DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL SCIENCE
UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE, KNOXVILLE
DEPARTMENTAL SELF STUDY
SPRING, 1997
Department of Political Science
University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Departmental Self Study, 1977
Table of Contents
Overview
History
Mission
Teaching
Research
Service
Faculty
Diversity
Staff
Administrative Structure
Faculty
Scholarship
Teaching
Service
The Graduate Program
Overview
Recruitment
Admission Procedures and Requirements
Student Profile
Financial Assistance Available
Program Descriptions
Program Committees and Advising
Critical Issues for the Graduate Program
Evaluation
The Undergraduate Program
Introduction
The Undergraduate Curriculum
Special Programmatic Opportunities
Undergraduate Teaching
Academic Advising
The Undergraduate Student Body
Evaluation
Program Support
Space
Special Facilities and Equipment
The Library
Summary: The Future Direction and Strengths and
Weaknesses of the Political Science Department
Future Direction
Strengths
Weaknesses
Tables 1 - 17
Overview
A. History
The Department of History and Political Science at the University of Tennessee
was formed in 1905. In 194 1 History and Political Science split into two separate
departments. Political Science was approved to offer the Ph.D. degree in 1950, the first
doctorate was awarded in 1957. The three graduate degrees offered by the Department
of Political Science have been available since the 1950s.
The Bureau of Public Administration was established in the late 1940s. It was
part of the Department of Political Science (several faculty held joint appointments with
the Bureau of Public Administration and the Department of Political Science) until the
Department of Political Science voted to terminate the Bureau in 1989. The Bureau of
Public Administration was primarily involved with public service to the community
through applied research on problems faced by Tennessee state agencies and local
communities. Some faculty considered it problematic that they were expected to obtain
publications in refereed journals and produce applied research. The Program Review
Team in 1988 recommended -thatif a clear mission was not formu.lated for the Bureau,
serious consideration should be given to its termination. A decision was made to abolish
the Bureau of Public Administration with the expectation that the Department of Political
Science would recoup some of its budget; however, very little money was actually
returned to the Department.
B. Mission
The mission of the Department of Political Science is threefold: to teach, to
generate new knowledge, and to provide service to the citizens of Tennessee. The
development, acquisition, and application of political theory and knowledge guides
programs and activities of the Department of Political Science.
C. Teaching
See the Political Science Department's Undergraduate and Graduate
Handbook for more detailed descriptions of the programs.
It is increasingly important that students gain an understanding of politics. Central
to the functioning of a democracy is an educated citizenry. Moreover, as the world
becomes more interdependent, it becomes imperative that citizens develop an
understanding of global politics. The Department's enrollments provide one indicator of
the importance of political science. We are second in the College of Arts and Sciences in
the number of majors. Our general education courses (U.S. Government and Politics and
Introduction to Political Science) draw large numbers of students, as do our upper
division classes that serve as a distribution requirement within the College.
Political Science majors must take two core courses (Introduction to American
Politics and Introduction to Political Science), plus at least one class from each of four
areas: American Politics and Public Administration, Comparative Politics, International
Relations, and Normative Political Theory. This distribution requirement provides our
majors an overview of the discipline of Political Science. For students seeking a more
challenging educational experience, we offer an honors program. A Public
Administration concentration is also available.
The Department of Political Science has one of the largest graduate programs in
the College of Arts and Sciences. We offer an M.A., an M.P.A (Master's in Public
Administration), and a Ph.D. in political science.
The demand for our classes is high. About one-fourth of our classes each
semester have waiting lists of at least 50 students because they are filled to capacity;
some classes have as many as 150 hoping to add the class. We have calculated the
average number of students in our classes since 1988-89. At the undergraduate level we
have averaged 1,070 students per semester in our introductory classes. All students with a
major in the College of Arts and Sciences must take a minimum of two upper division,
writing emphasis classes in U.S. Studies and Foreign Studies. The Department of
Political Science offers several classes that fulfill these distribution requirements. We
average 188 students per semester in political science courses designated as U.S. Studies,
and 162 students per semester in Foreign Studies classes. At the graduate level, our
enrollment has a mean of 12 students per seminar.
Enrollment in our classes has remained high despite a drop in the number of
faculty and the institution of a progression requirement in the major (see the
Undergraduate Section). The enrollment per semester in political science classes from
Fall, 1988 to Spring, 1992 (excluding summer) was 2,297 students. From Fall, 1992 to
Fall, 1996, enrollment averaged 2,017 students per semester.
D. Research
Faculty in the Department of Political Science are active in research. During the
last 15 years there has been a steady increase in published research. During the past five
years, faculty have published 62 articles in refereed journals, 4 scholarly books, 4
textbooks, and 10 book chapters. As professionals at a research institution, faculty view
the generation of new knowledge as an important component of their job.
E. Service
Faculty in the Department of Political Science are involved in service to the
profession, the University, and the community. Faculty are members of editorial boards
of professional journals, assist in the organization of professional conferences, and
receive appointments or are elected to various committees of associations in political
science and public administration. They serve on a variety of committees within the
University of Tennessee and are involved in the community through public speaking,
media commentary, and service in civic organizations.
F. Faculty
The Department of Political Science presently has 19 faculty members: 10 full
professors, 5 associate professors, and 4 assistant professors (See Table 1 for the list of
faculty's rank). In 1978 the Department had 22 full-time faculty members; in 1988 there
were 23 full-time faculty. In fall, 1997 we will be down to 17 faculty. Moreover, two of
our faculty have appointments elsewhere in the College, so they teach only one political
science class a year. Professor John Scheb is Director of the Social Science Research
Institute and Professor Otis Stephens is Interim Associate Dean of the College of Arts
and Sciences. Although we receive money from the Social Science Research Institute to
replace Professor Scheb in the classroom, this is not the case for Professor Stephens.
In addition to teaching classes, faculty perform a number of other instructional
duties: they direct independent studies, assist student research, and direct theses and
dissertations at the graduate level and major research papers at the undergraduate level.
They also advise students and direct student organizations.
Faculty Fields. Table 1 lists the areas of specialization for current faculty. Eight
list areas within American Politics as their primary fields (Professors Fitzgerald,
Freeland, Gant, Lyons, Nownes, Richardson, Scheb, and Stephens). Four faculty identify
primarily with Public Administration (Professors Cunningham, Folz, Houston, and
Plaas), although others teach in the area of Public Administration (Professors Fitzgerald,
Freeland, Richardson and Stephens). Four members of the department specialize in
Comparative Politics (Professors Evans, Sallinger-McBride, Smith, and Zhong). Two
faculty list International Relations as their primary field (Professors Berejikian and
Peterson). Finally, Professor Gorman lists Normative Political Theory as his primary
field, and Professor Evans also teaches in this area.
G . Diversity
The Department of Political Science is committed to developing and maintaining
a climate supportive of diversity. Diversity is one factor we consider in graduate
admissions and assistantship decisions and in hiring new faculty. Of the last five faculty
openings in the Department of Political Science, our first offers went to females for three
of the positions. Another opening was offered to an African-American.
H. Staff
The Department of Political Science is currently staffed by an administrative
assistant, an office supervisor, and a senior secretary. The senior secretary is responsible
for the paperwork associated with the graduate program. She keeps track of files and
responds to requests for information on graduate education. The administrative assistant
works half-time for the Social Science Research Institute; the Department is reimbursed
half of her salary under the arrangement. The Department of Political Science
Department has lost four secretaries over the last ten years due to reductions in funding.
I. Administrative Structure
See the By-Laws of the Department of Political Science for a more detailed
description of administrative structure.
Like other departments at the University of Tennessee, the Department of Political
Science has a Head rather than a Chair. The Head appoints a Director of Graduate
Studies, a Director of Undergraduate Studies, and a Coordinator of the Master's Program
in Public Administration.
The last program review contained a recommendation that the Department's
Advisory Committee be given more responsibility. Thus, our five-person Advisory
Committee (elected annually) has become increasingly active in departmental
governance.
Discussion and decision making occur through two additional Departmental
standing committees, Undergraduate Studies and Graduate Studies. The Director of
Graduate Studies chairs the Graduate Studies Committee and the Director of
Undergraduate Studies chairs the Undergraduate Studies Committee. Faculty serve on
one of these two standing committees or on the Department's Human Subjects
Committee.
Recommendations to the full faculty regarding tenure and promotion are made by
the Department's Tenure and Promotion Committee. This committee, elected annually,
consists of three professors and two associate professors.
A search committee appointed by the Department Head coordinates the selection
process for new faculty. A separate committee is appointed for each position.
Although committees are used extensively within the Department, a vote of the
full faculty is taken for significant departmental decisions. A majority vote of the faculty
is necessary for all program changes. All faculty vote on recommendations regarding job
offers to new faculty. All tenured faculty at or above the rank vote on tenure and
promotions.
Faculty
A. Scholarship
Research productivity for the Department of Political Science has improved
significantly since the last program review (see Table 2 and Figure 1). From 1980 to
1984, faculty from the Department of Political Science published a total of 37 articles in
refereed journals, an average of 7.4 articles a year. From 1985 to 1989, faculty published
a total of 41 articles, an average of 8.2 articles per year. From 1990 to 1994, faculty
produced a total of 56 articles, an average of 11.2 articles per year. From 1995 to
January, 1997, faculty published (or have had accepted for publication) 28 articles. These
increases have occurred despite a drop in the number of Political Science faculty.
Non-journal publications (book chapters and conference proceedings) have also
increased. From 1980 to 1984, faculty produced four such publications. From 1985 to
1989 there were 19; from 1990 to 1994 there were 2 1, and from 1995 to 1996 faculty
published (or had accepted for publication) 13 non-journal articles.
Faculty book authorship has also increased. From 1980 to 1984, faculty
published three books; from 1985 to 1989, seven books and from 1990 to 1994, five
books. From 1995 to 1996, faculty had six books published and an additional book has
been accepted for publication.
Two faculty members have won special recognition for their research. In 1992
Professor Robert Gorman was named Distinguished Professor of the Humanities in the
Political Research Quarterly, World Politics, Comparative Politics, and Public
Administration Review).
Reviewers from the last program review recommended that a workload policy be
put in place. Under this policy, faculty who are not productive scholars should receive
higher teaching loads, additional public service responsibilities, and smaller pay raises. A
differential teaching load was put in place several years ago. Last year was the first time
in several years that the University was allowed to allocate raises on merit instead of
across the board. The Department has engaged in discussion with respect to the factors
that should be used to allocate raises. We are currently in the process of developing a
more specific workload policy. Faculty who do not make a significant contribution to
academic research would spend more time with students and/or devote additional time to
public service activities.
We anticipate that the Department of Political Science will continue to improve.
In five years, our scholarship productivity and professional visibility should be higher
than it is today. In ten years, if we are able to recruit in areas where we are desperately
short of faculty, we will be able to offer programs comparable or superior to our peer
institutions. In the current situation of significant fiscal cutbacks and discussions of
increased teaching loads, however, it is difficult to engage in long-range projections.
Grants. Since 1990 ten University of Tennessee Professional Development Grants
to facilitate research have been awarded to members of the Political Science Department.
There is campus-wide competition for these awards. We have also had some success
getting external funding. Professor David Folz received a grant ($1 8,790) from the
University of Tennessee's Energy, Environment and Resources Center to study recycling.
Professor Folz was also recently named Principal Investigator for a two-year, $100,000
study funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Professor Folz is
collaborating with colleagues at the University of Tennessee Energy, Environment, and
Resources Center and the Oak Ridge National Laboratory to report the results of two
national surveys of communities engaged in solid waste recycling.
B. Teaching
High quality teaching is an important part of our mission. All instructors (faculty,
adjunct faculty, and Graduate Student Teaching Assistants) evaluate each class they teach
using the Campus Teaching Evaluation Program (CTEP). In addition, faculty visit the
classrooms of teaching assistants and prepare a written evaluation of their performance.
At regular intervals, faculty members receive a peer evaluation, in which a three-person
committee reviews the course syllabus, examinations, and other material related to the
classroom. We have instituted a seminar for our graduate students titled "Teaching
Political Science at the College or University." This seminar is typically team taught by
different faculty, which provides an opportunity regularly to reflect and study important
issues in teaching effectiveness.
According to the Campus Teaching Evaluation Program (CTEP), faculty,
graduate students, and adjunct faculty members score slightly above the mean for the
College of Arts and Sciences and the University as a whole. The CTEP measures
teaching effectiveness using a 6-point scale (5 = excellent; 4 = very good; 3 = good; 2 =
fair; 1 = poor; and 0 = very poor). During Spring 1996, the faculty of the Political
Science Department averaged 3.78 on the scale. Adjunct faculty for the Political Science
Department had a mean score of 3.75 and graduate students' average was 3.46. The
mean score for the College of Arts and Sciences was 3.61 and the University's average
was 3.68. During fall 1995, faculty in the Department of Political Science scored an
average of 3.79 and graduate students 3.72. These scores were higher than the average
for the College, (3.57), or the University as a whole, (3.60).
Theses, Dissertations, and Scholarly Papers. A thesis is required for all
undergraduates completing an honors degree in political science. Most faculty have
directed at least one of these projects over the past several years and/or have served as a
committee member. Several of our faculty have been involved with College Scholars'
projects.
At the graduate level an important component of quality teaching is helping
students with their theses, dissertations, and other professional papers. Most (1 1) of our
tenured professors are approved to teach 600-level graduate classes. Twelve members of
the Political Science faculty are approved to direct dissertations. However, in the future
we may have a serious problem supplying enough faculty members who are approved by
the Graduate School to direct dissertations. First, we have lost several members of the
faculty to retirement. Second, the faculty replacements we have received are assistant
professors who normally do not receive Graduate School approval to direct dissertations.
We are fortunate that our recently retired faculty have agreed to continue serving
on dissertation committees. When they can no longer provide this service we will have a
shortage of faculty certified by the Graduate School. It would be helpful if the Graduate
School made it easier to become certified to direct a dissertation or left the decision to the
Department.
As the academic job market for Ph.D.s becomes more competitive, it is
increasingly important that our students demonstrate a potential for scholarly
achievement. Faculty have been working with graduate students to help them prepare
papers for professional conferences or for publication. Over the past five years, most of
our faculty (14) have co-authored a convention paper and/or publication in a scholarly
journal with at least one graduate student.
C. Service
Departmental, College and University Service. Service is the third area where
faculty members make an important contribution. In addition to serving on departmental
committees, faculty in the Political Science Department are active at both the College and
University level. Among other roles, faculty have served on Faculty Senate, Review
Panel for Professional Development Grant Proposals, and the University's Research
Council; as members of a Program Review Team and of an Academic Review
Committee; and as mentors for the Talented Undergraduate Minority Fellowship
Program.
An invitation to be a college or university commencement speaker generally
indicates a career noteworthy for professional contributions and service to others. We are
proud that Professor Otis Stephens was the commencement speaker for the May 1994
graduation at the University of Tennessee.
Two faculty members, Professors William Lyons and John Scheb, have played a
major role in the development and continued operation of the Social Science Research
Institute at the University of Tennessee. Each has served as Director of the Institute and
in that capacity has offered information on survey research to the University community
and conducted a variety of public opinion polls for individuals and groups.
Community Service. Members of the community have sought faculty expertise in
a number of areas. Our faculty were active in KIDS VOTING in Tennessee and have
provided expertise in areas such as discrimination in electoral systems and public opinion
polls. Since 1984 Professor Michael Fitzgerald has worked extensively with local, state,
and federal agencies as a consultant on organizational development.
The public may have more interest in politics than in some of the other areas
faculty study at the University of Tennessee. In any case, faculty members in the
Political Science Department are regularly asked to speak to community groups, serve as
moderators in public debates, and provide media commentary on current events.
Professors Robert Cunningham, William Lyons, and Lilliard Richardson have served as
regular political commentators on local news shows.
Three of our faculty have won awards for excellence in public service. Professor
William Lyons received the Chancellor's Citation for Public Service in 1994 and the
College of Arts and Sciences Public Service Award in 1993. Professor Hyrum Plaas also
received an award from the College of Arts and Sciences for excellence in service in
1993. Professor Robert Gorman received a Community Outreach Award from the
College of Liberal Arts in 1990.
Professional Service. Faculty are also active in professional service. Three
faculty members currently serve on the editorial board of professional journals. Yang
Zhong is an editor of the Chinese Journal of Political Science; Patricia Freeman is on the
editorial board of Legislative Studies Quarterly; and Robert Cunningham is book review
editor and serves on the editorial board of Public Productivity and Management Review.
Michael Gant recently completed a three-year appointment to the editorial board of the
Journal of Politics.
Many faculty members regularly serve as panel chairs or discussants at
professional conferences and as reviewers for professional journals. Professor Robert
Cunningham is an officer for the Southeast Conference on Public Administration. A
conference on "Teaching Public Administration" was held at the University of Tennessee
in 199 1 and the 1997 meeting of the Southeast Conference on Public Administration will
be held in Knoxville next fall. Faculty recently worked to expand external
communication from the Department of Political Science. Professor David Houston
created a newsletter reporting the activities of students, faculty and alumni of the
Department that was first published in 1996. We planned to distribute a newsletter at
least annually. However, we may lack the funds to continue the distribution of a
newsletter. A Website for the University of Tennessee's Department of Political Science
was developed in 1996 by Professor Lilliard Richardson.
The Graduate Program
A. Overview
The Department of Political Science offers three graduate degrees: the Master's
in Public Administration, the Master's in Political Science, and the Ph.D. in Political
Science. Over the past five years, the M.P.A. Program averaged seven graduates per
year, the M.A. Program averaged six graduates per year, and the Ph.D. Program
averaged five graduates per year.
B. Recruitment
We send a poster describing graduate programs in political science at the
University of Tennessee to all institutions in the United States that grant a baccalaureate
degree in political science. The poster has pull-off cards with our address that students
can drop in the mail to receive more information about graduate education at the
University of Tennessee. Every student who requests information receives a packet
containing application forms and a booklet describing our facilities, available financial
aid, faculty, and program requirements. The Department of Political Science's Webpage
describes the graduate program and contains a form that interested individuals can use to
request more information. We also list e-mail addresses of the Department Head,
M.P.A. Coordinator, and Graduate Studies Director.
C. Admission Procedures and Requirements
A three-person subcommittee of the Department's Graduate Studies Committee
reviews each application to graduate school and makes recommendations to the Head
regarding admission.
There are three primary components to our admissions criteria: the G.P.A.,
combined verbal and quantitative scores on the G.R.E., and three letters of
recommendation. Applicants whose native language is not English and who do not have
a degree from an accredited U.S. institution must also submit scores from the Test of
English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). The TOEFL scores must total at least 550 for
an applicant to be considered for admission.
Applicants to the M.A. and M.P.A. program should have at least a 3.0 average in
all undergraduate work and a combined verbal and quantitative score of at least 1100 on
the Graduate Record Exam. Those seeking admission into the doctoral program should
have combined scores of at least 1100 on the verbal and quantitative portions of the
G.R.E. and a minimum of a 3.5 average in their master's program. We do admit
individuals who fall below the minimum on one component if they are impressive on the
other two admission components. An applicant with a G.R.E. score below our stated
criterion of 1100 may be admitted if the G.P.A is above our stated minimum and the three
letters of recommendation are strong. Tables 3,4, and 5 show data on applicants,
admissions, and enrollees in each of our graduate programs.
D. Student Profile
Tables 3,4, and 5 also classify graduate students by gender and race.
Approximately one-third of students who enrolled from 1991 to 1995 were female. Most
of the students are white, despite efforts to recruit underrepresented groups. Several of
our faculty have been involved with the Ronald McNair Post Baccalaureate Achievement
Program with the hope of encouraging African-American students to enter graduate
study. During this period (1 991-1996) one African- American entered the M.A.
Program, three entered the M.P.A. Program, and three began work on a Ph.D. in Political
Science.
E. Financial Assistance Available
At least one-half of the graduate students in residence in political science at the
University of Tennessee receive some form of financial assistance. There are several
forms of financial assistance available to students, including assistantships and
fellowships, as well as loans and part-time employment. Most assistantships and
fellowships carry, in addition to a stipend, a waiver of all tuition and fees, with the
exception of the activity fee of $140. A number of departments and programs at the
University of Tennessee offer assistantships, and several of our students have received
these.
The Graduate School offers several Graduate Fellowships and administers the
Minority Graduate Fellowship program, which is available to citizens of the State of
Tennessee. The University's Financial Aid Office assists students in finding employment
and/or obtaining loans.
Departmental Assistantships. The Department of Political Science offers two
forms of assistantships. Graduate assistantships are one-quarter time appointments,
requiring ten to twelve hours of work per week. Graduate Assistants perform general
service tasks for faculty, such as help with grading and research.
Teaching assistantships are one-half-time appointments, requiring approximately
twenty hours of work per week. Teaching Assistants are given full responsibility for
teaching their own course. The class is usually at the introductory level. Teaching
Assistants are responsible for two classes per academic year. In general, teaching
assistantships are awarded only to doctoral students. We generally do not give graduate
students the opportunity to teach a class until they have completed the University's
seminar for teaching assistants, and the class "Teaching Political Science" offered by the
Department, and have served an apprenticeship with a faculty member.
To retain an assistantship, students must perform satisfactorily. We visit the
classroom to evaluate teaching assistants. Students must maintain a G.P.A. of at least 3.5
and make satisfactory progress toward their degree (see p. 7 of the Political Science
Graduate Handbook).
The stipends we offer are too low to be competitive with most other institutions.
A first-year Graduate Assistant in the Department of Political Science receives $5,550 per
year while a first-year Teaching Assistant receives $7,958 per year. Many students have
turned down our offer of financial assistance and admission into our Graduate Program
because they report that they can receive significantly more money at another institution.
In the last program review, it was noted that a majority of graduate students in political
science have undergraduate degrees from the University of Tennessee- Knoxville. We
recruit nationally and attract good students nationally and internationally every year.
However, until our assistantship stipends become more competitive, it is likely that a
large number of the graduate population will continue to consist of B.A. graduates from
UTK.
F. Program Descriptions
M.P.A. Program. The focus of the M.P.A. Program is to train public managers.
The program requires 39 semester hours and consists of a set of required seminars that
cover public administration and organization theory, analytical skills, and public
budgeting. Students must also take two classes dealing with public management skills.
To complete their program, students can select from several electives for a nine-hour
specialized track. Classes in the specialized track may be taken inside or outside the
Department of Political Science. A six-hour internship is strongly recommended for
students without public management experience. Students must also demonstrate
proficiency in computer skills. Finally, students must pass an eight-hour, closed book
comprehensive examination in public administration.
We also offer a dual J.D.-M.P.A. Program. In this program, a student may earn
the M.P.A. and J.D. degree in about four years rather than the five years that otherwise
would be required. Approximately one student per year enrolls in this dual degree
program.
Graduates of the M.P.A. Program generally experience no difficulty finding
employment. Virtually all of our graduates are hired in state or local government. Most
choose to remain in Tennessee, so we have many alumni in the Knoxville area or working
for the State in Nashville.
MA. Program. About half of the students who receive an M.A. degree in Political
Science will continue their academic work and earn a Ph.D., either at the University of
Tennessee or at another institution.
Students working toward a Master's Degree in Political Science may choose to
write a thesis or take a comprehensive examination in lieu of a thesis. Most students
choose the latter option. For thesis students, 30 hours of graduate credit are required, a
maximum of six of these hours can be taken as thesis credit. For non-thesis students, 36
graduate credit hours are required.
Students select a major and minor area of study while pursuing their M.A. degree.
They may select among the following areas: American Politics, Comparative Politics,
Public Administration, Research Methods, International Relations, and Normative
Political Theory. About one-half of the M.A graduates specialize in American politics,
the other half specialize in comparative politics or international relations.
Ph. D. Program. Our Ph.D. program is oriented toward training individuals to be
teachers and scholars in political science. Most of our graduates with doctorates pursue
academic careers.
Students earning a doctorate in political science at the University of Tennessee
must complete a minimum of 84 semester hours beyond the bachelor's degree and
demonstrate competency in a foreign language or in research skills (three required
methods seminars offered within the Department of Political Science plus an additional
graduate level class taken either within or outside the Department of Political Science).
They also must take a minimum of one class in six different areas of Political Science
(American Politics, Public Administration, Research Methods, Comparative Politics,
International Relations, and Normative Political Theory). Students are required to take
comprehensive examinations in three areas. Students can select from any of the six areas
listed above except for Normative Political Theory and they may choose one testing field
from outside the Department of Political Science. We offer a core seminar in each of the
six areas of the discipline; to test in an area within political science the student must have
taken, at a minimum, the core seminar plus two additional seminars in the area. Twentyfour hours is earned by taking doctoral research and dissertation credit.
Table 5 shows the placements of students who have received a Ph.D. in Political
Science since 1990. We have successfully placed most of our graduates in academic jobs
at institutions with good reputations. A majority of those listed in Table 5 who do not
hold academic jobs did not actively seek these types of positions.
The placement record of our Department mirrors the data generated by the
American Political Science Association about job placement in the discipline. Students
seeking academic jobs before completing all requirements for their degree are at a distinct
disadvantage. Those specializing in Public Administration, Public Policy, and/or
American Politics have had the most success locating a teachinglresearch position. Our
graduates have obtained good jobs in a tight academic market, which is one indicator of
our program's quality.
G. Program Committees and Advising
The Coordinator of the M.P.A. Program serves as the advisor for students in the
M.P.A. Program. In addition to the Coordinator, faculty with expertise in Public
Administration and Organization Theory, Research Methods, and Public Management
serve on the student's examination committee.
The Director of Graduate Studies serves as the advisor for students in the M.A.
and Ph.D. Programs for a semester or two until students feel comfortable selecting an
advisor. In consultation with the advisor the student then chooses a program committee.
This program committee may or may not serve as the student's dissertation committee.
The dissertation committee is selected by the student, in consultation with the advisor.
H. Critical Issues for the Graduate Program
In the past, graduate students have complained about low levels of interaction
between students and faculty and the lack of a supportive culture among students. Part of
the problem, as acknowledged in the last program review, is the fact that there is no place
for graduate students to congregate. Only students with teaching responsibilities are
assigned offices and these offices are located in South Stadium, which is a 10-minute
walk from McClung Tower, where faculty have their offices. Graduate Assistants and
students without funding have no place to meet. The reviewers noted that creation of a
lounge for graduate students might contribute to their sense of community and promote
socialization into the profession. We have been stymied by the University in our attempt
to obtain space where students and faculty can informally get together.
The Graduate Student Organization was created four years ago and has done an
excellent job providing information and support to prospective graduate students as well
as to new students in the program. The Organization sponsors social activities (especially
at the beginning of the semester) and has experimented with a program to mentor new
students. It elects representatives to the Graduate Studies Committee and has begun
coffee hours so that faculty and students can meet more regularly on an informal basis.
Students continue to comment that communication between faculty and students
is at times problematic. Expectations for graduate students have changed over the past
five years. During this period we began enforcing time limits for funding and terminated
the assistantships of students not making satisfactory progress toward their degrees.
Expectations for performance on Ph.D. preliminary examinations increased. While
students rarely failed their prelims in the past, several students have failed over the past
several years. Although we have not developed formal requirements that students
participate in professional conferences, many faculty stress to students that to be
competitive in the job market they must demonstrate the potential for scholarly research
(preferably a publication in a refereed journal) in addition to completing degree
requirements in a timely manner and doing well in their classes, comprehensive exams,
and dissertation. Students have responded, and have become much more professionally
active. At the 1996 meeting of the Southern Political Science Association, nine of our
graduate students delivered papers.
In the last program review evaluators noted that the Department of Political
Science offered little that would socialize graduate students into the profession. Students
in the M.P.A. program are now encouraged to participate in monthly meetings and social
events sponsored by the local chapter of the American Society of Public Administration.
Faculty members are involved in chapter activities and provide information and
encouragement to students to attend.
Several years ago the Department of Political Science began colloquia where
faculty and graduate students presented their research. Organization of the colloquia has
been assumed by the Graduate Student Organization. Most graduate students who
present a paper at a professional conference "practice" in a colloquium. Students also
find these colloquia useful to prepare for a presentation of their research prior to a job
interview.
The last program review reported that publication of scholarship is not perceived
to be a part of graduate training at the University of Tennessee. This is no longer true. A
majority of faculty have co-authored research papers with students over the past several
years. Most doctoral students now give at least one paper at a professional conference
before they graduate.
Financial support is usually available for students to attend at least one
professional conference per year. The Department of Political Science has provided
support, and assistance is available on a competitive basis from the Graduate School. We
will not have the money in the Political Science Department's budget to fund graduate
students in the future, but we hope to use gifts to the Department and endowed funds to
continue to provide at least partial support.
Space for a computer lab is a significant problem for graduate education. Our
current computer lab is housed in an office-size room and our equipment is obsolete (see
Section B under PROGRAM SLTPPORT for more information on computer facilities).
Critical Issues in the M.P.A. Program The two most critical issues we confront in
the M.P.A. Program are whether to seek NAASPA (the National Association of Schools
for Public Administration and Public Policy) accreditation and hiring a replacement for
Professor Hyrum Plaas. Professor Plaas teaches Public Budgeting and Finance and will
retire in July, 1997. Financial Management is a necessary component of the M.P.A.
Program.
We believe we have a strong M.P.A. Program and would therefore like to receive
NAASPA accreditation. However, the accreditation process requires an outlay of
expenses that we may find difficult to cover over the next few years. Further, we most
certainly will not receive accreditation if we do not offer classes in Financial
Management. The ease with which graduates with an M.P.A. degree find employment
indicates that the program provides skilled managers who do well in a variety of jobs. It
is very important for us to maintain a strong M.P.A Program and we cannot do that
without a replacement for Professor Plaas.
Critical Issues in the Ph. D. Program. There are a number of serious issues
relating to our doctoral program that faculty and graduate students in the Department
continue to discuss. First, do we offer testing fields in a number of areas or do we
concentrate our resources in a smaller number of fields? In response to the last program
review, the Department of Political Science gave serious discussion to the number of
fields we should offer in the Ph.D. Program. The faculty voted to remove International
Relations and Normative Political Theory as testing fields for the Ph.D.
International Relations was reinstated as a testing field four years ago. This
decision was made because a faculty member was added to the Comparative Politics
field, strengthening that area, and an assistant professor with an active research agenda
replaced a retiree in the International Relations area who was not an active researcher.
Comparative Politics and International Relations attract a significant number of students
to our graduate program (most students who specialize in one of these areas also take
classes in the other area). However, since that time we have lost a faculty member in
Comparative Politics.
Normative Political Theory is obviously a very important component of the
discipline. We currently have only one faculty member who teaches full-time in this
area. All faculty agree everyone would benefit from more faculty with expertise in
theory, but since we have lost several faculty positions, we have no expectation that we
will be able to hire a theorist within the next 2 to 3 years.
This Department has always regarded American Politics and Public
Administration as its strengths. National placement data indicate that these are the areas
(along with Public Policy) where Ph.D.s in Political Science are most likely to obtain
employment. Last year two faculty who taught primarily in these areas (Professors
Thomas Ungs and David Welborn) retired. We did not receive a replacement for either
person. Moreover, Hyrum Plaas, whose specialization is Public Administration, will
retire in 1997. Otis Stephens, a specialist in American Politics, is now Interim Associate
Dean of the College. We have not received money to replace him in the classroom, let
alone to hire a replacement. We are desperately short of faculty in areas that we define as
our strengths.
A second question we must continue to examine in the graduate program is how
to structure our curriculum so that we can graduate individuals with the qualities
employers seek for academic jobs. Students have been critical of our breadth requirement
for the Ph.D. (requiring at least one class from each of the six areas of the discipline),
arguing that specialization is essential for research and publication. We are discussing
the possibility of adding a research paper as a requirement for the Ph.D. Many students
have been writing and delivering convention papers while working on their degree. They
have requested that we add a convention paper as part of their requirements so that
faculty input into the research paper can be structured into their degree program.
Third, it is very difficult to offer the mix of seminars that students need for a high
quality graduate education. This is a result of two factors. One, because of enrollment
requirements by the College, we do not ordinarily offer seminars if fewer than eight
students register. For a variety of reasons, our seminars do not always achieve sufficient
enrollment and we must cancel them. A decision to cancel a class is usually not made
until early in the semester because we want to provide every opportunity for students to
register. Students are frustrated when a class (especially a class in their area of
specialization) is canceled. Second, we lack the faculty to offer seminars in certain areas,
such as American Political Thought and Politics and Administration. This situation is
unlikely to improve until we get more faculty positions.
Fourth, we have lost graduate student assistantships and we may have to reduce
the number even further as a result of University budget cuts. For the past several years,
we have funded 25-27 students. That number has dropped to 19 and may drop further.
With fewer assistants we can expect a decline in the number of students enrolled in our
program (particularly students with excellent credentials). The top students generally
choose to attend graduate school where they will receive funding assistance. The drop in
enrollment (along with fewer faculty members) will likely mean that we can offer fewer
seminars, which may discourage still other students from entering graduate school in
political science at the University of Tennessee. We fear emergence of a downward
spiral in program size, which may have a negative impact on the program.
H. Evaluation
Political Science has one of the largest graduate programs in the College of Arts
and Sciences. We have made considerable progress in graduate education since the last
program review. Paid internships are available to virtually all M.P.A. students who
desire one as part of their degree program. Communication between students and faculty
has improved. We emphasize quality teaching through the selection, training. and
evaluation of our teaching assistants and through the class we offer on "Teaching
Political Science." In this class we provide the opportunity for students and faculty to
discuss the components of good instruction. Scholarship is enhanced through the
colloquia and the large number of faculty who work with students on research papers.
Doctoral students regularly present papers at professional conferences and some have
published in refereed journals. Students graduating with a Master's of Public
Administration have experienced little difficulty finding employment. We have had
considerable success placing our students with a Ph.D. in institutions of good reputation.
We greatly fear the deterioration of all three degree programs -- the M.A., the M.P.A.,
and the Ph.D. -- if we are not able to replace the positions we have lost and if we must
continue to cut the number of assistantships offered.
A. Introduction
The University of Tennessee, Knoxville is the "flagship" public university in the
state. This designation means that faculty are expected to be in active research programs
and allocate part of their time and effort to training graduate students.
And yet, by many measures, the most important part of the mission of UTK, and
the Department of Political Science, is undergraduate education. Level of funding,
numbers of credit hours generated, number of courses offered, total number of students
served, undergraduate majors--all point to the importance, if not the primacy, of
undergraduate education.
The faculty of the Department of Political Science also share a common
commitment to undergraduate education. Our commitment to and vision of
undergraduate education is shaped and manifested by the following goals:
1. To provide to all students who take our courses a theoretically sound and
intellectually challenging curriculum, regardless of the course or the likely audience for
the course.
2. To provide our majors with a curriculum that is current, reflective of the larger
discipline, and designed to give our majors those skills and abilities they will need to
fuljill whatever life choices they pursue.
3. To contribute to the liberal education of students across the University.
4. To provide students with the highest quality teaching we can, including wellformulated course plans, creative but sound pedagogical techniques, disparate
evaluation methods and, of course, well-organized and well-presented lectures.
5. To provide our majors with sound and informed academic advising, making sure
our students stay on track as they progress through the University.
6. To provide students, majors and non-majors alike, with special opportunities for
intellectual growth. These programs include an honors program, the chance to write
honors theses, several honors courses, internships, and the like.
7. To contribute further to the intellectual development of undergraduate students by
providing opportunities for student-faculty interaction outside the classroom.
Below, we discuss each of these goals. We have listed these goalslvisions not in
order of their importance, but in what seems to us to be the logical sequence of
accomplishment, working from the base, up. Moreover, we understand, as does the
reader, that none of these goals is ever completely attained, and that we are further along
the path to some than to others.
B. The Undergraduate Curriculum
Our curriculum is designed to provide our undergraduate majors with a broad
understanding of the nature and substance of the field of political science, and to offer
courses that serve the general and particular purposes of the larger university community.
At the introductory level, our courses provide a basic introduction to the study of politics,
both comparatively and through exploration of the American system of government. At
the upper division level, courses are designed to meet the goals of a liberal arts education
and to provide more specialized courses which enhance and supplement undergraduate
programs in other colleges and departments, such as business and communications.
Starting in Fall 1997, undergraduate political science majors will be required to
take introductory courses in political science and American Government, and upper
division courses from four broad curricular areas: American Politics and Public
Administration, Comparative Politics, International relations and Normative Political
Theory. Students must take at least one course from each of the four areas and complete
eight upper division courses. There will be no prerequisites to the major and no
extraordinary grade point average requirements beyond those required by the University.
These requirements are a marked departure from the curriculum instituted in 1992.
Our commitment to a quality undergraduate program is manifested in part by an
ongoing process of curricular review. In the early 1990s we faced a growing number of
undergraduate majors and a concomitant inability to foster appropriate professional
relationships with our majors. As a consequence, the faculty took the extraordinary steps
of establishing prerequisites for the major and G.P.A. entrance and retention
requirements. In addition to completing the upper division program as described above,
students were required to:
1. Complete Political Science 101, U.S Government and Politics; 102,
Introduction to Political Science; and 201, Introduction to Political Analysis, with a
G.P.A. of 2.25 and no grade lower than 'C' before being admitted to the Department as a
major. In order to require Political Analysis as a prerequisite, we removed it from the list
of upper division course offerings.
2. Maintain a G.P.A. of 2.25 (in all courses in political science and in all other
courses taken.)
Our purpose in adopting these requirements was to streamline the undergraduate
program and to emphasize quality over quantity. This was seen to be all the more
important given static or declining resources and the very clear message from central
administration that future resource allocation decisions would not be based primarily on
enrollments, number of majors, or other indices of students served.
This experiment has been abandoned, for a variety of reasons. First, the number
of political science majors declined substantially, but the quality of our majors (as
measured by G.P.A.) did not increase substantially. In turn, while increasing enrollments
might not produce increasing resources, it was clear that a decline in productivity, e.g.,
the number of majors, would have negative budgetary impact. Second, many students
majoring in political science were not admitted to the major until late in their second or
early in their third year at the University. These students were being advised by faculty
and staff not associated with the Department of Political Science. While we acknowledge
the fine job done by others with respect to advising, especially the College of Arts and
Sciences Advising Center, it was felt that it would be best to have political science majors
advised by our faculty from the beginning of their academic careers.
Third, while the number of majors in the Department declined, so too did the
enrollments in upper division courses--more than what we had anticipated. Frankly, in
the administrative atmosphere of four to five years ago, this was a positive development.
Today, it is not. Further, much of the decline in upper division enrollment was due to the
decline in the number of majors, so that an increasing proportion of students in upper
division courses were students from other departments in the College, or even from other
colleges. As a consequence, we became increasingly disenchanted with the quality of the
educational experience for our majors.
So we will revert to the previous system in Fall 1997. This decision left us with
the question of what to do with the Department's lone undergraduate methodology class.
The faculty voted to renumber Political Science 201 to 401 and, to avoid requiring
undergraduate students to take the course, to place it in the "American Politics and Public
Administration" area. This decision was not taken without some disagreement.
We continue to monitor our curriculum. This year the Undergraduate Studies
Committee will make the following recommendations to the faculty: to drop Political
Science 455, the second of two Latin American politics courses (so that offerings in this
area are consistent with those in other area studies subdivisions); drop Political Science
370, Contemporary International Problems, a course taught almost exclusively by one
faculty member who retired; add Political Science 300, Introduction to Political Theory,
increasing the number of course offerings in the area of "Political Theory" from two to
three; and add two upper division courses in International Relations--Normative Issues in
International Relations and International Political Economy.
Additional curricular discussions proceed apace. But we are no longer in the
position wherein we can be guided in our curricular discussion by any notions of the
"ideal" or even "best" curriculum. Our primary concern now is simply what we can
offer with the faculty available. If initial budgetary projections for FY 1998 are even
close to accurate, the Department of Political Science will number 17 full-time faculty in
Fall 1997, a decrease of23% since the previous program review, without a comparable
decrease in student demand. Worse, John Scheb and Otis Stephens only teach one
political science class a year because of their administrative appointments. Both
specialize in constitutional and public law, leaving us no full-time faculty to teach in
these areas where there is high student demand. The budget for the Department of
Political Science to hire adjunct faculty and appoint Graduate Teaching Associates has
been slashed. In light of these circumstances, long-term curricular planning seems almost
fatuous; we are fortunate to be able to offer a bare-bones curriculum on a regular basis,
much less lay plans for the future so that we might best meet our students' needs.
C. Special Programmatic Opportunities
The Department of Political Science offers a number of opportunities to
undergraduates to enhance their educational experience.
The Honors Program. The Department of Political Science offers five courses
carrying the "Honors" designation:
1. Political Science 107: Honors Introduction to U.S. Government and Politics.
Open to all freshmen with outstanding high school records and/or high ACT scores.
2, 3. Political Science 387-388. Junior Honors Seminar. Open to majors with 4075 semester hours, and a cumulative G.P.A. of at least 3.0. Features a seminar-like
atmosphere for more intensive treatments of topics chosen by the instructor. Topics vary
from year to year.
4, 5. Political Science 487-488. Senior Honors Seminar. Open to honors
students only. The focus of this course sequence is the writing of a senior honors thesis,
directed by a faculty member, and presented in an open forum at the end of the spring
semester. Students who complete all four upper division courses are graduated with the
designation "Honors in Political Science" on their diplomas and transcripts.
Given the enrollment of these courses, especially 387-388 and 487-488, it might
be argued that in a period of declining resources, we cannot afford to continue the honors
program. But there simply must be some place in every undergraduate program for
academically enhanced educational experiences. Moreover, we are justifiably proud of
the students who have participated in the honors program. Recent graduates have been
admitted to the law schools of New York University and Yale University, with financial
assistance packages based on merit. One of these students is now clerking for the Chief
Justice of the Supreme Court of the State of Illinois. Others have attended or are now
attending North Carolina, Northwestern, and Vanderbilt law schools and the London
School of Economics. Involvement in the honors program in Political Science
undoubtedly helped them and, in the sense that this program is one of the few remaining
opportunities for active teaching to take place, the faculty involved benefit as well.
Concentration in Public Administration. This program is designed for
undergraduate who wish to pursue a career in public service. In addition to the regular
requirements for the B.A., the Public Administration concentration requirements include
courses in Accounting, Economics and Statistics.
Foreign Study, 08-Campus Study and Independent Study. These courses
(Political Science 491,492 and 493) are designed to facilitate the needs of students who
wish to undertake independent study, or who wish to obtain academic credit while
engaging in academically relevant off-campus activities (e.g., political campaigns).
Internships. Political Science majors can become involved in two state legislative
internship programs. The Tennessee State Legislative Internship program is sponsored
by the Tennessee General Assembly and is open to all students enrolled in Tennessee
colleges and Universities. The University of Tennessee Alumni Internship Program
selects five full-time internships every year. Students are paid a stipend and work in
Nashville during the legislative session.
Students may also earn academic credit, as well as valuable practical experience,
through participation in a Departmentally-sponsored internship in local and state
government offices. Students may earn additional credit by doing additional work
(usually a paper that links the academic literature to their internship experience)
supervised by a faculty advisor.
Mock Trial. The Department sponsors the University's Mock Trial Team, which
competes in regional and national tournaments. A Departmental faculty member serves
as advisor and coach to the team.
Model United Nations. After a hiatus of several years the Department of Political
Science is reestablishing a Model United Nations program.
Pi Sigma Alpha. Pi Sigma Alpha is the National Political Science Honor Society.
The local Beta Zeta Chapter is one of 193 chapters nationwide. The level of activity of
the chapter varies from year-to-year. Members of Pi Sigma Alpha are often chosen as the
department's representatives to the College of Arts and Sciences Dean's Student
Advisory Committee.
Pi Alpha Alpha. This year the Department established a chapter of Pi Alpha
Alpha, the National Public Administration Honor Society. Participation is open to both
undergraduate and graduate students.
Scholarships and Awards. The Department of Political Science offers a variety of
scholarships and awards to undergraduates who have demonstrated excellence in political
science.
Other Opportunities. Open Forum With Faculty: In Spring 1996 the Department
sponsored two open meetings which majors and interested students were invited to
attend. The meetings were chaired by undergraduate majors, and were attended by
several faculty, including the Department head. Students had the opportunity not only to
ask questions, but to relate to the Department their evaluations of the Department and the
major. The meetings were sources of valuable feedback from the students; information
gained at these meetings, for example, contributed to the decision to review (and
eventually change) the progression and retention requirements for the major.
In Fall 1996 a more general open meeting was held to provide information about
the programs in political science in a more structured environment. This meeting was led
by the Department head and the chair of the Undergraduate Studies Committee.
D. Undergraduate Teaching
Quality teaching lies at the core of our undergraduate program. Many academics
insist on establishing the false dichotomy of "teaching vs. research." We obviously
reject such a conceptualization. Not only does this dichotomy perpetuate the pernicious
myth that good teaching and good research cannot be accomplished simultaneously, it is
based on the assumption that good teaching and good research somehow require
fundamentally different skills. We reject this assumption as well.
Our position is simply this: In the main, good teaching and good research require
similar sets of skills. These include organization, curiosity, the ability to synthesize and
draw inferences, and the ability to communicate. There is no excuse for a productive
research scholar to be anything but a good teacher. And given the appropriate context,
there is no reason why an excellent teacher not otherwise engaged in research could not
become a competent and productive research scholar.
Of course, good teaching and research both require time, a necessarily limited
resource. Recognizing this, the Department operates under a differential teaching load
policy that calls for higher teaching loads for those faculty not engaged in research
programs leading toward publication. This policy is not based on the assumption that
teaching is less worthy an activity than is research. Rather, a differential teaching load
policy merely recognizes that both activities take time, and that time is limited, and that
faculty must be provided institutional guidance with respect to how to allocate their time.
The Department continually encourages and rewards good teaching. We seek
teaching that is intellectually challenging and informed by an understanding of the
theoretical and empirical bases of the discipline. We refuse to hire assistant professors
who do not at least have the promise of being good in the classroom. Yearly evaluations
of assistant professors reminds them of the importance of good teaching and encourages
them to improve their pedagogical skills. Merit salary increases, when available, are
based in part on the quality of teaching.
Two members of the Political Science Department, Professors Michael Fitzgerald
and Otis Stephens, have won campus-wide teaching awards. Professor Fitzgerald was
also the University of Tennessee's nominee for the CASE Professor of the Year, a
national-level teaching award. Other professors have won recognition for excellence in
teaching at other universities.
E. Academic Advising
An important component of a quality educational experience is an effective
system of academic advising. Ideally, a sound advising system should not only provide
students with the information they need to plan their academic careers, but should also
assist students in identifying their own strengths and weaknesses and to help them in the
development of their career goals. All faculty serve as academic advisors to
undergraduates. Professor Robert Peterson serves in the College of Arts and Sciences
Advising Center.
The Department encourages good advising by providing opportunities to faculty
for learning more about curricular requirements at the College level, communicating the
importance of advising to all faculty, and taking steps to ensure that good advising is
recognized. Recently Professor Hyrum Plaas, who also served for a number of years in
the College of Arts and Sciences Advising Center, was nominated by the Department for
a College-level advising award. Professor Plaas did receive this award, which served not
only to recognize his service, but also to remind each of us of the importance of academic
advising.
After the most recent program review in 1988, the Department began to assess
advising by surveying students. Generally, we found students were satisfied with their
advising experiences in the Department. Student evaluations were discontinued,
however. The Undergraduate Studies Committee will recommend to the Head that the
Department re-institute student evaluations of advising.
F. The Undergraduate Student Body
A short questionnaire was distributed in all undergraduate political science
courses during the fall semester, 1996. The purpose of this survey was to one, obtain
demographic information about our students and second, determine the students' reasons
for taking the courses. Information from this questionnaire is presented in Tables 7- 12.
Tables 7, 8, and 9 present information on class rank, gender, and race. Table 7
shows that freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors are represented about equally
among students in undergraduate political science classes. Only 2% of all students in
undergraduate classes identify themselves as graduate students. Table 8 shows that
slightly more men (54%) than women (46%) were enrolled in the classes. Table 9
categorizes the students by race. Most are white (89%), 4% are African-American.
Other races (Hispanic, AsianIPacific Islander, Native American, and "Other") comprise
the remaining 7% of the students enrolled during fall semester. The demographics mirror
the general undergraduate population.
Tables 10 and 1 1 contain information on the number of political science classes
students were enrolled in during the fall semester and the major of the respondent. Most
(88%) of the students were enrolled in only one political science class during the fall
semester. Table 11 categorizes the respondents by major. Only 29% of the students
enrolled in political science undergraduate classes during the fall semester were political
science majors. A significant number (22%) are also within the College of Arts and
Sciences but have a major other than political science. Business and communication
majors are well represented in our undergraduate classes; 14% of the respondents listed
business as their major and 14% listed communication.
An examination of Table 12 shows that only 30% of the respondents were taking
a political science class as a requirement for the major. Almost as many students (27%)
were in fall semester political science classes because it was a requirement for a major
other than political science. A significant number of students (22%) enrolled in a
political science class because it was a University requirement. Ten percent of the
respondents were taking political science as an elective.
Tables 11 and 12 show that the Department of Political Science plays a
significant service role in addition to having one of the largest number of majors in the
College of Arts and Sciences. More than two-thirds of the students enrolled in political
science classes are not political science majors. A number of departments require a
political science class and political science classes are a popular method of meeting
College level requirements.
G. Evaluation
To assess the experiences of the undergraduates who major in political science at
the University of Tennessee, Knoxville we sent a mail survey to all alumni who received
a Bachelor's Degree with a major in political science between 1991 to 1997. The survey
was conducted in January, 1997. Addresses for 572 of these graduates were obtained
from the Alumni Development Office. Of the 572 questionnaires mailed, 65 were
returned because of an incorrect address. Of the remaining alumni, 149 completed and
returned the questionnaire to produce a 30% response rate.
The alumni were asked to rate their overall educational experience at the
University of Tennessee (Table 13) and their academic experience in the Department of
Political Science (Table 14). Both the University and the Department fared well on this
question. A large majority of these students rated their experience as either good or
excellent, 84% and 88% respectively.
Additionally, alumni were asked about various facets of their academic experience
with the Department of Political Science. Generally, the respondents noted that faculty
were interested in helping their students learn and that faculty were well prepared for
class (Table 14). The former majors felt that the faculty were accessible and willing to
meet with students outside of the classroom (Table 15). The Department's intellectual
environment was rated favorably (Table 16). The Departmental curriculum was highly
the remaining 7% of the students enrolled during fall semester. The demographics mirror
the general undergraduate population.
Tables 10 and 11 contain information on the number of political science classes
students were enrolled in during the fall semester and the major of the respondent. Most
(88%) of the students were enrolled in only one political science class during the fall
semester. Table 1 1 categorizes the respondents by major. Only 29% of the students
enrolled in political science undergraduate classes during the fall semester were political
science majors. A significant number (22%) are also within the College of Arts and
Sciences but have a major other than political science. Business and communication
majors are well represented in our undergraduate classes; 14% of the respondents listed
business as their major and 14% listed communication.
An examination of Table 12 shows that only 30% of the respondents were taking
a political science class as a requirement for the major. Almost as many students (27%)
were in fall semester political science classes because it was a requirement for a major
other than political science. A significant number of students (22%) enrolled in a
political science class because it was a University requirement. Ten percent of the
respondents were taking political science as an elective.
Tables 11 and 12 show that the Department of Political Science plays a
significant service role in addition to having one of the largest number of majors in the
College of Arts and Sciences. More than two-thirds of the students enrolled in political
science classes are not political science majors. A number of departments require a
rated with 77% reporting that the degree requirements were clear and 68% felt that
courses were offered frequently enough to allow for timely graduation (Table 16).
Weaknesses in the Department were reported as well. Overall advising appears to
be the weakest area within the Department. About one-third, 30% of the respondents felt
that curricular advising was either fair or poor. And, a large number of alumni, 45%
noted that the quality of career advising with either fair or poor (Table 16). We hope that
student satisfaction with advising will improve since we removed the progression to the
major requirement and students can get advised early in their career by a member of the
Political Science Department.
The respondents were asked whether they had pursued additional degrees above
competing their Bachelor's Degree in Political Science. About one-half, 49%, said that
they were either in the process of completing or had already completed an additional
degree.
Summary. The Department of Political Science's undergraduate program is
characterized by a number of strengths. We can offer courses in all major areas of
political science; these courses are taught by faculty with high levels of interest and
expertise. The faculty take undergraduate teaching seriously, and do a good job at it.
The Department of Political Science plays a significant service role on the University of
Tennessee campus, about two-thirds of the students in our undergraduate classes are not
political science majors. Finally, students who graduated with a major in political science
are generally positive regarding their experiences at the University of Tennessee.
Program Support
A. Space
In the last program review physical facilities was cited as a significant problem
for the Department of Political Science. This situation has worsened over the last ten
years. Faculty are housed on three separate floors of McClung Tower. Graduate students
who teach classes share two offices in South Stadium, a building located a ten-minute
walk away from faculty offices. Graduate students funded by research assistantships are
not assigned any office space. We once had one seminar room in the Humanities
Building (attached to McClung Tower, where faculty are housed) and two small meeting
rooms. However, without notice we lost control of our seminar room. Since both of our
meeting rooms hold fewer than ten people, we have to schedule meetings through the
University's Computer Assisted Registration Service.
There is no area where faculty and graduate students can meet and hold informal
discussions. Graduate students comment on the distance they feel between themselves
and faculty, and faculty feel that there are some colleagues with whom they very seldom
interact. There is no doubt that physical limitations play some role in these perceptions.
B. Special Facilities and Equipment
All faculty are provided with a personal computer with the software they request.
Access to the Internet is available to those who desire it. Since the campus computer
services were downgraded last summer, some faculty have found it problematic to get the
assistance they need for special projects. Faculty no longer have a consultant assigned to
assist them. For routine help, faculty and staff turn to the several members of the
Department who have considerable computer expertise.
Our biggest equipment limitation is our computer lab. Our current computer lab
is housed in an office-sized room. In that room, we have five IBM 386 computers with
14-inch monitors and one Zenith 486 with a 14-inch monitor. Only one computer in the
lab has access to the Internet. Three printers are available in the lab: one HP Laserjet 11,
an Epson Dot Matrix, and an IBM Daisywheel. The equipment is obsolete. None of the
386-based computers can run current operating systems (Windows 95). More
importantly, we are unable to run current statistical or database software on them.
Because of the computers' age, inexpensive upgrades are no longer possible.
The physical space in which the lab is housed is inadequate. The heat generated
from running five or six computers is considerable. Desk space is very limited. There is
at present just enough room for the existing machines, and nothing else.
We have no budget for computer equipment. We have bought the equipment we
have out of our operating budget. The anticipated cutbacks will greatly reduce our ability
to maintain current equipment for faculty, students, and staff.
C. Library
Collection and Facilities. The University of Tennessee, Knoxville library provides a
collection of 1,92 1,878 volumes to support the studies and research of its faculty and
students. The collection is housed in the John C. Hodges Library (the central campus
library) and in four branch locations (the Agriculture-Veterinary Medicine Library, the
Cartographic Information Center, Special Collections, and the Music Library). The Taylor
Law Building houses an independently administered Law Library. In addition to the book
collection, the UT, Knoxville Library has available 14,676 serial titles, and 176,329
audiovisual and 2,224,417 microfilm materials.
Government documents also comprise a significant part of the collection. The UT,
Knoxville Library has been a selective depository of federal documents since 1907 and a
depository for Tennessee documents since 1917. As a selective federal depository, the U?',
Knoxville Library receives approximately 85% of the items made available to depositories
by the U.S. government.
The John C. Hodges Library houses the materials of primary interest to the
Department of Political Science. Completed in 1987, the Hodges Library is a spacious
facility of 350,000 square feet. Public services departments are located on the first and
second floors. On floors three through six are faculty studies, graduate carrels, and the
majority of the print collection. On each floor of Hodges Library are computer terminals,
copy machines, telephones, and seating for users. Computing and Administrative Services
(CAS) remotes are available in several locations. On the ground floor is a microcomputer
lab administered by CAS, which accommodates word processing needs of students, faculty,
and staff. A 24-hour study area, located on Hodges' second floor, is available Sunday
through Thursday when classes are in session.
The Law Library, situated in the Taylor Law Center, is open for information and
research needs of political science students and faculty. The book collection consists of
244,388 volumes, 176,417 microform volume equivalents, and 5,344 serial titles. An online catalog installed during Fall Semester 1996 provides access to the law collection. An
$18.5 million, 120,000 square-foot addition to the Taylor Center, just completed Spring
Semester 1997, houses the Law Library, classrooms, moot courtrooms, the Legal Clinic,
and offices and is furnished with the latest in instructional and legal research technology.
Access. Access to the Library's collection is available through workstations installed
throughout the Library. Users outside the Library may access our collection through the
Internet via Lynx or a Web browser such as Netscape. By accessing the Libraries' World
Wide Web home page, LibLink, through the Internet, several components of our on-line
system are available. Among them are the UT, Knoxville Libraries' on-line catalog,
electronic books and journals, U.S. government documents, electronic reference sources
and services, links to Internet resources in many subject areas, UT, Knoxville campus
information, and other library catalogs and information systems. A number of the Libraries'
electronic databases are also available to UT, Knoxville system users through LibLink.
Reference Services. Reference assistance is provided to Hodges Library users over
one hundred hours per week. In addition to substantial one-on-one assistance given by
professional librarians and reference staff, formal library instruction is provided for classes
upon request. Three rooms in Hodges Library, wired for demonstration of electronic
services and located adjacent to the Reference area, are dedicated to library instruction. In
addition, an Information Lab on the second floor of Hodges provides facilities for hands-on
instruction in the use of electronic resources.
The Hodges Library reference collection encompasses a wide selection of
information sources including periodical indexes and abstracts suitable for political science
faculty and students. Among them are: Business Periodicals Index, Current Index to
Statistics, Index of Economic Articles, International Political Science Abstracts, PAIS
International, Social Science Citation Index, Social Sciences Index, and United States
Political Documents.
A variety of electronic resources are also available. Among them are the CD-ROMs
for political science and for related subject areas. Many important U.S. government
materials such as census data and other statistical files are now provided on CD-ROM.
The University Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR) provides ondemand copies of machine-readable social science data collections and downloadable
datafiles for research use. Through LibLink's links to the vast electronic resources of the
Internet, our library users also may use the political science-related materials and data of all
kinds found there.
Electronic Services. The Libraries have access to hundreds of commercially available
electronic files (bibliographic, full-text, and reference) offered through commercial vendors.
Database Search Services provides access to these on-line databases, usually on a costrecovery basis. The Libraries also makes available free access to two end-user on-line
services: Dow Jones News Retrieval, providing stock market data as well as company and
industry information; and Firstsearch, offering databases in all subject areas. Both of these
end-user systems are also available, wholly or in part, to UT, Knoxville users through
LibLink, the Libraries' World Wide Web home page.
With the support and assistance of several other campus units, the Library provide
access to Current Contents through LibLink. This is a comprehensive resource providing
information on the scholarly literature published in 7,000 journals and periodicals. Updated
weekly, UT, Knoxville researchers may browse broad subject categories or journal titles for
articles published primarily in the sciences, but also the social and behavioral sciences, the
humanities, and the arts.
Audiovisuul Services. The Libraries collects educational materials in many formats
including videotape, audiotape, compact disc, video laserdisk, slides, film, and multimedia.
Audiovisual materials of interest to political science students and faculty and playback
equipment for individual viewing or listening are located in Audiovisual Services. Over
100 individual carrels are available as well as six group viewing rooms and an auditorium
seating 150. Video materials may also be viewed outside the Library in classrooms that are
properly equipped and connected to the campus fiber optic network.
Interlibrary Services. Access to resources not held by the UT, Knoxville Library is
possible with the assistance of Interlibrary Services. Materials may be borrowed from other
research libraries throughout the United States and worldwide. The Libraries' membership
in the Research Libraries Group provides expanded interlibrary loan services such as items
faxed through the Internet. Also, as a member of the Center for Research Libraries, the UT,
Knoxville Library has access to a rich collection of specialized materials not commonly
held by libraries in the United States.
The Reciprocal Faculty Borrowing Program, also available through Interlibrary
Services, is a special service for faculty. This service provides access and circulation
privileges to the collections of approximately seventy research libraries throughout the
United States.
Library Express. Library Express provides direct delivery service to departmental
offices. This service includes the delivery to faculty and graduate students of books, bound
journals, and articles photocopied from journals in the IJT, Knoxville Library's collection.
Collection Development. Collection development is an active process to evaluate
and acquire subject-related materials to support research and teaching. It is carried out by
the Library in cooperation with the Department of Political Science. A designated liaison
from the Library works closely with departmental faculty representatives chosen by the
College.
Materials are selected for the collection based upon faculty requests, book reviews,
bibliographies, and publishers' promotional literature. Approval plans with Yankee Book
Peddler and B.H. Blackwell ensure receipt of relevant materials from a variety of
publishers. Yankee Book Peddler represents major domestic publishers and U.S. university
presses. British publications are provided by B.H. Blackwell.
Funds allocated to support the monographic collections for the Department of
Political Science for Fiscal Year 199611997 are $7,500. The expenditures for materials are
deducted from this fund. Because of budget reductions, members of the Department of
Political Science have developed a priority list of the materials they consider most
important for the Library to collect and material that is non-essential to members of the
Department.
Summary: The Future Direction and Strengths and Weaknesses of the Political
Science Department
A. Future Direction
The Department of Political Science must address the fundamental question of its
future direction. Will we focus on one or more particular areas, or will be attempt to
strengthen all of the areas within political science? If we pursue accreditation for the
M.P.A. Program, will it adversely affect the other graduate degrees? How do we balance
the needs of the undergraduate program with the needs of the graduate program?
Decision-making in the Department of Political Science is exacerbated by the constraints
of a reduced resource base and by University policies that seem to have implications for
focus and breadth.
However, we recognize the need to develop decision-making processes that
facilitate collegial discussion and the resolution of differences in opinion. We feel
strongly that it is the Political Science faculty who should decide these issues. Faculty
believe that difficult as it may be to come to a direction for the Department. the drift that
will result from a non-decision will result in a series of intense battles that will ultimately
sap the Department's ability to govern itself. We are committed to making hard decisions
in a constructive atmosphere. Like many academic departments, the Department of
Political Science consists of a heterogeneous group of people who hold strong opinions.
Conflict has been high at times. Nonetheless, we are meeting regularly to talk about a
shared vision for the Department--a vision that that does not diminish the contribution or
marginalize the status of any member of the Department of Political Science.
B. Strengths
1. The Department of Political Science is committed to creating a high quality learning
environment. Students' evaluations of classes offered by the Department of Political
Science are above the College and University mean. Two years ago the Department
added a one-credit class, "Teaching Political Science." This seminar provides graduate
students and faculty the opportunity to discuss methods to improve teaching.
2. Scholarship is an important component of our mission. Research productivity by
Political Science faculty and graduate students has increased significantly since the last
program review. A majority of faculty have co-authored research papers with graduate
students and most graduate students regularly participate in professional conferences.
3. Graduates of all three of our degree programs usually obtain jobs in their area of
specialization. M.P.A. graduates often have offers of employment before they have
completed their degree. Although the competition for academic jobs is great, most of our
students with a Ph.D. who have actively sought a teaching position have obtained a
tenure-track position.
4. The Department of Political Science has outreach activities geared toward our
students, alumni, and the community. We have instituted Faculty-Student Forums to
increase communication with our undergraduate students. Faculty regularly participate in
university and community service. The Department has started a Webpage on the
Internet and developed a newsletter that is mailed to alumni and others interested in the
Department of Political Science.
B. Weaknesses
1 . We cannot meet the demand for political science classes at the undergraduate level.
We fear that the situation will get worse with the loss of faculty slots and continued
budget cuts.
2. Because of the large number of political science majors, we have found it difficult to
maintain close connections with our students.
3. While research productivity has improved, we need to increase productivity further
and increase the number of publications in top-ranked professional journals.
4. Computer facilities to use for instructional purposes are inadequate.
5. From July 1996 to July 1997 we will have lost four faculty members to retirement or
resignation (Professors Hyrum Plaas, Jan Sallinger-McBride, Thomas Ungs and David
Welborn). Professor Otis Stephens is Acting Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.
We have not received replacements for any of them. These reductions seriously affect
our teaching mission at both the graduate and undergraduate levels. Losing this many
positions also renders it unlikely that we can achieve our goal of building a program with
national visibility and a reputation for excellence.
Table 1
FACULTY AND THEIR AREAS OF SPECIALIZATION
Jeffrey Berejikian
Robert Cunninham
GI1 Evans
Michael Fitzgerald
Assistant
Professor
Professor
Associate
Professor
Professor
Patricia Freeland
Associate
Professor
Professor
Michael Gant
Professor
Robert Gorman
David Houston
Professor
Associate
Professor
Professor
David Folz
William Lyons
Anthony Nownes
Robert Peterson
Hyrum laa as'
Lilliard Richardson
Jan Sallinger~c~ride*
John scheb3
T. Alexander Smith
Otis stephens4
Yang Zhong
Assistant
Professor
Associate
Professor
Professor
Associate
Professor
Assistant
Professor
Professor
Professor
Professor
Assistant
Professor
International Relations (Cooperation, Political
Economy, Decision Making)
Public Administration (Org. Theory and
Behavior), (Middle East), Methodology
Comparative (Afiican Politics);
Political Theory
American (Executive, Political Thought),
Public Administration
Public Administration (Research Methods,
Management, State and Local)
American (State and Local); Public
Administration
American (Political Behavior); Research
Methods
Normative Political Theory
Public Administration (Public Policy, Theory)
e e r i c a n (Public Opinion; State and Local);
Research Methods
American (Parties and Interest Groups)
International Relations (Foreign Policy)
Public Administration (Financial Management)
American (Congress, Public Policy); Research
Methods
Comparative (Latin America)
American (Public Law, Judicial Institutions
and Behavior)
Comparative (Western Europe); Public Policy
American (Public Law)
Comparative (Asia, Eastern Europe, Russia)
' Professor Plaas retires July 3 1, 1997.
Professor Sallinger-McBride has resigned effective July 3 1, 1997.
Professor Scheb is the Director of UT's Social Science Research Institute, so he is only part-time in the
Political Science Department.
4
Professor Stephens is Associate Dean of the College.
3
TABLE 2
Summary of Faculty Research Productivity
*For the purpose of this analysis the following are considered the "top journals" in
political science: American Political Science Review, American Journal of Political
Science, Journal of Politics, Political Research Quarterly1Western Politics Quarterly,
Social Science Quarterly, World Politics, Comparative Politics, Public Administration
Review.
**Non-journal articles are chapters in edited books, encyclopedic entries, and conference
proceedings.
TABLE 3
MPA Program Application and Student Information
1991-1995
* Students are admitted with non-degree status if their application is not complete at the
time of the admission decision. Usually, non-degree status is granted to students who
have not submitted GRE scores.
** Students who have submitted all application materials, but who fall short on one
dimension of the evaluation may be given provisional admission. Students are required
to carry a minimum number of hours (usually six), earn at least a B in each class, before
full admission will be granted.
TABLE 4
MA Program Application and Student Information
1991-1995
* Students are admitted with non-degree status if their application is not complete at the
time of the admission decision. Usually, non-degree status is granted to students who
have not submitted GRE scores.
** Students who have submitted all application materials, but who fall short on one
dimension of the evaluation may be given provisional admission. Students are required
to carry a minimum number of hours (usually six), earn at least a B in each class, before
full admission will be granted.
TABLE 5
PhD Program Application and Student Information
1991-1995
* Students are admitted with non-degree status if their application is not complete at the
time of the admission decision. Usually, non-degree status is granted to students who
have not submitted GRE scores.
** Students who have submitted all application materials, but who fall short on one
dimension of the evaluation may be given provisional admission. Students are required
to carry a minimum number of hours (usually six), earn at least a B in each class, before
full admission will be granted.
TABLE 6
PLACEMENT FOR PHD GRADUATE STUDENTS 1990-1996
Altman, John
Zanetti, Lisa
ABD
ABD
High Point University
University of Missouri,
Assistant Professor
Bobic, Michael
1996
Buchanan, Stan
1996
Hadjiharalambous,
Sissie
Jumper, Davis
Neeley, Grant
1996
Southern Illinois University,
Visiting Professor
Southern Illinois University,
Visiting Professor
University of Northern Iowa,
Assistant Professor
Wells, John
1996
Glenn, Richard
1995
Holt, Karen
Stefanovic, Dragan
1995
1995
Treadway, Russell
1995
Briley, David
1994
Choi, Yoo Sung
1994
Colares, Juscelino
1994
Boateng, Nana
1993
Bonicelli, Paul
1993
Dodge, Lola
Hayes, Allison
1993
1993
Kassim, Ali
Robinson, Dinah
1993
1993
Semati, Mohammed
Simon, Kathleen
1993
1993
1996
1996
Social Science Research Institute,
(UTK)
Carson Newman College,
Assistant Professor
Millersville University,
Assistant Professor
UTK, General Counsel
Appalachian State University,
Assistant Professor
Knox County
East Tennessee State University,
Adjunct Faculty
South Korean Institute of Publc
Administration
Universidade Federal de Ceara
(Brazil)
West Virginia Wesleyan College,
Assistant Professor
Grove City College,
Assistant Professor
Western Carolina University,
Assistant Professor
Saudi Arabian Military Academy
University of Alabama-Auburn,
Assistant Professor
University of Teheran
Appalachian State University,
Assistant Professor
Urban, J. Kristen
1993
Willis, Clyde
1993
Wright, Sharon
1993
Bacot, Hunter
1992
Bowen, Terry
1992
Hall, Larry
1992
Kadir, Maqsood
Roberts, Steven
1992
1992
Simones, Anthony
1991
Southwest Missouri State,
Assistant Professor
Janneh, Amadou
1990
Jazy, Nasser Hadian
1990
Pellissippi State,
Assistant Professor
Unknown
Mt. St. Mary's College,
Assistant Professor
Valdosta State University,
Assistant Professor
University of Missouri,
Assistant Professor
Valdosta State,
Assistant Professor
University of North Florida,
Assistant Professor
Belmont College,
Assistant Professor
Unknown
City of Knoxville
Table 7
Freshman
23%
25%
25%
25%
2%
Junior
Senior
Graduate
Table 8
Gender of enrolled students
Male
Female
533
450
54%
46%
Table 9
Race of enrolled students
Black
White
Hispanic
AsianPacific Islander
Native American
Other
42
875
12
26
3
20
4%
89%
1%
3%
1%
2%
Table 10
Number of departmental courses enrolled in
1
877
88%
I
Table 11
Major of students enrolled
I
I
Political Science
Other majors within college
Agriculture
Business
Communications
Education
Engineering
Human Ecology
Nursing
Social Work
Non-declared or other
288
218
6
146
146
23
17
2
1
9
133
29%
22%
P
14%
2%
2%
1%
1%
1%
13%
Table 12
Reason for Taking Course
I
Political Science Major
Requirement
Non-Political Scicnce Major
Requirement
University Requirement
Elective
Other
296
30%
266
27%
220
96
108
22%
10%
11%
Table 13
Overall Educational Ex~erience
I
I
I
I
I
Excellent
Good
Neither good nor poor
Fair
Poor
1
1
27%
57%
8%
7%
1%
I
1
Table 14
Academic Experience in the Department
of Political Science
I
[
Excellent
Good
Neither good nor poor
Fair
Poor
1
24%
64%
I
1
5%
6%
1%
1
Table 15
Experiences in the Political Science Department
STRONGLY AGREE NEITHER DISAGREE STRONGLY
Based on your best recollection of your experiences, to what
DISAGREE
AGREE
AGREE
extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements
NOR
about the Political Science Department at UTK.
DISACRFF
1
1
Most faculty members were genuinely interested in helping students learn.
The program was academically demanding for me.
Most faculty members prepared carefully for their courses.
The program provided me with very good preparation for my later
professional workladvanced study.
There was good communication between faculty members and
undergraduate majors regarding student needs, concerns, and suggestions.
The faculty were willing to meet with students outside of class.
30%
10%
26%
1
1
58%
55%
61%
1
1
8%
25%
10%
1
1
I
1
1%
1%
1%
11%
10%
37%
35%
33%
27%
14%
24%
5%
4%
34%
51%
9%
5%
1%
Table 16
Rating of the Department of Political Science
EXCELLENT GOOD NEITIER
Overall, how would you rate the Department of Political
GOOD
Science at UTK?
Intellectual environment.
Curricular advising.
Career advising.
Clarity of degree requirements.
Frequency with which courses required for the degree were offered.
Relevancy of the degree requirements for further study or for work
in your field.
Opportunities for majors to pursue individual programs.
Helpf~llnessof clerical staff.
3%
9%
2%
26%
20%
5%
27%
15%
11%
7%
14%
1
1
I
55%
34%
24%
50%
53%
37%
33%
40%
1
1
NOR
POOR
11%
16%
26%
11%
16%
33%
44%
28%
FAIR
I
1
1
7%
21%
24%
9%
12%
14%
10%
10%
POOR
1
1
1%
9%
21%
3%
4%
5%
6%
8%
1
I
Table 17
Additional Degrees beyond B. A. in Political Science
Bachelor's Degree In Another Field
Master's or Doctorate Degree
Law Degree
Currently enrolled in a degree-granting program
No
4%
9%
10%
26%
5 1%
1