6/2/00
Contact: Gary Schumacher, associate provost for graduate studies, (740) 597-2599
OHIO UNIVERSITY IDENTIFIES TWO DOCTORAL PROGRAMS FOR REGENTS PROGRAM
ATHENS, Ohio -- Ohio University has selected two doctoral programs -- one in the Department of Physics and Astronomy and the other in the Department of Psychology -- for the initial round of selective enhancement under a new Ohio Board of Regents directive.
Physics and Astronomy's Condensed Matter and Surface Sciences Program and Psychology's Clinical Health Psychology Program have been identified as the university's first selections under the Regents' Investment Component of Performance Funding program. The Regents' directive requires all Ohio universities to develop ongoing plans for raising the quality and national visibility of a selected set of doctoral programs.
To arrive at the initial set of programs for selective enhancement, all university doctoral departments were given the opportunity to apply for selective enhancement funds. A universitywide committee of faculty then reviewed the proposals and made recommendations to Provost Sharon Brehm. The two programs selected were strongly recommended by the committee.
"I am delighted that we are able to support these two excellent programs, and I know that investing in each of them will greatly benefit the university for many years to come," Brehm said.
The Condensed Matter and Surface Sciences Program plans to use the enhancement funds to strengthen its program in nanoscience, an emerging field that is expected to play a major role in scientific and industrial development in coming years. The Clinical Health Psychology Program plans to use its additional funding to establish research clinics in both rural and urban areas. These clinics will help further the program's extensive research on chronic physical and mental health problems.
Although additional funding for the programs must come from university coffers, Associate Provost for Graduate Studies Gary Schumacher said every effort will be made to ensure the funds are made available through new endowment, subsidy or tuition dollars rather than existing department budgets. The funding can be used for additional faculty and support staff positions, stipend enhancements and other initiatives.
The university plans a second round of proposals for selective enhancement in the 2001-02 academic year. All programs that applied in the initial cycle will receive detailed feedback on their proposals in the next few weeks. In addition, matching funds will be available through the Office of Graduate Studies in 2000-01 to assist doctoral departments in exploring possible program modifications or additions that could help them prepare strong proposals for the 2001-02 review cycle.
"Thanks to the efforts of the faculty who prepared the proposals, the faculty who served on the selection committee and the diligent work of Gary Schumacher, this initial round of the selective investment process went very well," Brehm said. "I do want to emphasize that this process will be repeated every other year, and many other fine doctoral programs will receive enhancement funding in these subsequent considerations."
-30-
RSS