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About Frank T. Bayliss, Ph.D. B.S. from Long Beach State UniversityPh.D. from UC Davis Currently Professor of Biology at San Francisco State UniversityDirector, Student Enrichment Opportunities Office, College of Science & Engineering, San Francisco State University

Awards 2003 Andreoli Award: Productive Research/Teaching Excellence. CSU Education/Research in Biotechnology.  2009 SACNAS Distinguished Undergraduate Institution Mentor Award 2010 SFSU Presidential Distinguished Faculty Service Award, 2010 Commencement

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2009 Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring (PAESMEM/NSF).

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NATIONAL Ten-Year Completion Rates by Field & Race/Ethnicity for PhD Students Starting in 1992-4

Source: Reported in Scott Jaschik, “PhD Completion Gaps,” Inside Higher Ed. Sept 9, 2008CGS, Ph.D. Completion Project, 2008

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Top Minority Baccalaureate Producers (2005-6)

UC Doctoral Degree STEM Fields Completion Rates after Ten Years, by Students' US Undergraduate School1

Fall 1992, '93, '94 Doctoral Entry Cohorts

Life Sciences - (Biology/Biochemistry)

SOURCE: UCOP Graduate Longitudinal Data System data, as revised following consultation with graduate divisions. 1. Doctoral degree completion is measured by the award of a degree by the summer of the 10th year after entry.2. Includes all STEM fields, but excludes all other programs.3. Kamran Nayeri, Academic Planning & Budget, UCOP.

Majority URM Majority + URM

72 95

491 672

256 360

289 404

33 44

11 17

42 61

83 112

531 733

76% 71% 60%73% 65% 75% 69% 74% 73% 72%54% 58%

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UC Doctoral Degree STEM Fields Completion Rates after Ten Years, by Students' US Undergraduate School1

Fall 1992, '93, '94 Doctoral Entry Cohorts

Physical Sciences - (Math, Chemistry & Physics)

SOURCE: UCOP Graduate Longitudinal Data System data, as revised following consultation with graduate divisions. 1. Doctoral degree completion is measured by the award of a degree by the summer of the 10th year after entry.2. Includes all STEM fields but excludes all other programs.3. Kamran Nayeri, Academic Planning & Budget, UCOP.

Majority URM Majority + URM

48 107

490 754

157 286

172 318

15 32

10 25

28 57

58 132

518 811

*45%*55%*65% 40% 47% 49% *43% *55%*64%

*Statistically Significant p = 0.0001

45% 52% 49%

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UC Doctoral Degree STEM Fields Completion Rates after Ten Years, by Students' US Undergraduate School1

Fall 1992, '93, '94 Doctoral Entry Cohorts

Engineering & Computer Science

SOURCE: UCOP Graduate Longitudinal Data System data, as revised following consultation with graduate divisions. 1. Doctoral degree completion is measured by the award of a degree by the summer of the 10th year after entry.2. Includes all STEM fields, but excludes all other programs.3. Kamran Nayeri, Academic Planning & Budget, UCOP.

Majority URM Majority + URM

23 61

301 568

116 264

122 287

6 23

5 15

19 50

28 76

320 618

*38% *44%*53%

33% 26%

38% *37% *42%

*52%

*Statistically Significant p = 0.0001

60% 52% 57%

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Essential Criteria for Admission Committees

• Grades - Pattern of Performance & Indicator Courses• Preparation in Subject (Course Selection and Rigor)• Standardized Test Scores in Discipline (GRE Subject & ACS)• Evidence of Prior Research Experience

• Nature of Involvement (Tech versus Engaged Researcher)• Ability to Discuss Past Research Projects (and Newly Described)

• Letters - Analytical and Substantial • Ask Referees with First-Hand Experience and Information

• Interview

• Follow Recommendation of ETS and DO NOT EXCLUDE applicants based on poor GRE scores alone (See “Data View” Handout)

“GRE Data Views” (From ETS)

The graduate admissions process is frequently characterized by tight schedules and insufficient staffing. In order to expedite the process, some graduate programs and departments set an arbitrary cut point for GRE General Test scores. Applicants whose scores fall below this cut point are given little or no consideration in the admissions process.

“The following graphs illustrate why it is INADVISABLE to routinely disregard applicants whose combined verbal and quantitative scores fall below 1000.”

“GRE scores should never be used as the sole criterion by which applicants to graduate programs are denied admission.”

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ETS – DataView

• Percent Below 1000• 86% of African Americans 76% of Puerto Ricans • 69% of Mexican Americans 61% of American Indian and Hispanic• 48% US Citizens 39% Non-US Citizens

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• Percent Below a score of 1000 in GRE test• 86% of African Americans• 76% of Puerto Ricans • 69% of Mexican Americans • 61% of American Indian and Hispanic

• 48% US Citizens • 39% Non-US Citizens

• 35 % Male

• 55 % Female

Ethnic/Racial and Gender Differences

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ETS DataView

• Total, Citizenship and Gender Groups

• 46% of total GRE examinees fell below 1000.

• 39% of non-US citizens and 48% of US citizens fell below 1000.

• 55% of females and 35% males had a combined score of less than 1000.13

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Differential Impact of Curriculum On Aptitude Test Scores Comparison of SAT & GRE

Table I. Angoff & Johnson

William H. Angoff and Eugene G. Johnson, "The Differential Impact of Curriculum on Aptitude Test Scores," 27 J. Ed. Meas. 291, 293 (Table1) (1990).

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Teachers College RecordGrading in American Colleges and Universities

Stuart Rojstaczor & Christipher Hoaly – March 04, 2010

The mean GPA of a school is highly dependent on the average quality of its student body and whether it is public or private. Relative to other schools, public-commuter and engineering schools grade harshly. These trends may help explain why private school students are disproportionately represented in PhD study in science and engineering and why they tend to dominate admission into prestigious professional schools.

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Grade Inflation 1930 to Present

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Long Term Grade Inflation

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Selected GPA for Sample CSU and UC Campuses

http://www.gradeinflation.com/20

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Selected GPA for sample Private Universities

http://www.gradeinflation.com/

What Can Be Done to Increase the Number of URM in Science PhD Degree Programs?

• Modify Review Criteria– Omit General GRE

• Target Non-Traditional Sources– Masters Degree Programs– Post-Baccalaureate Programs

• Partner with Minority Institution(s)– Co-Train students at Research I Institutions– Develop Faculty Buy-in of Joint Program/Students– Admit Students with Promise– Refer Less-Competitive PhD Applicants to CSU

Campuses

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Student with PromiseFrom an SFSU faculty colleague:“The student has great promise -- his lab advisor at UCB says he's been essentially functioning as a PhD student; his GREs are through the roof (97%ile verbal, 92 analytical).  I don't know what his deal in college was.” From the student with a 2.54 GPA:“A short background on me: I finished my undergrad at UCSC in 2008 with a very low GPA; at the time, I hadn't considered graduate school as a future option. I worked at a biotech company for a couple of years but grew restless and bored with the monotony and decided to try for academia. Through a number of meetings with faculty at UC Berkeley, I started as a staff researcher in a neurobiology lab under Dr. Frank Werblin, with the eventual goal of entering into a PhD program at Cal. Unfortunately, after a year-and-a-half of time in his lab, our funding ran out, and he retired, which largely curtailed my push for entry into the program (he was hoping to partially fund my application).”

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Partnerships with“Farm Clubs”

• Consider developing partnerships with minority institutions (UG & Masters)• Relationships will likely require “investment” of time/leadership• Consider established programs:

• Post-Baccalaureate (PREP) Programs (see web site)• MA-MS/PhD Bridge Programs (see web site)• MA-MS/PhD RISE Programs (http://www.nigms.nih.gov/funding/rise.html)• NIH-IMSD Programs (http://www.nigms.nih.gov/funding/imsd.html)

• Sponsor UG & Masters student research at DOCTORAL campuses• Provide faculty seminar speakers to “partner” institutions with full-day activities• Invite faculty from partner institutions to train/collaborate with doctoral

campus faculty during summers and leaves• Offer seminars/courses at “partner” institution in areas of need• Co-write grant proposals to improve research environment/student training• Agree to review all graduate applicants from partner institution