1. 1 STRATEGIC INTERVENTION FOR DOCTORAL COMPLETION Maureen Grasso Dean of the Graduate School The University of Georgia

2. 2 Project Overview Partnership - UGA, NC State, and University of Florida UGA- will lead the research component NC State and Florida - site coordinators

3. 3 Project Overview STEM and humanities departments 12 departments at each university

4. 4 Four Conditions for Optimal Doctoral Completion Condition #1: The right people apply for doctoral study Condition #2: The right applicants are admitted as doctoral students

5. 5 Four Conditions for Optimal Doctoral Completion Condition #3: Students and faculty form productive working relationships Condition #4: Students experience social support from fellow students

6. 6 Project Goals Goal #1. Improve information for prospective students Goal #2. Analyze admission practices; advise and assist the departments in making needed improvements.

7. 7 Project Goals Goal #3. Analyze department-level orientation and advisor-matching procedures; advise and assist in making needed improvements.

8. 8 Project Goals Goal #4. Provide faculty with information about and the opportunity to discuss the topics that influence degree completion Goal #5. Provide students with information about and the opportunity to discuss important topics in doctoral education

9. 9 Project Goals Goal #6. Establish an online, problem-centered forum to foster peer support among doctoral candidates in the selected department. Goal #7. Assess the impact of the interventions

10. 10 Research Component Research Activity #1: Data-Mining and Benchmarking –Establish norms within and among the three universities Research Activity #2: Program Practices Information

11. 11 Research Component Research Activity #3: Study of Faculty Perceptions Research Activity #4: Student Cohort Study

12. 12 Research Component Research Activity #5: Establishment of Exit Questionnaire Research Activity #6: Evaluating the Interventions Future action conference

13. 13 Benefits of the Study Suggested actions to improve doctoral completion based on both normative and descriptive data The intention of graduate deans at the participating institutions to subsequently expand our efforts A series of six web-based research briefs

14. 14 Strategic intervention for Doctoral Completion at Three Southern Land Grant Institutions: A Proposal for Collaborative Action