Texas Tech University

Strategic Objectives

Vision

The Bob L. Herd Department of Petroleum Engineering will be the undergraduate petroleum engineering program of choice in Texas and the USA and will be recognized as one of the top research and graduate petroleum engineering departments in the nation in specialized areas.

Mission

  • To provide excellent instruction and design experiences essential for graduates to enter the practice of petroleum engineering and pursue life-long professional development.
  • To conduct research that generates, communicates, and applies new knowledge for the betterment of society.
  • To foster a spirit of service and leadership among students and faculty and assist the public in addressing issues concerning the use of resources, protection of the environment, and development of infrastructures.
  • The department fulfills an obligation to the people of the state of Texas and the nation in making available the technical expertise for the safe and efficient development, production, and management of petroleum reserves.

Strategic Plan

Goals, Critical Success Factors, and Objectives (including Strategies & Assessments)

Goal 1: Access & Diversity − recruit, retain, and graduate an academically prepared & diverse student body

Critical Success Factors (measured by the degree success over 5 years):

  • contact by department recruiter to counselors and instructors at community college to recruit academically outstanding transfer students
  • department recruiter
  • recruiting budget
  • support lecturer in department to assist with course load
  • faculty development

Objective 1.1: Improve retention & graduation rates

Strategy

  • Increased faculty and staff contact with freshmen and sophomores.

Assessment

  • Retention and graduate rates.

Objective 1.2: Acquire funding for additional scholarships & fellowships to attract the best & brightest diverse students

Strategy

  • Explore funding opportunities from industry, government, and university for scholarships.

Assessment

  • Number and amount of scholarships.

Objective 1.3: Expand current recruiting efforts to establish effective relationships with regional community colleges

Strategy

  • Expand current efforts of recruiting.

Assessment

  • Number and quality of new students from community colleges.

Objective 1.4: Expand departmental recruiter's responsibilities to include national and international recruiting activities

Strategy

  • Seek industry money to first retain recruiter and then to increase recruiting efforts.

Assessment

  • Number of new international students.

Objective 1.5: Improve funding for faculty development in advising and teaching effectiveness with emphasis on retention

Strategy

  • Explore options for funding and classes for improved advising techniques.

Assessment

  • Student exit evaluations with emphasis on advising.

Objective 1.6: Graduate program building to 30/25 MS/PhD students annually

Strategy

  • Approval of Ph.D. program has been granted. Students have been admitted for Fall 2001 semester.
  • Explore opportunities for research funds to accommodate new students.

Assessment

  • Number of graduate students.

Goal 2: Academic & Research Excellence − Gain national recognition as a top publicly−funded Petroleum engineering program

Critical Success Factors (measured by the degree of success over the next 5 years):

  • Reach level of nine (9) tenured faculty.
  • External funds to allow for enhanced packages for highly recruited faculty hires.
  • Infrastructure requirements required to build out consortium and research activities into nationally recognized centers.
  • $20,000 per year per Ph.D. student for TA support.
  • $10,000 per faculty member per year for attendance and participation in national and international conferences.
  • $250,000 external funds and $50,000 matching funds from the Edward E. Whitacre Jr. College of Engineering (COE) and the University for the establishment of Research Opportunities for undergraduate studies.
  • $25,000 for startup and $10,000 annually to identify new SWPSC opportunities to support research and teaching efforts, and to initiate new publications beyond the conference proceedings.

Objective 2.1: Increase to target of $250,000/FTE/year in research expenditures

Strategy

  • Increase proposal output with additional faculty and new Ph.D. program.
  • Continue publishing new journal papers to enhance reputation.

Assessment

  • Amount per FTE faculty in research expenditures.

Objective 2.2: Build research programs that enhance the academic reputation of the Bob L. Herd Department of Petroleum Engineering for undergraduate and graduate students.

Strategy

  • Work with industry to maintain recent technology needs and support.

Assessment

  • Number of citations of literature, papers published, and results used by industry.

Objective 2.3: Build current externally funded areas of research to nationally recognized centers of excellence.

Strategy

  • Increase advertisement of capabilities.
  • Publish achieved results.
  • Solicit new members.

Assessment

  • Sum of increased membership.

Objective 2.4: Recruit, hire, develop, and retain nationally recognized faculty and research associates.

Strategy

  • Provide incentives from critical success factors.

Assessment

  • New faculty member achievements.

Objective 2.5: Continue to expand the Southwestern Petroleum Short Course to be known as the primary production conference for the Petroleum Industry.

Strategy

  • Increased domestic and international advertising.
  • Continue to solicit top quality papers.
  • Demonstrate to vendors the business sense of exhibiting.

Assessment

  • Level of membership and citation of publications.

Objective 2.6: Maintain current listing in top 10 graduate Petroleum Engineering Departments and achieve top 10 listing of undergraduate Petroleum Engineering Departments.

Strategy

  • Increased research and publications and related activities.

Assessment

  • Rank of the department.

Objective 2.7: Increase the number of archival publications and citations as well as journal publications.

Strategy

  • New quality faculty will add man-hours to this effort.

Assessment

  • Number of publications.

Objective 2.8: Achieve a minimum 70% passage rate of graduating undergraduates on the Fundamentals Exam.

Strategy

  • Continue successful preparation for FE in designated course.

Assessment

  • Fundamentals exam passing rate.

Objective 2.9: Establish research activities with undergraduates.

Strategy

  • Assign research-oriented project work.

Assessment

  • Correlate graduate student enrollment with previous project work.

Goal 3: Engagement − Build community connections that enhance the quality of life for students and the community.

Critical Success Factors (measured by the degree of success over the next 5 years):

  • $10,000 for industry support in student design projects.
  • Support programs that are designed to attract K-12 students.
  • Encourage/evaluate/reward staff and faculty for significant participation in community relations directly related to the department mission.
  • Fellowships for graduates and undergraduates as Teaching Ambassadors in sciences and engineering for community colleges and K-12 schools in Lubbock area.
  • Graduate and undergraduate Teaching Fellows in sciences and engineering for community colleges and K-12 schools in Lubbock and surrounding communities.

Objective 3.1: Become a significant contributor to regional economic and petroleum engineering workforce development.

Strategy

  • Continuing assisting local oil companies recruit and employ our students.

Assessment

  • Number of students employed locally.

Objective 3.2: Increase recruitment efforts at all levels of K-12, Community Colleges, and participate at career fairs and other inclusive events.

Strategy

  • Responsibility transferred to recruiting coordinator for detailed plans to faculty.

Assessment

  • Recruitment efforts (contacts, fairs, etc.)

Objective 3.3: Provide the students with professional experiences through the Society of Petroleum Engineers.

Strategy

  • Continue to support internationally best (for 2nd year) SPE student chapter.

Assessment

  • Number of professional experiences.
  • Assessment from SPE student faculty advisor.

Objective 3.4: Increase student design projects involved with industry using current industry contacts in local field offices.

Strategy

  • Increase contacts with local oil companies.

Assessment

  • Portion of class project work related to industry input.

Goal 4: Technology − Maximize the use of technology in the delivery of services.

Critical Success Factors (measured by the degree of success over the next 5 years):

  • Online courses rewarded to allow increase in offerings.
  • Provide copies of assignments, tests, and documented technological developments on CD and on the network for class and student availability.
  • Faculty to attend professional training sessions, short courses, and seminars pertaining to offering online courses.
  • Hire a part-time employee to assist faculty in development of electronic lectures and presentations.
  • Hardware and software to support online courses.
  • Vendors/company software donations.

Objective 4.1: Conduct majority of internal business online utilizing e−mail.

Strategy

  • Continue current practice.
  • Amount of business conducted online.
  • Contact vendors/companies for software donations.

Assessment

  • Poll faculty for indication of activity.

Objective 4.2: Execute online courses offerings that bring value to the department.

Strategy

  • Concept to become financially sound practice for department.
  • Evaluate number of online courses offered.

Assessment

  • Number of courses online that are economically attractive to department and university.

Objective 4.3: Increase the distribution of course material via electronic methods.

Strategy

  • Continue offering distribution of course material via electronic methods for online courses.
  • Increase network course work accessibility to students in all classes.

Assessment

  • Amount of course materials online.

Objective 4.4: Utilize most current commercial software in appropriate courses.

Strategy

  • Emphasize downloading industry software from the internet.
  • Request from industry, additional demo or other software for instructional purposes.

Assessment

  • ABET® student assessment tool results.

Goal 5: Partnerships − Build strategic partnerships and alliances.

Critical Success Factors (measured by the degree of success over the next 5 years):

  • Enhance the department's reputation.
  • Travel to visit representatives of major oil companies.
  • Attract prominent researchers to TTU for seminars and research opportunities.
  • Prominent research faculty to consider TTU for sabbaticals.
  • Faculty apply for sabbaticals at prominent research facilities or universities.
  • Attract renowned research individuals from academia and industry to conduct lecture series and/or courses.

Objective 5.1: Join ALRDC® to share research projects related to artificial lift and production technology if organized to be attractive to department.

Strategy

  • Alliance with ALRDC® may assist department in advertising and promoting our capabilities and assist with industry initiatives.

Assessment

  • Research projects aligned within organization.

Objective 5.2: Work with the industry representatives in development of joint ventures in research projects.

Strategy

  • Form joint projects with Occidental® (OXY) who has expressed an interest in joint projects with us.
  • Form alliance with Anadarko® who has a new university−related research program.
  • Form joint projects with BP® on projects related to field optimization using our contacts.

Assessment

Objective 5.3: Develop visiting professor/lecture series to enhance undergraduate/graduate−level courses.

Strategy

  • Explore funding opportunities for invited lecturers/professors.

Assessment

  • Number and/or quality of visiting lecturers/professors.

Goal 6: Resources and Infrastructure − Maintain a quality work force and work environment then develop a research infrastructure.

Critical Success Factors (measured by the degree of success over the next 5 years):

  • 3 new staff members.
  • One research assistant and one teaching assistant per faculty.
  • Faculty to increase consulting with large producing companies.
  • Modernize and update research labs.
  • Salaries on par with industry norms.
  • Maintain and improve classroom and lab space.
  • Classroom and laboratory opportunities for students.
  • Develop one−of−a−kind field gradient NMR system.
  • Finalize the Texas Tech University Test Well Facility.
  • Update Production Research Laboratory.
  • Research Associate Professor to provide research support to develop and support multi−disciplinary CAPS® projects.
  • Update Petrophysical laboratory equipment.
  • Update PVT lab.
  • Acquire lab technician for PVT lab.
  • Part-time computer tech to support the department computers & network and the Texaco® Computer Education Facility, as funding allows.

Objective 6.1: Maximize the usage of existing space resources in the Bob L. Herd Department of Petroleum Engineering and acquire additional space as needed.

Strategy

  • Construct outline of current utilization and future plans for all existing classrooms.
  • Add graduate student offices as deemed necessary for research plans.

Assessment

  • Efficient use of space.

Objective 6.2: Continue to balance faculty & staff with qualified minorities and women where possible.

Strategy

  • Promote flexibility in working with applicants from diverse backgrounds.

Assessment

  • Efficient use of existing space.

Objective 6.3: Provide infrastructure to build our research consortiums and research projects.

Strategy

  • Construct a base of industry donations for infrastructure in research areas.

Assessment

  • Evaluate infrastructure requirements annually.

Objective 6.4: Provide competitive salaries at all levels for faculty & staff.

Strategy

  • Seek industry contributions for chair money.

Assessment

  • Salaries comparable to national averages.

Objective 6.5: Continue a coordinated system for policies and procedures.

Strategy

  • Continue to ensure that department policies agree with COE and University Operating Policies.

Assessment

  • Evaluation of policies.

Objective 6.6: 100% of faculty registered as Professional Engineers.

Strategy

  • Currently our tenured faculty members are Registered Professional Engineers.
  • Insist new members of faculty to become Registered Professional Engineers.

Assessment

  • Number of Professional Engineers.

Objective 6.7: Finalize the development of test well and production facility.

Strategy

  • Initial infrastructure is in progress.
  • Enhance test well into Advanced Production Facility utilizing excellence funding.

Assessment

  • Test well facility completed.

Objective 6.8: Increase the teaching and research assistantships in the Petroleum Engineering department.

Strategy

  • Apply for funds from industry and the university.

Assessment

  • Level of funds.
  • Number of teaching and research assistantships.

Objective 6.9: Renovate and modernize existing laboratory space for new research efforts.

Strategy

  • Explore opportunities for industry funds.

Assessment

  • Level of funding.

Goal 7: Tradition and Pride − Enhance the national image of the Bob L. Herd Department of Petroleum Engineering.

Critical Success Factors (measured by the degree of success over the next 5 years):

  • Faculty participating on boards of national technical societies.
  • National meetings & conventions on campus.
  • Student participation in the student SPE chapter.
  • Host alumni events to broadcast new developments in the Bob L. Herd Department of Petroleum Engineering to encourage participation in department activities.
  • Internal student paper contest, mentoring and travel expenses.
  • Multi−disciplinary proposals.
  • Increase the number of courtesy faculty appointments from the colleges of Engineering and Natural Sciences in the departmental multi−disciplinary research proposals and the graduate students supervisory committees.

Objective 7.1: Continue to advertise and promote the Southwestern Petroleum Short Course.

Strategy

  • Utilization of webpage, newsletter, industry contacts, PIAB, and other methods to advertise.

Assessment

  • Evaluate attendance of exhibitors.
  • Evaluate paper contributions.

Objective 7.2: Support COE's efforts to establish an Honor Code.

Strategy

  • Encourage ethics and professionalism through NIEE® (National Institute for Engineering Ethics), Ring Ceremony, and others.

Assessment

  • Number of students applying for admission into Iron Ring Society®.
  • ABET® surveys.

Objective 7.3: Continue to host alumni event at the annual SPE convention.

Strategy

  • Fund and provide program for annual event.

Assessment

  • Number of attendees.

Objective 7.4: Encourage the student participation in SPE and departmental events with industry technical series.

Strategy

  • Continue invitation of industry speakers in gas lab and SPE chapter events.

Assessment

  • Student SPE membership and activities.

Objective 7.5: Place one or more qualifying students at the SPE regional student paper contest.

Strategy

  • Continue to provide faculty time and guidance to assist in preparation of papers.

Assessment

  • Student awards and/or participation.

Objective 7.6: Maintain excellence in performance in international SPE outstanding student chapter competition.

Strategy

  • Continue departmental support including support of advisor.

Assessment

  • SPE ranking of chapter annually.

Objective 7.7: Seek faculty membership in national academies.

Strategy

  • Determine requirements for entrance for current qualified members of faculty.

Assessment

  • Number of faculty in national academy.

Objective 7.8: Increase alumni participation in department activities to encourage establishment of working relationship with the Bob L. Herd Department of Petroleum Engineering.

Strategy

  • Continue alumni SPE reception at SPE conference.

Assessment

  • Alumni surveys received in ABET® assessment tools.
  • Alumni participation.

Objective 7.9: Increase the number of faculty members from Chemical and Mechanical engineering, Geosciences, and Mathematics, participating in inter−departmental research and classroom activities to foster establishment of a working relationship with the Department of Petroleum Engineering.

Strategy

  • Continue involvement with law school in property evaluation class.

Assessment

  • Number of inter−departmental projects.

Goal 8: Development and Marketing − Enhance the fiscal stability through development activities that support students, faculty, and departmental operations.

Critical Success Factors (measured by the degree of success over the next 5 years:

  • Part-time development proposal writer.
  • Endowed chair.
  • Establish a Master of Science degree program in Natural Gas Engineering.
  • Maintain the Bob L. Herd Department of Petroleum Engineering website.
  • Continue the departmental newsletter.
  • Support and expand involvement of Petroleum Engineering Academy with faculty and students.
  • Develop and distribute publications about research.

Objective 8.1: Identify possible donors for endowments for scholarships, laboratories, operations, professorships, and endowed chairs from foundations, industry, and individual donors.

Strategy

  • Educate potential donors of our successes and activities.
  • Work with the COE to develop possibilities.

Assessment

  • Number of contacts.

Objective 8.2: Contact graduates and alumni concerning research and classroom activities and requirements.

Strategy

  • Utilize the newsletter, webpage, PIAB, and SPE alumni reception to publicize activities and requirements.

Assessment

  • Number of contacts.

Objective 8.3: Increase the visibility of Petroleum Engineering opportunities and enhance contributions that Petroleum Engineers can make to society.

Strategy

  • Advertise the PE graduate salaries.
  • Advertise the diverse employment locations available to graduates.
  • Utilize the newsletter, PIAB, and recruiting officer to advertise.

Assessment

  • Survey students for effectiveness of campaigns.

Objective 8.4: Design and implement strategic departmental marketing/advertising/promotion campaigns that promote the accomplishments and capabilities of the department.

Strategy

  • Assignment to recruiting officer to present and implement critiqued plan.

Assessment

  • Plan implemented.

Objective 8.5: Initiate proposal to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board for a Master of Science degree program in Natural Gas Engineering for inclusion into the degree offering by the Bob L. Herd Department of Petroleum Engineering.

Strategy

  • Assignment to Petroleum Engineering graduate advisor to present our faculty a tentative plan in one year.

Assessment

  • Plan developed.

Goal 9: Accountability − Enhancing planning performance, assessment, and public accountability.

Critical Success Factors (measured by the degree of success over the next 5 years):

  • Maintain academic program accreditation.
  • 12−month budgeting.
  • Research contract work will meet and exceed performance expected.
  • Allocate salary increases based on performance.

Objective 9.1: Assess academic programs on an annual basis.

Strategy

  • Convene the PIAB at least once a year to implement assessment strategies.
  • Convene the faculty at least once a year to implement assessment strategies.

Assessment

  • Number of assessments completed.

Objective 9.2: Report on a timely basis to our donors.

Strategy

  • Automate as many reporting functions as possible.
  • Identify significant donors and make personal contacts.

Assessment

  • Number of late or missing responses.

Objective 9.3: Develop a planning strategy based on 12−month budgeting.

Strategy

  • Departments produce a comprehensive annual budget.

Assessment

  • Budgets prepared and reviewed in a timely manner.

Objective 9.4: Leverage state-appropriated funds in research productivity.

Strategy

  • Maximize returns on investments on research.
  • Partner with third−party funding sources.
  • Invest in emerging programs with long−range growth potential.

Assessment

  • Return−on−investment on research.

Objective 9.5: Allocate discretionary resources in accordance with the university ledger.

Strategy

  • Couple personal performance with departmental strategic plans as a component of faculty evaluations.
  • Couple departmental performance with the departmental strategic plan as a component of the chair's evaluation.

Assessment

  • Performance parameters to allow appropriate allocation of resources.

TTU Planning and Assessment Reports

Bob L. Herd Department of Petroleum Engineering

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