Subject: Permission to Plan a New Degree Program (PhD in Neuroscience)

Transcription

1 November 22, 2006 To: Dr. Beverly Hartline, Dean From: Dr. Gustav Ofosu, Chair Department of Biological Sciences Subject: Permission to Plan a New Degree Program (PhD in Neuroscience) Dear Dr. Hartline, Our department has met and approved the attached documents to submit for planning a PhD degree program in Neuroscience. Please review the attached forms for your approval. Thank you, Approved: Dr. Gustav Ofosu, Chair Department of Biological Sciences 1

2 REQUEST FOR AUTHORIZATION TO PLAN A NEW DEGREE PROGRAM DELAWARE STATE UNIVERSITY DOVER, DELAWARE Date: November 22, 2006 Department: _Biological Sciences HEGIS Discipline Specialty Title: Biological Sciences, Other Fields of Study not listed HEGIS Discipline Specialty Number: 1757: 1985 CIP Code Level: Bachelor Master Doctoral X Proposed Date of Establishment: August 15, Briefly describe the proposed new degree program for which planning authorization is being sought by including statements on the following: a. Educational objectives: Our department is requesting authorization to plan a PhD degree program in Neuroscience. The educational objectives for this new degree would be to train our students for neuroscience research, including brain-associated research, which has a significant value for children (e.g., ADHD) and senior citizens (e.g. Alzheimer s), as well as strokes and neurological disorders, including mental health components (NINDS, NIMH). The proposed Neuroscience PhD degree program at DSU would be linked to the University of Delaware, Nemours Hospital, and statewide heath organizations. The proposed PhD degree in Neuroscience will prepare graduate students for professional careers in the neurosciences by developing the integrative thinking and hands-on research skills, and helping the students acquire the knowledge needed for success as a neuroscientist in our global society. As one of only a few HBCUs with a neuroscience program and as one of the only institutes of higher learning with a neuroscience program in the state of Delaware, our new PhD program will be especially valuable for the opportunities it will provide to minority students to receive training in an exciting and challenging discipline in which demand for well-educated professionals is high. b. The relationship of the proposed new program to the University mission: The mission of the Department of Biological Science s proposed Neuroscience PhD degree program is to provide a higher education that prepares graduates to achieve leadership status in their communities and careers. This is aligned with the University s strategic plan for graduate studies to strengthen departmental research programs to increase faculty and student participation in new research activities. Moreover, this 2

3 proposal allows the Department of Biological Sciences to support graduate and research missions of the College of Mathematics, Natural Sciences, and Technology and DSU. The Department is committed to providing opportunities for our graduate students, seeking focused preparation for a professional career in the neurosciences. The proposed PhD degree in Neuroscience will educate students to develop an integrative thinking approach with hands-on research skills, and will teach them the necessary knowledge needed for success in the global society. c. The relationship of the proposed new program to other existing programs at the University: The Department of Biological Sciences currently offers a Masters Degree in Neuroscience, along with a Masters of Science and Masters of Arts Degrees in Biology. The Masters Degree in neuroscience is currently linked to the Neuroscience PhD program at Drexel University in a dual-degree format. DSU s Neuroscience PhD program would give students receiving the MS degree in neuroscience the option of continuing on at DSU for a PhD in Neuroscience, instead of transferring to Drexel. It is highly relevant to note that two members of our department, Dr. Davis and Dr. Harrington, are currently working with faculty at the University of Delaware and the Nemours Research Foundation to develop a statewide research training network in neuroscience. Once established, the network would allow students in DSU s PhD program to conduct their dissertation research with any neuroscience researcher in the network. The linkage with researchers at the University of Delaware and the Nemours Foundation will form the basis of an application for a training grant to support PhD students in the program. The Neuroscience PhD program in the Department of Biology will include enough introductory classes to serve DSU graduates or MS degrees from any science department at DSU. The program will also include advanced courses based on the primary literature, which will acquaint the students with current knowledge in cutting edge topics within this discipline. d. Special features or conditions that make Delaware State University a desirable, unique, or appropriate place to initiate this proposed new degree program: The Neuroscience PhD degree program will, in many ways, replace the existing MS degree programs in our department. However, our department will continue to offer a Masters degree in Biological Sciences for part-time students. The MS in neuroscience will also be a secondary option for students who choose not to continue or that are not accepted as PhD candidates in their second year in the Neuroscience PhD degree program. The proposed Doctoral degree program in Neuroscience will provide a high quality education in the neurosciences by drawing upon the strengths of our departmental faculty. The Department of Biological Sciences currently has in place most of the infrastructure needed to implement a neuroscience PhD program. As the Department currently has 15 fulltime faculty members, 12 of our faculty (80%) have relevant neuroscience background to participate in this program to oversee PhD level research projects and to serve on graduate student committees. The need for our own PhD neuroscience program has been outlined in the NSF-funded Drexel Dual-Degree grant. 3

4 By establishing a neuroscience PhD program, DSU will effectively take the role of lead institution in developing a statewide network for neuroscience teaching and research that has the potential to win significant state- and grant-sponsored support. In addition, DSU's status as an HBCU places it in a unique position to strengthen programs in which minorities are underrepresented. Minorities comprise 1% of the membership of the Society for Neuroscience (SFN), the largest professional organization for neuroscientists. By attracting more minority students into the discipline, DSU has the opportunity to help remedy this underrepresentation. 2. List all other public and private institutions of higher education in Delaware currently operating programs similar to the proposed new degree program for which planning authorization is now being sought. No other institute or university in Delaware is currently offering a biology-based PhD in neuroscience, limiting the research and educational opportunities for Delaware residents. The University of Delaware currently offers a PhD in Behavioral and Cognitive Neuroscience through their Psychology Department, however behavioral and cognitive neuroscience are only two small specialties in the entire neuroscience discipline. Although the University of Delaware once offered a PhD in Biology/Neuroscience and a PhD in Psychology/Neuroscience in their respective departments; these degree programs fell apart with the retirement of key neuroscience faculty, with no degrees issued. The course offerings and research capabilities linked to our proposed PhD in Neuroscience will thus be unique and will complement, not compete with, other state institutions. We will not be competing with any of the other research or academic institutes in the state, (i.e., Delaware Biotechnology Institute (DBI), Wesley College or Delaware Technical and Community College). 3. Indicate the current and projected demand for graduates of the proposed new degree program for which planning authorization is now being sought. Provide documentation and sources of the data used to arrive at current and projected demand figures. The Society for Neuroscience is the world's largest organization of scientists and physicians dedicated to understanding the brain, spinal cord and nervous system. At the 2006 meeting, approximately 22,000 scientists attended. Neuroscience has been considered one of the last frontiers with a great demand for research, especially given the aging and behavioral and neurological complexities of today s society. With linkage to the Nemours hospital, our program will allow a clinical component for interested graduate students as well. The demand for Neuroscience Programs, and especially the need for minorities in these programs is highlighted below by a sampling of national agencies: Data taken from the National Academy of Sciences Report (2000) entitled "Addressing the Nation's Changing Needs for Biomedical and Behavioral Scientists" demonstrates that the proportion of racial/ethnic minorities receiving scientific graduate degrees and National Research Service Awards is not representative of the general population. Moreover, the Society for Neuroscience membership survey in 1995 demonstrates the same trend within the field of neuroscience, specifically. Both 4

5 surveys indicate that African American, Hispanic American and Native Americans are the most underrepresented populations. The NIH recognizes that success in building an effective biomedical research infrastructure, and our ability to deliver research benefits to at-risk populations, requires a commitment to training and supporting investigators from diverse racial/ethnic backgrounds. 4. Describe the procedures that will be used to plan the proposed new degree program. Identify the person responsible for the planning, the planning schedule, and the expected date of submission of a program proposal if planning authorization is approved. Drs. Ivey, Davis, and Harrington, along with participating input from other faculty, will be responsible for the planning, producing the planning schedule, and meeting the expected date of submission of the PhD in Neuroscience program. We anticipate presenting the Dean with the entire program proposal by the end of August 2007 for approval by the faculty and administrative committees and the Board of Trustees, for implementation in the 2008 fall semester. 5. Describe the expected method of financing the proposed new program. The department is currently financing its master's degree program primarily from institutional grants. Two additional grants to support students in MS programs are currently pending at the NIH. Over the next two years, the Department will submit training grant proposals to NIH and NSF to provide stipend support for incoming students. In addition, upon knowing that there will be a PhD program, biology faculty will be highly motivate to include support for PhD students in their research proposal budgets. For those currently with research funding, both NSF and NIH provide supplements to fund minority PhD students working with funded researchers. These supplementary funds are not available for students in MS programs, only PhD programs. Again, once the program is in place, faculty with NIH or NSF funded research will be able to recruit students to their lab and pay them a stipend from a minority graduate supplement. 6. Estimate the number of students that would be enrolled in the program during the first year of operation. Full time _X Part-Time We anticipate 3-6 additional fulltime students the first year to complement our existing graduate size of 14 fulltime graduate students in our Master s Program. We see some of those completing their Master s degree by the fall of 2008 continuing their graduate education by entering the neuroscience PhD degree program to be offered at DSU. Other graduate students would be recruited using funds from internal fellowships offered by DSU and through funding from current research grants. President of the University Signature Academic Program Development Procedure, Final Draft November 22,