UI grad task force reports on possible changes, cuts

About one of every eight graduate programs at the University of Iowa was deemed as needing additional evaluation by a task force charged with studying graduate education.  Those programs could become candidates for restructuring or closure, according to the task force final report released today.

Of the 111 programs studied, 14 earned that designation, or about 13 percent. Those included master's and/or doctorate programs in the following: American Studies; Asian Civilizations; Comparative Literature; Comparative Literature - Translation; Film Studies; German; Linguistics; Educational Administration; Social Foundations of Education; Health and Sports Studies; Teach and Learn: Elementary Education; Stomatology; Integrative Physiology; Exercise Science.

Along with its assessments of current graduate program offerings, the task force noted a number of possible situations in which a re-envisioning of grad program offerings may be beneficial to the university. This includes programs that may not be viable in their current configuration and strong programs that the task force feels would be strengthened by a restructuring. Program in languages and closely related disciplines would be one example of this, merging administrative services and forming a division of languages and cultures, for example, according to the report.

In rating programs, the task force weighted student outcomes, such as percent completion, time to degree and placement, more heavily than overall department reputation or productivity-based indicators.

More than 55 percent of the programs were ranked as "exemplary" or "high quality" by the task force on graduate education. That task force was one of six charged by UI Provost Wallace Loh with studying strategic priorities for the UI going forward with likely reduced state support.

The final report of the task force on graduate education is available

online, along with the final reports of the five other task forces. All of the reports were released today.