SACS Reaffirmation
| Objective | Critical Mass Of Students | |
| We will have 6-12 entering students each year, guaranteeing a critical mass of new studentss. Associated Goals: Critical Mass Of Students |
| Indicator | Number Of Graduate Assistants Number of graduate assistants |
| Indicator | Number Of Students The number of students entering and graduating from the program. |
| Criteria | Critical mass entering There are at least eight new students entering the program each fall. |
| Finding | Insignificant students There were two students entering the MS program during 2006-2007 and none enrolling for fall 2007. |
| Finding | Insignificant support for grad students The only MS-Math student to accept an offer of an assistantship for Fall 2007 later changed his mind and turned the assistantship down after receiving a tuition bill. (JS then took a position in the Houston ISD.) |
| Action | Graduate recruitment Graduate recruiting materials will be created so as to recruit applicants during spring 2008. |
| Action | Recruitment trips Faculty will travel to universities and conferences in order to make presentations intended to recruit new graduate students. |
| Objective | MS Curriculum & MAA | |
| We will have a curriculum which is compatible with those proposed by the MAA. Associated Goals: Critical Mass Of Students |
| Objective | GA Stipends | |
| Grad assistantship stipends will be significant enough to allow the recruitment of students from other Texas institutions. Associated Goals: MS Assistantships |
| Indicator | Graduate Stipend Amount of graduate stipend |
| Criteria | Assistantship stipends Assistantship stipends will at least match those as Lamar State University and other regional institutions. |
| Finding | Graduate stipends not competitive Graduate stipends ($9800/year) lag far behind stipends of competitive institutions ($12000-13000 at Lamar, $12000-18000 at TSU San Marcos,$12000 or higher at other nearby institutions.) |
| Action | Increase GA stipends Beginning, fall 2008, some GA stipends will be increased to $12000/year, using grant moneys, adjunct faculty lines and department O & M budget |
| Objective | Consistent Curriculum | |
| The MS curriculum will be well-defined and courses will be offered with a clear cycle structure. Associated Goals: Professional Development Of Grad Students |
| Indicator | MS Curriculum The MS Curriculum consists of the courses required for the MS degree in math, along with acceptable electives. |
| Criteria | Consistency with catalog Courses offered will be in agreement with well-defined courses in the graduate catalog. |
| Finding | Catalog consistency Courses offered do not match the catalog; Special Topics courses are often used to fill student needs. |
| Criteria | MS curriculum The MS curriculum will consist of 12 courses, well-defined and cycled consistently. |
| Finding | MS Curriculum No specific course recommendations have been made yet. This will take place next year. |
| Action | MS Revision The MS curriculum will be revised in 2007-2008, with a new program and well-defined courses submitted to the curriculum committees in spring 2008. |
| Objective | GA Mentoring | |
| Graduate assistants will be mentored by faculty. Associated Goals: Professional Development Of Grad Students |
| Indicator | Mentoring Program Activities which provide mentoring or community development among graduate students. |
| Criteria | Preparation for teaching Grad students will participate in a short course each August, in preparation for entering the classroom. |
| Finding | Mentoring Graduate students assigned to a tutoring lab receive support and mentoring by one or two faculty. Conversations with faculty mentors are encouraged |
| Action | Faculty mentoring Beginning spring 2008, grad students teaching MTH 164 and MTH 199 will be assigned to a faculty mentor. |