ABSTRACT: 2014 ELATE Institutional Action Project Poster Symposium
Project Title:
Preparing Leaders to Solve the Grand Challenges of Society: Investing in
Doctoral Education
Name and Institution: Margery Overton, NC State University
Collaborators and Mentors: Doug Reeves, Interim Assistant Dean of Graduate Programs, College
of Engineering; Louie Martin-Vega, Dean of Engineering; Duane Larick, Senior Vice Provost for
Academic Strategy and Resource Management; Warwick Arden, Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor
Background: In 2011, NC State University committed to a new strategic plan entitled The Pathway
to the Future: NC State’s 2011-202 Strategic Plan. Central to the plan is the development of
communities of scholars and researchers focused on solving the grand challenges of society
through creativity, innovation, entrepreneurship and collaboration. Doctoral students are the heart
of the creative engine that inspires the best in a research university and increasing the number of
successful doctoral students engaged in that community is essential to the plan.
Challenge: With the new strategic plan in place, ambitious targets for growth in the number of
doctoral students and in doctoral completion rates were set. In the fall 2013, it was determined that
neither the total number of doctoral students nor the doctoral completion rates were increasing
sufficiently to meet targets. While some of the lack of increase can be attributed to external
causes, multiple years of internal budget cuts due to reduced state appropriations has led to a
lack of growth in resources allocated to recruit and retain doctoral students. With state
appropriations tied to enrollment, a drop in enrollment will lead to a drop in future appropriations.
The downward spiral was recognized and work began on reversing the trend.
Objective: The objective of this project is to increase the number of successful NC State
University doctoral graduates with the skills and vision to lead in efforts to solve the grand challenges
of society.
Approach: The approach is to address the recruitment of, the financial support for and the
cross- disciplinary opportunities made available to the doctoral students.
 Enhanced recruitment initiatives will be developed and best practices shared to maximize yield
of high quality students in targeted areas.
 Funds will be centralized and redistributed to colleges that have capacity to grow their
funded research profile. Funds will be allocated to support new doctoral students in their first
year with the expectation that research funding will be used in subsequent years.
 First year doctoral experiences that are focused on core competencies, disaggregated from
specific research funding will be encouraged. Through the coordination of existing and new
programs targeting the unique perspectives of solving the grand challenges of society, first
year doctoral students will be expected to participate in seminars and workshops to enhance
exposure to multi- disciplinary perspectives, research methods, systematic review, and proposal
development.
Outcomes and Assessment: Established university level (e.g., number of doctoral students,
graduates and graduation rate) and program level (e.g., recruiting yield, student to faculty ratios)
metrics will be used for measuring outcomes. Further, we will track the level and source of
financial support and number of high impact graduate experiences for each student. Exit surveys
will be modified to include outcome measures and an alumni survey will be developed to help
determine post-graduate success.
Preparing Leaders to Solve the Grand Challenges of Society:
Investing in Doctoral Education
Margery F. Overton
Special Assistant to the Provost
NC State University
OBJECTIVE: to increase the number of successful NC State University doctoral graduates
with the skills and vision to lead in efforts to solve the grand challenges of society.
The Pathway to the Future
NC State’s 2011-2020 Strategic Plan
BACKGROUND
Goals
Implementation
Plan
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Student Success
Faculty & Infrastructure Investment
Research Solutions
Organizational Improvement
Partnership & Outreach
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Increase number of doctoral graduate
students
Reallocate resources to strategic
interdisciplinary programs
Assemble teams to solve ‘big’ societal
challenges
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Metrics
CHALLENGES
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APPROACH
1. Investments in First Year Stipends
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Number of doctoral students
Number of doctoral degrees
6-year doctoral completion rate
In fall 2013, the number of enrolled doctoral students
and the number of supported doctoral students drops.
Doctoral
Enrollment
Invest in doctoral stipend support, best practices in
recruiting and enhanced first year experiences.
55 centrally funded first year stipends & tuition
Allocations made to programs with self-identified capacity
contingent on recruiting success
Students must be funded by external source in subsequent years
Students will be encouraged to participate in first year activities
2013 doctoral enrollment
distribution by college
2014 proposed
stipend distribution
2. Best Practices in Recruiting
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Website presence
Research active faculty
Faculty contacts
Campus visits
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Opportunities to network with
current graduate students
Competitive stipends
Graduate employment profiles
Existing Workshops
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Learning styles
Emotional intelligence
Conflict management
Research ethics
Mentor relationship
New Networking
Opportunities
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Cross-disciplinary seminars
Laboratory rotations
Future recruitment efforts
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3. First Year Experiences
Degrees
Granted
Completion
Rates
Doctoral Student
Support
Research Stipend
Funding Sources
Mentors & Collaborators:
D. Reeves, Interim Assistant Dean of Graduate Programs, College of Engineering
L. Martin-Vega, Dean, College of Engineering
D. Larick, Senior Vice Provost for Academic Strategy and Resource Management
W. Arden, Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor
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4. Metrics and Surveys
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University, College and College Supported Students
o Number enrolled
o Number of degrees
o Completion rate
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Graduate Exit and Alumni Surveys
Cohort Metrics
o Source of continuing support
o Number of first year experiences
o Type of first year experiences
Presented at the
2014 ELATE® Leaders Forum