendations to Provost Loh before he presents his recommendations, if any, to the state Board of Regents for its consideration.

The report raises questions for further consideration about the long-term viability of graduate programs rated as additional evaluation required, but at this juncture it is premature to conclude the fate of any of our programs.

The task force scrutinized programs in all academic areas equitably. Of the 14 graduate programs identified as requiring additional evaluation, half were in the humanities and half were in the sciences and social sciences.

The report recommends reorganization not only for programs requiring additional evaluation, but also for a number of very strong programs in the sciences, including some that were recommended for administrative relocation in order to maximize their impact. No particular area was immune from attention.

The Task Force on Graduate Education went beyond structural aspects of these programs, recommending changes to financial support that will benefit students in both the short-term and long-term.

These recommendations continue the evolution of support mechanisms the Graduate College initiated several years ago to focus on student retention and degree completion.

As graduate educators look to the future, our pursuit of excellence begins with assessing our current programs. The task force report shows that while we have much to be proud of, we also have work to do.

John C. Keller is Associate Provost for Graduate Education and Dean of the Graduate College at the University of Iowa.