Research, graduate studies merge to advance KU's mission
Two separate administrative units, each with a rich history at KU, combined last summer to form a new Office of Research and Graduate Studies. As the name suggests, it's an organization designed to promote and serve KU's core mission of scholarship.
"RGS doesn't 'do' research or teach graduate students," said Steve Warren, who became interim vice provost in August. "Our goal is to facilitate and enhance the work of faculty, staff, and students so they can achieve their goals and be successful. That's the only reason we are here."
The merger grew out of recommendations last spring from a committee headed by Don Steeples, vice provost for student support. The main RGS offices will relocate to Strong Hall from west campus later this year, a practical move that's also symbolic. "Our goal is to align graduate education with research," said Warren, "placing both of them squarely where both naturally reside: at the heart of the university's mission."
Warren regards this as a transition year for RGS, pending the appointment in 2008 of a permanent vice provost. Even so, "we cannot afford to lose momentum. Growing research activity and strengthening the quality of graduate education are major challenges we must address."
"Research and graduate education intersect"
In late June, Sara Rosen was named associate vice provost and dean of graduate studies. She is one of three associate vice provosts in RGS, joining George Wilson and Joshua Rosenbloom.
"Research is what graduate students do," says Rosen. "The goal of undergraduates is to attain knowledge. The goal of doctoral students is to contribute knowledge. They learn how to do that at KU. Faculty and students create knowledge together. To me, that's where research and graduate education intersect."
The RGS mission statement is "To facilitate the discovery, application and dissemination of knowledge." For Rosen, that means constantly asking, "How can we make this better?" That can involve assisting departments with their recruiting efforts and helping raise major gifts for graduate fellowships and research facilities.
Efforts by John Augusto, research training coordinator, to help departments generate graduate student training grants is "a perfect example of how RGS can be a catalyst for both research and graduate education at KU," said Rosen.
Advocates for research, graduate education
While KU conferred a record number of doctorates last year, Warren and Rosen agree that increasing the number of graduate students is not the primary goal.
"We need to recruit very strong applicants for all of our graduate programs and then provide them with rigorous, cutting-edge training. The fundamental focus needs to be on the quality and depth of the preparation they receive," said Warren.
The integration of RGS is continuing, from staffing decisions to a combined Web site www.rgs.ku.edu. In one sense Ð the processing of graduate student applications, for example Ð RGS wants to do its job invisibly. But it also has a high-profile task to perform: working with faculty, deans and others to help ensure KU's place among the nation's finest universities for both research and graduate education.
Graduate studies task force named
A Graduate Studies Task Force is being formed to advise Rosen on the roles and functions of this new group within RGS. The task force will report by Dec. 1. The goal is to evaluate the activities previously associated with the Graduate School and determine which should continue, which should change, what kind of advisory body is useful and how procedures can be streamlined.
Members of the task force are:
- Tim Shaftel, Jordan Haines Distinguished Professor of Business
- Kent Spreckelmeyer, Professor of Architecture and Urban Planning
- Ann Schofield, Professor of Women's Studies and American Studies
- Susan Kemper, Roy Roberts Distinguished Professor of Psychology
- Susan Twombly, Professor and Chair of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies
- Arvin Agah, Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
- Allen Rawitch, Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Dean of Graduate Studies, KUMC
- John Colombo, Professor of Psychology
- Mary Anne Jordan, Associate Professor of Design
The task force will be staffed by John Augusto, research training coordinator in RGS.
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