Ohio University Identifies Two Doctoral
Programs for Regents Program
Contact: Gary Schumacher, associate provost for graduate studies, (740)
597-2599
ATHENS, Ohio (June 2, 2000) -- Ohio University has selected two doctoral programs -- one in
the Department of Physics and Astronomy and the other in the Department of
Psychology -- for the initial round of selective enhancement under a new Ohio
Board of Regents directive.
Physics and Astronomy's Condensed Matter and Surface Sciences Program and
Psychology's Clinical Health Psychology Program have been identified as the
university's first selections under the Regents' Investment Component of
Performance Funding program. The Regents' directive requires all Ohio
universities to develop ongoing plans for raising the quality and national
visibility of a selected set of doctoral programs.
To arrive at the initial set of programs for selective enhancement, all
university doctoral departments were given the opportunity to apply for
selective enhancement funds. A universitywide committee of faculty then reviewed
the proposals and made recommendations to Provost Sharon Brehm. The two programs
selected were strongly recommended by the committee.
"I am delighted that we are able to support these two excellent programs, and
I know that investing in each of them will greatly benefit the university for
many years to come," Brehm said.
The Condensed Matter and Surface Sciences Program plans to use the enhancement
funds to strengthen its program in nanoscience, an emerging field that is
expected to play a major role in scientific and industrial development in coming
years. The Clinical Health Psychology Program plans to use its additional
funding to establish research clinics in both rural and urban areas. These
clinics will help further the program's extensive research on chronic physical
and mental health problems.
Although additional funding for the programs must come from university
coffers, Associate Provost for Graduate Studies Gary Schumacher said every
effort will be made to ensure the funds are made available through new
endowment, subsidy or tuition dollars rather than existing department budgets.
The funding can be used for additional faculty and support staff positions,
stipend enhancements and other initiatives.
The university plans a second round of proposals for selective enhancement in
the 2001-02 academic year. All programs that applied in the initial cycle will
receive detailed feedback on their proposals in the next few weeks. In addition,
matching funds will be available through the Office of Graduate Studies in
2000-01 to assist doctoral departments in exploring possible program
modifications or additions that could help them prepare strong proposals for the
2001-02 review cycle.
"Thanks to the efforts of the faculty who prepared the proposals, the faculty
who served on the selection committee and the diligent work of Gary Schumacher,
this initial round of the selective investment process went very well," Brehm
said. "I do want to emphasize that this process will be repeated every other
year, and many other fine doctoral programs will receive enhancement funding in
these subsequent considerations."
