Contents
- Welcome Back
- How We're Helping You Recruit
- Holistic Admissions
- How You Can Help Recruit Graduate Students
- Research and Creative Achievement Week (RCAW 2021)
- Vaccine Information - Dispelling Common Misconceptions
- Taking Time out for Nature - Scenes from Eastern NC
- Important Dates and Deadlines
- Meet the Staff
Message from the Dean
Whew! Welcome back to the start of a new year and a new semester. So much has happened in the last two months it’s hard to know where to start.
Chaos took hold of our country on January 6 as hundreds of protesters stormed the Capitol building, resulting in the death of five persons and forcing the Senate to recess. In spite of these difficulties, we witnessed the peaceful transfer of power on January 20, a precedent established in 1801 by John Adams after he suffered defeat by his political rival, Thomas Jefferson. The peaceful transfer of power is one of the hallmarks of our democracy that has continued ever since. It is good to see our democracy moving forward.
In the same undaunted Pirate spirit, we continue to move forward at ECU and deliver on our mission to be a national model for student success, public service and regional transformation. Here are some positive developments to keep in mind as we resume the important work of educating ourselves and our graduate students.
Science is beating the virus. This afternoon, a search of PubMed using the term “COVID 19” for the one-year period from 1/22/2020 to 1/22/2021 returned 92,289 hits. This enormous world-wide research focus has produced amazing results in a short amount of time, including diagnostic tests and mRNA vaccines already approved for emergency use. ECU is playing a significant role in COVID-19 research, engaging many of our graduate students. Check out this ECU web site for an index of COVID-19 projects in various stages of development.
Graduate enrollment continues to increase, thanks in no small part to your efforts to engage with applicants, prospective students, and returning students via email, phone calls, text messages, and social media. Thank you to all who partner with the Graduate Admission Office in this effort. Our work is paying off. Spring 2021 enrollment (headcount) is up 2% compared to last year, and more importantly, graduate student credit hours delivered are up 3.2%. These are important metrics for ECU, as graduate enrollment accounts for about 18% of our student headcount and 23% of our tuition and state appropriations as estimated according to the UNC Change Funding Model.
Most importantly, Dr. Philip Rogers, NC native and ECU Alumnus, has been elected to serve as the 12th Chancellor of East Carolina University. I have had the pleasure of working with Dr. Rogers at ECU several years ago. During that time, I came to recognize in him many of the characteristics I value in other great academic leaders. He has amassed an impressive amount of experience as senior vice president of learning and engagement for the American Council on Education. I am looking forward to the leadership he will bring to ECU.
Paul J. Gemperline, Ph.D. Dean of Graduate Studies
How we're helping you recruit
We are well into the recruiting season for our Fall 2021 cohort of graduate students. Targeted advertising is an important way in which the Graduate School is working with your college and University Communications to help recruit students into your graduate programs. Clint Bailey, Director of Marketing Strategy, leads this collaborative effort with the Graduate School and Undergraduate Admissions.
The targeting strategies we use include name buys from GMAT and GRE. We use geotargeting to focus our advertising efforts in regions where we expect higher levels of interest as identified via consumer data. We use our “How did you first learn about ECU” survey data to identify discipline specific high-interest websites and we preferentially target ads to prospects who visit them. We refine targeting based on where the candidate is in the admission process (funnel stage). We send follow-up ads to prospects that have visited our web sites (known as re-targeting). These different methods help us identify high ability students and diverse populations of prospective students based on their academic interests. We follow up with A/B testing and use this data-driven approach to create focused, high-impact communication sequences.
We use Google ads to promote specific graduate programs by targeting prospects using click-through ads. Ads for graduate certificates and degree programs appear on Snapchat, Facebook, and Instagram as well. Some of the ads are streamed as TV commercials to viewers that match our desired audience (think streaming TV: ROKU, Fire TV, Sling TV, etc). We are able to measure the outcome of these TV ads, for example by tracking which ECU websites they visit after viewing our ads. The benefits of targeting are manyfold, the most important of which are high impact and the efficient use of scarce advertising dollars. To learn more about targeted advertising, contact your college associate dean. With their help, we are happy to partner with you to improve your program’s marketing and recruiting efforts
College Recruiting and Enrollment Reports
At the Graduate School’s monthly Graduate Marketing and Recruiting (GMR) meetings, your college representatives present an analysis of applications, admissions, and enrollment trends in your college programs, including hot spots and areas where applications might be in decline. These in-depth discussions and sharing of information across colleges are giving us better insights and help us learn from each other.
Dr. Heather Ries reported enrollment is up in the College of Arts and Sciences by 6.6% compared to last year. One hotspot is the MA in English. Graduate-level SCH trends in English and Geography are up 17% and 73% respectively. Dr. Tarek Abdel-Salaam reports SCH has increased in the College of Engineering and Technology (CET) this spring with a consistent trend across all departments except one, which is likely due to the difficulty international students are experiencing getting visas. Accelerated BS/MS programs in CET are being used more effectively as pathways into their graduate programs. Paul Russell in the College of Business reports they are experiencing an increase in SCH which may be attributed to more students working less during the pandemic and signing up for more courses in the spring 2021 semester. Dr. Scott Glass reports the College of Education is showing an encouraging increase in applications for the fall 2021 semester. Other college reports will be presented in future issues of this newsletter.
How you can help recruit graduate students
Students tell us over and over, that the personal communications they receive from ECU faculty, staff, and students made the difference in their decision to select an ECU graduate program over other schools. Numerous studies bear this out. Equally important is the timeliness of responses that prospective students receive when they ask questions or submit documents. The advice offered below is simple but as relevant as ever:
- Reach out to your best undergraduate students and personally invite them to learn more about your graduate programs.
- Respond promptly to emails and telephone calls (24 business hours or less).
- Make admission decisions as quickly as possible. Students often enroll in the first program that offers them admission.
Holistic admissions
Many graduate programs at ECU and across the nation have discontinued use of the GRE exam. Now is a good time to look at the practice of holistic admissions. Holistic admission methods look at multiple sources of information, both quantitative and qualitative, to get the fullest picture of each applicant’s potential. Whether or not your graduate program faculty elect to use the GRE, the Graduate School’s view is that holistic admission practices help avoid implicit bias and foster the proper use of GRE scores and undergraduate GPAs. From Educational Testing Service (ETS): “Using a minimum GRE score [or GPA] as the only criterion for denial or acceptance for admission or a fellowship award is not a good practice because it over inflates the role of one measure of an applicant's value over others.” (See ETS report on Test Takers from Underrepresented Groups and GRE Guidelines for the use of scores. From practical experience, we know that the cost of the exam and test anxiety are perceived barriers for many potential applicants.
To address these problems, the ECU Graduate Admission Office in collaboration with the Graduate Council and Graduate Program Directors and Coordinators is developing guidelines, sample practices, and sample rubrics to help faculty admission committees develop and implement holistic admission practices. Development of holistic admissions practices must necessarily start by identify your program’s values and admission goals. Goals identified by graduate programs should then guide your admission process to achieve your goals. Great resources to help you get started can be found on the web site holisticaadmissonis.org. We encourage you to examine these resources and contact Heidi Terry, Assistant Dean of Graduate Admissions and Enrollment Management for more information and direction.
Workshop for Faculty - International Student Writing Colloquium
In response to requests for assistance working with international students and their writing skills, ECU is hosting a virtual colloquium where world-renowned experts in the field of second language writing share their perspectives and tips on working with international student writers. The event is organized by The Department of English, the University Writing Center, and the Office of Global Affairs with support from the Graduate School. We encourage all faculty to attend. More information is available in this workshop announcement.
- February 10-11, 2021 (12noon - 2pm each day)
- All sessions will be delivered via Zoom
- Registration link
Research and Creative Achievement Week (RCAW 2021)
ECU Research and Creative Achievement Week provides students with an opportunity to present their research, practice their presentation skills, and meet other creative scholars at ECU with similar interests. ECU undergraduate students, graduate students, and postdoctoral scholars are invited to present their research to fellow students, colleagues, faculty, and the local community in a professional, conference-style setting. We define research as an original systematic investigation and/or original creative activity designed to develop or contribute to generalizable knowledge or culture.
RCAW Abstract submission is open from January 11 to February 11, 2021
RCAW Schedule (all events will be virtual meetings):
- Graduate student presentations will be held on Monday, March 30.
- Undergraduate student presentations will be held on Wednesday, April 1.
- Postdoctoral scholar presentations will be held on Monday, March 30.
- The recognition ceremony will be held on Monday, April 12 at 12:00 PM.
Vaccine information – dispelling common misconceptions
No doubt by now you have seen in your news feeds that Pitt County Health, Vidant Health, and ECU Physicians are running large-scale vaccination programs. These vaccination programs have the potential to slow and ultimately end the pandemic, but only if the public believes in their safety and efficacy. As academic leaders, we have an obligation to dispel misinformation and help educate our students and the public with factual information about the safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines. Here’s a short FAQ that can help you get started. My thanks to Paul D. Barry, MD, MPH, Office of Prospective Health, Brody School of Medicine for preparing this FAQ. You can also learn more from the CDC about the safety steps in place for the COVID-19 vaccine.
- Is the COVID-19 vaccine safe? What do we know about its safety?
- Have there been any safety concerns with the COVID-19 vaccine?
- How was the COVID-19 vaccine developed so quickly?
- How effective are COVID-19 vaccines?
- Can I get COVID-19 from the vaccine?
- What about the safety of the COVID-19 vaccination for diverse groups of people?
- What is messenger RNA technology?
Self-care and mental health
Take time out for nature!
These are stressful times for all of us, students, faculty and staff alike. Throughout the ages, countless poets and artists have been inspired by nature. Taking time to “get away from it all” is a common idiom, and for good reasons. For many of us, our opportunities to “get away from it all” have been reduced during these pandemic times. Fortunately, spending time outdoors in nature is a great way to “get away from it all” while still easily social distancing at least six feet or more. Spending time in nature is proven to help reduce stress and anxiety, improve mindfulness, and mental health. There is ample evidence of this in thousands of studies from neuroscience, psychology and other related fields.
We are lucky to have many nearby places in Greenville and eastern North Carolina where we can be outdoors in nature while still social distancing. Some are close by. Most are within a one- or two-hour’s drive. Being behind the camera puts me in the moment and heightens my awareness of the beauty in the world around me. It’s a kind of mindfulness/meditation therapy for me. I’ve included a couple of my recent photographs. It is my hope that you take time to get outdoors, put away your cellphone, be present in the moment, immerse yourself in your surroundings, and drink in the inspiration of the natural world around you.
Local Parks
Regional Parks
National Wildlife Refuges
Nearby State Parks
Important Dates and Deadlines
- Monday, January 25, 5pm - Deadline to make schedule changes (adding or dropping courses) for the Spring 2021 15-week semester.
- Monday, February 1, 5pm - Official enrollment count taken at 5pm.
- Wednesday, February 17, 5pm - Last day to withdraw from Block 8W3 courses.
- April 22, 2021 - Deadline for submitting a thesis or dissertation for Spring degree completion
- February 1, 2021 - Deadline for applying for Spring 2021 graduation
"Meet the Staff"
Dr. Kathleen T. Cox - Associate Dean of Graduate Admissions
- Email: coxka@ecu.edu
- Phone: (252) 328-1466
Dr. Kathleen Cox, “Kathy” has been an associate dean in the Graduate School since September 2015. Prior to that, since 1996, Kathy was faculty in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders serving as graduate program director for four years and interim department chair for a year. As a licensed speech-language pathologist, Kathy worked primarily in the area of voice and swallowing disorders both in the on-campus ECU Speech-Language and Hearing Clinic and off-campus at Eastern Carolina ENT for many years. As associate dean, she interacts with the graduate students directly through workshops, generating their monthly newsletter, and some advising and problem-solving. She enjoys the interactions with the graduate program directors and is grateful for her position as it brings her closer to all the amazing things happening in graduate education at ECU. Still astounded by the diversity of research she sees when reviewing theses and dissertations, Kathy is a proud Pirate! In her spare time, Kathy is a huge football fan (GO Pirates, GO Buckeyes!) and spends time with her husband, three sons, and their two dogs. Many ECU students and faculty have had the pleasure of hearing “Rocky” snore away during virtual meetings!
Tania Alvarez - Executive Assistant for the Dean of Graduate Studies
- Email: alvarezt@ecu.edu
- Phone: (252) 328-6073
Tania first joined the ECU Pirate family in November of 2013 as an Administrative Associate for the School of Dental Medicine in the Department of Foundational Sciences and Research. She joined the Graduate School Team in August of 2015, where she has enjoyed working with students, faculty and staff, while helping the Dean keep matters in order to maximize student success, serve the public and transform the region through ECU’s graduate programs.
Tania relocated from Boston, Massachusetts where she lived most of her life. She has five beautiful girls, one handsome son, and three gorgeously amazing grandchildren who are the center of her world. Tania enjoys spending time with her family, taking walks, swimming and crafting. When she is not busy at work in the Graduate School you will find her enjoying family time or exploring the outdoors with her husband and kids.