I've just come back from Chicago, where I attended the first meeting of the Council of Graduate Schools' Professional Science Master's (PSM) degree advisory board. It's an exciting time to be involved with this project, which CGS calls "the most important new development in graduate education at the master's level." With our place on the board, OSU is part of a most impressive group of university and corporate leaders.
It's hard to believe it was only six years ago, at a CGS conference, that I first learned about this new concept in credentialing. The PSM combines master's-level coursework, often in an interdisciplinary field, with business principles and other professional skills needed by non-academic employers.
The idea produced a lot of excitement, and over the next couple of years OSU Associate Dean Stella Coakley, College of Agricultural Sciences, gave leadership to launching four PSM programs. Our programs are now recognized as some of the most advanced in the country, and were featured in a plenary session at the annual Western Association of Graduate Schools meeting last March.
That's a very good illustration of the role that networking plays in the evolution of our graduate programs. Our contacts with other institutions provide essential support in anticipating and responding to trends in graduate education. We also learn from alumni and other connections outside academia. And of course our faculty and students are constantly channeling information on new developments in their fields. That's how we stay dynamic as an institution.
This spring, I moved into a one-year role as president of the Western Association of Graduate Schools. The duties include a seat on the Council of Graduate Schools board of directors. I feel privileged to be working at the head of this important organization, but I'm aware of the time demands and travel requirements. The best way to capitalize on the increased responsibility is to make the most of this networking opportunity, and bring new ideas and resources back to OSU graduate programs.
This issue of Open Minds includes many other great examples of how we're reaching out to keep OSU graduate education moving forward. You can start by reading about the Graduate Student Conference, which has a totally new format this year. Then learn about the Diversity Bonus, a fresh addition to the financial support we provide to help departments recruit the best students.
We're also introducing Lydia Newton, who is heading up the University's response to the National Research Council assessment of the research doctoral degree— an important national indicator. And as usual, we've profiled three extraordinary students who are already well connected within their chosen fields.
Thank you for taking an interest in the people and programs of OSU's Graduate School. We'd love to hear from you about your achievements or any suggestions or comments about the content of this newsletter.
Sally Francis, Ph.D.
Dean, OSU Graduate School
Graduate.School@oregonstate.edu
