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Graduate Student Success for Faculty Excellence Initiative

Current StatusOperationalized

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The Graduate Student Success for Faculty Excellence Initiative seeks to advance graduate education at UTSA by enhancing value-added programming and postdoctoral training; recruitment, admissions and diversity; funding opportunities; graduate programs and faculty; and career outcomes. Through this initiative, the university will review all its graduate education processes to ensure they are optimally aligned to support its dual mission of teaching and research; use evidence- and data-based decision making to provide recommendations for improving recruitment and retention, including programming to prepare graduate students to pursue careers across multiple sectors and positively impact society; and demonstrate the intellectual and economic contribution of graduate students to the city and state.

View the Initiative Brief

Updates

Feb 3, 2023
Advancing a Culture of Respect and Accountability on Campus

Jul 15, 2022
New practices are established for supporting UTSA doctoral students

Oct 6, 2020
In enrollment success, more than 100 sign on to Graduate School program

Sep 3, 2020
Task Force Final Report Update

Apr 1, 2020
University seeks input on graduate student success initiative

Read All Updates

Ambika Mathur, Chair Vice Provost and Dean, Graduate School
Bernard Arulanandam Vice President for Research, Economic Development & Knowledge Enterprise	Courtney Balderas Graduate Student Association Assistant Director, Student Center for Community Engagement & Inclusion / Dreamers Resource Center
Lynn Barnes Senior Vice Provost for Strategic Enrollment	Jenell Bramlage Senior Associate Vice President, Information Management and Technology
JoAnn Browning Dean, College of Engineering	Janis Bush Associate Dean, College of Sciences
Guadalupe Carmona Professor, Interdisciplinary Learning & Teaching	Brian Cordeau Assistant Vice Provost for Institutional Research
Margo DelliCarpini Dean, College of Education & Human Development	Suzana Diaz-Rosencrans Assistant Vice Provost for Academic Innovation
Sedef Doganer Associate Professor & Department Chair, College of Architecture, Construction & Planning	Sandra Garcia Associate Vice President for Sponsored Projects Administration
Heather Green Director of Alumni Engagement Communications Interim Director of Annual Giving	Shelley Howell Interim Associate Vice Provost, Teaching & Learning
Kendra Ketchum Vice President for Information Management and Technology	Mark Leung Associate Professor &Department Chair, Management Science & Statistics
Laurie Lewis Associate Vice Provost for Faculty Success	Chad Mahood Chair, Faculty Senate Associate Professor of Communication
David Matiella Associate Dean, College of Architecture, Construction & Planning	Rosanne McSweeney Behavioral Intervention Specialist, University Police
Denise Moore Compensation & Employment Manager	Anne Peters Associate Vice President for Presidential Communications & Special Projects
Megan Piel Graduate Council Member Assistant Professor of Social Work	Sushil Prasad Professor & Department Chair, Computer Science
Jeff Prevost Professor of Electrical Engineering	Jeff Ragsdale Assistant Dean of Strategic Partnerships Alumnus, College of Education & Human Development
Libby Rowe Graduate Council Member Associate Professor of Art and Art History	Juan Manuel Sanchez Associate Dean, College of Business
Johnelle Sparks Chair, Department Chairs Council Professor & Department Chair, Demography	Angela Speck Department Chair, Physics & Astronomy
Rob Tillyer Associate Dean, College of Public Policy	Arnold Trejo Executive Director, Financial Aid and Scholarships
Jose Trevino Graduate student, College of Engineering	Sonia Valencia Graduate student, College of Liberal & Fine Arts
Mario Vela Executive Director of Career Center	Karina Vielma Research Fellow, College of Engineering
Tyler Werland Graduate Council Member Graduate student, College of Business	Rebecca Weston Associate Dean, Graduate School
Jason Yaeger Associate Dean, College of Liberal & Fine Arts

Status Update (Spring 2024)

The Graduate Student Success for Faculty Excellence Task Force, led by Vice Provost and Graduate School Dean Ambika Mathur, completed its report on July 27, 2020. UTSA has made considerable progress in implementing the Task Force’s six recommendations, including standardizing appointments for doctoral students; increasing financial support and health benefits for full-time doctoral students; modernizing graduate school admissions and recruitment processes; and expanding professional development and micro-credentialing to ensure student success for careers in and outside of the Academy. These investments and a review of five doctoral programs and faculty were integral to UTSA’s effort to secure National Research University Fund (NRUF) eligibility in August 2023.

While this task force has fulfilled its objectives, UTSA’s commitment to support graduate student success and engage in innovation and continual improvement remains steadfast.

View the Final Task Force Report

This Initiative Supports Strategic Destinations

Destination One: Model for Student Success

Destination Two: Great Public Research University