Academic Affairs

THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT TYLER PROVOST’S REPORT2016-17 A LETTER FROM THE PROVOST

Dear faculty, students, alumni, staff, and friends:

It is my pleasure to invite you to review the members. The Provost’s office also presented 2016-17 report from our academic units. copies of 13 books authored by our faculty for addition to the Library’s collection. Throughout this report, you will see highlights of the accomplishments of our faculty and Faculty in many of the academic units were students in various academic units. Two engaged with a number of community CONTENT members of our faculty, Dr. Delello and Dr. activities. College of Business partnered with Newsom, received this year’s University of the City of Tyler on the new Innovation Pipeline COLLEGE OF ARTS & SCIENCES 4 Texas System Regents Outstanding Teaching to provide educational opportunities and Award (ROTA) award, while a third member, courses to the community to help encourage Ms. Doty, was inducted to the UT System’s entrepreneurship in the region. College of COLLEGE OF BUSINESS & TECHNOLOGY 8 Academy of Distinguished Teachers. Many of Education and Psychology provided summer our academic programs continued to receive literacy programs at the Glass Recreation COLLEGE OF EDUCATION & PSYCHOLOGY 12 national and regional accolades for their high Center, offered low cost mental health quality; for example, graduate nursing (online) counseling at area clinics, and worked with programs were ranked 1st in Texas and 13th many area schools to help improve their COLLEGE OF NURSING & HEALTH SCIENCES 16 nationally by the US News & World Report, programs. Faculty in biology brought much and the accounting program was ranked 1st attention to their programs through Darwin in Texas and 6th nationally based on CPA Day and Earth Day events with nationally COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING 22 certification of its graduates. The university known speakers. has also made great strides in increasing its retention and graduation rates this past I sincerely hope you will take joy and COLLEGE OF PHARMACY 28 academic year, with a number of initiatives pride in reading the including Summer Bridge and decentralized accomplishments of GRADUATE SCHOOL 34 advising, as well as the award-winning your colleagues quantum leap proposal on digital toolkit for throughout this student success. Our Honors program grew report. LIBRARY 36 to its largest size in its 8-year history, while maintaining its highest academic standards and with participation from every college with OFFICE OF SPECIAL ACADEMIC PROGRAMS 42 undergraduate programs. Construction is well underway on the 140,000 sq. ft. business building. UNIVERSITY COLLEGE 46

In February, the Library hosted the third “Celebration of Scholarship and Creativity” to highlight the exceptional achievements of our faculty in research and scholarship. The newly implemented “Crystal Talon Award”, established to recognize exceptional research and creativity, was awarded to 12 faculty

AMIR MIRMIRAN Ph.D., P.E., Fellow ASCE, Fellow ACI The University of Texas at Tyler | Academic Affairs 3 Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Sam A. Lindsey Chair Professor of Civil Engineering CAS EDUCATION funding has resulted from successfully placed The College is slightly ahead of the university applications within the natural sciences and average for FT Faculty contact hours and mathematics, though more disciplines are well ahead of the average SCH/faculty ratio. beginning to apply for research funding. It is around the university average for the The output of the college’s faculty in all percentage of transfer students. We’ve been disciplines is remarkable, considering their able to enhance our internationalization many responsibilities and is highlighted. efforts. Both the annual Costa Rica deep immersion in Spanish program and the COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT Israel Study Tour continue to attract viable Several members of the college faculty numbers of students from a variety of majors again gave presentations at the annual in and outside of the Arts and Sciences. and always well-attended Great Decisions series sponsored by and held at the City of Tyler Public Library. Around six dozen free concerts were provided by the School of Performing Arts on and off campus and various public venues. The Department of Art and Art History continued its close collaboration with the Tyler Museum of Art in a variety of projects. The annual Darwin Day, hosted by the Biology faculty, was well attended by visitors to the campus. A member of the Mathematics faculty and a ROTA recipient has been a guest speaker at area elementary schools. Another Mathematician was an instructor at the Discovery Science Place. Several members ACCREDITATION of the faculty in most of our disciplines The Department of Mathematics are sought after speakers. A number of underwent an outside review of its them have been interviewed by regional COLLEGE graduate program. The review found that electronic and print media on areas included the program was most viable, but did in their respective expertise. A member of OF ARTS & SCIENCES recommend a number of suggestions, the Biology faculty is working with Bullard most of which have been or are in the High Schools students on a science project process of being enacted. In fact, the that is scheduled to go to the International The college, during the recently completed academic suggestions were already in the planning year, was characterized by scholarly productivity stages when they were provided. Since and accomplishment. A member of the History their implementation commenced, the graduate program has increased in faculty was awarded the college’s tenth Regents terms of the number of students and Outstanding Teaching Award (ROTA) recognition. graduates. We expect current trends to continue and the effort is being assisted The teaching faculty in Arts and Sciences has now with the provision of modest graduate received ten of the thirteen ROTA awards total. assistantships.

The fall enrollment for Arts and Sciences was RESEARCH/SCHOLARSHIP nearly 4 percent higher than the previous year Faculty received a total of over $1.7 million and more than 14 percent higher than 2012. in external funding. This is a record and is indicative of a strong trend that has improved over the last several years. Most of the external DR. MARTIN SLANN DEAN The University of Texas at Tyler | Academic Affairs 5 CAS Space Station in August 2017. The Debate STUDENT HONORS AND AWARDS IN rooms. Every effort is being made to ensure Club has also worked with the Tyler Public COMPETITIONS that the renovation insists that the building Library to host the very well attended The College houses two active and successful will become student friendly as well as a public debates on the issue of censorship. student organizations that frequently comfortable and convenient place for represent the university during regional, students to not only attend classes, but have national, and international conferences. ample access to spaces that will enable them Both the Debate Club (regularly rated as to study alone or in small groups. Fund-raising one of the best five programs in North efforts will continue with an increased focus America) and the Model United Nations on namings for classrooms, suites, and offices. are open to students from any major. They have a long run of success in competitions The college has made progress in refining that include several Ivy League and Big Ten pledges are approaching $500,000 annually. and improving its increasingly pro-active student delegations. In great part, thanks Thanks again to the efforts of the Development advisement process. Student retention and to excellent faculty advisors, these students officer and the Music faculty, we are on the graduation rates are obviously linked to continue to accrue awards. It’s important verge of becoming a Steinway school. This and are virtually inseparable from relevant to note that these organizations enhance should occur within a matter of months advisement and counseling. writing, speaking, and research skills for once we have made the final purchase of a the students. Such skills are most helpful to Steinway piano that gets us to the threshold. Individual departments possess distinct them as they prepare to embark on careers emphases on dual enrollment and distance or, increasingly, pursue advanced degrees GOALS FOR 2017-2018 education. The department chairs will be FACULTY ACCOMPLISHMENTS in graduate study or professional schools. During the last year, there have been extensive instrumental in accommodating policy to The College continues to sustain a balance and in-depth meetings with architects meet particular needs. that stresses excellence both in classroom ALUMNI and representatives of the Physical Plant teaching and scholarly productivity. Recent As the renovation of the Arts and Sciences to finalize plans for the renovation of the The college will continue and, hopefully, highlights include the college’s tenth building nears the end of its planning stage, Arts and Sciences building. The renovation enhance the Honors Program. Because recipient of the ROTA recognition, a senior the dean’s office, in concert with the college’s will commence by early summer in 2018. A Honors will be housed in the renovated lecturer in History. In addition, an assistant Advancement officer, is reaching out to year later, we anticipate that the renovation building and because nearly two thirds of professor in Criminal Justice recently prospective donors, both alumni and other will provide ample space to house four of the Honors students are from the Arts and received an award for Outstanding Distance interested parties, to consider gifting to the the college’s nine departments, the Honors Sciences, we expect to continue to enhance Learning Faculty member. The chair of the cost. Alumni success stories are many. A program, the Debate Club, a Moot Court in supportive and collaborative fashion our Department of Mathematics received the few highlights include the following: One Room, and several smart class and seminar very similar missions. Provost’s Excellence in teaching Award. alumna has been named “lawyer of the year” These speak to the college’s approach to in the Dallas-Ft. Worth area, an alumnus, superb teaching that is to be found in the a physician, has been inducted into the traditional classroom environment and Bethesda Health Clinic’s Doctor Luke society, the online initiative. The college’s full-time and a former graduate student was recently faculty has increased with the recruitment named Associate Vice President for Business of several highly credentialed individuals. Services at main campus of Penn State. While The overwhelming majority of these many alumni are distinguishing themselves in colleagues received very high marks during a variety of pursuits in the East Texas area, a their pre-tenure review this spring. Finally, growing number are being placed in several this faculty authored or co-authored well sought after career environments elsewhere. over a hundred peer-reviewed articles Moreover, many alumni who remain in and provided dozens of presentations at the Tyler area are finding professional professional conferences. It’s important positions in the electronic and print media, to note that many published papers and local businesses, teaching in the primary presentations were co-authored with grades through the two-year colleges. undergraduate and graduate students who are engaged in research and expect DEVELOPMENT to pursue graduate work. Over the last year other Development efforts have been successfully pursued. Gifts and 6 2016-17 Provost’s Report CBT ENROLLMENT AND GROWTH PROGRAM RANKINGS The College of Business and Technology saw • #9 Best Online MBA Program in another year of significant growth. Majority Texas for 2017 (College Choice) of the areas within the college grew with • #23 Best Affordable AACSB Online the largest growth, 28%, within the MBA MBA Programs (Get Educated) program. Overall enrollment for Fall 2016 • #10 Most Affordable Graduate grew 18% from last fall. This includes both Accounting Programs (Accounting undergraduate and graduate programs. As Degree Review) the CBT continues to enjoy outstanding • #12 Best Online MS in HRD Program growth, recruiting and retention initiatives (The Best Schools) remain a priority at the undergraduate level. ACADEMIC INITIATIVES

Concentrations • Energy Risk Management (Finance) THE NUMBERS • Investment Management (Finance) Certifications • NSA/DHS National Center of ENROLLMENT Excellence in Cyber Defense for 2,763 TOTAL COLLEGE Consumer Cybersecurity (Computer Science) 2,035 BUSINESS • Nano/Advanced Materials Safety 181 COMPUTER SCIENCE (Industrial Technology)

216 TECHNOLOGY Centers/Laboratories 331 HRD • Center for Consumer Cybersecurity • Digital Forensics Laboratory

SPECIAL OUTREACH EVENTS COLLEGE The College presented two major events during the year. The Retail GROWTH OF BUSINESS & TECHNOLOGY Summit sponsored by the Center for Retail Enterprises and the Center for The College of Business and Technology Cybersecurity featured R. David Mahon, continues to build distinction through new 28% Chief Security Officer for CenturyLink. The event also include a panel discussion academic initiatives and outreach events. The with Mahon, Paula Anthony, VP and College continues to see significant growth CIO for ETMC, and AJ Burns, Assistant 27% Professor for Computer Science. The while building distinctive new programs that college’s Leadership Institute hosted its enhance student’s educational experiences 18% first Women in Leadership event for all UT Tyler female faculty and staff. The event and provide value to the community. featured guest speaker Paula Anthony, Construction is well underway on the VP and CIO for ETMC and the College’s 140,000 sq. ft. business building. I Executive in Residence. The Leadership TOTAL BUSINESS MBA Institute also hosted the Leadership hope you will enjoy reading about just CBT Program for UT Tyler department chairs some of our activities and successes and assistant/associate deans in the fall and spring. The event offered leadership during the 2016-2017 academic year. training and a development program for attendees. In addition, the Texas Productivity 8 2016-17 Provost’sDR. JAMES Report R. LUMPKIN The University of Texas at Tyler | Academic Affairs 9 DEAN 633 DEGREES AWARDED CBT CBT Center offered training sessions for Lean Champion Certification and the Center for Family and Small Enterprises held the annual Small Business Roundtable, providing marketing, human resource, entrepreneurial and financial advice to attendees.

The CBT also held Mock Team Interviews in both fall and spring semesters. Over 50 business representatives conducted the mock interviews with over 125 students participating.

The college’s Beta Alpha Psi chapter 97 attendees. Alumni presented endowment (Management) received the UT Tyler hosted the annual Meet the Firms event scholarship awards to their 2017-18 student CBT research award, service award, and for accounting and finance students. Over recipients. teaching award respectively for the 2016- 80 students attended the event and had the 2017 academic year. Dr. Kerri Camp and chance to meet firms from as far as Dallas. STUDENTS Dr. Barbara Wooldridge received the AP Graduate students in Advanced Marketing teaching award for the 2016-2017 academic Valari Staab (BBA 1982) The Computer Science Department held its Fundamentals course collaborated with the year. second Cyber Patriot Games Hackathon. East Texas Veterans Alliance and Tyler Area The event was the culmination of a project stations the resources they need to grow Chamber of Commerce on the “Recognizing Dr. Camp was also chosen as UT Tyler’s from undergraduate and graduate classes, from the ground up. As a result, NBC and Our Service members Everyday” or R.O.S.E. nominee for the Regent’s Outstanding including Information Technology, Computer Telemundo owned stations today airing Veteran Discount Program. Students applied Teaching Award for Tenure-Track Faculty. Science and Computer Information System unprecedented amounts of local news, marketing concepts to create this veteran senior projects courses and ethical hacking building I-teams and partnering on consumer discount program for local veterans. DEVELOPMENT courses. The event helped prepare students advocacy. For her achievements, B&C and $94,000 was received for endowed to defend cyber infrastructures. the TVB have selected Staab as Broadcaster Two of this year’s 22 NCAA Division III scholarships and special programs for the of the Year. She will receive the honor at the PING All-America Team members are CBT college. TVB Forward Conference on September students; Sam Hill (Finance) and George 29, 2017. Toone (Finance). Construction began on the new $53 million, 140,000 square foot business building that Kyle Cole (BBA 1978) was named executive FACULTY will house the College of Business and director of business development at Praxis Dr. John James Cater III was honored as a Technology. Healthcare Solutions. Family Firm Institute Fellow with advanced certification in family business advising at PARTNERSHIPS Keith Roe (BBA 1990) is the Senior Vice the 2016 FFI Global Conference. The College has partnered with the City President, Venues at PSAV, a global event of Tyler on the new Innovation Pipeline technology services industry. Dr. Veronda Willis, CPA, an associate professor to provide educational opportunities and of accounting at UT Tyler was named the courses to the community. The project is Chris Wootton (BBA), former UT Tyler 2016 Texas Society of CPAs’ Outstanding focused on encouraging the entrepreneurial tennis All-American was named University Accounting Educator recipient. community. People can rent space to of Southern California women’s assistant converge, work together and sharpen their tennis coach. Dr. Venu Gopalakrishna-Remani received the skills. The premise of the pipeline is to be a Outstanding Faculty Award by the Texas place where anyone in need of equipment The CBT hosted Dallas/Fort Worth area Alpha XI Chapter of Alpha Chi National or experience can come to collaborate with ALUMNI MBA Alumni at the Texas Rangers Game Honor Society. professionals and experts. Valari Staab (BBA 1982) was named B&C at Globe Life Park in Arlington in June 2017. Broadcaster of the Year. Throughout her The Accounting Department held its Dr. Kim Nimon (Human Resource tenure, which started after Comcast bought annual Awards Dinner prior to the May Development), Dr. Heshium Lawrence NBCU, Staab has focused on giving individual 2017 Commencement. The event hosted (Technology), and Ms. Kerrie Anne Clark 10 2016-17 Provost’s Report The University of Texas at Tyler | Academic Affairs 11 CEP OUR MISSION: THE PUBLIC TRUST environment that is both time efficient and The College of Education and Psychology’s cost effective and maintains a high-quality core purpose is to prepare competent, graduate education. These programs allow caring, and qualified professionals in the University to extend its geographical the fields of education, psychology and reach to the entire State of Texas. counseling and to advance the knowledge base in our respective disciplines. The Department of Psychology and Counseling has proposed a new Ph.D. in As a College, we are charged with providing Clinical Psychology that is currently being the highest quality instruction to our reviewed by the Texas Higher Education students, engaging in the production and Coordinating Board. We are optimistic dissemination of knowledge through research the program will be approved and begin and scholarship, and providing service to the operating in the 2018-19 academic year. University and our respective professions. Stay tuned!

Over the years, thousands of UT Tyler’s educators and mental health professionals are adding value to the Texas economy and improving the quality of life for our citizens.

STRATEGIC PLANNING FOR THE COLLEGE: CHARTING A PATH TO THE FUTURE It was Benjamin Franklin who said, “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail.” We begin each academic year with the goal of developing an articulated strategic planning process for the College and the individual COLLEGE academic units. The College’s Vision 2025 document identifies the future aspirations for OF EDUCATION & PSYCHOLOGY the College. In addition, the Dean’s Strategic Plan is updated annually by the leadership For the past 45 years, the College of Education and Psychology team and each academic unit also engages in has been preparing outstanding educators and mental health conversations in order to update their strategic ACCREDITATION: MEETING plan to guide the Department/School. STANDARDS OF EXCELLENCE professional for Texas. The College of Education and The Department of Psychology and Psychology is one of the original colleges established in PROGRAM GROWTH: NEW Counseling’s M.A. program in Clinical 1971 and consists of three academic units: Educational HORIZONS Mental Health Counseling is in its third year Over the past few years, the College has since receiving the prestigious CACREP Leadership and Policy Studies, Psychology experienced tremendous growth in graduate accreditation. CACREP is the recognized and Counseling and the School of Education. programing. standard for counselor preparation by the Institute of Medicine and the Veteran’s All graduate programs in the field of Administration. UT Tyler is one of only two This year, the College of Education and Psychology education are 100% online. Whether your UT System schools to be CACREP accredited. began a variety of new and exciting initiatives aspirations are to be a school counselor, in each Department/School. As Walt principal, reading specialist, educational Since the College of Education and diagnostician, or superintendent, you can Psychology’s inception in 1974, all educator Disney said, “When you’re curious, you pursue your dream through UT Tyler’s online preparation programs have been accredited find lots of interesting things to do.” programs. Online programs in the College annually by the Texas Education Agency. of Education and Psychology provide TEA is the state agency responsible for students with an asynchronous learning educator preparation in the State of Texas.

12 2016-17 Provost’s Report The University of Texas at Tyler | Academic Affairs 13 DR. ROSS SHERMAN DEAN CEP Place and Project Lead the Way. SCHOLARLY PRODUCTIVITY: EXPANDING THE KNOWLEDGE The newest addition to the Centers in the BASE College is the East Texas Center for School- The College of Education and Psychology Based Research & Instruction. The Center consists of a community of scholars consists of all public ISDs in Smith County charged with expanding the knowledge and is designed to be an organized research base within their respective disciplines. unit that promotes instructional effectiveness This is accomplished through the research and student achievement. and scholarship our faculty pursue. This past year, the faculty within College Photo provided by Tylerpaper.com All three Centers work in consonant to published two books, 18 chapters and 36 promote educational achievement for journal articles. In addition, the Department In only the second year of its operation, students throughout East Texas and the of Educational Leadership and Policy the Memory Assessment and Research State. Studies launched the first online journal Center (MARC) under the direction of at the University entitled, Diversity, Social Dr. Andrew Schmitt has provided over FACULTY: CLOSURE: BUILDING A BRIGHTER Justice & the Educational Leader. 50 full dementia assessments, 300 brief PASSING THE TORCH FUTURE FOR TEXAS cognitive screenings and 350 hours of direct This past year the College of Education At the core of any institution is the ‘why’ or EXTERNAL FUNDING: SERVING THE counseling services. This outreach effort and Psychology lost a colleague when Dr. the True North Star of the organization. Why NEEDS OF EAST TEXAS is truly making a difference with people Ronald Livingston, Professor does the organization exist and why will it The College of Education and Psychology in East Texas struggling with memory of Psychology, passed away exist for the next hundred years? For the and the Ingenuity Center continue to lead impairment due to aging, dementia and unexpectedly. Dr. Livingston College of Education and Psychology, it’s our the University in external grant funding. other neuropsychological illnesses. joined the UT Tyler faculty passion to prepare the next generation of During 2016-17 the faculty within the College in 1994 after completing great teachers, principals, superintendents, generated $3,246,382 dollars in external CENTERS: PROMOTING his Ph.D. studies at UT educational diagnosticians, reading funding to provide scholarship funds for INNOVATION, QUALITY AND Austin. Dr. Livingston was specialists, school counselors and mental preservice teacher preparation, professional SERVICE an outstanding teacher and health professionals. We know that each development for inservice teachers as well The College of Education and Psychology an accomplished scholar. day one of our graduates teaches a child as other initiatives. The School of Education’s has three Centers designed to promote He was a kind and gentle to read, inspires a student to dream big or Texas Regional Collaborative in Mathematics innovation, quality and service: K-16 Literacy soul who was a friend and mentor to his provides counseling to a client to get him is the longest continuously funded grant at Center, Ingenuity Center, and East Texas colleagues and to the students whose lives or her through a difficult period. UT Tyler having been reauthorized annually Center for School Based Research & he touched. for the past ten years totaling approximately Instruction. In essence, the College of Education and two million dollars and impacting hundreds This year, the College of Education and Psychology is providing the outstanding of East Texas mathematics teachers. The K-16 Literacy Center under the direction Psychology will bid adieu to Dr. Mark Lewis. educators and mental health professionals of Dr. Kouider Mohktari, Anderson Vukeljia, Dr. Lewis joined the faculty in 1985 and our society needs to pass the torch from COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: Wright Endowed Professor of Education, served in a variety of capacities within the one generation to the next. It’s an awesome IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF LIFE promotes literacy by developing research College including Chair of the Department of responsibility and a great privilege! IN EAST TEXAS based literacy programs in schools, providing Curriculum and Instruction and Coordinator Improving the quality of life for East Texans staff development for teachers and providing of the Master of Education degree in For more information on the College of through community outreach and service direct services to K-12 students. The efforts Curriculum and Instruction. In addition, Dr. Education and Psychology see the following is a mission the College of Education and of the Center are helping foster literacy Berni Hansen retired in December 2016. Dr. link to the CEP Homepage. Psychology takes very seriously. Whether throughout the East Texas region. Hansen taught literacy classes at UT Tyler it is providing summer literacy programs The Ingenuity Center is the oldest of the since 2002. at the Glass Recreation Center, providing College’s Centers and is direct by Dr. low cost mental health counseling at area Michael Odell, Roosth Endowed Chair for The School of Education welcomed Dr. Gina clinics, or working with area schools that are STEM Education. The Ingenuity Center’s Doepker and the Department of Psychology designated improvement required, faculty primary mission is to increase the number of and Counseling added Dr. Erin West. We from the College are actively engaged in students who study and enter STEM fields. look forward to their contributions to the the community. The Ingenuity Center includes the UT Tyler University and their respective disciplines. Innovation Academies, Discovery Science 14 2016-17 Provost’s Report The University of Texas at Tyler | Academic Affairs 15 CNHS TABLE 1. The CNHS student graduation in 2016-17 and enrollment of Spring 2017

DEPARTMENT OF COLLLEGE SCHOOL OF NURSING HEALTH & KINESIOLOGY ENROLLMENT 2,328 1,829 499

ENROLLMENT 6.8% 8.7% 0% GROWTH %

GRADUATION 615 469 119

GRADUATION 8.5% 20.7% -23.7 GROWTH %

THE SCHOOL OF NURSING RESEARCH AND TRAINING The School of Nursing itself accounts for GRANTS/PROJECTS AND approximately 21% of the total enrollment PUBLICATIONS at UT Tyler; about 30% of all in-coming freshmen declare pre-nursing as their major. SCHOOL OF NURSING In spite of program growth, the School of 1. Rizer, Carol, PI; Petersen, S.; Roberts, Nursing maintains the rigor of its programs. A., McInnis, A.; Crisp, M. Schlemmer, The BSN graduates exceeded a 95% pass T.; Oliver, A. NTUNE: An Academic- rate on the national licensure exam (NCLEX) Practice Partnership Providing and the MSN Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) Immersive Clinical Traineeships in students maintained a 98% pass rate and the Diverse Populations for Primary Care post-master’s students achieved 100% pass Nurse Practitioners. June 2017-2019; rate on the FNP certification exam in 2016. HRSA: $1.4 million 2. Wang, YT. Goh, C. H., Liao, T. NATIONALLY RANKED PROGRAM Wheelchair Tai Chi Ball Training Our Nursing graduate online programs have Program For People With Spinal Cord been well recognized nationally when the Injury; PVA Education Foundation online graduate nursing programs were Grant; Awarded June 2017 for June 1, ranked #13 in the country and #1 in Texas by 2017 – May 31, 2018: $50,000. the US News & World Report in spring 2017. 3. Hermanns, M., Haas, B., Engaging COLLEGE Persons with PD in Physical Activity OF NURSING & HEALTH SCIENCES NEW PROGRAMS, INITIATIVES AND using Activity Trackers and Online ACCREDITATION Social Media: A Feasibility Study, STTI 1. The new DNP program received Beta Alpha; January 2017: $2,959.70 ENROLLMENT, GROWTH SACS-COC approval, meaning UT 4. Gipson, C. Refinement and AND STUDENT SUCCESS Tyler moved to Level IV designation Psychometric Properties of the Self- for doctoral programs. Efficacy for Sleep Hygiene Inventory; 2. We are developing a Master of UT Tyler Office of Research; June The overall enrollment in the CNHS in Occupational Therapy (MOT) 2017-May 2018: $5,317.00 Spring 2017 reached 2,328 students which program which is pending the final represents a 6.8% growth with comparison approval by ACOTE, SACSCOC and THECB. We hope to start the first to the enrollment of last year (Table 1). MOT class in 2018. Specifically, the growth is 8.7% for the School 3. Our B.S. in Kinesiology program was recently recognized by the of Nursing. We graduated 615 students in National Strength and Conditioning the academic year of 2016-17 which is a Association (NSCA) as a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist 8.5% increase over previous years. (CSCS)-preparatory program.

16 2016-17 Provost’s ReportDR. YONG “TAI” WANG DEAN CNHS HEALTH & KINESIOLOGY INSTITUTE FOR INTEGRATED served as delegates to the House 5. Tseng, B. (PI); Petersen, S. (co- HEALTHCARE of Delegates. Dr. Barbara Haas investigator): Biofeedback Robotic The Institute for Integrated Healthcare (IIH) completed a two-year term as chair Pet Augments Aerobic Exercise completed its second year in May 2017. As of NEXus, a national collaboration to Reduce Blood Pressure and the Institute has matured, so has interest of school of nursing offering online Arterial Stiffness in Patients with outside the College of Nursing and Health courses for doctoral students. Hypertension; CNHS Intramural grant; Sciences (CNHS). The IIH co-hosted the 3. Interprofessional Evidence-Based December 2016: $5,000.00 first annual Interprofessional Research Practice Conference: The School of 6. Sorensen, William (PI). Cooper, Cheryl Forum with the CNHS, the College of Nursing sponsored a very successful (CoPI). Prevalence of soil transmitted Pharmacy (COP) and UT Health Northeast. Interprofessional Evidence-Based helminths in northeast Texas children; Sixty five researchers attended the forum Practice Conference, held February Department of State Health Services. on October 28, 2016. The interprofessional 14, 2017. The School of Nursing also March 2017: $68,336.00, event fueled collaborations between hosted a QSEN (Quality and Safety researchers from the different participating Dr. William Sorensen, Fulbright Scholar Education in Nursing) conference with national speaker Gerry Altmiller units. Those include an HPV prevention on April 21, 2017; numerous nursing The total external/internal grants are presented in Table 2. project between UT Health NE and UT Tyler schools across the region had CNHS and COP, development of a novel representatives attended. Faculty Scholarships: Faculty scholarships in terms of peer-reviewed publications, exercise program for veterans with spinal 4. Faculty/Students Community professional presentations, books and book chapters are presented in Table 3. cord injuries between UT Tyler CNHS and Engagement: Since 2011, the the College of Engineering, and a working Department of Health & Kinesiology group from the CNHS and UT Health NE to has administered an innovative examine maternal-child health outcomes outreach program called the Table 2. The CNHS research and training grants in 2015-16. in the region. The 2017 Forum planning Patriot Academy, which provides will begin in early fall 2017. home-schooled children the SCHOOL OF DEPARTMENT OF COLLEGE opportunity to participate in age and NURSING HEALTH & KINESIOLOGY FACULTY AND STUDENTS developmentally appropriate motor ENGAGEMENT AND skill programs. The Patriot Academy RESEARCH $234,276 $58,276 $176,000 ACHIEVEMENTS also serves our physical education 1. Fulbright Scholar: Dr. William students as a lab setting for both TRAINING $700,000 $700,000 - Sorensen was named a Fulbright observation and administration of Scholar. This award will fund Dr. activity programs. In 2016-17, the TOTAL $934,276 $758,276 $176,000 Sorensen to teach epidemiology in a Patriot Academy had 34 children graduate nursing program in Brazil enrolled, ranging in age from 6 to 14 during the spring of 2018. He will years old. also conduct research with Brazilian 5. Faculty and Students: The School colleagues on the topic of smoking of Nursing was also represented in cessation interventions in HIV+ Table 3. The CNHS faculty scholarship in peer-reviewed full length an article in the US News & World Individuals. publications, presentations, published books and book chapters Report. Former undergraduate and 2. Nursing Faculty: School of Nursing current graduate student, Adam faculty are actively engaged in Switzer, and Dr. Barbara Haas were SCHOOL OF DEPARTMENT COLLEGE professional service, and several interviewed for an article on hybrid/ NURSING OF H&K were recognized as leaders in the online learning. profession either through election 6. Student Achievement I: The UT Tyler PEER-REVIEWED or appointment via competitive FULL LENGTH 72 58 14 Texas Student Nursing Association application. Ms. Anthe Caruso was (TSNA) chapter was recognized PULBICATION elected secretary of the Texas at the annual state convention as Nurses Association (TNA); she also PRESENTATIONS 79 59 20 “TSNA Chapter of the Year”; they also represented Texas at Nurses Day at received the TNSA “Breakthrough to the Capitol in Washington, D.C. Ms. Nursing Award”. Anita Lowe and Rebecca Carasco 7. Student Achievement II: School of

18 2016-17 Provost’s Report CNHS Nursing students were once again Announcements / health promotion recognized for their efforts related to spots that aired during drive time on health policy and patient advocacy. stations KKUS, KYKX, Sunny 106.5, Sherron Franks-Meeks, PhD in and La Invasora 96.7 & 92.3, QXFM/ Nursing student, was appointed by KDOK and online. Governor Abbott to the Council on 9. Student Achievement IV: At the Cardiovascular Disease and Stroke national level, MSN student, Molly Reduction; her appointment was Little, represented UT Tyler at the confirmed by the Senate. annual AACN Policy Summit in 8. Student Achievement III: Nursing Washington, D.C., where she engaged students from Longview and Tyler in healthcare advocacy and met with were regular contributors on the Texas representative, Louis Gohmert East Texas radio group Alpha Media and staff from Senator Cruz’s office. stations. Students developed and recorded several Public Service

20 2016-17 Provost’s Report The University of Texas at Tyler | Academic Affairs 21 COE Dr. Kypuros has also been funded for Orion Spacecraft. I hope you enjoy reading his research on dynamic systems and about our activities this year, and don’t control by NASA and the Texas Space hesitate to contact us with questions Grant Consortium. His passion and skill or if you would like more information in the teaching arena are evinced by his ([email protected], 903-565-7040). recognition as a UT System Regent’s Outstanding Teaching Award winner in 2014. ENROLLMENT AND EDUCATIONAL INITIATIVES We also welcomed three new faculty to aid The College of Engineering saw another year in managing major growth in undergraduate of significant growth, with total enrollment enrollment, including demonstrating moving to 947 students in the fall of 2016, sustainable growth at the Houston while also serving dual credit students (135) Engineering Center (HEC), our second for the first time. Mechanical Engineering campus home that opened in 2013. This experienced the largest growth at 17.4%. The year, the Civil engineering program had a enrollment at HEC also successfully hit our graduating class of over 30% females. For the target of 350 students in the fall of 2016. A new program, and engineering in general, this is a and innovative four-plus-one arrangement significant increase in the representation of (where students can finish a B.S. and M.S. in women into the profession. The enrollment engineering in a five year period) was initiated of the Construction Management program that is anticipated to positively impact continues to increase and attract many our graduate programs moving forward. seeking to gain advantage in the growing and very active construction/project One of the focus areas of the COE is in management profession. The Department increasing access to engineering for of Electrical Engineering received over all. In addition to our successful launch $730K in both federal and industry research of HEC, which is meeting this need for funding. In our Department of Mechanical students in Houston, one of our biggest Engineering, our faculty and students have educational initiatives this past year was COLLEGE continued to successfully collaborate with in launching a dual credit Introduction to OF ENGINEERING NASA to support training for the NASA Engineering course (to partner with the The past academic year has been one of growth and change in the College of Engineering (COE). We are pleased to welcome Dr. Javier Kypuros as the fourth Dean of Engineering in the college’s 20 year history. Dr. Kypuros joins us from The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, where he served as the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs for the College of Engineering and Computer Science. He is passionate about student success in engineering education, as evident from his two current projects funded by the National Science Foundation; one on an ecosystem for success in engineering and the other on social identities in engineering education and practice.

22 2016-17 Provost’s Report DR. JAVIER KYPUROS The University of Texas at Tyler | Academic Affairs 23 DEAN COE popular Project Lead the Way High School Mechanical and Biomedical careers in engineering. Students tested engineering curriculum) for delivery to a Dr. Hassan El-Kishky and Dr. Shirvaikar concrete and timber members, built statewide audience. We partnered with 12 high are studying new Fuel Cell Technology. lifting and handling systems and bridges, schools as part of this initiative, and we are explored soldering, circuit boards and expanding to a second course (Engineering Building Air Quality and Energy programming, and had a blast during Graphics) and 25 high schools in fall 2017. (BAQE) Center their time on campus in Tyler. Dr. Nelson Fumo is developing models to ACCREDITATION Civil and Infrastructure better predict net zero home energy use FACULTY Our Civil, Mechanical and Electrical undergrad Dr. Mena Souliman has won awards and utilizing our UT System Core Facility in Our faculty group continues to grow and be programs were successfully accredited by recognition for his work with Bike Lanes in this area. recognized. We welcomed Andres Garcia, ABET in 2015, with next reviews scheduled Mid-Sized Cities, and his work in Behavior Tyler Hall and Tanya Larson as instructors for 2020 for re-accreditation in 2021. Our of Asphalt Pavements. in Mechanical and Civil Engineering at the Construction Management undergrad Houston Engineering Center. Dr. Indic is program was reviewed by the ABET Applied directing a research center that involves Science Accreditation Commission. Although Electrical wearable sensor design and big data official notification is scheduled for late Dr. Mukul Shirvaikar is partnering with analytics for the prediction of life threatening August, we expect are that the program will researchers in Health and Kinesiology to events in humans. This research center receive a positive determination from ABET. improve the usefulness of bone scans through received half a million dollar National Institute Image Processing and Pattern Recognition. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT of Health grant for developing analytics RESEARCH Numerous outreach activities dispersed using physiological signals from preterm This year has been a busy one for the college Energy and Sustainability across all departments in the college infants at Neonatal Intensive Care in the research front. We have recently Dr. Michael McGinnis has partnered with were conducted. Of particular note this Units. Ms. Apurupa Amperayani, a identified five specific focus areas in research. the University of Notre Dame and New year were our collaborations in support of graduate student working in the Noted below are example projects and Mexico State University on an NSF funded Project Lead the Way (PLTW), our support center been invited to present her people who are currently exploring in these project studying the impacts of Recycled of the annual MathCounts competition in research work in the prestigious areas through external funding support: Concrete Aggregates for use in Concrete. February (where we hosted more than 15 Computing in Cardiology K-12 mathematics teams on campus), and Conference in Rennes, France. our “Engineering Takes Center Stage” The center entered into research Summer Camp in July 2017. In helping collaborative agreements with PLTW, we aided in judging different several premier universities and competitions and helped with training published three research papers in the next generation of K-12 engineering well-respected journals in the field. instructors. The camp, partially funded by Dr. Souliman’s research interests include the Texas Higher Education Coordinating mechanical, mechanistic, and economical Board, serves 25 8-10 grade students as analysis of sustainable pavement materials. we build excitement and enthusiasm for He serves as a PI on a USDOT funded project, which also involves the Transportation Consortium of South Central States and other academic institutions within the UT System. With this and other projects, Dr. Souliman is managing over a quarter million dollars in externally funded research. Dr. Souliman is publishing his results in journals such as the Transportation Research Board (TRB) and ASCE Journal of Civil Engineering Materials. 24 2016-17 Provost’s Report The University of Texas at Tyler | Academic Affairs 25 UT Dallas in March 2017, and an Honors our high school partners to 25. As MENG student presented a paper at the graduate degrees are becoming ever NCHC Conference in Seattle in October more critical in today’ rapidly changing 2016. STEM fields, we have formalized and begun offering a new innovative 4+1 BS LOOKING AHEAD to MS program that will allow our best STUDENTS As we seek to increase access to careers and brightest undergraduate students It has been an exciting year for the student in engineering, we are expanding the to earn a master’s degree with one groups in engineering. The ASCE Student state-wide dual credit offerings in additional year of schooling. Please Chapter’s entry to the Texas Mexico Student engineering to include Engineering look for more information in the coming Conference Concrete Canoe competition Graphics, doubling our offerings and weeks about these exciting initiatives. garnered 2nd place with “Excaliboat” an homage to the days of King Arthur, and the Steel Bridge team 2017 design “Pocket Aces” earned them a fourth place among 21 teams competing in the event. The two teams had the highest combined ranking of any University in Texas or Mexico. Our Construction Management students Association (CMsA) submitted a competition project package for the National Home Builders Association annual conference and were selected to compete in Florida. Our IEEE chapter’s robotics team placed 5th (out of 11) at the Texas VEXU NBN Championships, losing in the semi-finals to eventual champion, UT Austin, and placed 8th of 32 teams that entered the competition at the IEEE R5 meet in Denver in April 2017. Two MENG seniors presented papers at the ASEE Gulf Southwest Conference at

26 2016-17 Provost’s Report The University of Texas at Tyler | Academic Affairs 27 COP EDUCATION The Class of 2020 that matriculated into the Fisch College of Pharmacy in fall 2016 represented a 30% increase in students in their first professional year. This planned growth was successful due to in part to the statewide recruiting of students enrolled in colleges and universities in Texas as well as an increasing national presence as an innovator in pharmacy education. In addition, the individual attention given to each applicant and involved family members enhances the character of the Fisch College of Pharmacy as a student- centered Doctor of Pharmacy program.

ACCREDITATION As the Class of 2020 prepared to matriculate into the Doctor of Pharmacy a diverse group of men and women, just program, the Fisch College of Pharmacy as it was in fall 2015. Although 92% of the received news that the Accreditation students for fall 2016 are Texas residents, Council of Pharmacy Education granted most were not born in the Lone Star the College Candidate status of State. Similar to last year, the gender of accreditation. This is an important step the students was nearly balanced at half in the accreditation process as it allows female and half male. Hispanic students for students of the Doctor of Pharmacy represent 18% of the population and BEN & MAYTEE FISCH program to sit for the national board students of Asian descent are 16%. Black exam upon graduation. This accreditation or African American students make up status was granted for two years, the 30%, and 28% are Caucasian. COLLEGE OF PHARMACY longest period allowed at this stage of program development. The Ben and Maytee Fisch College of Pharmacy continues to grow as we welcomed our second cohort STUDENTS of student pharmacists in fall 2016. The curriculum in The Fisch College of Pharmacy welcomed the students of the Class of 2020 in fall the classroom, laboratories, and experiential sites is 2016. The 107 students joined the College advancing well and focusing students on using from a pool of 692 applicants. Nearly 200 critical thinking skills to solve challenging students were invited to campus for an problems by communicating with fellow intensive on-site interview that included student pharmacist team members. Outside a writing assessment, mathematical skills W.T. Brookshire Hall, student pharmacists are exam, eight multiple mini-interviews, and learning in over 150 pharmacies throughout a team-based learning simulation. Family and friends were also invited to visit the East Texas with the help of over 350 adjoint College during the interview event where faculty members, known as preceptor they had the opportunity to meet the In early fall 2016, the Fisch College of pharmacists. These community leaders faculty and staff and ask questions of the Pharmacy held White Coat Ceremonies are helping our students learn how to be dean. Over 230 family and friends joined for both the Class of 2019 and the Class of pharmacists in real-life settings as they work prospective students during the interview 2020. The White Coat Ceremony signifies an with patients in greater East Texas and events. important transition in a student pharmacist. northwest Louisiana. The ceremony memorializes the evolution The students matriculating in fall 2016 are from a classroom and laboratory only 28 2016-17 Provost’s Report The University of Texas at Tyler | Academic Affairs 29 DR. LANE BRUNNER DEAN COP pharmacy education to include experiences in Newsome joined the College as a Clinical barrier to improve non-viral based gene patient care settings, such as the corner drug Associate Professor with significant prior and polymer delivery and thus improve store or a hospital pharmacy. This transition academic experience at Hampton University therapeutic options for treating disease. is critical to embedding a strong sense of School of Pharmacy and South College professionalism and duty to care for patients School of Pharmacy. Dr. Newsome will teach Dr. Michael Veronin has received peer- and their families in student pharmacists who cardiology to students as they advance reviewed grant funding from the College may have little prior experience in pharmacy. through the Doctor of Pharmacy program. to analyze the federal Food and Drug Administration FAERS database for reports FACULTY Two additional faculty positions have been of adverse drug events using machine- The Fisch College of Pharmacy welcomed filled with significant responsibility toward the learning techniques and developing a nine new faculty and administrative staff experiential component of the curriculum. Ms. predictive model for clinical use. Many members during the 2016-17 academic year. Karen Ratekin was a practicing pharmacist types of commonly prescribed drugs Dr. Fadi M. Alkhateeb joined the College with the Brookshire Grocery Company have been found to seriously increase the as the Associate Dean for Academic before she joined the College. She will be potential for strokes, heart attacks, and Affairs. Dr. Alkhateeb was the Director responsible for managing the Introductory other frequently fatal cardiovascular adverse of Assessment and Accreditation at the Pharmacy Practice Experiences for students events in patients. Medications commonly Rangel College of Pharmacy at Texas A&M during the first three professional years. associated with serious cardiovascular University in Kingsville. Dr. Alkhateeb’s Dr. Kawanda McCarty-Williams joins the side effects include those used to treat appointment is with the Department of College from the Director of Pharmacy attention-deficit disorders, arthritis, Pharmaceutical Sciences where he will role at Brentwood Behavioral Hospital moderate pain, and hormone deficiency. teach pharmacoeconomics and pharmacy in Shreveport. Dr. McCarty-Williams will administration. Dr. Joseph S. Glavy is faculty oversee the Advanced Pharmacy Practice Dr. David Pearson received a grant from member who joined the Pharmaceutical Experiences, which encompasses the The University of Texas at Tyler Research Science Department from the Stevens entire fourth professional year curriculum. Council to investigate how cell adhesion Institute of Technology. Dr. Glavy is appointed proteins influence the survival of B-cells and as an Associate Professor and will teach in RESEARCH AND SCHOLARSHIP their malignant counterparts. Results from the area of cardiovascular pharmacology. Dr. Glavy joined the Fisch College of this work will lead to a greatly improved vital to the well-being of East Texans. The Pharmacy with a remarkable history of grant understanding of how cancer cells survive health literacy of children is represented Seven faculty members joined the Clinical funding through the National Institutes of and metastasize throughout the body. through a continuum over time and is Sciences Department. Dr. May H. Abdelaziz Health as a faculty member and postdoctoral Ultimately, this work will add to the growing often reflective of the parent or caregiver’s recently completed a postdoctoral fellowship fellow. Trained by Nobel Laureate Günter knowledge of how prevent some of the level of health literacy. Through this at the University of California – San Francisco Blobel of Rockefeller University, Dr. Glavy’s more aggressive forms of malignant cancer. partnership, Fisch College of Pharmacy is in cellular cancer research. She is appointed work has been featured in Science, Nature, helping address health literacy needs at as a Clinical Assistant Professor and will and Cell. In addition to receiving STARs The Fisch College of Pharmacy presented the grade school level and working with teach in the area of cancer therapeutics. Dr. funding from The University of Texas System, a college-wide poster at the American these young students and their families Elizabeth A. Cook joined the College after Dr. Glavy is able to continue his National Association of Colleges of Pharmacy to improve their understanding of completing an advanced specialty residency Institutes of Health funding and research at annual meeting in summer 2017. This invited information and how to make appropriate at the University of Oklahoma College of UT Tyler. The purpose of Dr. Gravy’s research presentation provided an opportunity for the choices. Pharmacy in Tulsa. She will teach ambulatory is to develop a novel process to improve drug College to share its strategies for assessing care pharmacy as a Clinical Assistant delivery through the cell nuclear envelope the critical domains of self-awareness, In fall 2016, Fisch College of Pharmacy professor. After competing an advanced leadership, innovation and entrepreneurship, students and faculty held a health fair event specialty residency in psychiatric pharmacy and professionalism in student pharmacists. called A Prescription for Health Literacy. at Hawaii State Hospital in Kaneohe, Dr. Held during the monthly Family Night Denver Shipman joined the Department COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT event at West Side Elementary, student as a Clinical Assistant Professor teaching The Fisch College of Pharmacy has pharmacists and faculty offered blood in the area of psychiatric pharmacy. Dr. engaged in a partnership with the pressure screenings, information on heart David B. Romerill was a Clinical Pharmacy Jacksonville Independent School District health, heart disease, high blood pressure, Specialist at Houston Methodist San Jacinto to improve health literacy in the schools and dental hygiene to children and parents in Hospital in Baytown before he joined the and community. Being able to understand attendance. Following this event, the College College. He will teach in the areas of critical basic health information and services hosted events for third and fourth grade care and emergency medicine. Dr. Jonathan and make appropriate health decisions is students in W.T. Brookshire Hall. During 30 2016-17 Provost’s Report The University of Texas at Tyler | Academic Affairs 31 COP substance use disorders and the role of a minds. The Fisch College’s approach to a pharmacist in prevention and treatment. community-owned college of pharmacy has She also educated parents of Kilgore been embraced by healthcare professionals Middle School students on the dangers of and the citizens of East Texas. Pivitol to the prescription drug abuse. As the Chair of the College’s success in the community has been Prescription Drug Taskforce, Dr. Parmentier articulating the College’s transformational worked to provide Tyler residents with a safe initiatives of student scholarships, health disposal method for unused prescription literacy, pharmacogenomics, and advancing medications. The Coalition partnered with medication therapy management. the Tyler Independent School District Career and Technology Center and the Smith County The Fisch College of Pharmacy founded its Sheriff’s Office to place two prescription Development Council comprised of leaders in the event, student pharmacists and faculty drug drop boxes in Tyler in summer 2017. the community, philanthropy, and pharmacy shared with the elementary students what Dr. Parmentier and the Fisch College of profession. The Development Council has a pharmacist does in the community and Pharmacy will continue to work with the met monthly and worked diligently helping the importance of medication safety. Prescription Drug Taskforce and educate the College build a new donor base for the the East Texas community about the safe College and the University. Student Pharmacists were active in the and effective use of medications. Brookshire Grocery Health Fair where they A key to cultivating a nascent donor base assisted pharmacists in educating visitors Faculty in the Fisch College of Pharmacy for our new Doctor of Pharmacy program about proper medication use. Fisch College have been active in sharing with fellow was establishing an annual fund, named the of Pharmacy students also assisted with the educators the way we implement team- Dean’s Circle of Excellence. Funds raised Tyler Drug Take-Back Event and collected based learning in our curriculum. As one through this initiative go towards establishing over 300 pounds of unused and unneeded of only a handful of colleges that use this student scholarships. Having scholarships medications. And continuing their work pedagogy throughout a curriculum, the to recognize and reward academic to education the East Texas community faculty’s experience and advice has been and access to the College’s information excellence, leadership and community about medications, student pharmacists sought after by universities and community technology. Ms. Wilson was recognized for service is important in establishing a healthy participated in the Hispanic Outreach Event colleges. Always willing to share ideas, the her pioneering work in the Fisch College of alumni base and recruitment resource for at Tyler’s Cathedral of the Immaculate Fisch College of Pharmacy hosts team-based Pharmacy as the first staff member hired a successful future. Conception. learning workshops in W.T. Brookshire Hall as the Dean’s Administrative Associate and and is willing to travel to engage interested now the Administrative Services Officer. During the 2016-17 academic year, the Student pharmacists were active nationally colleagues at their academic site. As faculty Fisch College of Pharmacy awarded its as well representing the Fisch College of members infuse greater amounts of active Faculty were recognized by students and first endowed scholarships establishing Pharmacy at meetings of the Student National learning in the classroom, team-based the American Association of Colleges of new traditions for recognizing leadership, Pharmaceutical Association, American learning as a comprehensive approach to Pharmacy for excellence in teaching. Dr. academic excellence, and community service. Society of Health-System Pharmacists, student engagement becomes appealing and Simi Gunaseelan was selected by the first- and American Pharmacist Association. achievable. As enthusiastic practitioners of year student pharmacists for exceptional Activities included leadership workshops, team-based learning, the faculty members in teaching in the first-year curriculum. Drs. J. medication counselling competitions, and the Fisch College of Pharmacy are eager to Shawn Jones and Michael A. Veronin shared patient advocacy training. share best practices and help others reach the honors for teaching excellence from their teaching goals. students in the second professional year Dr. Brittany Parmentier represented the curriculum. Fisch College of Pharmacy as a member AWARDS AND RECOGNITION of the East Texas Substance Abuse Coalition Faculty and staff were recognized for FRIEND AND FUND DEVELOPMENT and served as the Chair of the Prescription their outstanding contributions to the A challenge with a new college is establishing Drug Taskforce. The Coalition is made up of Fisch College of Pharmacy. Staff of the development relationships in the community community members who work together Year recipients included Thayer Merritt, IT where none have existed previously. to prevent substance abuse among East Coordinator and Tessa Wilson, Administrative Although alumuni are years away, excellent Texas youth. As a member of the Coalition, Service Officer. Mr. Merritt was recognized opportunities exist to connect with leaders Dr. Parmentier spoke to Tyler Independent in particular for his outstanding service to in the community and build meaningful School District high school students about students who had challenges with computers relationships that engage hearts and 32 2016-17 Provost’s Report 33 GS

The 2016-2017 academic year has been all notarized copies of original documents about efficiency for the Graduate School. for students who cannot get replacement documents from their issuing institutions. We are excited about our new “rooftop This is an especially great benefit for our marketing” project, which allows us to international applicants. determine where potential interest in UT Tyler is located and specifically target that The New Graduate Fellowship awarding area. This increases the efficiency of our process has been revamped with an eye recruitment email strategies, allowing us to towards efficiency. New procedures and put extra emphasis on these areas. record keeping systems have been put in place. Students are notified of their awards GRADUATE We have completed implementation within days of the application deadline. of ImageNow Workflow for all eligible departments, and have a demonstratively We are in the second year of ScholarWorks, SCHOOL quicker turnaround time for applications – a and can report a great success there. We decision is usually rendered within a week of have had over 20,000 downloads of UT Tyler- the application’s completion. Departments generated scholarship since its inception, and have been universally enthusiastic about the pace is only increasing. These downloads The growth of the Graduate School has this new system. are coming from across the country and continued. Between 2015-16 and 2016-17, we around the world. We have also streamlined our application saw an incredible increase of 28% in graduate process. The inclusion of departmental items Graduate Admissions has begun sending degrees awarded, and as of Spring 2017, in the PeopleSoft checklist has allowed us Welcome Boxes to newly admitted students to centralize the collection of admission in an effort to increase their enrollment rate. the Graduate School comprised 31% of the documents and more effectively and These are custom boxes that contain a UT university’s total enrollment. efficiently communicate to applicants what Tyler T-shirt and other gear to let the student they still need to do to be considered for know they are welcome here. So far, the admission. response has been unanimously positive.

DR. WILLIAM GEIGER To aid in document collection, our office VICE PROVOST AND DEAN manager, Chelsea Crain, has become a Notary Public. This allows us to make

34 2016-17 Provost’s Report The University of Texas at Tyler | Academic Affairs 35 LIB CHANGING SCHOLARLY guide: libguides.uttyler.edu/scholcomm. ENVIRONMENT “Open Access is the free, immediate, online The University Archives is also implementing availability of research articles coupled a web-crawling system that archives born- with the rights to use these articles fully digital items from the University’s website. in the digital environment. Open Access The web-crawling system will be much like the ensures that anyone can access and use Internet Archive Wayback Machine, allowing these results—to turn ideas into industries us to capture and preserve information that and breakthroughs into better lives.” - has only been published online. SPARC (the Scholarly Publishing and Academic Resources Coalition) RESEARCH AND CURRICULUM SUPPORT The Robert R. Muntz Library is committed The Library Public Services Department, to providing access to the scholarly which includes Circulation, Reference, achievements of the UT Tyler community. Instruction, and Outreach is quite pleased As such, the University Archives and the with our accomplishments for 2016-17. The Graduate School have partnered to create the Circulation department loaned thousands University’s institutional repository, Scholar of items and continues to support the Works, which supports and promotes open interlibrary loan department. access. Content in Scholar Works includes At the request of the Student Government student theses and dissertations, faculty Association, the library extended hours scholarship, and university archives digital until 2:00am Sunday through Thursday. collections. In the past 1.5 years, works from We accomplished supporting longer hours 24 different faculty have been downloaded with the addition of one new position and by over 3,200 researchers from across the changes to existing work duties. We are very globe. Scholar Works at UT Tyler currently pleased with the response of our students to holds 876 unique items, which have been our extended hours and the volume of usage ROBERT R. MUNTZ downloaded over 22,000 times. our collaborative learning spaces receive. A working group was formed to educate The Reference department continues to and inform the UT Tyler community about support faculty, staff, students, and our scholarly communication issues, with the aim community information resource needs. LIBRARY to increase awareness of copyright policies The librarians, who also serve as liaisons and related issues, fair use, author rights, to the academic programs, work directly open access, Scholar Works at UT Tyler, and with faculty and students to meet their During the last academic year, the Robert predatory journals and how to avoid them. information and research needs. Librarians R. Muntz Library continued to advance our If interested in learning more about open provided reference and research assistance position as a center of discovery, exchange, access, author rights, or Scholar Works, check both on an individual and class basis. This out the Scholarly Communication research past year, Librarians held over 360 research and advancement of ideas. As such, we sessions, both individually and in groups, are building upon our strong foundation reaching over 3,000 students. of resources and services with the “Information Literacy is a set of abilities expansion of support for the changing requiring individuals to “recognize when information is needed and have the ability scholarly environment, research and to locate, evaluate, and use effectively curriculum, and engagement with our the needed information. Information faculty, students and the community. literacy is also increasingly important in the contemporary environment of rapid technological change and proliferating JEANNE STANDLEY information resources.” -ACRL (Association 36 2016-17 Provost’s EXECUTIVEReport DIRECTOR The University of Texas at Tyler | Academic Affairs 37 LIB contributing to the planning of the Alumni House Grand Opening and President Tidwell’s THE NUMBERS inauguration events.

PAST LAST 3 The library hosted 40 displays from July YEAR YEARS 2016 through June 2017. This includes the re- eBook Usage ↑46% ↑165% introduction of the book display on the 3rd floor in January 2017. Collaborators included Electronic the University Archives, IELI, The Susan G. Resources 185% 216% ↑ ↑ Komen Foundation, Mothers Against Drunk Usage Driving (MADD), the League of Women Print Books -24% -36% Voters (LWV), PsiChi Club, and the College Usage ↓ ↓ of Nursing and Health Sciences. # Reference 43% 84% Questions ↑ ↑ We also hosted 12 events over the year, # Reference including Summer Read-In, Swap Swipe Questions at Share (2), the Human Library event, Banned 504% 278% 11PM (Peak ↑ ↑ Books Week, and the Cormier Symposium. Period) The hallmark events of our year are the Celebration of Scholarship and Creativity, # of Students 20% 228% at One Time ↑ ↑ hosted in conjunction with the Provost’s office, and the biannual Night Against Procrastination, hosted with Student Life of College and Research Libraries) academic departments. Subject-specific corresponding magazine, A Celebration & Leadership, New Student and Family resources are evaluated employing the of Scholarship and Creativity, continue to Programs, PASS, SI, and the Writing Center. We are in our 3rd year of what was previously Library of Congress, Research Libraries be well received. Additionally, the newly the Research Ready pilot study. Partnering Group Conspectus collection levels, as a implemented, “Crystal Talon Award”, Our social media presence has increased with Dr. Emily Standridge (Literature faculty guide to document areas of strength in the established to recognize exceptional research dramatically over the course of the last and Writing Center Director), we have Library collections in support of research and creativity, was awarded to 12 faculty year. Twitter impressions went from a high completed the overall design for integrating endeavors and curriculum focus. Reviews are members. The Provost’s office presented of 15,000 for the spring semester 2016, to a set of Research Literacy (formerly Research also provided for new academic programs copies of thirteen faculty books for addition a high of 28,000 for fall 2016, and those Ready) lessons into both ENGL 1301 & being developed across the academic to the Library’s collection. numbers have held steady over the spring ENGL 1302 courses. Since the Spring 2017 departments and other requests, such as During the past year, University Archivist of 2017. Profile visits have increased in a semester, we have established a focus group for grant submissions. Over the past year, Terra Gullings presented ”Subscription, similar manner, from 1,500 in spring 2016 to with core ENGL 1301/1302 instructors to the Library has compiled and provided Interlibrary Loan, or Nothing: How to ensure 2,700 in spring 2017. Facebook analytics are both strengthen the lessons in terms of over 12 comprehensive reviews across a global Access to your Scholarly Works” as sparser due to terminology being changed information literacy as well as integrate more wide range of academic programs, such as part of a series of workshops from the Center mid-year, making direct comparisons more of the course information into the lessons. M.Ed. of Curriculum and Instruction, Master for Excellence in Teaching and Learning. challenging – but our total reach went from Research Literacy lessons were implemented of Occupational Therapy, and a Nursing This workshop demonstrated how faculty an average of 7,500 in spring 2016 to over in two ENGL 1301 sections and ten ENGL Program Review specifically for a grant can use Scholar Works at UT Tyler to store, 10,000 in fall 2016. The number of page 1302 sections for a total of 12 sections, a submission. preserve, and provide worldwide access to views and impressions also increased in a significant increase from the 2 sections in the their scholarly endeavors. It also included similar fashion. previous year. Using pre- and post-testing, FACULTY AND STUDENT a discussion about open access, including: students within these sections showed a ENGAGEMENT copyright agreements, author rights, avoiding LOOKING AHEAD 20% improvement in their understanding The Library, in partnership with the Provost predatory journals, and benefits of adding The Library will continue its evaluation and of information literacy concepts. and Academic Affairs, hosted our third content to Scholar Works at UT Tyler. expansion of technology, resources and “Celebration of Scholarship and Creativity services to meet the changing needs of The Library provides individualized resource Reception.” Organized to highlight the COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT the next generation scholars. and service reviews in accordance with the exceptional achievements of research and The University Archives participated in UT Tyler External Review Master Calendar scholarship our faculty contribute to the the planning and activities for Dr. Mabry’s Beginning this summer, the Library and the 2017-19, and upon request from the various expansion of knowledge, the reception and retirement celebrations, and this year, is Writing Center continued their successful 38 2016-17 Provost’s Report The University of Texas at Tyler | Academic Affairs 39 LIB partnership and established the “PubClub”. this workshop, participants will hear about The PubClub meets once a week to support what our Scholarly Communications Working non-course related writing across all Group has developed for faculty, including departments. Meeting in the library provides information relating to author rights, a dedicated location removed from the copyright, fair use, open access, creating everyday spaces, for faculty/staff to focus access to faculty scholarship through Scholar on their writing, as well as a common meeting Works at UT Tyler, and the use of open place to collaborate with other faculty/staff. textbooks and other free course materials. The Writing Center provides peer-level writing experts specifically to benefit the Title: ACRL’s Framework for Information faculty and staff, and research librarians are Literacy and the College Professor (Rebecca available to consult on reference research. Fernandez and Christine Forisha) Summary: We work toward the same goal – Please watch for these upcoming workshops having students who are able to navigate the provided by the library as part of the Center vast and complicated information landscape for Excellence in Teaching and Learning: in order to be successful in their fields of study – but we can benefit from having a Title: Copyright Issues Got You Down? common language to work together. The Updates from the Scholarly Communications Information Literacy Frameworks provide Working Group (Terra Gullings and Kyle a crosswalk to talk about literacies and Gullings) competencies that span disciplines in Summary: The use and creation of research a language that is not unique to just are integral parts of faculty’s teaching and one. This workshop will provide faculty scholarship, but navigating the ins and outs a look at the pedagogical framework the of copyright issues, the allowances and librarians use to help students develop exclusions, can be overwhelming. During information literacy skills.

“The love of books is a love which requires neither justification, apology, nor

40 2016-17 Provost’s Report defense.” – J.A. Langford SAP Smith (CAS-history), and Penny Dutton (CEP-education). Mary-Elizabeth Smith was nominated for a Boe Prize, the recognition of academic excellence by This past year, the Honors Program grew to GPHC. its largest size in its eight-year history, as 121 • Along with the Center for Excellence students participated in the program. The in Teaching and Learning, the Honors Honors Program includes students from six Program designed and hosted the second of the seven colleges at UT Tyler and has annual Lyceum Conference, a celebration maintained high academic standards, as the of research at the University of Texas average GPA of students in the program at Tyler. A total of 54 students, both is 3.67/4.0, representing a slight increase undergraduate and graduate, participated over last year. in the research showcase, exploring their ideas in poster and presentation sessions. EDUCATION: This year’s Lyceum saw an increase in • Honors Program grew to 121 students, faculty participation and our first award with groundwork laid to take 140 students for best faculty mentor. next academic year. • Honors students, through the student • This spring saw the 100th graduate of group Logos, have adopted the highway the Honors Program walk the stage, on University Blvd. near campus. Honors including the first significant number of graduates from the Honors in the Major-Psychology track.

ACCREDITATION: • Spring 2017 included our first external peer review by Dr. Guy Litton, Executive Director of Honors Programs at Texas OFFICE OF Woman’s University. Dr. Litton’s evaluation included the following statement: “It is important to note that, while the UT Tyler SPECIAL ACADEMIC Honors Program is still relatively young (not quite at the end of its eighth year), it is widely regarded by many in the state of Texas as being the best new honors PROGRAMS program at any four-year institution in the past decade.”

The Office of Special Academic Programs (SAP) RESEARCH: experienced continued success in our mission to • Five Honors Program students presented provide transformative learning experiences for original research at the National Collegiate Honors Council Conference in Seattle: undergraduate students at The University of Texas Kierin Stevens (CAS-math), Gerardo Viera at Tyler. SAP oversees four programs: The Honors Perez (CAS-math), Mack Stewart (CE- Program, GATE (Global Awareness Through MENG), Alaina Strehl (CNHS-nursing), Haylee Brewer (CBT-marketing). Education), The Archer Fellowship, and the • Four students presented original research Freshman Book. These programs impact at our regional conference, hosted by well over a thousand students and faculty the Great Plains Honors Council: Ashley members, both in and out of the classroom. Atkins (CBT-marketing), Rebecca Floyd (CNHS-kinesiology), Mary-Elizabeth 42 2016-17 Provost’s Report DR. PAUL STREUFERT EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR SAP • Honors students and the UT Tyler LOOKING AHEAD: community participated in four other • In the coming year, GATE will transition Honors Colloquia including a trip to Dallas to a faculty learning community for for Shakespeare in the Park, a talk on Globalism and Diversity in partnership student mental wellness, a viewing of the with the Center for Excellence in Teaching film North by Northwest, and a lecture and Learning. by Dr. Vivek Pandy from CBT.

LOOKING AHEAD: • The Honors Program will continue to work on Honors in the Major initiatives in nursing, mechanical engineering, and criminal justice. • To accommodate more students and increase the quality and quantity of STUDENTS AND CURRICULUM: Honors classes, the Honors Program • SAP oversaw the participation of four will redesign curriculum and policies for UT Tyler students in the Archer Center students, faculty, and staff keep the implementation in the next academic Fellowship Program in Washington, D.C. highway clean by performing trash year. and also the selection of another four for pick-ups four times a year. This spring participation in the next academic year. our group was featured on KETK in a • SAP staff met with new representatives news report about the Adopt a Highway from the Archer Center to discuss Program. recruitment strategies. • The Honors Program hosted its first • SAP staff redesigned undergraduate and Sophomore Day of Service, which saw graduate Archer curricula to stay current 15 Honors students, faculty, and staff with Archer offerings. renovate two houses in north Tyler owned STUDENTS: by PATH. • In June and July of 2017, the GATE • The Honors student group, Logos, Program led its cohort of 17 global created over 100 Valentine’s Day cards for scholars on a five-week travel study to the residents of Brookdale, a retirement Vietnam. Students studied government home near campus. and rhetoric with UT Tyler professors. The travel study also included a partnership STUDENTS-CURRICULUM: with Hoa Sen University in which GATE The Freshman Book Committee hosted a talk • This academic year, the Honors staff laid students participated in a service learning by author, Norman Rosenthal about his text the groundwork for three new Honors in program involving the SOS Children’s The Gift of Adversity. More than 140 were the Major tracks, in nursing, mechanical Village, which houses over 200 orphans in attendance at this event. The committee engineering, and criminal justice. in Ho Chi Minh City. also chose Ed Hume’s Garbology for next • The Honors Program implemented four year’s freshman book. new HNRS zero-credit seminars to help STUDENTS-EXTRA-CURRICULAR provide structure, ease of advising, and EVENTS: improved program retention. • El Grito, Mexican Independence Day celebration. Co-sponsored with the STUDENTS-EXTRA-CURRICULAR Campus Activities Board, this event had EVENTS: an attendance of over 200. • Our fifth annual Global Quiz Night drew • Along with the Art of Peace organization, a record crowd of 270 participants. GATE co-sponsored the Art of Peace • Honors students attended the lecture banquet, which included an address by given by Freshman-Book author Rabbi Neal Katz and included attendance and celebrated psychiatrist Norman of over 100 community members. Rosenthal. 44 2016-17 Provost’s Report 45 UNIV troubleshooting and support for students within the program.

While maintaining central coordination of the BAAS, the Office of Degree Completion and Extension also produced several program-specific initiatives this past year. A Professional Internship course was designed to provide students within the program an opportunity to apply the skills and knowledge acquired through the 21 for 21 curriculum in a real-life setting. The Office also developed A once College-wide achievement that and implemented a Student Success Coach was the result of the entire team working model for all the UNIV courses that provides together was the $1,444,000 Greater Texas an unparalleled support to students in an Foundation Scholars grant. In order to online classroom environment. increase the number of Early College High School graduates in Texas who transition to and complete four-year degrees by providing both financial and non-financial supports. This 8-year initiative will be housed in the Office of Degree Completion and Extension and led by Kristie Allen, Senior Coordinator. This grant will mark the University’s first strategic effort in recruiting and retaining ECHS graduates, a typically underrepresented and underserved population of students. We have already begun working with TJC, Tyler UNIVERSITY ISD and Chapel Hill ISD to make a 4-year college education attainable in only 2 years after graduating from high school. COLLEGE THE OFFICE OF DEGREE COMPLETION AND EXTENSION The mission of the University College is to be the The Office of Degree Completion The Office of Degree Completion and catalyst of growth, and incubator of innovation, and Extension experienced a year of Extension continued to work collaboratively and a resource for every faculty member and transformation and expansion. With the with the North Texas Community College student to support their professional and personal help of Kristie Allen, the Senior Coordinator, Consortium to develop pathways from AAS students within the Bachelors of Applied degrees in regional two-year schools and the success. To accomplish this mission, the Offices Arts and Sciences (BAAS) degree program University of Texas at Tyler’s BAAS degree. of Degree Completion and Extension, Digital were transitioned out of University College Additionally, there were new formalized Learning, and Pre-College Programs have and into five Academic Colleges (College partnerships with Lone Star Community had an impressive year, accomplishing of Arts and Sciences, College of Business College, Odessa College, Texas A&M many significant goals. It has been a and Technology, College of Education Engineering Extension Service, and UT pleasure leading such a dedicated and and Psychology, College of Nursing and Medical Branch. selfless group of individuals. Every Health Sciences, College of Engineering) making the BAAS UT Tyler’s only true THE OFFICE OF DIGITAL LEARNING University College staff member multidisciplinary degree. This multi-college Dr. Holley Collier, Director of the Office of believes in “Making it Happen”. transition was made possible through the Digital Learning, spearheaded an eventful Office’s systematic and strategic preparation, year for the Office of Digital Learning. While comprehensive advisor training, and ongoing continuing to expand support services 46 2016-17 Provost’sDR. Report SCOTT MARZILLI The University of Texas at Tyler | Academic Affairs 47 Assistant Vice President for Academic Innovation and Student Success Dean of University College UNIV to all Faculty and Staff, the office’s main support allows UT Tyler faculty, staff, and pathway at PLTW certified high schools. goal this year was to lead the successful students to reach out for help immediately These students had the opportunity to enroll transition from Blackboard to Canvas. While by phone or chat any time of the day (or in a UT Tyler Engineering course over the most universities take many years to fully night). course of the school year and complete it transition, UT Tyler completed a full transition concurrently with their PLTW curriculum. in less than 8-months. After months of The Office of Digital learning is excited This opportunity exposed approximately preparation, The Office of Digital Learning to continue to partner with colleges, 130 students in 10 high schools across launched a pilot of Canvas during the spring departments, and individuals on our Texas to our campus and Engineering semester in partnership with the Department campuses to impact teaching and learning, degrees and exposed them to Engineering of Education Leadership and Policy Studies. no matter the delivery method of the content. at the university level. This facet of the During this time, the Office of Digital Learning PACE Program will expand in 2017-18 by created “Canvas 101” for faculty to learn offering an additional Engineering course, more about the new platform, and added therefore serving additional students as well a Canvas 101 for students, to assist students as increasing the number of high school with their onboarding as well. To date, 283 partnerships across the state. faculty have fully completed the Canvas 101 course which is available to all faculty at UT The PACE Program has also restructured Tyler. In addition to Canvas 101, the office the application/enrollment process for organized trainings and workshops for every dual credit high school students through college, with more than 60 trainings offered utilization of a customizable software system to faculty in preparation for the transition called DualEnroll.com, which is specifically and more opportunities over the summer designed for dual enrollment programs and and continuing into the fall. As of the start completely customizable to our enrollment of the summer semester, UT Tyler retired process. The development stage occurred in Blackboard and fully adopted Canvas. the Spring semester and the system went live THE OFFICE OF PRE-COLLEGE at the end of May, allowing it to be utilized for Specific services have been added and PROGRAMS the Fall 2017 application/registration process. expanded over the past year, including Over the past year, the PACE Program The system has numerous unique reporting dedicated graphic design, additional digital (Partners in Academic Concurrent capabilities and has greatly enhanced support specialists for each college, and 24/7 Enrollment) has continued to see great the efficiency of the student application/ Canvas support for faculty. Faculty and staff success under the leadership of Katy Buerger. enrollment process by condensing the received help polishing their presentations, During the Fall and Spring semesters, 550 application and allowing students to select course materials, marketing items and high school students across the state of their courses in an online format rather than promotional products. Since March 2017, Texas completed a total of 2,508 semester on paper. This has resulted in a virtually more than 80 projects have been completed credit hours at UT Tyler in a variety of paperless registration for PACE Program ranging from course banners and images disciplines within the core curriculum. students and has streamlined much of the to wall art and marketing materials. College The PACE Program continues to facilitate specific support has been added for all partnerships between UT Tyler faculty and courses (online, hybrid, and face to face) high school administrators and teachers to with specific support specialists working provide students with a quality academic in each college to be even more available experience that effectively prepares them and better understand the needs of each for a university-level education and a bridge college. It would not have been possible for to ease the transition between high school a successful transition to Canvas with the and college. support of these dedicated new additions to the office. Finally, The PACE Program, together with the College of Engineering, also added 24/7 support has been added for faculty concurrent enrollment opportunities through and students, with the transition to Canvas. a partnership with Project Lead the Way to Over the Spring Pilot and Summer Sessions, expand college course offerings for high 693 contacts to 24/7 were generated. This school students pursuing an Engineering The University of Texas at Tyler | Academic Affairs 49 UNIV workflow for processing at the university. embedding and physically moving freshman advisors into the colleges, thus eliminating Approximately 28 high schools across the the distinction between freshman and college state are expected to participate in the PACE advisors. This change fosters a connection Program during the 2017-18 school year, between the student and the college in the which will further and increase the presence first year which creates long-lasting bonds of UT Tyler across Texas. We are excited between students and their advisors. This about continuing to expand and provide change also allows students to work with high school students with the educational one advisor for their entire undergraduate experience and tools they need to succeed experience, creating an “admission to at the university level. graduation” mentorship opportunity.

ACADEMIC SUCCESS The UAC also worked with all colleges across Under the direction of the Executive Director, campus to implement the Education Advisory Ashley Bill, The Department of Academic Board’s (EAB) Student Success Collaborative Success is committed to cultivating students’ (SSC), a multi-function software program successful intellectual habits by providing that focuses on student communication, that enrolled students in a College unique feature of this program is that meaningful educational plans through advising note-keeping, and data analytics. Composition I course, an entry-level students will start in 9 hours initially and quality academic advising, encouraging The advising platform and communication Mathematics course, and a Success then add on 3 hours midway through the use of academic support services and center was launched in Fall 2016 and over Seminar during the Summer II session. the semester. This will allow students to fostering positive community learning and 10,500 advising interactions were captured All courses were supported by required get accustomed to college with a lighter social interaction. During 2016-17 year the in the first nine months. The data analytics tutoring sessions immediately following load before adding that 4th class. Department’s divisions of Academic Support functions of SSC were launched in Spring each class on a daily basis. Additional • PASSages Partnership – a partnership and the University Advising Center provided 2017 providing college leadership the activities were planned for the students with Tyler Junior College that will thousands of hours of tutoring support and opportunity to view graduation rates by to get them acquainted with the campus, allow UT Tyler students who need to launched multiple initiatives across campus major and student attributes, see how the with each other, and with city of Tyler. become TSI complete to do so while to promote and improve student success. course grade earned relates to student The overall goal was to not only expose being dual enrolled. Students will take success, and review the change of major students to all the academic (and other) the developmental coursework needed analysis to determine the paths students resources available at UT Tyler, but also to through TJC while beginning their college are likely to take. ease their transition to college by letting careers with their traditional classes at them experience college before the fall UT Tyler. TJC faculty will utilize UT Tyler ACADEMIC SUPPORT begins. classrooms and resources for the courses, The division of Academic Support, under • Soft Start – is a program designed for the which will allow students to complete the leadership of its Director, Lauralee Meyer, underprepared freshmen who chose not the developmental education they need provided undergraduate students with over to participate in the summer Jump Start while only navigating one campus. This 10,400 hours of Supplemental Instruction (SI) program. It combines limited semester partnership program also has credit hour and 7,500 hours of tutoring from the PASS credit hour enrollment with additional limitations and enrollment in a Student Tutoring Center over the course of the year. support through a Success Seminar. A Success seminar. This critical academic support gave students the knowledge necessary to improve their understanding of the course content and ultimately culminated in a .5 average increase in their semester GPA over students who did not participate in SI. UNIVERSITY ADVISING CENTER The University Advising Center (UAC), Academic Support also launched three new under the direction of its Director, programs designed to meet the unique Veronica Viesca, worked with all colleges needs of the PASSages freshmen who are to implement the Academic Advising Task traditionally underprepared for college. The Force recommendations from June 2016. programs created were: The first recommendation implemented was • Jump Start - a summer bridge program 50 2016-17 Provost’s Report The University of Texas at Tyler | Academic Affairs 51