UC2019: Strategy for Excellence in
Doctoral Education
[Doctoral Program Name]
Program Strategy and Position Document
Version 1.0
[Date Completed]
Report Submitted By:
[Name]
Graduate Program Director
Report Approved By:
[Name]
Department/School Head
Program Strategy and Position Document
Introduction and Overview
The Provost has charged the Dean of the Graduate School to conduct a comprehensive
evaluation of all research-based doctoral programs, with the objective of identifying and
strengthening those programs that will play a key role in the attainment of the UC2019 goals
(UC2019 Website).
To meet this charge, the Dean of the Graduate School in consultation with the Graduate
Council, the Academic Operations Committee, and the Graduate Leadership Group has
developed a process entitled UC2019: Strategy for Excellence in Doctoral Education.
As part of the process for developing a Strategy for Excellence, each doctoral program will:
 Describe the program’s strategy in support of UC2019;
 Articulate this strategy through the program’s vision, current position, and trajectory;
 Receive feedback on this strategy from multiple perspectives, with an opportunity in
each case to refine the strategy;
 Participate actively in the process for defining the University’s overall UC2019
Strategy for Excellence in Doctoral Education.
The overall strategy development process will extend from Winter Quarter 2011 to Winter
Quarter 2012.
The purpose of this Doctoral Program Strategy and Position document is to provide programs
an opportunity to describe their strategy to support UC2019 through a description of the
program’s vision, its current status, and its trajectory. This document will be the foundation for
subsequent assessments by the college dean, external peers, and an elected panel of UC
graduate faculty. The assessments will be used by the Graduate School to recommend an
institutional strategy for doctoral education to the Provost. Major strategic investments, in
faculty resources and doctoral student support, will be made by the Provost as an outcome of
this process.
Instructions
By April 15, 2011, each Graduate Program Director (GPD), in consultation with the program
faculty, must complete this document in full and return the final document to the Graduate
School via e-mail (doctoral.strategy@uc.edu).
A Blackboard Community site has been developed to facilitate the review. The site is named
Strategy for Excellence in Doctoral Education. All communications, a description of the process,
and resource documents specific to your program are available on this site.
The following resources have been compiled on Blackboard for the GPD to utilize:
 GRAAD Reports
 Graduate Faculty Listings
 Academic Analytics Reports
 Graduate Exit Survey Reports
[Doctoral Program Name]




Graduate Program Reviews
o Outcome Letter
o Program Review Report
E-Review Reports
National Research Council Rankings
US News Graduate Rankings
The GPD will have access to these resources on February 15, 2011 after 4:00 pm. It is
important that the GPD review these resources and reference them throughout this document
when justifying opinions/conclusions. If there are additional documents that the GPD feels
should be added to the Blackboard site, please send a copy to doctoral.strategy@uc.edu for
consideration.
Strategy Criteria – Contents of the Document
Section I – Centrality to Mission
A. Vision and Strategy
Section II – Learning
A. Vision and Strategy
B. Current Position and Trajectory
1. Student Quality & Demand
2. Student Support
3. Student Outcomes
4. Undergraduate and Professional Student Education
Section III – Discovery
A. Vision and Strategy
B. Current Position and Trajectory
1. Faculty Scholarly Productivity & Recognition
2. Student Scholarly Productivity & Recognition
3. Undergraduate Research Experiences
4. Ability to Attract External Funding
5. Development of Intellectual Property
Section IV – Global Engagement
A. Vision and Strategy
B. Current Position and Trajectory
1. Student Engagement
2. International Enrollment
3. Faculty Engagement
Section V – Diversity
A. Vision and Strategy
B. Current Position and Trajectory
1. Student Diversity
2. Faculty Diversity
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[Doctoral Program Name]
Section I – CENTRALITY TO MISSION
UC2019 – Vision
We commit to the University of Cincinnati becoming a first-choice destination for students, patients, faculty
and staff. Excellence pervades our research, learning, campus, collaborations, opportunities, athletics,
support, health care and diversity. We stand ready to accomplish a transformation that achieves prominence.
- We will measure our success against the elite set of peers represented by the Association of American
Universities and The Top American Research Universities.
- We will prioritize and target our resources on those areas in which we excel.
UC2019 – Mission
The University of Cincinnati serves the people of Ohio, the nation, and the world as a premier, public, urban
research university dedicated to undergraduate, graduate, and professional education, experience-based
learning, and research. We are committed to excellence and diversity in our students, faculty, staff, and all of
our activities. We provide an inclusive environment where innovation and freedom of intellectual inquiry
flourish. Through scholarship, service, partnerships, and leadership, we create opportunity, develop educated
and engaged citizens, enhance the economy and enrich our university, city, state and global community.
A. Vision and Strategy
This section should not exceed two pages typed in the boxes provided (12 point font minimum).
Describe the Vision of the program as it aligns in support of the UC2019. Specifically identify
Opportunities that exist for leveraging the program in support of the mission and vision. What is the
Overall Strategy for strengthening this program’s impact on UC2019?
Vision-
Opportunities-
Overall Strategy-
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[Doctoral Program Name]
II - LEARNING
UC2019 - Operational Principle – LEARNING:
The University of Cincinnati as a community is dedicated to learning and scholarship, and to creating an
environment where freedom of inquiry and discourse may occur in a climate of inclusiveness and civility.
Through experiential education and research, we will build rigorous learning experiences that will integrate
theory and practice, produce a sense of contextual complexity and community engagement, and create
learning that is exceptionally self-directed, integrative and transformational.
A. Vision and Strategy
This section should not exceed two pages typed in the boxes provided (12 point font minimum).
Describe the Vision of the program as it aligns in support of the UC2019 Operational Principle
LEARNING. Specifically identify Opportunities that exist for leveraging the program in support of this
principle. What is the Strategy for strengthening this program’s impact on LEARNING as measured
by: Student Quality and Demand, Student Support, Student Outcomes, and impact on Undergraduate
and Professional Student Education.
Vision-
Opportunities-
Strategy (measured by: Student Quality and Demand, Student Support, Student Outcomes, and impact on
Undergraduate and Professional Student Education)-
B. Current Position and Trajectory
This section should not exceed five pages typed in the boxes provided (12 point font minimum).
1. Student Quality and Demand:
Analyze this doctoral program’s historical trends and current state for attracting students of high
quality. Your analysis should consider: the quality of the applicants to the program, demand for the
program, admissions selectivity, and the program’s national/international draw. Also describe
expectations for the trajectory of student quality and demand over the next five years. Justify these
expectations.
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[Doctoral Program Name]
If student quality or demand was identified as a weakness during the last Graduate Program Review
(see outcome letter), describe actions, if any, that have been taken to address the weaknesses. Also
report on progress on this measure since the last review.
2. Student Support:
Analyze this doctoral program’s historical trends and current state for providing financial support to its
students. The discussion should consider both stipend and tuition support. Comment on the sources of
support, the current average stipend level for students appointed on assistantships and fellowships,
and the percentage students in the program who are supported with stipends. What is the expected
trajectory for student financial support over the next five years? Justify the expectations.
If student financial support was identified as a weakness during the last Graduate Program Review
(see outcome letter), describe actions, if any, that have been taken to address this weakness. Also
report on progress on this measure since the last review.
3. Student Outcomes:
Analyze this doctoral program’s historical trends and current state for achieving the highest quality of
outcomes for the student. Your analysis should consider the number of graduates annually, doctoral
completion rates and time-to-degree rates, graduate satisfaction survey results, the employment of
graduates, and the number of academic and post-doctoral placements. What is the expected
trajectory for student outcomes over the next five years? Justify the expectations.
If student outcomes were identified as a weakness during the last Graduate Program Review (see
outcome letter), describe actions, if any, that have been taken to address this weakness. Also report
on progress on this measure since the last review.
4. Undergraduate and Professional Student Education:
Analyze this doctoral program’s historical trends and current state regarding its impact on
undergraduate and professional student education. Your analysis should consider number of courses
taught and assisted, faculty resources offset, and number of undergraduates and professional students
impacted. Also, factoring in planned changes in undergraduate and professional student enrollment,
describe expectations for the trajectory of this impact over the next five years. Justify these
expectations.
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[Doctoral Program Name]
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Section III - DISCOVERY
UC2019 - Operational Principle – DISCOVERY
A university must be more than a repository of information or a conduit for transmitting information. A
university must be a place where knowledge is created, where research, creativity and scholarship produce
new ways of understanding and changing the world. Innovation and entrepreneurship are necessary for
stimulating new ideas and for taking our research into the public domain. The university will pursue public and
private support for innovation initiatives, and focus resources through an infrastructure designed to support
innovation.
A. Vision and Strategy
This section should not exceed two pages typed in the boxes provided (12 point font minimum).
Describe the Vision of the program as it aligns in support of the UC2019 Operational Principle
DISCOVERY. Specifically identify Opportunities that exist for leveraging the program in support of
this principle. What is the Strategy for strengthening this program’s impact on DISCOVERY as
measured by: Faculty Scholarly Productivity and Recognition, Student Scholarly Productivity and
Recognition, Undergraduate Research Experiences, Ability to Attract External Funding, and
Development of Intellectual Property?
Vision-
Opportunities-
Strategy (measured by: Faculty Scholarly Productivity and Recognition Student Scholarly Productivity and
Recognition, Undergraduate Research Experiences, Ability to Attract External Funding, and Development of
Intellectual Property)-
B. Current Position and Trajectory
This section should not exceed five pages typed in the boxes provided (12 point font minimum).
1. Faculty Scholarly Productivity and Recognition:
Analyze this doctoral program’s historical trends and current state for faculty scholarly productivity
and recognition. Your analysis should consider the quantity and quality of the faculty scholarly output,
as well as documented faculty achievements and recognition. The analysis should benchmark faculty
productivity and recognition against peer institutions using the Academic Analytic Rankings when
applicable. Also describe expectations for the trajectory of faculty scholarly productivity and
recognition over the next five years. Justify these expectations.
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[Doctoral Program Name]
If faculty scholarly productivity or recognition was identified as a weakness during the last Graduate
Program Review (see outcome letter), describe actions, if any, that have been taken to address the
weakness. Also report on progress of these measures since the last review.
2. Student Scholarly Productivity and Recognition:
Analyze this doctoral program’s historical trends and current state for student scholarly productivity
and recognition. Your analysis should consider the quantity and quality of the student scholarly
output, as well as documented student achievements and recognition. Also describe expectations for
the trajectory of student scholarly productivity and recognition over the next five years. Justify these
expectations.
If student scholarly productivity or recognition was identified as a weakness during the last Graduate
Program Review (see outcome letter), describe actions, if any, that have been taken to address the
weakness. Also report on progress of these measures since the last review.
3. Undergraduate Research Experiences:
Analyze this doctoral program’s historical trends and current state as it relates to its impact on
undergraduate research experiences. Your analysis should consider the number of undergraduate
students involved, quality of experiences, number of students that continued on to graduate school,
and external funding attracted for this activity. What is the expected trajectory for impact on
undergraduate research experiences over the next five years? Justify the expectations.
4. Ability to Attract External Funding:
Analyze the program faculty’s historical trends and current state regarding its ability to attract
external funding in support of doctoral education. Your analysis should consider the number and
percentage of students funded with external funds, average stipend levels supported with external
funds, source of external funds (gifts, federal, etc.), number of external doctoral fellowships, and total
research funding allocated for doctoral student research. What is the expected trajectory for the
program’s ability to attract external funding over the next five years? Justify the expectations.
If external funding in support of doctoral education was identified as a weakness during the last
Graduate Program Review (see outcome letter), describe actions, if any, that have been taken to
address this weakness. Also report on progress on this measure since the last review.
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[Doctoral Program Name]
5. Development of Intellectual Property:
Analyze this doctoral program’s historical trends and current state as it relates to the development of
intellectual property through doctoral student research. Your analysis should consider the number of
patents awarded, invention disclosures filed, and start-up companies initiated with doctoral student
involvement. What is the expected trajectory for the program’s ability to involve doctoral students in
intellectual property development? Justify the expectations.
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[Doctoral Program Name]
Section IV – GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT
UC2019 - Operational Principle- GLOBAL ENAGEMENT
The University of Cincinnati will realize its global influence through a genuinely international awareness and
experience. We will identify, develop and integrate the knowledge and skills that each person needs in order
to live successfully within our world-wide community and to contribute to human advancement in meaningful
ways. Our students will understand and be able to succeed throughout the ever-evolving modern world.
A. Vision and Strategy
This section should not exceed one page typed in the boxes provided (12 point font minimum).
Describe the Vision of the program as it aligns in support of the UC2019 Operational Principle
GLOBAL ENAGEMENT. Specifically identify Opportunities that exist for leveraging the program in
support of this principle. What is the Strategy for strengthening this program’s impact on GLOBAL
ENAGEMENT as measured by: Student Engagement, International Enrollment, and Faculty
Engagement.
Vision-
Opportunities-
Strategy (measured by: Student Engagement, International Enrollment, and Faculty Engagement)-
B. Current Position and Trajectory
This section should not exceed two pages typed in the boxes provided (12 point font minimum).
1. Student Engagement:
Analyze this doctoral program’s historical trends and current state of student global engagement. Your
analysis should consider student participation in programs abroad, as well as student engagement in
programming locally to build international awareness and experience, and student scholarship that
contributes to global engagement. Also describe expectations for the trajectory of student global
engagement over the next five years. Justify these expectations.
2. International Enrollment:
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[Doctoral Program Name]
Analyze this doctoral program’s historical trends and current state for international enrollment. Your
analysis should consider the program’s international draw with respect to the quality of students
enrolled and the diversity of countries from which students originate. Also describe expectations for
the trajectory of international enrollment over the next five years. Justify these expectations.
3. Faculty Engagement:
Analyze this doctoral program’s historical trends and current state of faculty global engagement. Your
analysis should consider faculty participation in programs abroad, as well as faculty research and
scholarship that contributes to global engagement. Also describe expectations for the trajectory of
faculty global engagement over the next five years. Justify these expectations.
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[Doctoral Program Name]
Section V – DIVERSITY
UC2019 - Operational Principle – DIVERSITY
The University of Cincinnati is committed to creating and maintaining a community that is broadly diverse and
inclusive. In all aspects of university operations, the university will promote full participation and access
without regard to race, ethnicity, gender, age, disability status, socioeconomic status, gender identity, sexual
orientation, religion and regional or national origin.
A. Vision and Strategy
This section should not exceed one page typed in the boxes provided (12 point font minimum).
Describe the Vision of the program as it aligns in support of the UC2019 Operational Principle
DIVERSITY. Specifically identify Opportunities that exist for leveraging the program in support of this
principle. What is the Strategy for strengthening this program’s impact on DIVERSITY as measured
by: Student and Faculty Diversity.
Vision-
Opportunities-
Strategy (measured by: Student and Faculty Diversity)-
B. Current Position and Trajectory
This section should not exceed two pages typed in the boxes provided (12 point font minimum).
1. Student Diversity:
Analyze this doctoral program’s historical trends and current state for student diversity. Your analysis
should consider enrollment trends, quality of underrepresented students attracted to the program, as
well as time-to-degree and completion rates for these students. Describe specific initiatives the
program has championed to strengthen student diversity. Also describe expectations for the trajectory
of student diversity over the next five years. Justify these expectations.
If student diversity was identified as a weakness during the last Graduate Program Review (see
outcome letter), describe actions, if any, that have been taken to address the weakness. Also report
on progress on the measure since the last review.
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[Doctoral Program Name]
2. Faculty Diversity:
Analyze this doctoral program’s historical trends and current state for faculty diversity. Your analysis
should describe initiatives the program has pursued to strengthen faculty diversity. Also describe
expectations for the trajectory of faculty diversity over the next five years. Justify these expectations.
If faculty diversity was identified as a weakness during the last Graduate Program Review (see
outcome letter), describe actions, if any, that have been taken to address the weakness. Also report
on progress on the measure since the last review.
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