Quantitative Social Sciences Initiative

QSSI NOVEMBER 1998: LETTER TO DEPARTMENT CHAIRS

To: Chairs and Program Directors
From: The Committee on the Quantitative Social Sciences Initiative
Date: 11 November 1998

Dear Chair/Program Director:

The Quantitative Social Sciences Initiative (QSSI) is one of ten UC-Davis campus pre-proposals selected in June 1998 to be developed into a full proposal. This initiative proposes the addition of faculty positions in the social sciences to enhance research that uses quantitative methods and to provide the undergraduate and graduate coursework in quantitative methods specifically required by the social sciences. It also proposes the possible creation of a Center to facilitate, coordinate and promote quantitative research in the social sciences at UC-Davis. As a Stage 2 initiative the full proposal is to reach the Provost's Office by June 15, 1999.

The Committee on the QSSI is beginning the development of a full proposal. We would like your advice and help. First, we seek information that would enable us to develop a proposal that best assists quantitative social scientists across the campus. Second, we wish to inform Departments and programs of the existence and potential shape of the QSSI, so that relevant features of the QSSI may be incorporated into the current round of Department and program five-year planning exercises. One obvious area is allocation of faculty – our understanding is that the initiatives are likely to be given priority with respect to FTE in the next round. But many other issues are raised, particularly potential benefits of cooperation and collaboration in research across departments and programs; the offering of a wider range of undergraduate and graduate courses in quantitative methods for social sciences; and possible improvements in technical support for data analysis in the social sciences.

Attached to this letter is a copy of the original pre-proposal on which this initiative is based. It is only the starting point for our discussions, both internally and with departments, but we urge you to read it to get a sense of what we are attempting. Additional information will be posted at http://www.econ.ucdavis.edu/qssi/qssi.html as it becomes available.

The Committee is interested in finding out:

How additional faculty, in your own department or in related departments, who specialize in quantitative methods in the social sciences would best fit in with the needs of your department.
How additional coursework, in your own department or in related departments, on social science quantitative methods, would best improve your undergraduate and graduate programs.
What type of Center would best facilitate the social scientists in your department and their interaction with similar researchers elsewhere on campus.
Whether there is a need for greater technical support for social science data analysis, and how this need would best be met.

We ask that you

Let your department or program know that the QSSI process is underway.
Forward any comments or recommendations you or your faculty may have about the development of the proposal.
Consider indicating your interest in cooperating in the development and eventual implementation of the QSSI in the initial drafts of your department plans.

This letter is being circulated widely. The Committee intends to meet personally with many of the chairs and directors of departments most likely to be affected by the QSSI. We know, however, that quantitative social scientists are widely dispersed across the campus and are not always in places that seem obvious to us. If you feel that the interests of your department or some members of your department may be overlooked by the Committee, please contact us directly. Similarly, if you have any questions or wish to convey any information to the Committee, please contact Kevin Hoover, the Chair, or any other member of the Committee.

We hope that you will view this initiative – both for your unit and for the campus – as an opportunity worth exploring further. A successful initiative requires your help and cooperation. We look forward to working with you over the next several months.

Sincerely,
Kevin D. Hoover, Chair (Economics)
kdhoover@ucdavis.edu

On behalf of the Committee on the Quantitative Social Science Initiative:

Colin Cameron, Economics       accameron@ucdavis.edu
James Chalfant, Agricultural and Resource Economics   jim@primal.ucdavis.edu
Scott Gartner, Political Science     ssgartner@ucdavis.edu
Xioajia Ge, Human and Community Development xjge@ucdavis.edu
Hans-Georg Mueller, Statistics (on leave Fall Quarter)
Kenneth Joy, Computer Science (on leave Fall Quarter)
Patricia Mokhtarian, Civil and Environmental Engineering plmokhtarian@ucdavis.edu
Kim Shauman, Sociology        kashauman@ucdavis.edu
Randy Siverson, Political Science       rmsiverson@ucdavis.edu
Niels Waller, Psychology       ngwaller@ucdavis.edu

Attachment: Pre-proposal for the QSSI