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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Jacob K. Javits Fellowship Program Performance Assessment:

2000--01 Cohort Participant Results

JACOB K. JAVITS FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM

PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT: 2000--01 COHORT

PARTICIPANT RESULTS

U.S. Department of Education

Office of Postsecondary Education

2007

U.S. Department of Education

Margaret Spellings

*Secretary*

Office of Postsecondary Education

Diane Auer Jones

*Assistant Secretary*

December 2007

This report is in the public domain. Authorization to reproduce it in
whole or in part is granted. While permission to reprint this
publication is not necessary, the citation should be: U.S. Department of
Education, Office of Postsecondary Education, *Jacob K. Javits
Fellowship Program Performance Assessment: 2000--01 Cohort Participant
Results*, Washington, D.C., 2007.

This report is available on the Department's Web site at
[**http://www.ed.gov/programs/jacobjavits/performance.html**](http://www.ed.gov/programs/jacobjavits/performance.html)
.

On request, this publication is available in alternate formats, such as
Braille, large print, or computer diskette. For more information, please
contact the Department's Alternate Format Center at 202-260-0852 or
202-260-0818.

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# Contents

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# List of Tables.......................................................................................\...v

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# List of Figures........................................................................................vi

# Executive Summary .................................................................................1

# Introduction............................................................................................2

# Program Background..............................................................................\...2

# Program Funding.....................................................................................2

# Evaluation of Program Performance...............................................................3

# Participants and Demographics.....................................................................4

# Performance Measure Outcomes...................................................................6

Javits Fellows' Performance Compared to National Data for Humanities and
Social Sciences Doctoral
Students.................................................................9

Comparison of 1998 and 2000 Cohorts and Evaluation of Program
Performance.........11

Summary.............................................................................................12

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## Tables

1\. Annual funding levels and number of fellowships awarded, Javits
Fellowship Program:
2002--07...............................................................\....3

2\. Target values for the performance of Javits Fellowship Program:
2006--12......\...3

3\. State Distribution of Javits Fellows: 2000--01
Cohort..............................\.....5

4\. Javits fellows by gender and degree program: 2000--01
cohort.......................6

5\. Javits fellows by race and ethnicity and degree type: 2000--01
cohort............\...6

6\. 2006 academic status of Javits fellows in doctoral programs, by
education institution type: 2000--01
cohort..................................................7

7\. 2006 academic status of Javits fellows in MFA programs, by education
institution type: 2000--01
cohort...............................................................7

8\. Efficiency measure data and federal cost per terminal degree:
2000--01 cohort\.....9

9\. Percentage of Javits fellows graduating within seven years by
institution type: 1997--98 and 2000--01
cohorts................................................\...12

10\. Average time spent by Javits fellows to complete the terminal
degree: 1997--98 and 2000--01
cohorts..............................................................12

## Figures

1\. Javits fellows, by degree program: 2000--01 cohort
(n=136)..........................4

2\. Javits fellows, by education institution type: 2000--01 cohort
(n=139)............\...4

3\. State distribution of Javits fellows: 2000--01
cohort..................................\...5

4\. 2006 Javits terminal degree seven-year graduation rate: 2000--01
cohort.........\...8

5\. Degree status of 2000--01 Javits fellows in humanities doctoral
programs (as of August 2006) and Council of Graduate Schools humanities
seven-year
results...............................................................................10

6\. Degree status of 2000--01 Javits fellows in social sciences doctoral
programs (as of August 2006) and Council of Graduate Schools social
science seven- year
results.........................................................................10

7\. Seven-year completion rates of 2000--01 Javits fellows in humanities
doctoral programs by institution type (as of August 2006) and Council of
Graduate Schools humanities seven-year results by institution
type...................11

8\. Seven-year completion rates of 2000--01 Javits fellows in social
sciences doctoral programs by institution type (as of August 2006) and
Council of Graduate Schools social sciences seven-year results by
institution type..............11

# Executive Summary

The Jacob K. Javits Fellowship Program awards fellowships to students of
superior academic ability who are pursuing terminal degrees (doctorate
or master of fine arts) in selected areas of the arts, humanities, and
social sciences. The performance outcomes for the 2000--01 cohort of the
fellows (the assessment of the student completion rate of terminal
degree programs, the length of time required to complete terminal
degrees, and the federal cost per terminal degree awarded) show that the
program met or exceeded its performance goals.

The seven-year graduation rate of doctoral degrees for the 2000--01
Javits Fellowship Program cohort was 42 percent. The rate for fellows
enrolled in humanities programs was 40 percent, while the national
seven-year graduation rate for the humanities (Council of Graduate
Schools, 2007) was 29 percent.[^1] The seven-year graduation rate for
fellows enrolled in social sciences programs was 43 percent, which was
comparable to the national rate for the social sciences based on the
Council of Graduate Schools study, which was 41 percent. The seven-year
graduation rate for fellows enrolled in master of fine arts programs was
83 percent, with a rate of 80 percent at public institutions and a rate
of 89 percent at private institutions.

The percentage of Javits Fellows completing a doctoral degree within
seven years has increased since program performance was last assessed
(1997--98 cohort). Additionally, the average time spent by Javits
Fellows to complete a terminal degree (both master of fine arts and
doctoral degrees) has decreased since program performance was last
assessed.

# Introduction

This report provides an overview of information submitted through August
2006 to the U.S. Department of Education by postsecondary institutions
that participate in the Jacob K. Javits Fellowship Program. The data are
for the cohort of students who first received their fellowships during
the 2000 school year. This report also presents Javits Fellowship
Program performance measure data submitted by the grantee institutions
and compiled by the Department, as required by the *Government
Performance and Results Act (GPRA) of 1993*.

# Program Background

The Jacob K. Javits Fellowship Program awards fellowships to students of
superior academic ability who are pursuing terminal degrees (doctorate
or master of fine arts) in selected areas of the arts, humanities, and
social sciences.[^2] Fellows are selected on the basis of demonstrated
achievement, financial need, and exceptional promise.[^3]

Subject to the availability of funds, a fellow receives the Javits award
annually for up to the lesser of 48 months or the completion of the
degree. The fellowship consists of an institutional payment (accepted by
the institution of higher education in lieu of all tuition and fees for
the fellow) and a stipend based on the fellow\'s financial need. In
fiscal year 2006, for example, the institutional payment was \$12,224
and the maximum stipend was \$30,000.

# Program Funding

Table 1 shows appropriation levels and numbers of fellowships awarded
for fiscal years (FY) 2002--07, corresponding approximately to academic
years 2001--02 through 2006--07.

Table 1. Annual funding levels and number of fellowships awarded, Javits
Fellowship Program: 2002--07.

  -------- -------------- ------------- ------------- ------------ ------------
  Fiscal   Appropriated   New           Continuing    Maximum      Average
  Year     Amount         Fellowships   Fellowships   Award Amount Award Amount
                          Awarded                                  

  2007     \$9.70 million 61            185           \$42,627     N/A

  2006     \$9.80 million 60            192           \$42,224     \$38,000

  2005     \$9.88 million 54            180           \$41,822     \$41,774

  2004     \$9.94 million 44            193           \$41,511     \$41,483

  2003     \$9.94 million 60            266           \$32,796     N/A

  2002     \$10.0 million 112           285           \$32,531     N/A
  -------- -------------- ------------- ------------- ------------ ------------

Source: U.S. Department of Education,
<http://www.ed.gov/programs/jacobjavits/funding.html>. Retrieved
8/2/2007. Note: N/A -- Not Available.

# Evaluation of Program Performance

The Department of Education's *GPRA* Program Performance Plan specifies
three primary performance measures for evaluating the Javits Fellowship
Program:

1.  **Graduation rate**: The percentage of Javits Fellows who complete a
    doctoral degree within seven years;

2.  **Average time to completion**: The average time, in years, that
    Javits fellows spend completing their terminal degrees; and

3.  **Efficiency**: The federal cost per terminal degree (PhD or MFA)
    awarded for the Javits Fellowship Program.

In addition to establishing programwide performance measures and
benchmarking

program performance against comparable national standards, the
Department establishes

goals, or targets, for increasing program performance. The Department
has established annual targets for the first two measures for FY 2006
through 2012. Targets for the efficiency measure have not yet been set
because the Department is in the process of collecting and analyzing
baseline performance data to establish targets. Table 2 shows the
current target values for measures by year.

Table 2. Target Values for the Performance of Javits Fellowship Program:
2006--12.

  -------------------- -------- ------- ------- ------- ------- ------- ------
  Performance Measures Annual                                           
                       Target                                           
                       Values                                           

                       2006     2007    2008    2009    2010    2011    2012

  Percentage of Javits 31       32      32      33      33      34      34
  Fellows completing a                                                  
  doctoral degree                                                       
  within seven years                                                    

  Average time (years) 6.3      6.2     6.2     6.1     6.1     6       6
  for completion of a                                                   
  degree                                                                
  -------------------- -------- ------- ------- ------- ------- ------- ------

Source: FY 2008 Program Performance Plan, Javits Fellowship Program,
available at:
<http://www.ed.gov/about/reports/annual/2008plan/g3heajavits.doc>.
Retrieved 8/2/2007.

Figure 1. Javits Fellows, by Degree Program: 2000--01 Cohort (n=136)

Figure 1 shows that 75 percent of the 2000--01 Javits cohort were
pursuing a doctor of philosophy (PhD) degree, 21 percent were pursuing a
master of fine arts (MFA) degree, and four percent were pursuing a
doctor of musical arts (DMA) degree.

![](media/image2.wmf)

Source: *Javits Program Annual Performance Report, 2006*.

Participants and Demographics

In 2000--01, 139 students received Javits Fellowships. Of the 136
fellows for whom degree program information was available as of August
2006, 29 (21 percent) were pursuing a master of fine arts (MFA) degree,
102 (75 percent) were pursuing a doctor of philosophy (PhD) degree, and
five (4 percent) were pursuing a doctor of musical arts (DMA) degree.
Program information was not available for three of the Fellows.

Seventy-three of the students attended public institutions and 70
students attended private institutions. Fellows in the 2000--01 cohort
attended 47 different institutions (24 public institutions and 23
private institutions). During the seven-year institutional grant period,
four grantees transferred to new institutions and elected to use Javits
funds at both their original and most recent institutions. These
students have been counted twice when analyzing institutional data.

Figure 2. Javits Fellows, by Education Institution Type: 2000--01 Cohort
(n=139)

Figure 2 shows that 51 percent of the 2000--01 Javits cohort attended
public institutions, while 49 percent attended private institutions.

![](media/image3.wmf)

Source: *Javits Program Annual Performance Report, 2006*.

The largest number of students attending any single institution was 15
at Harvard University. The largest number of students attending a single
public institution was 11 from the University of California--Berkeley.
The smallest number of students attending a single private (eight total)
or public (10 total) institution was one. Figure 3 and Table 3 show the
distribution of the 2000--01 cohort by the state in which a fellow's
institution is located. The total number of states represented is 23
(including the District of Columbia), and the northeastern United States
(Massachusetts, 24; New York, 15; Pennsylvania, 4; New Jersey, 3; Rhode
Island, 1) was the most well represented region with 47 fellows. As a
single state, California had the largest number of fellows (39).

# Figure 3. State Distribution of Javits Fellows: 2000--01 Cohort

Figure 3 shows a map of the distribution of the 2000--01 Javits cohort
by the state in which a fellow's institution is located. The information
included in this figure can be found in Table 3.

![](media/image4.wmf)

Source: *Javits Program Annual Performance Report, 2006*.

# Table 3. State Distribution of Javits Fellows: 2000--01 Cohort

+----------------+--------------------+--------------+----------------+
| **States with  | **States with 3--5 | **States     | **States with  |
| 1--2 Fellows** | Fellows**          | with 6--10   | 11+ Fellows**  |
|                |                    | Fellows**    |                |
+----------------+--------------------+--------------+----------------+
| Arizona (1)    | District of        | Illinois (7) | California     |
|                | Columbia (3)       |              | (39)           |
| Florida (1)    |                    | Michigan     |                |
|                | Indiana (5)        | (10)         | Massachusetts  |
| Georgia (1)    |                    |              | (24)           |
|                | Maryland (3)       |              |                |
| Minnesota (2)  |                    |              | New York (15)  |
|                | New Jersey (3)     |              |                |
| Missouri (2)   |                    |              |                |
|                | New Mexico (3)     |              |                |
| Ohio (1)       |                    |              |                |
|                | North Carolina (5) |              |                |
| Rhode Island   |                    |              |                |
| (1)            | Pennsylvania (4)   |              |                |
|                |                    |              |                |
| Washington (1) | Texas (4)          |              |                |
|                |                    |              |                |
|                | Virginia (3)       |              |                |
|                |                    |              |                |
|                | Wisconsin (5)      |              |                |
+----------------+--------------------+--------------+----------------+

Source: *Javits Program Annual Performance Report, 2006*.

Forty-nine of the fellows were male and 90 were female. Table 4 shows
the gender distributions within each degree program.

# Table 4. Javits Fellows by Gender and Degree Program: 2000--01 Cohort

  ---------------------------- ----------- ---------- ---------- ----------
  Degree Type                  Gender                            Total

                               Male        Female     Unknown    

  Master of Fine Arts          7           22         0          29

  DMA                          1           4          0          5

  PhD                          41          61         0          102

  Unknown                      0           3          0          3

  Total                        49          90         0          139
  ---------------------------- ----------- ---------- ---------- ----------

Source: *Javits Program Annual Performance Report, 2006*.

The racial and ethnic distribution was as follows: 111 were white; 12
were Asian; seven were Hispanic or Latino; six were black or African
American; and two were Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander. Twenty-seven
(20 percent) of the 138 fellows for whom race and ethnic information was
reported were from minority groups. Six (21 percent) of the 29 fellows
in the MFA programs were minorities, while 20 (20 percent) of the 101
fellows in PhD programs who provided race and ethnic information were
from minority groups. None of the five fellows enrolled in DMA programs
were from minority race and ethnic groups.

# Table 5. Javits Fellows, by Race and Ethnicity and Degree Type: 2000--01 Cohort

  --------- ---------- ------- ------------------ ------------------ ------- --------- --------
  Degree    Race                                                                       Total
  Type                                                                                 

            Hispanic   Asian   Black or           Native             White   Unknown   
            or Latino          African-American   Hawaiian/Pacific                     
                                                  Islander                             

  MFA       3          1       1                  1                  23      0         29

  DMA       0          0       0                  0                  5       0         5

  PhD       4          11      4                  1                  81      1         102

  Unknown   0          0       1                  0                  2       0         3

  Total     7          12      6                  2                  111     1         139
  --------- ---------- ------- ------------------ ------------------ ------- --------- --------

Source: *Javits Program Annual Performance Report, 2006*.

# Performance Measure Outcomes

1\. Graduation Rate:

Of the 139 Javits Fellows selected for the 2000--01 cohort, 107 were
enrolled in doctoral programs: 102 in PhD programs and five in DMA
programs. Information on academic status was available for 104 of the
fellows pursuing these degrees. Table 6 shows the distribution of
fellows in doctoral programs by postsecondary institution type and
program completion status.

Table 6. 2006 Academic Status of Javits Fellows in Doctoral Programs, by
Education Institution Type: 2000--01 Cohort

  ------------------------------- -------------- -------------- ----------
  Academic Status in 2006         Education                     Total
                                  Institution                   
                                  Type                          

                                  Public         Private        

  Completed doctorate             24             22             45\*

  Still enrolled in program       20             25             45

  Withdrew from program           4              10             14

  Status Unknown                  3              0              3

  Total                           51             57             107\*
  ------------------------------- -------------- -------------- ----------

Source: *Javits Program Annual Performance Report, 2006*.

\*One fellow transferred from a private institution to a public
institution while his or her degree was in progress. The fellow
ultimately graduated from the public institution. Because fellowship
funds were used at each of the institutions, both have been included in
the analysis.

Forty-five (42 percent) of the fellows completed their doctoral degree
within seven years of their entry into graduate school. Forty-five (42
percent) fellows were still enrolled in their doctoral programs, and 14
(13 percent) fellows had withdrawn from their doctoral programs. Both
public and private institutions had similar completion rates. The
seven-year completion rate for the 51 fellows enrolled in public
institutions is 47 percent (24 completed), while the seven-year
completion rate for the 57 fellows enrolled in private institutions is
39 percent (22 completed).[^4]

Of the remaining 2000--01 Javits fellows cohort, 29 chose to pursue a
MFA degree. Enrollment information was available for all of the 29 MFA
fellows. Table 7 shows the distribution of fellows in MFA programs by
postsecondary institution type and program completion status.

# Table 7. 2006 Academic Status of Javits Fellows in MFA Programs, by Education Institution Type: 2000--01 Cohort

+------------------------------+-------------+------------+-----------+
| # Academic Status in 2006    | # Educ      |            | # Total   |
|                              | ation Insti |            |           |
|                              | tution Type |            |           |
+------------------------------+-------------+------------+-----------+
|                              | # Public    | # Private  |           |
+------------------------------+-------------+------------+-----------+
| # Completed MFA              | # 16        | # 8        | # 24      |
+------------------------------+-------------+------------+-----------+
| # Still enrolled in program  | # 0         | # 1        | # 1       |
+------------------------------+-------------+------------+-----------+
| # Withdrew from program      | # 4         | # 0        | # 4       |
+------------------------------+-------------+------------+-----------+
| # Total                      | # 20        | # 9        | # 29      |
+------------------------------+-------------+------------+-----------+

# Source: *Javits Program Annual Performance Report, 2006*.

#  

Twenty-four (83 percent) Fellows completed their MFA within seven years.
One (3.4 percent) fellow is still enrolled in a program, and four (14
percent) fellows have withdrawn from their programs, including one who
reportedly never enrolled. The seven-year completion rate for fellows in
public institutions is 80 percent (16 completed of 20 enrolled), while
the seven-year completion rate for fellows in private institutions is 89
percent (eight completed of nine enrolled).

The overall seven-year graduation rate for all terminal degrees in both
types of institutions of higher education for the 2000 cohort are as
follows (including N/A):

-   Public institutions: 40 out of 71 (56 percent)

-   Private institutions: 30 out of 66 (45 percent)

The total seven-year graduation rate, including that of doctorates,
masters' degrees, and those whose academic status information was
unavailable, for all postsecondary institutions for the 2000 cohort was
69 out of 136 (51 percent).

Figure 4. 2006 Javits Terminal Degree Seven-Year Graduation Rate:
2000--01 Cohort

Figure 4 shows the terminal degree seven-year graduation rate for the
2000--01 Javits cohort as of August 2006. The graduation rate for
fellows at public institutions was 56 percent. The graduation rate for
fellows at private institutions was 45 percent. The graduation rate for
all institutions was 51 percent.

![](media/image5.wmf)

Source: *Javits Program Annual Performance Report, 2006*.

Note: Graduation rates of doctorate and MFA degrees are combined.

2\. Average Time to Degree Completion:

Average time to completion is calculated for the 45 members (42 percent)
of the cohort who had completed their degrees by August 2006. Overall,
the average time to complete a doctorate was 5.49 years. The 24 fellows
who completed their degrees at public institutions spent an average of
5.44 years, while the 22 fellows[^5] who completed their degrees at
private institutions spent an average of 5.52 years. The remaining 45
fellows from the 2000--01 cohort are still enrolled in doctoral
programs.

The 24 Javits fellows who completed MFA degrees were enrolled in their
programs for an average of 3.2 years. The 16 fellows who completed their
degrees at public institutions spent an average of 3.4 years, while the
eight fellows who completed their degrees at private institutions spent
an average of 2.9 years.

# 3. Efficiency: Federal cost per terminal degree awarded.

The efficiency measure for the Jacob K. Javits Fellowship Program is
computed by calculating the total dollars allocated to the cohort
divided by the total number of Javits fellows receiving a terminal
degree during this same time frame. While there are currently no targets
for this measure, targets are expected to be developed during FY 2008.
The federal costs for doctoral and MFA, as well as total terminal
degrees awarded for the Javits Program are listed in Table 8.

Table 8. Efficiency Measure Data and Federal Cost per Terminal Degree:
2000--01 Cohort

  ------------------- -------------------- ----------------- --------------
  Degree Type         Total Dollars        Number Receiving  Federal Cost
                      Allocated to Cohort  a Terminal Degree per Degree

  Master of Fine Arts \$2,095,621.00       24                \$87,317.54

  Doctoral            \$11,395.043.00      45                \$253,223.18

  All Terminal        \$13,490,664.00      69                \$195,516.87
  Degrees                                                    
  ------------------- -------------------- ----------------- --------------

**Javits Fellows' Performance Compared to National Data for Humanities
and Social Sciences Doctoral Students**

Recent research suggests that seven years may be too soon to gain an
accurate measure of the impact of the Javits program on degree
completion or the time necessary to complete a doctorate in some fields.
A 2007 national study by the Council of Graduate Schools[^6] found that
44 percent of doctoral students in the humanities field are still
enrolled seven years after entering their programs, and only 29 percent
have graduated. For the 68 members of the 2000--01 Javits cohort
enrolled in doctoral programs in the humanities, 44 percent were still
pursuing doctoral degrees, and 40 percent had graduated within seven
years. Similarly, the Council of Graduate Schools study also found that
35 percent of doctoral students in the field of social science are still
enrolled seven years after entering their programs, and 41 percent have
graduated. Because over 40 percent of doctoral students in the
humanities field are still enrolled more than seven years after
beginning their programs, Javits program completion rates are higher
than shown in this report.

The same situation exists for fellows studying the social sciences. Of
the 32 Javits cohort members enrolled in doctoral programs in the social
sciences, 43 percent had graduated within seven years, while 41 percent
were still pursuing doctoral degrees (degree status information was
unavailable for two fellows enrolled in social science doctoral
programs). It should be noted that the Javits Fellowship Program awards
60 percent of its fellowships to those pursuing degrees in the
humanities field and 20 percent to those enrolled in programs in the
social sciences field. The remaining 20 percent of Javits fellowships
are awarded to those pursuing degrees in the fine arts field. Figures 5
and 6 compare the 2000--01 cohort's seven-year graduation rates
(overall) with the results from the Council of Graduate Schools' Ph.D.
Completion Project.

Figure 5. Degree Status of 2000--01 Javits Fellows in Humanities
Doctoral Programs (as of August 2006) and Council of Graduate Schools
Humanities Seven-Year Results

Figure 5 shows the degree status of 2000--01 Javits fellows in
humanities doctoral programs (as of August 2006) compared to the Council
of Graduate Schools humanities seven-year results. Results from a
Council of Graduate Schools study indicated that 29 percent of those
pursuing a doctorate in the humanities field completed their degree
within seven years, 44 percent were still enrolled after seven years,
and 27 percent had withdrawn from their doctoral programs. Forty percent
of the Javits Fellows enrolled in humanities doctoral programs graduated
within seven years, 44 percent were still enrolled after seven years,
and 16 percent had withdrawn from their doctoral programs.

![](media/image6.wmf)

Sources: The Council of Graduate Schools, Ph.D. Completion Project
Baseline Data, 3-06, retrieved from
[http://www.phdcompletion.org/quantitative/index_test2.asp on
8/7/2007](http://www.phdcompletion.org/quantitative/index_test2.asp on 8/7/2007);
*Javits Program Annual Performance Report, 2006*.

Figure 6. Degree Status of 2000--01 Javits Fellows in Social Sciences
Doctoral Programs (as of August 2006) and Council of Graduate Schools
Social Science Seven-Year Results

Figure 6 shows the degree status of 2000--01 Javits fellows in social
sciences doctoral programs (as of August 2006) compared to the Council
of Graduate Schools social sciences seven-year results. Results from a
Council of Graduate Schools study indicated that 41 percent of those
pursuing a doctorate in the social sciences field completed their degree
within seven years, 35 percent were still enrolled after seven years,
and 24 percent had withdrawn from their doctoral programs. Forty-three
percent of the Javits Fellows enrolled in social sciences doctoral
programs graduated within seven years, 41 percent were still enrolled
after seven years, and nine percent had withdrawn from their doctoral
programs.

![](media/image7.wmf)

Sources: The Council of Graduate Schools, Ph.D. Completion Project
Baseline Data, 3-06, retrieved from
[**http://www.phdcompletion.org/quantitative/index_test2.asp on
8/7/2007**](http://www.phdcompletion.org/quantitative/index_test2.asp on 8/7/2007);
*Javits Program Annual Performance Report, 2006*.

Figures 7 and 8 compare the 2000--01 Javits cohort's seven-year
graduation rates by type of institution attended (public or private)
with the results from the Council of Graduate Schools' Ph.D. Completion
Project. Thirty-eight fellows were enrolled in humanities programs at
private institutions, and 34 percent (13) graduated within seven years.
The remaining 30 fellows were enrolled in humanities programs at public
institutions, and 47 percent (14) graduated within seven years. As with
the overall completion rates, Javits fellows at both types of
institutions compare favorably to national data.

Fourteen Javits fellows were enrolled in social science programs at
private institutions, and 50 percent (seven) graduated within seven
years. The remaining 18 fellows were enrolled in social science programs
at public institutions, and 39 percent (seven) graduated within seven
years. While Javits fellows at private institutions exceeded the
national rate, fellows at public institutions fell slightly lower.

Figure 7. Seven-Year Completion Rates of 2000--01 Javits Fellows in
Humanities Doctoral Programs by Institution Type (as of August 2006) and
Council of Graduate Schools Humanities Seven-Year Results by Institution
Type

Figure 7 shows the seven-year completion rates of 2000--01 Javits
fellows in humanities doctoral programs by institution type (as of
August 2006) compared to Council of Graduate Schools humanities
seven-year results by institution type. Forty-seven percent of Javits
fellows in humanities doctoral programs at public universities completed
their degrees within seven years, while 34 percent of fellows at private
universities completed their degrees within seven years. In the Council
of Graduate Schools study, 29 percent of students enrolled in humanities
programs at public universities and 31 percent of students at private
universities graduated within seven years.

![](media/image8.wmf)

Sources: The Council of Graduate Schools, Ph.D. Completion Project
Baseline Data, 3-06, retrieved from
[http://www.phdcompletion.org/quantitative/index_test2.asp on
8/7/2007](http://www.phdcompletion.org/quantitative/index_test2.asp on 8/7/2007);
*Javits Program Annual Performance Report, 2006*.

Figure 8. Seven-Year Completion Rates of 2000--01 Javits Fellows in
Social Sciences Doctoral Programs by Institution Type (as of August
2006) and Council of Graduate Schools Social Sciences Seven-Year Results
by Institution Type

Figure 8 shows the seven-year completion rates of 2000--01 Javits
fellows in social sciences doctoral programs by institution type (as of
August 2006) compared to Council of Graduate Schools social sciences
seven-year results by institution type. Thirty-nine percent of Javits
fellows in social sciences doctoral programs at public universities
completed their degrees within seven years, while 50 percent of fellows
at private universities completed their degrees within seven years. In
the Council of Graduate Schools study, 42 percent of students enrolled
in social sciences programs at public universities and 43 percent of
students at private universities graduated within seven years.

![](media/image9.wmf)

Sources: The Council of Graduate Schools, Ph.D. Completion Project
Baseline Data, 3-06, retrieved from
[**http://www.phdcompletion.org/quantitative/index_test2.asp on
8/7/2007**](http://www.phdcompletion.org/quantitative/index_test2.asp on 8/7/2007);
*Javits Program Annual Performance Report, 2006*.

# Comparison of 1998 and 2000 Cohorts and Evaluation of Program Performance

The performance of the Jacob K. Javits Fellowship Program was last
reported in October 2005. The 2005 report included an assessment of the
1997--98 cohort of fellows using the same performance measures:
graduation rate and average time to completion.

1\. Graduation rates.

Table 9 compares seven-year MFA and doctoral degree graduation rates of
the 1997--98 cohort with the seven-year MFA and doctoral degree
graduation rates of the 2000--01 cohort, and with target completion
rates for doctorate seekers in both cohorts. As the table shows, the
percentage of Javits fellows completing the master of fine arts degree
within seven years has decreased, while the percentage of fellows
completing the doctoral degree within seven years has increased at both
public and private institutions, and has increased overall. Both cohorts
exceeded their performance targets.

Table 9. Percentage of Javits Fellows Graduating within Seven Years by
Institution

Type: 1997--98 and 2000--01 Cohorts

  -------- -------- --------- -------- ----------- --------- -------- --------
  Cohort   Master                      Doctorate                      
           of Fine                                                    
           Arts                                                       

           Public   Private   Total    Public      Private   Total    Target

  1998     100%     100%      100%     33%         28%       30%      30%

  2000     80%      89%       83%      47%         39%       42%      31%
  -------- -------- --------- -------- ----------- --------- -------- --------

Source: *Javits Program Annual Performance Reports, 2004, 2006*.

2\. Average time to completion.

Table 10 shows the average time (in years) spent by Javits fellows in
both the 1997--98 and 2000--01 cohorts to complete the terminal degree
in public institutions, private institutions, and overall, as well as
this measure's target for doctoral students in 2000. As noted in the
table, the average time spent by fellows to complete the master of fine
arts degree at public institutions has increased, but the average time
has decreased at private institutions and overall. Additionally, the
average time spent by fellows to complete a doctorate has decreased at
both public and private institutions, and has also decreased overall.
While no target was established for the 1998 cohort, the performance was
similar to the 2000 cohort, which exceeded the target.

Table 10. Average Time Spent by Javits Fellows to Complete the Terminal
Degree: 1997--98 and 2000--01 Cohorts

  -------- -------- --------- -------- ----------- --------- -------- -----------
  Cohort   Master                      Doctorate                      
           of Fine                                                    
           Arts                                                       

           Public   Private   Total    Public      Private   Total    Target

  1998     3.3      3.5 years 3.4      5.5 years   5.7 years 5.6      No target
           years              years                          years    

  2000     3.4      2.9 years 3.2      5.4 years   5.5 years 5.5      6.2 years
           years              years                          years    
  -------- -------- --------- -------- ----------- --------- -------- -----------

Source: *Javits Program Annual Performance Reports, 2004, 2006*.

# Summary 

In 2000-01, 139 students were awarded Javits fellowships. Of the 136
fellows for whom degree program information was available, 29 were
pursuing an MFA degree and 107 were pursuing a doctorate. As of August
2006, 45 members of the cohort had completed a doctorate and 24 had
completed an MFA degree. Forty-six members of the cohort are still
enrolled in graduate programs (45 in doctoral programs and one in an MFA
program), and 18 fellows (14 doctoral and four MFA) withdrew from their
programs.

The seven-year graduation rate of doctoral degrees for the 2000--01
Javits Fellowship Program cohort was 42 percent. The rate for fellows
enrolled in humanities programs was 40 percent, while the national
seven-year graduation rate for the humanities (Council of Graduate
Schools, 2007) was 29 percent.[^7] The seven-year graduation rate for
fellows enrolled in social sciences programs was 43 percent, which was
comparable to the national rate for the social sciences based on the
Council of Graduate Schools study, which was 41 percent. The seven-year
graduation rate for fellows enrolled in master of fine arts programs was
83 percent, with a rate of 80 percent at public institutions and a rate
of 89 percent at private institutions. No comparable national data are
available for MFA programs.

The average time to degree completion was calculated for the members of
the 2000-01 cohort who had completed the terminal degree by August 2006.
The average time spent completing the doctorate was 5.5 years, and the
average time spent completing the master of fine arts degree was 3.2
years.

The efficiency measure for the Javits Fellowship Program, which
currently has no targets, is computed by calculating the total dollars
allocated to the cohort divided by the total number of fellows receiving
a terminal degree during this same time frame. The federal cost per
master of fine arts degree awarded was \$87,317.54, and the federal cost
per doctorate awarded was \$253,223.18. Overall, the federal cost per
terminal degree awarded was \$195,516.87.

Program performance data show that the program met its established
performance targets. The percentage of Javits fellows completing a
doctoral degree within seven years has increased since program
performance was last assessed (1997--98 cohort). The average time spent
by Javits fellows to complete a terminal degree (both master of fine
arts and doctoral degrees) has decreased since program performance was
last assessed.

The Department of Education's mission is to promote student achievement
and preparation for global competitiveness by fostering educational
excellence and ensuring equal access.

[www.ed.gov](http://www.ed.gov/)

[^1]: The Council of Graduate Schools, Ph.D. Completion Project Baseline
    Data, 3-06. Retrieved from
    [http://www.phdcompletion.org/quantitative/index_test2.asp on
    8/7/2007](http://www.phdcompletion.org/quantitative/index_test2.asp on 8/7/2007).

[^2]: Fellows studying humanities comprise 60 percent of each Javits
    cohort, those studying social sciences make up 20 percent of the
    cohort, and the final 20 percent is composed of fellows studying
    fine arts.

[^3]: Further information about the background of the Jacob K. Javits
    Fellowship Program can be found at
    <http://www.ed.gov/programs/jacobjavits/index.html>. Retrieved
    8/2/2007.

[^4]: Twenty-nine of the fellows identified in the "still enrolled"
    category began their doctoral programs in 2000--01. Because the data
    used in this report was collected in August 2006, these fellows have
    only been enrolled for six years. Therefore, this rate is likely an
    underestimate since it is possible that some fellows could still
    graduate within seven years.

[^5]: One fellow transferred from a private institution to a public
    institution while his or her degree was in progress. The fellow
    ultimately graduated from the public institution. Because fellowship
    funds were used at each of the institutions, both have been included
    in the analysis.

[^6]: The Council of Graduate Schools, Ph.D. Completion Project Baseline
    Data, 3-06. Retrieved from
    <http://www.phdcompletion.org/quantitative/index_test2.asp> on
    8/7/2007.

[^7]: The Council of Graduate Schools, Ph.D. Completion Project Baseline
    Data, 3-06. Retrieved from
    [http://www.phdcompletion.org/quantitative/index_test2.asp on
    8/7/2007](http://www.phdcompletion.org/quantitative/index_test2.asp on 8/7/2007).