• Maintaining a dynamic (always under construction) website that enables mentors and students (NC State Undergraduates, non-NC State Undergraduates, Community College students, high school students) to find one another, to have access to information related to local and national competitions, scholarships, workshops, reports on best practices, graduate and professional school opportunities, career advising, national fellowship advising, internships, cooperative education, service learning, and opportunities to work with field faculty involved in extension and engagement.
• Developing a new NC State Journal of Undergraduate Research
• Contributing to the UNC-Office of the President Undergraduate Research Consortium
• Participating in national dialogues/meetings devoted to promoting undergraduate research
• Seeking scholars/professionals to serve as mentors from industry, state and federal agencies, and international sites
• Cultivating study abroad opportunities involving undergraduate research
• Helping position faculty for grants that include support for undergraduate research (REUs, etc.)

2007-2008 Assessment Plan

OFFICE OF UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH

Division of Undergraduate Academic Programs (DUAP)

(Last update: 10/29/07)

Mission :

The Office of Undergraduate Research (OUR) contributes to undergraduate success by providing research experiences (discovery-, inquiry-, and creativity-based learning) gained from hands-on mentorship with nationally and internationally recognized NC State faculty and with local and distant scholars.

Objective I:  Participation in Research or Creative Projects and Presentation of Scholarly Work  

Outcome 1:  A growing percentage of undergraduates will become engaged in research opportunities on campus and at other national and international locations and will present their work at campus symposia, national disciplinary.

Measures:

a.       Participation of students in campus and off-campus symposia, conferences and disciplinary events

b.      Interest expressed by students and mentors through office visits, phone call inquiries, email requests and website “hits”

c.       Growth in the numbers of students applying for OUR research grants

d.      Growth in the number of students who apply for national fellowships and who have had undergraduate research experience

e.       Data provided from the Graduating Senior Survey and the Alumni Survey

Outcome 2:  An increasing percentage of student researchers will arise in the Colleges of Humanities and Social Sciences, Management, and Education (three colleges with few participants in research). 

Measures:

a.       Participation of students in campus and off-campus symposia, conferences and disciplinary events.

b.      Interest expressed by students and mentors through office visits, phone call inquiries, email requests and website “hits.”

c.       Growth in the numbers of students applying for OUR research grants

Outcome 3:  NC State students will submit quality research manuscripts for publication in the Undergraduate Research Journal-NC State University.

Measures:

a.       The number of manuscripts submitted to the student editor-in-chief will increase each year

b.       Members of the Symposium and Grant Awards Committee will rate the quality of papers

Objective II:  Students and Faculty Mentors Will Benefit from the OUR Research Grants

Outcome 1.  The Research Grant Awards provided by the OUR improve a variety of student success, satisfaction and academic measures

Measures:

a.       Pre- and Post-Award questionnaires that are required in order for students to receive the grant

b.      Longitudinal direct interviews with students both prior to and following graduation

c.       University Planning and Analysis data that include pre- and post-award GPA, time to graduation, retention of the student, and course loads taken.

Outcome 2:  The Research Grant Awards benefit faculty mentors

Measures:

a.       Post-Award questionnaire that is required in order for mentors to receive a grant to support operating costs

b.      Publication of the student’s work with the mentor as co-author

c.       Presentation of the research by the student at the mentor’s disciplinary conference

d.      Return of faculty to mentor more students

e.       Requests of faculty for students recommended by the OUR

Objective III:  The Office of Undergraduate Research Will Be Positioned as a National Leader and a Model Program

Outcome 1: The OUR will volunteer to host national and regional conferences on undergraduate research

Measures:

a.       Size of conferences hosted every five years

b.      Number of conferences hosted every five years

Outcome 2:  The OUR will support the State of North Carolina Undergraduate Research and Creativity Symposium (SNCURCS), a conference that it began and fully funded in 2005 and 2006.

Measures:    

a.       Number of NCSU students and mentors attending SNCURCS

b.      Dollar support provided by OUR for posters and free travel to this event

Outcome 3:  OUR will carry its model to other universities and states

Measures:

a.       OUR will assist other states in developing their own “State of Symposium ” by visiting key institutions

b.      OUR will assist other universities in developing an office of undergraduate research

c.       OUR will increase the number of its partnerships with other universities, large and small

Objective IV:  On- and Off-Campus Partnerships Will Be Expanded and Existing Partnerships Will Be Strengthened.

Outcome 1:  Provide support to allied DUAP programs such as the University Honors Program, the Coop Program, and the Fellowships Advising Office

Measures:

a.       Increase the number of students engaged in undergraduate research

b.      Increase the number of referrals to and from these offices

Outcome 2:  Expand partnerships across campus and outside of DUAP

Measures:

a.       Invited talks given to non-DUAP programs, departments and clubs

b.      Distribution of brochures (numbers and locations)

Outcome 3:  Expand partnership with other campuses and organizations

Measures:

a.       Increased visitations to off-campus sites

b.      Increased activities with off-campus partners

Objective V:  Maintain a Helpful, Easy-To-Use, and Dynamic Website That Showcases Students and Mentors:

Outcome 1:  Funds will be provided to keep the OUR website current, informative, simple to use, a way to showcase top students and mentors, and with no inactive links

Measures:

a.       Numbers of “hits” to the site will be recorded for each month of the year

b.      Students visiting the OUR will be asked if the site is helpful and how to improve it

c.       New Students and mentors will be showcased each month on the home page

d.      The administrative assistant will search for inactive links (usually research opportunity links) each week