Biology and Marine Biology

(Axel Boer) #1

To ensure timely and appropriate action in response to our discussion at the faculty retreat, the following motion was presented to the faculty of the
department at our September 13 faculty meeting.


Motion 2014.05
Motion was made by Dr. Koopman, Graduate Assessment Coordinator and seconded by Dr. Kinsey.
Motion is to adopt the following graduate assessment goals for Academic Year 2013-2014.
Based on the assessment results for Academic Year 2012-2013 and discussion of these results at the annual department retreat, the Graduate Assessment
Coordinator proposes the following goals for the coming academic year:


  1. That the Graduate assessment coordinator, working with the Graduate Advisory Committee (GAC), examine the oral exam guidance for our M.Sc.
    programs and generate a plan for making sure that students stay on schedule and are aware of the time required to prepare for this exam

  2. That the Graduate Assessment Coordinator, in consultation with the GAC, will develop an alternating schedule for assessment of various aspects of the
    graduate programs over the 2013-14 academic year, for the next five year period (similar to the schedule developed for assessing undergraduate
    performance).

  3. That the Graduate Assessment Coordinator work with the Graduate Secretary to better coordinate the teaching practicum evaluation for the Ph.D.
    program (SLO#5).


Following discussion the motion passed by unanimous vote with one proxy “abstain” vote on 9/13/2013.

University of North Carolina Wilmington
Educational Program Assessment Plan and Report
(PhD Program, Biology & Marine Biology –October 2013)
Assessment Plan Report for 2012-2013 (July 1 to June 30)

Primary Contact Name/Info: Heather Koopman, Biology & Marine Biology, [email protected]


Program Outcome
UNCW Strategic Goal

Tools Implementation Summary of Findings Actions Taken

PO 1: Graduation of PhD
students within 5-6 years.
Links to UNCW Strategic
Goal #1: Create the most
powerful learning
experience possible for our
students.


Several tools are used for
the assessment process of
this PO:


  • solicitation of information
    from alumni

  • meetings with graduate
    students and surveys of
    graduate student needs

  • review of programs at
    other institutions

  • monitoring of time to
    graduation


The Graduate Advisory
Committee (GAC) and the
Graduate coordinator are
largely responsible for
gathering this information.
Student members of the
GAC are important conduits
of information from the
student body to the GAC.

Based on 15 graduates in
the program as of August
2013, PhD students are
taking 4.5 years to graduate,
well within our expectation.
Financial concerns have
previously been identified
as a significant concern for
time to graduate. Based on
student comments and
comparisons with other
programs, a need to make

In previous years, the
Graduate School has
worked to incrementally
increase TA salaries. The
PhD core curriculum was
revised to be more flexible.
The progression from the
M.S. program to the PhD
program was made easier
through a Master’s bypass
option. Given our results
we feel that these actions
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