Attachment A - USF



Board of Governors, State University System of Florida Request to Offer a New Degree ProgramUniversity of South Florida-TampaFall 2012University Submitting ProposalProposed Implementation TermCollege of Arts and SciencesCell Biology, Microbiology & Molecular BiologyName of College(s) or School(s)Name of Department(s)/ Division(s)Cell and Molecular BiologyPhD Cell and Molecular BiologyAcademic Specialty or FieldComplete Name of DegreeCIP 26.0406Proposed CIP CodeThe submission of this proposal constitutes a commitment by the university that, if the proposal is approved, the necessary financial resources and the criteria for establishing new programs have been met prior to the initiation of the program.Date Approved by the University Board of TrusteesPresidentDateSignature of Chair, Board of TrusteesDateVice President for Academic AffairsDateProvide headcount (HC) and full-time equivalent (FTE) student estimates of majors for Years 1 through 5. HC and FTE estimates should be identical to those in Table 1 in Appendix A. Indicate the program costs for the first and the fifth years of implementation as shown in the appropriate columns in Table 2 in Appendix A. Calculate an Educational and General (E&G) cost per FTE for Years 1 and 5 (Total E&G divided by FTE).Implementation TimeframeProjected Enrollment (From Table 1)Projected Program Costs(From Table 2)HCFTEE&G Cost per FTEE&G FundsContract & Grants FundsAuxiliary FundsTotal CostYear 13627$34,534$932,408$66,9360$999,344Year 23828.5Year 34030Year 44231.5Year 54433$32,723$1,079,844$66,9360$1,146,780Note: This outline and the questions pertaining to each section must be reproduced within the body of the proposal to ensure that all sections have been satisfactorily addressed. Tables 1 through 4 are to be included as Appendix A and not reproduced within the body of the proposals because this often causes errors in the automatic calculations.IntroductionProgram Description and Relationship to System-Level Goals Preface: This application reflects a reorganization of the Biology Department that began in 2006 and was completed in early 2009. This created the Department of Cell Biology, Microbiology and Molecular Biology and the Department of Integrative Biology. The resources of the old Biology Department (including faculty, staff, teaching assistantships and base budget) were reallocated to the two departments in January 2009. Currently the two departments share the Ph.D. in Biology, with new student applying directly to either CMMB or IB, who handle their own admissions. Therefore, resources have already been established and are sufficient to support the proposed new degree program. This new degree for CMMB simply completes the reorganization at the graduate level.Briefly describe within a few paragraphs the degree program under consideration, including (a) level; (b) emphases, including concentrations, tracks, or specializations; (c) total number of credit hours; and (d) overall purpose, including examples of employment or education opportunities that may be available to program graduates. Level: The proposed degree will be at the graduate level and will be a Ph.D. degree. This degree will be the first Ph.D. degree in Cell and Molecular Biology housed in a public university in the state of Florida. The proposed degree was developed from an existing concentration in Cell and Molecular Biology within the Ph.D. degree in Biology.b) Emphasis including concentrations, tracks, or specializations: The Ph.D. degree will be an integrated, combined program that focuses on the scientific study of cells, cellular systems, and the molecular basis of cell structure and function. It Includes instruction in cell biology, cell chemistry, molecular biology, biophysics, and structural biology.c) Total number of credit hours: This degree requires 90 semester credit hours, comprised as follows:Core Course Work: 19 credits10 creditsFoundations of Knowledge & Learning Core Curriculum9 creditsElectivesResearch Course Work 71 credits32 creditsDirected Research 39 creditsDissertation Researchd) Overall purpose including examples of employment or education opportunities that may be available to program graduates: Biology has changed and diversified far more than other sciences in recent years. This new Cell and Molecular Biology degree will reflect these changes, and focus on training students in the vast new areas of knowledge and understanding. The powerful new methodologies impact how research is carried out and new knowledge gained. All these result in new niches to be filled in the market place.This degree is categorized as a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) program and will train a new generation of biologists. Graduates will be well prepared to become Biotechnologists, Professors, Teachers, and Entrepreneurs in business, healthcare and industry. Students trained in this program will provide a workforce in biotechnology and biomedical fields that will support continued research and development in the state of Florida, in the Tampa bay area, and at USF itself, leading to the production of world class scholars. In addition to working directly in laboratories, well trained biologists often work in businesses, industry and government and use their knowledge of biology to advise and apply scientific principles in business plans and policy issues. Another important area for Cell and Molecular Biology graduates is in science education. A Cell and Molecular Biology Ph.D. degree provides the knowledge base to become an effective teacher, particularly in community colleges and universities, and qualified science teachers are in higher demand than those trained in non-science areas. Other opportunities exist in training, education and public outreach for business, government and private institutions.Describe how the proposed program is consistent with the current State University System (SUS) Strategic Planning Goals. Identify which specific goals the program will directly support and which goals the program will indirectly support. (See the SUS Strategic Plan at ) The Ph.D. in Cell and Molecular Biology specifically supports the current State University System (SUS) Strategic Planning Goal A in “Access to and production of degrees” and Goal B in “Meeting statewide professional and workforce needs”, particularly in the critical areas of Education (Goal B1) Health Professions (Goal B2), Natural Science and Technology (Goal B3b), Medical Science and Health Care (Goal B3c). The new Ph.D. in Cell and Molecular Biology is a new doctoral degree not currently available in the SUS, and graduates will contribute to these goals by working in critical areas related to biotechnology and education.If the program is to be included in an Area of Programmatic Strategic Emphasis as described in the SUS Strategic Plan, please indicate the category and the justification for inclusion.The Areas of Programmatic Strategic Emphasis:Critical Needs: ? Education ? Health Professions ? Security and Emergency Services Economic Development: ? Globalization ? Regional Workforce Demand Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM)The Ph.D. in Cell and Molecular Biology specifically supports the Critical Need in Education and Health Professions because many graduates move into university academic positions where they train undergraduate and graduate students in Cell and Molecular Biology. Graduates from this program also become biomedical (e.g. cancer and other diseases) researchers thus contributing to health professions. This degree supports Economic Development – Regional Workforce Demand because some graduates move into the biotechnology industry. This degree clearly falls into the STEM category as it specializes in Bioscience.D. Identify any established or planned educational sites at which the program is expected to be offered and indicate whether it will be offered only at sites other than the main campus.This degree will be offered only at the USF Tampa campus in the existing Department of Cell Biology, Microbiology and Molecular Biology.Institutional and State Level AccountabilityNeed and DemandNeed: Describe national, state, and/or local data that support the need for more people to be prepared in this program at this level. Reference national, state, and/or local plans or reports that support the need for this program and requests for the proposed program which have emanated from a perceived need by agencies or industries in your service area. Cite any specific need for research and service that the program would fulfill.National Level: The new Ph.D. in Cell and Molecular Biology addresses the need for more targeted training within the biological sciences. As a discipline, biology has changed more than any other scientific field over the past 20 years due to a remarkable expansion of knowledge and methods in cell and molecular biology. This revolution in cell and molecular biology has dramatically changed career options for our students. As a faculty and as a university, we are responsible to focus and develop our curricula in the biological sciences to reflect these changes. The national bioscience industry has a total employment impact of 7.5 million jobs (Battelle Report, 2009, ). A report to Congress (CRS Report for Congress: RL34539) expressed concerns that changing work force needs in science and technology are not being met. The American Institute of Biological Sciences suggests the need for more focused training, particularly in new biological science disciplines related to cell and molecular biology.Many of the students who select the Ph.D. degree in Cell and Molecular Biology will be those pursuing careers in biotechnology, health related areas and science education. They will become faculty members at Universities and Medical Schools, not only teaching, but carrying out research in Biomedicine, Cancer, Aging, Drug Development and Bacterial Pathogenesis. Others will carry out similar research but work in the biotechnology and health industries rather than academic settings.Florida and Local: In 2009, the Governor of Florida highlighted the importance of training Florida’s future workforce in life science related industries “Florida’s economy continues to benefit from the state’s development as a global leader in biotechnology and life sciences. The advances from this industry will continue to diversify Florida’s economy, as well as improve the health and quality of life for everyone.” Biotechnology and health related industries are growing rapidly in Florida and new foci in graduate training within the biological sciences are needed.Numerous biotechnology enterprises such as Scripps, Burnham, Torrey Pines and SRI have been recruited to Florida in recent years (OPPAGA Report No. 06-71). These institutions have begun to spawn entrepreneurial companies and other spinoffs that need well-trained graduates in Cell and Molecular Biology. USF Goals: The new Ph.D. in Cell and Molecular Biology supports USF strategic goal II to “Promote globally competitive undergraduate, graduate and professional programs that support interdisciplinary inquiry”. The proposed degree will “address the changing needs of the region, state and nation through innovative approaches to curriculum development” and “reflect a student body found at a pre-eminent research university.”Demand: Describe data that support the assumption that students will enroll in the proposed program. Include descriptions of surveys or other communications with prospective students. The Ph.D in Cell and Molecular Biology already exists as a concentration in Cell and Molecular Biology within the existing Ph.D. in Biology that was begun in 2007 and fully implemented in 2009. Enrollment is limited by the number of research faculty available to mentor the students and resources to financially support the students. The CMMB department typically turns down numerous qualified applicants each year because of lack of mentors or financial aid for all the qualified applicants. The figure below shows the historical enrollment in the existing program:If substantially similar programs (generally at the four-digit CIP Code or 60 percent similar in core courses), either private or public exist in the state, identify the institution(s) and geographic location(s). Summarize the outcome(s) of communication with such programs with regard to the potential impact on their enrollment and opportunities for possible collaboration (instruction and research). In Appendix B, provide data that support the need for an additional program as well as letters of support, or letters of concern, from the provosts of other state universities with substantially similar programs.The most similar program in the SUS is a Ph.D. degree in Animal Molecular and Cellular Biology (26.0204) at the University of Florida. However, it is focused on agricultural and veterinary animal science rather than biomedical science and biotechnology. The proposed Ph.D. in Cell and Molecular Biology described in this proposal is substantially different because it focuses on human health and biotechnology.Use Table 1 in Appendix A (A for undergraduate and B for graduate) to categorize projected student headcount (HC) and Full Time Equivalents (FTE) according to primary sources. Generally undergraduate FTE will be calculated as 40 credit hours per year and graduate FTE will be calculated as 32 credit hours per year. Describe the rationale underlying enrollment projections. If, initially, students within the institution are expected to change majors to enroll in the proposed program, describe the shifts from disciplines that will likely occur.It is expected that all of the current students in the existing Ph.D. in Biology: Concentration in Cell and Molecular Biology will immediately transfer into the new Ph.D. degree in Cell and Molecular Biology and the old Ph.D. in Biology: Concentration in Cell and Molecular Biology will be discontinued. Therefore in the first year there will be no net change in the number of Ph.D. students. CMMB is a young department and is expecting moderate growth in the number of faculty lines over the next few years to accommodate recent growth in undergraduate headcount and SCH. As new faculty come into the department, the graduate student capacity will increase so it is expected that the new Ph.D. in Cell and Molecular Biology will grow moderately as well. Other than students transferring from the Ph.D. in Biology: Concentration in Cell and Molecular Biology to the new Ph.D. in Cell and Molecular Biology, no shifts in disciplines are likely to occur. Indicate what steps will be taken to achieve a diverse student body in this program. If the proposed program substantially duplicates a program at FAMU or FIU, provide, (in consultation with the affected university), an analysis of how the program might have an impact upon that university’s ability to attract students of races different from that which is predominant on their campus in the subject program.? The university’s Equal Opportunity Officer shall review this section of the proposal and then sign and date in the area below to indicate that the analysis required by this subsection has been reviewed and approved.The current graduate program in the CMMB Department reflects a commitment for diversity. The following steps will be taken to increase underrepresented groups of STEM graduate students. Step 1: The CMMB Department will continue to be a featured program on the SCIENCE CAREER Web Site of Science Magazine and GRAD , two prestigious national locations to feature STEM graduate programs.Step 2: Specifically target Morehouse University, Howard University, Florida A &M University, University of Puerto Rico and University of Virgin Islands for promoting our graduate program. These universities receive substantial federal funding enhancing their STEM undergraduate programs.Step 3: Actively promote the CMMB Graduate Ph.D. program to USF undergraduate minority students who now have become more competitive. A Ph. D. in Cell and Molecular Biology is expected to be attractive to minority STEM students who often head to medical schools. For those with research interests, this degree can be combined with MD programs. We will continue to work with USF Honors College in placing excellent STEM students in undergraduate research programs, hoping to keep them in the USF pipeline into the CMMB Ph.D. program. Because there is no other Cell and Molecular Ph. D. offered in Florida, we do not anticipate any unfavorable impact. Signature of Equal Opportunity OfficerDateBudgetUse Table 2 in Appendix A to display projected costs and associated funding sources for Year 1 and Year 5 of program operation. Use Table 3 in Appendix A to show how existing Education & General funds will be shifted to support the new program in Year 1. In narrative form, summarize the contents of both tables, identifying the source of both current and new resources to be devoted to the proposed program. (Data for Year 1 and Year 5 reflect snapshots in time rather than cumulative costs.) If the university intends to operate the program through continuing education on a cost-recovery basis or market rate, provide a rationale for doing so and a timeline for seeking Board of Governors’ approval, if appropriate.This application reflects a reorganization of the Biology Department into two new departments that began in 2006 and was completed in early 2009. Part of the reorganization was to phase out the old Ph.D. in Biology and replace it with new degrees that better serve graduate students in today’s world. The resources have already been established and are sufficient to support the proposed new degree program as it simply replaces an existing program. The net number of students in the biological sciences at USF is not expected to change initially. This degree will replace the current concentration in Cell and Molecular Biology within the Ph.D. in Biology. The old concentration and Biology degree will be phased out as the new degree is phased in. New students will be required to enroll in the new degree. It is expected that students in the old concentration will transfer immediately to the new degree but will have the option of completing the old concentration described in the catalog of the year they entered USF. Graduates from this Ph.D. program will pursue careers in biomedical and biotechnology fields. If other programs will be impacted by a reallocation of resources for the proposed program, identify the program and provide a justification for reallocating resources. Specifically address the potential negative impacts that implementation of the proposed program will have on related undergraduate programs (i.e., shift in faculty effort, reallocation of instructional resources, reduced enrollment rates, greater use of adjunct faculty and teaching assistants). Explain what steps will be taken to mitigate any such impacts. Also, discuss the potential positive impacts that the proposed program might have on related undergraduate programs (i.e., increased undergraduate research opportunities, improved quality of instruction associated with cutting-edge research, improved labs and library resources). The Biology Department reorganized into two new departments between 2006 and 2009, creating the Department of Cell Biology, Microbiology and Molecular Biology and the Department of Integrative Biology. The resources of the old Biology Department (including faculty, staff, teaching assistantships and base budget) were reallocated to the two departments in January 2009. Currently the two departments share the Ph.D. in Biology but with distinct concentrations, with new student applying directly to either CMMB or IB, who handle their own admissions. This new degree for CMMB simply completes the reorganization at the graduate level. Describe other potential impacts on related programs or departments (e.g., increased need for general education or common prerequisite courses, or increased need for required or elective courses outside of the proposed major). The new Ph.D. degree in Cell and Molecular Biology will retain the same course format as the present Ph.D. in Biology: Concentration in Cell and Molecular Biology, so there will be little or no impact to other programs or departments. Describe what steps have been taken to obtain information regarding resources (financial and in-kind) available outside the institution (businesses, industrial organizations, governmental entities, etc.). Describe the external resources that appear to be available to support the proposed program.The most significant source of extramural funds to support CMMB graduate students are federal research grants. Many Ph.D. students are supported by grants that provide Research Assistantships, tuition waivers or laboratory supplies, equipment and reagents needed for their research. CMMB typically expends $2.2 million in research dollars each year as shown in the figure below:The CMMB Department has established several USF Foundation accounts and works actively with the College of Arts and Sciences Development office. The Department of CMMB intends to establish some graduate scholarships in the future using our general USF Foundation fund and an allocation from the College of Arts and Sciences Wood Foundation. The CMMB Department also receives Tharp Foundation funds that support graduate education. Our general USF Foundation fund also supports our seminar program which brings nationally recognized researchers to USF. These seminars are attended by our graduate students. Many CMMB Department graduate students are involved in interdisciplinary research activities with our colleagues at the Florida Center of Excellence for Drug Discovery and Innovation, the Byrd Center, USF Health and the Moffitt Cancer center. The USF Herbarium is housed within the CMMB Department and also supports our seminar program.Projected Benefit of the Program to the University, Local Community, and StateUse information from Tables 1 and 2 in Appendix A, and the supporting narrative for “Need and Demand” to prepare a concise statement that describes the projected benefit to the university, local community, and the state if the program is implemented. The projected benefits can be both quantitative and qualitative in nature, but there needs to be a clear distinction made between the two in the narrative.Projected qualitative benefits of the Ph.D. in Cell and Molecular Biology to USF: The University of South Florida benefits from having the State’s first doctoral Degree in Cell and Molecular Biology in the College of Arts and Sciences. Students attend USF with a specific desire of obtaining this focused specialized graduate degree and it is expected that the quality of students in the program will rise. The new degree will allow USF to be more competitive with the changing field of biology and the degree brings a new focus that better prepares students for academic and biotechnology related jobs. This new degree will also contribute to the efforts at the College of Medicine, the Byrd Alzheimer’s Institute and the Moffitt Cancer Center.Projected quantitative benefits of the Ph.D. in Cell and Molecular Biology to USF: It is expected that this degree will attract more applicants over the next five years, allowing the program to grow within the resources available to the program (Table 1). Projected qualitative benefits of the Ph.D. in Cell and Molecular Biology to community: The local Tampa Bay Area benefits from having students equipped with a degree in Cell and Molecular Biology to fill critical needs of research institutes and biotechnology companies for graduates with advanced training in biomedical sciences. The development of the I-4 technology corridor depends on graduates of modern degree programs in science and engineering such as the new degree in Cell and Molecular Biology.Projected quantitative benefits of the Ph.D. in Cell and Molecular Biology to the community: According to the Florida High Technology Corridor web site, the I-4 Technology corridor is composed of more than 200 companies with over 10,000 employees in the area of Life Sciences and Medical Technologies (). Graduates with the new Ph.D. degree in Cell and Molecular Biology will help fulfill the workforce needs of this industry.Projected qualitative benefits of the Ph.D. in Cell and Molecular Biology to Florida: The Ph.D. in Cell and Molecular Biology provides unique academic training for biomedically oriented students. It also contributes to a pipe-line of highly trained labor force for high tech companies, which the new governor desires to attract to the state. (St. Petersburg Times, December 2010). Finally the new degree supports the current State University System (SUS) Strategic Planning Goal A in “Access to and production of degrees” and Goal B in “Meeting statewide professional and workforce needs”, particularly in the critical areas of Education (Goal B1) Health Professions (Goal B2), Natural Science and Technology (Goal B3b), Medical Science and Health Care (Goal B3c). Access and Articulation – Bachelor’s Degrees OnlyIf the total number of credit hours to earn a degree exceeds 120, provide a justification for an exception to the policy of a 120 maximum and submit a separate request to the Board of Governors for an exception along with notification of the program’s approval. (See criteria in Board of Governors Regulation 6C-8.014)Not Applicable. List program prerequisites and provide assurance that they are the same as the approved common prerequisites for other such degree programs within the SUS (see the Common Prerequisite Manual at ). The courses in the Common Prerequisite Counseling Manual are intended to be those that are required of both native and transfer students prior to entrance to the major program, not simply lower-level courses that are required prior to graduation. The common prerequisites and substitute courses are mandatory for all institution programs listed, and must be approved by the Articulation Coordinating Committee (ACC). This requirement includes those programs designated as “limited access.”If the proposed prerequisites are not listed in the Manual, provide a rationale for a request for exception to the policy of common prerequisites. NOTE: Typically, all lower-division courses required for admission into the major will be considered prerequisites. The curriculum can require lower-division courses that are not prerequisites for admission into the major, as long as those courses are built into the curriculum for the upper-level 60 credit hours. If there are already common prerequisites for other degree programs with the same proposed CIP, every effort must be made to utilize the previously approved prerequisites instead of recommending an additional “track” of prerequisites for that CIP. Additional tracks may not be approved by the ACC, thereby holding up the full approval of the degree program. Programs will not be entered into the State University System Inventory until any exceptions to the approved common prerequisites are approved by the ACC.Not Applicable. If the university intends to seek formal Limited Access status for the proposed program, provide a rationale that includes an analysis of diversity issues with respect to such a designation. Explain how the university will ensure that community college transfer students are not disadvantaged by the Limited Access status. NOTE: The policy and criteria for Limited Access are identified in Board of Governors Regulation 6C-8.013. Submit the Limited Access Program Request form along with this document.Not Applicable.If the proposed program is an AS-to-BS capstone, ensure that it adheres to the guidelines approved by the Articulation Coordinating Committee for such programs, as set forth in Rule 6A-10.024 (see Statewide Articulation Manual at ). List the prerequisites, if any, including the specific AS degrees which may transfer into the program.Not Applicable. Institutional ReadinessRelated Institutional Mission and StrengthDescribe how the goals of the proposed program relate to the institutional mission statement as contained in the SUS Strategic Plan and the University Strategic Plan.The new Ph.D. in Cell and Molecular Biology supports USF strategic goal II to “Promote globally competitive undergraduate, graduate and professional programs that support interdisciplinary inquiry”. The proposed degree will “address the changing needs of the region state and nation through innovative approaches to curriculum development” and “reflect a student body found at a pre-eminent research university.” The degree also supports the current State University System (SUS) Strategic Planning Goal B in “Meeting statewide professional and workforce needs”, particularly in the critical areas of Health Professions, Natural Science and Technology, Medical Science and Health Care and Information Technology. Describe how the proposed program specifically relates to existing institutional strengths, such as programs of emphasis, other academic programs, and/or institutes and centers.The proposed Ph.D. in Cell and Molecular Biology builds on existing strengths in the biological sciences at USF. USF has strong undergraduate programs in biological and biomedical sciences that feed directly into this program. The department has close ties to other science departments in the College of Arts and Sciences as well as the College of Medicine, the Center for Drug Discovery and Innovation, the Moffitt Cancer Center, and the Johnny Byrd Alzheimer’s Center. Our graduate students utilize facilities and expertise in these other departments and centers. The CMMB department shares an interest in Structural Biology with the Department of Molecular Medicine in the College of Medicine and has a close relationship with the Moffitt Cancer Biology Ph.D. Program which is academically housed in CMMB. Two of our faculty and many of our graduate students are closely involved with the Center for Drug Discovery and Innovation. A distinct synergy and cooperativity has developed between our department and other biomedically oriented departments and centers at USF.Provide a narrative of the planning process leading up to submission of this proposal. Include a chronology (table) of activities, listing both university personnel directly involved and external individuals who participated in planning. Provide a timetable of events necessary for the implementation of the proposed program.In 2006, the Dean of Arts and Sciences directed the Biology Department to reorganize into two smaller but more focused departments. This was fully implemented in January 2009 with the creation of the Integrative Biology Department and the Department of Cell Biology, Microbiology and Molecular Biology. At that time, the Dean asked the two departments to develop new Ph.D. programs. Planning ProcessDateParticipantsPlanning ActivityFall 2008CMMB Division Graduate CommitteeDraft of the Ph.D. Biology concentration in Cell and Molecular BiologyFall 2011CMMB Department Graduate CommitteeDraft the Ph.D. in Cell and Molecular BiolgyEvents Leading to ImplementationDateImplementation ActivityDec 2008USF approved the Ph.D. Biology Concentration in Cell and Molecular BiologySpring 2011Department approved the Ph.D. in Cell and Molecular BiologyProgram Quality Indicators - Reviews and AccreditationIdentify program reviews, accreditation visits, or internal reviews for any university degree programs related to the proposed program, especially any within the same academic unit. List all recommendations and summarize the institution's progress in implementing the recommendations.The CMMB Department is only two years old and has not yet undergone an external review process. However, the Department, as a part of the USF Tampa campus, is accredited by SACS. The graduate program is administered and reviewed by the CMMB Graduate Committee and the Chair, as well as the Dean’s office in the College of Arts and Sciences. All existing degrees including the current Ph.D. in Biology: Concentration in Cell and Molecular Biology were approved by the Department, the College and USF at the level of the Graduate Council. Curriculum Describe the specific expected student learning outcomes associated with the proposed program. If a bachelor’s degree program, include a web link to the Academic Learning Compact or include the document itself as an appendix.The faculty in the new (3/1/09) Department of Cell Biology, Microbiology, and Molecular Biology (CMMB) are committed to prepare students for professional careers in the area of cell and molecular biology through pursuing excellence in understanding structural and computational biology and molecular cell biology. We serve the University, scientific and greater community by providing intellectual resources and engaging in scholarly activities that are consistent with our educational and research missions.Outcome 1: Students will pass a written qualifying exam on a specific area of cell and molecular biology. Methods of Assessment: PhD students must write and pass a written qualifying exam based on general and discipline specific areas of cell and molecular biology. The students’ major advisor and two nominated faculty members will judge the written exam for scientific competence by a faculty-developed rubric (FDR). The student must achieve at least a 70% from the rubric to be considered passing.Outcome 2: Students will demonstrate the ability to orally communicate knowledge in the core areas of cell and molecular biology, as well as specialized areas.Methods of Assessment: All PhD students must successfully complete an oral qualifying examination to a supervisory committee consisting of their major advisor and three other credentialed faculty members. The committee will use an FDR to assess the student’s discipline-specific knowledge and their general knowledge in the field of cell and molecular biology. Students must score at least a 70% from the FDR to successfully satisfy this outcome.Outcome 3: Students will generate a written dissertation proposal that contains a cohesive set of experiments and addresses a specific hypothesis in the areas of cell and molecular biology.Methods of Assessment: PhD students must write an original dissertation proposal that describes their dissertation research in the core areas of cell and molecular biology as well as more specialized areas. The students’ committee, consisting of their major advisor and three other credentialed faculty members, will approve the topic. The proposal will be assessed for scientific competence by a faculty-developed rubric (FDR). The student must achieve at least a 70% from the rubric.Outcome 4: Students will present and defend a dissertation in a specialized area of cell and molecular biology.Methods of Assessment: All PhD students must present and defend a scholarly dissertation based on their research. All students must successfully present and defend their dissertation research to the faculty in an open seminar. The student’s committee will then use an FDR to assess the defense and overall quality of the dissertation in the field of cell and molecular biology. Students must score at least a 70% based on the FDR to successfully satisfy this outcome.Describe the admission standards and graduation requirements for the program.To gain acceptance into the program, students must apply to the USF Graduate School for admission to the PhD program in our department. Students must submit copies of transcripts, GRE scores, supporting documents, and a statement of personal research interests directly to the department. International applicants must also submit TOEFL scores and assessed and validated copies of their international transcripts. The minimum admission requirements are a GPA of 3.0 and a GRE score of 1100. The graduation requirements for this program are 90 credits of study in total (including 24 credits Dissertation Research), the successful completion of a written and oral preliminary doctoral examinations, the submission and approval of a dissertation proposal, the presentation of research at 2 separate national/regional professional meetings, the submission of one research article for publication to a refereed scientific journal, the submission of an acceptable dissertation and the presentation of doctoral seminar and successful research defense.Further information on admission criteria, departments, majors, programs, advising and other services of the College may be obtained from the Office of Graduate and Undergraduate Studies (BEH 201), College of Arts and Sciences, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida 33620 ().Describe the curricular framework for the proposed program, including number of credit hours and composition of required core courses, restricted electives, unrestricted electives, thesis requirements, and dissertation requirements. Identify the total numbers of semester credit hours for the degree. Students must take a minimum of 90 credits as outlined belowCore CoursesBSC6932 Advances in Scientific Review (2)PCB6920 Advances in Cellular & Molecular Biology (1)BSC6936 Scientific Grant Writing (3)BSC6930 Lectures in Contemporary Biology (1h, taken 4 times) (4)BSC7980 Doctoral Dissertation (24 minimum)BSC7936 PhD Seminar (1)Electives [minimum 9h]PCB 5616 Molecular Phylogenetics (3)PCB 5525 Molecular Genetics (3)PCB 6107 Advanced Cell Biology (3)BSC 5420 Genetic Engineering (3)MCB 5206 Public Health & Pathogenic Microbiology (3)PCB 6236 Advanced ImmunologyPCB 5256 Developmental BiologyBSC 6932 Selected Topics (1-4)The remaining hours are comprised of BSC 7910 Directed Research prior to reaching doctoral candidacy and BSC7980 Doctoral Dissertation upon reaching candidacy. Dissertation RequirementsThe dissertation of all graduate students admitted to a graduate degree program at the University of South Florida must conform to the guidelines of the Handbook for Graduate Thesis and Dissertations available from the USF Graduate School ().Provide a sequenced course of study for all majors, concentrations, or areas of emphasis within the proposed program. Fall year 1BSC7910 Directed Research (2)Research BSC6932 Advances in Scientific Review (2)Core coursePCB6920 Advances in Cellular & Molecular Biology (1)Core courseFree Elective (3)ElectiveBSC6930 Lectures in Contemporary Biology (1)Core courseSpring year 1BSC7910 Directed Research (2)Research BSC6936 Scientific Grant Writing (3)Core courseFree Elective (3)ElectiveBSC6930 Lectures in Contemporary Biology (1)Core courseSummer year 1BSC7910 Directed Research (6)Research Fall year 2BSC7910 Directed Research (5)Research Free Elective (3)ElectiveBSC6930 Lectures in Contemporary Biology (1)Core courseSpring year 2BSC7910 Directed Research (8)Research BSC6930 Lectures in Contemporary Biology (1)Core courseSummer year 2BSC7910 Directed Research (6)Research Fall year 3*BSC7910 Directed Research (9)Research *students should be advanced to candidacy by the completion of the Fall of year 3Spring year 3BSC7980 Doctoral Dissertation (9)Research Summer year 3BSC7980 Doctoral Dissertation (6)Research Fall year 4BSC7980 Doctoral Dissertation (9)Research Spring year 4BSC7980 Doctoral Dissertation (9)Research Summer year 4BSC7980 Doctoral Dissertation (6)Research Fall year 5BSC7980 Doctoral Dissertation (9)Research Spring year 5BSC7980 Doctoral Dissertation (9)Research Summer year 5BSC7980 Doctoral Dissertation (6)Research Fall year 5*BSC7980 Doctoral Dissertation (8)Research BSC7936 PhD Seminar (1)Defense *Students are expected to finish in their 4th year but some may require additional time.Provide a one- or two-sentence description of each required or elective course. BSC 5420 Genetic Engineering (3)This course deals with the techniques and theories of applied molecular manipulationsPCB 5256 Developmental Biology (3)This course deals with topics concerning the molecular and cellular events of developmentPCB 5525 Molecular Genetics (3)This course deals with the grounding principles to modern molecular biologyPCB 5616 Molecular Phylogenetics (3)This course deals with the relatedness of living organisms through molecular evolutionMCB 5206 Public Health & Pathogenic Microbiology (3)This course deals with the impact of pathogenic bacteria on human healthBSC6930 Lectures in Contemporary Biology (4)This seminar series provides students exposure to national and international scientists presenting their research workBSC 6932 Selected Topics (1-4)Course content will deal with student’s and instructor’s interestBSC6932 Advances in Scientific Review (2)This course provides new graduate students an exposure to the techniques and skills for scientific analysis and reviewBSC6936 Scientific Grant Writing (3)This course deals with the preparation of scientific grant proposalsPCB 6107 Advanced Cell Biology (3)This course deals with the grounding principles to modern cellular biologyPCB 6236 Advanced ImmunologyThis course deals with advanced study of the human immune systemPCB6920 Advances in Cellular & Molecular Biology (1)This discussion trains new graduate students in the art of giving research presentationsBSC 7910 Directed Research (1-)Directed research is for pre-candidacy students when performing their bench researchBSC7936 PhD Seminar (1)This seminar class is for final semester students presenting their dissertation researchBSC7980 Doctoral Dissertation (24)Doctoral dissertation is for post-candidacy students when performing their bench researchFor degree programs in the science and technology disciplines, discuss how industry-driven competencies were identified and incorporated into the curriculum and indicate whether any industry advisory council exists to provide input for curriculum development and student assessment. The proposed Ph.D. degree in Cell and Molecular Biology is consistent with the needs of graduate students who plan careers in biomedical research, biotechnology and research related fields. There is no special accreditation or curricular organization by outside professional agencies in cell and molecular biology. However, the proposed Ph.D. in Cell and Molecular Biology is consistent with those of peer departments at other universities.For all programs, list the specialized accreditation agencies and learned societies that would be concerned with the proposed program. Will the university seek accreditation for the program if it is available? If not, why? Provide a brief timeline for seeking accreditation, if appropriate.There is no special accreditation by professional agencies in cell and molecular biology.For doctoral programs, list the accreditation agencies and learned societies that would be concerned with corresponding bachelor’s or master’s programs associated with the proposed program. Are the programs accredited? If not, why?There is no special accreditation by professional agencies in cell and molecular biology.Briefly describe the anticipated delivery system for the proposed program (e.g., traditional delivery on main campus; traditional delivery at branch campuses or centers; or nontraditional delivery such as distance or distributed learning, self-paced instruction, or external degree programs). If the proposed delivery system will require specialized services or greater than normal financial support, include projected costs in Table 2 in Appendix A. Provide a narrative describing the feasibility of delivering the proposed program through collaboration with other universities, both public and private. Cite specific queries made of other institutions with respect to shared courses, distance/distributed learning technologies, and joint-use facilities for research or internships. The proposed Ph.D. in Cell and Molecular Biology will be traditionally delivered on campus. Because the primary focus is on bench-related research it would be inappropriate to execute the program through distance or distributed learning. Faculty Participation Use Table 4 in Appendix A to identify existing and anticipated ranked (not visiting or adjunct) faculty who will participate in the proposed program through Year 5. Include (a) faculty code associated with the source of funding for the position; (b) name; (c) highest degree held; (d) academic discipline or specialization; (e) contract status (tenure, tenure-earning, or multi-year annual [MYA]); (f) contract length in months; and (g) percent of annual effort that will be directed toward the proposed program (instruction, advising, supervising internships and practica, and supervising thesis or dissertation hours). The proposed Ph.D. program is focused on laboratory research, so the main effort by the faculty is mentoring, advising and supervising students in their dissertation research efforts. The CMMB Department has 14 tenure earning/tenured assistant, associate or full professors engaged in mentoring of Ph.D. graduate students and in teaching graduate courses. In addition, two of our permanent instructors teach graduate courses as part of their assignment as summarized in Table 4. Use Table 2 in Appendix A to display the costs and associated funding resources for existing and anticipated ranked faculty (as identified in Table 2 in Appendix A). Costs for visiting and adjunct faculty should be included in the category of Other Personnel Services (OPS). Provide a narrative summarizing projected costs and funding sources.The Ph.D. degree in Cell and Molecular Biology will be phased in as a replacement for the old Ph.D. degree in Biology: Concentration in Cell and Molecular Biology. This is being done as part of the reorganization of the old Biology department into two new departments. The number of majors in the Ph.D. degree in Cell and Molecular Biology is expected to be similar to the number of majors in the old Ph.D. degree in Biology: Concentration in Cell and Molecular Biology. Because of this, the amount of SCH generated by the CMMB Department is not expected to change and no additional cost or funding sources will be necessary. We anticipate moderate growth in the number of faculty in the department over the next five years, primarily to catch up with growth in our undergraduate and graduate programs over the last few years. These new faculty positions are not linked to the proposed Ph.D. program directly.Provide in the appendices the curriculum vitae (CV) for each existing faculty member (do not include information for visiting or adjunct faculty).Provide evidence that the academic unit(s) associated with this new degree have been productive in teaching, research, and service. Such evidence may include trends over time for average course load, FTE productivity, student HC in major or service courses, degrees granted, external funding attracted, as well as qualitative indicators of excellence.The CMMB Department offers several undergraduate and graduate degrees:B.S. in Biology, concentration in Cell and Molecular Biology (624* students)B.S. in Microbiology (300 students)B.S. in Health Sciences (600 students)M.S. in Biology, Concentration in Cell and Molecular Biology (15 students)M.S. in Microbiology (3 students)Ph.D. in Biology: Concentration in Cell and Molecular Biology (34 students)Ph.D. in Cancer Biology (in association with the Moffitt Cancer Center, 32 students)*The B.S. in Biology is shared with the Integrative Biology Department. Approximately half of the current 1249 headcount are in the Cell and Molecular Biology Concentration).The department faculty members are extraordinarily productive in teaching:Undergraduate students in Biology, Microbiology and Health Sciences total approximately 1500 students. Undergraduate SCH is approaching 25,0000 annually. Each CMMB faculty member teaches an average of 603 SCH per semester. This includes 14 research active faculty and 7 full time instructors.-48895194945CMMB has approximately 34 Ph.D. students with the Biology: Concentration in Cell and Molecular Biology program, and an additional 32 Ph.D. students in the associated program at the Moffitt Cancer Center. In addition, there are 18 M.S. students within the department. Annual graduate SCH in the department reached 1800 in the 10/11 academic year:There is a strong research commitment within the department. In the current academic year, CMMB faculty hold a total of $7.5 million in extramural funds and spend approximately $2.2.million each year on research activities, primarily by graduate students. The 14 research faculty members collectively publish approximately 34 publications each year.CMMB faculty carry out significant service projects each year. Typically this is departmental, college and university committee work as well as peer reviewing of manuscripts for journals and grant proposals for funding agencies. In addition, our faculty serve as editors and on editorial boards for journals and scientific organizations, organize conferences, judge science fair projects and a myriad of other duties.Non-Faculty ResourcesDescribe library resources currently available to implement and/or sustain the proposed program through Year 5. Provide the total number of volumes and serials available in this discipline and related fields. List major journals that are available to the university’s students. Include a signed statement from the Library Director that this subsection and subsection B have been reviewed and approved.The University of South Florida’s Library System consists of the USF’s main research library located on the Tampa campus and includes the Hicks and Elaine Shimberg Health Sciences Library and the Louis de la Parte Mental Health Institute Library.All of the USF Libraries provide access to more than 2 million volumes and an extensive collection of electronic resources including approximately 52,500 e-journal subscriptions, 541,000 eBooks and 900 aggregator databases (i.e. AccessScience, BIOSIS Citation Index, MEDLINE, Web of Knowledge, Web of Science) containing another 13,000 unique e-journal titles, 48,000 e-books, and 150,000 digital images. The USF Libraries subscribe to 767 print and other non-electronic format serials in the major subject fields of biology and an additional 779 in the related areas of the medical and chemical(molecular) sciences. The USF Libraries provides online subscriptions to 1331 periodical and journal titles in the major subject fiends of biology (direct online subscription titles and multi-publisher aggregated titles) and 3963 more in the related areas of medicine and chemistry (molecular). Included in the 1331 total electronic titles are 129 Microbiology titles. See the appendix for more information.Describe additional library resources that are needed to implement and/or sustain the program through Year 5. Include projected costs of additional library resources in Table 3 in Appendix A. Recognizing the value and importance of research in biology, the USF Libraries will continue a sustained level of support for doctoral research in Cell Biology, Microbiology and Molecular Biology, along with allied and associated subject areas and disciplines. Within the next five years, the expectation would be for a continued level of support for these disciplines. An increase in the cost of the library’s journal subscriptions would be anticipated, with typical annual increases of 3-6%. The acquisition of additional resources would have to balanced against the research needs of other academic disciplines on campus within the confines of any budgetary restraints that the university could face during the next five years. See the appendix for more information.Signature of Library DirectorDateA complete signed statement from the USF Library Director is included in the AppendixDescribe classroom, teaching laboratory, research laboratory, office, and other types of space that are necessary and currently available to implement the proposed program through Year 5.CMMB is located in the BSF and ISA buildings. There are 24,000 sf of research laboratory space and 3,500 sf of office space assigned to CMMB in these buildings. There are also 7 undergraduate teaching labs in ISA totaling 8,400 sf dedicated to graduate students teaching undergraduate laboratory courses. CMMB utilizes university wide classroom space for lecture courses. These spaces are sufficient to support the new Ph.D. degree in Cell and Molecular Biology.Describe additional classroom, teaching laboratory, research laboratory, office, and other space needed to implement and/or maintain the proposed program through Year 5. Include any projected Instruction and Research (I&R) costs of additional space in Table 2 in Appendix A. Do not include costs for new construction because that information should be provided in response to X (J) below.No additional classroom, laboratory or office space will be necessary.Describe specialized equipment that is currently available to implement the proposed program through Year 5. Focus primarily on instructional and research requirements.USF has abundant research infrastructure to support the endeavors of faculty and graduate student. We possess departmental confocal miscroscopy, cell culture and microarray facilities. University wide the Center for Drug Discovery and Innovation has extensive proteomics and mass-spectrometry facilities, as well as NMR instrumentation. Through various USF Health departments we have access to animal experimentation facilities, flow cytometry, fluorescent imaging, analytical and electron microscopy, laser microdissection and histology tools. This is in addition to individual laboratory equipment and instrumentation within CMMB.Describe additional specialized equipment that will be needed to implement and/or sustain the proposed program through Year 5. Include projected costs of additional equipment in Table 2 in Appendix A.No additional specialized equipment is needed to sustain the new Ph.D. degree in Cell and Molecular Biology. Describe any additional special categories of resources needed to implement the program through Year 5 (access to proprietary research facilities, specialized services, extended travel, etc.). Include projected costs of special resources in Table 2 in Appendix A. No additional specialized categories of resources are needed to sustain the new Ph.D. degree in Cell and Molecular Biology.Describe fellowships, scholarships, and graduate assistantships to be allocated to the proposed program through Year 5. Include the projected costs in Table 2 in Appendix A. The department receives a teaching assistantship and tuition waiver budget from the College to support graduate students enrolled in our department who teach undergraduate laboratory courses. The department receives about $20,000 annually in THARP and $10,000 in WOODS foundation money to support the continuance of graduate education. These funds are used primarily for summer support. Additional students are supported by research grants awarded to our faculty via research assistantships, tuition waivers and laboratory supply money. In 2011, 4 graduate students were supported by research grants in the academic year and 11 in the summer. We also have a number students supported in the department by USF scholarships, including diversity success awards.Describe currently available sites for internship and practicum experiences, if appropriate to the program. Describe plans to seek additional sites in Years 1 through 5.Internships or Practicum Experiences are not required by the Ph.D. program in Cell and Molecular Biology. Our students are required to perform experimental research, which they conduct in the research laboratories of our faculty. If a new capital expenditure for instructional or research space is required, indicate where this item appears on the university's fixed capital outlay priority list. Table 2 in Appendix A includes only Instruction and Research (I&R) costs. If non-I&R costs, such as indirect costs affecting libraries and student services, are expected to increase as a result of the program, describe and estimate those expenses in narrative form below. It is expected that high enrollment programs in particular would necessitate increased costs in non-I&R activities.No new funding is requested for the Ph.D. degree in Cell and Molecular Biology. ................
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