SACS Reaffirmation
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Assessment : 2007 - 2008 : Educational Programs :
Geography BS
3 Goals 8 Objectives 9 Indicators 10 Criteria 10 Findings 11 Actions
GOAL: Goal 1 - Quality of Geography Program
| Objective | G1 O1 | |
| The program will consistently strive to improve the quality of its program by making adjustments to its curriculum as needed. Associated Goals: Goal 1 - Quality of Geography Program |
| Indicator | G1 O1 I1 The department will, as needed, seek input from a variety of sources, including Professional Advisory Councils and Student Advisory Councils, and will use that input as the basis for modifying the curriculum. |
| Criteria | Program Quality Professional Advisory Council will be replaced by employment focused individual contacts. (Group is too diffuse and too distant from the specific issues of a dynamic program). More specific feedback is required |
| Finding | Program Quality Feedback via e-mail and phone calls gives better "conversational" feedback. Program of "callback" to be expanded. |
| Finding | Understanding the Discipline Curriculum and course offerings still too chaotic. New review starting to establish rational tracks. |
Actions for Objective:
| Action | Curriculum modification New review of BS/Applied curriculum flows from Alumni Council input. Present structure is too diffuse and confusing to students. |
GOAL: Goal 1 - Quality of Geography Program
| Objective | G1 O2 | |
| The Department will seek to ensure that the quality of our instruction is rated as satisfactory or better by our students. Associated Goals: Goal 1 - Quality of Geography Program |
| Indicator | G1 O2 I1 The Department uses the IDEA evaluation system as well as peer-evaluation. |
| Criteria | G1 O2 I1 C1 The scores on the IDEA form (summary score) must be rated consistently as "average" or above, and the peer evaluations (see attached Peer Evaluation form) must be deemed acceptable by departmental peers. |
| Finding | Instruction quality All faculty have at least one course in or above the IDEA gray band. |
Actions for Objective:
| Action | Academic Success Majors maintain better than a 2.0 in major |
| Action | Success in Major All interns received an assessment of "satisfactory'' or better. |
| Action | Teaching Evaluations All faculty teaching in the BS program score consistently in or above the gray ''satisfactory'' band on the IDEA form. |
GOAL: Goal 1 - Quality of Geography Program
| Objective | G1 O3 | |
| The department will strive to enhance the quality of instruction through the use of appropriate technology in the classroom and during lab activities. Associated Goals: Goal 1 - Quality of Geography Program |
| Indicator | G1 O3 I1 The Department will add and/or maintain teaching equipment, such as dedicated computers, overhead LCD projectors, DVD players, and audio equipment. The department has purchased drilling equipment, a flume for labs work and research, a ground-penetrating radar, a device for measuring the chemical composition of samples, digital cameras and GPS equipment. We added a new remote sensing lab to compliment the GIS lab that was built 5 years ago. |
| Criteria | G1 O3 I1 C1 In the past 5 years, the department has spent about $100,000 on audiovisual teaching equipment for our classrooms, and more than $170,000 on field equipment. The remote sensing lab contains about 12 computers with monitors worth about $30,000. The GIS lab just received (2007) an upgrade in computers and software worth $30,000. |
| Finding | Classroom Technology Departmental tech support very successful but funding exhausted. Development of proposal to shift to College accepted by dean but person left. Needs redevelopment. |
Actions for Objective:
| Action | Classroom Technology Major improvement in physical systems. Tech support staff very successful but now inoperative due to funding. Transfer of task to a task shared with College is imperative. |
GOAL: Goal 1 - Quality of Geography Program
| Objective | G1 O4 | |
| The department will strive to enhance the quality of instruction through the use of field trips. Associated Goals: Goal 1 - Quality of Geography Program |
| Indicator | G1 O4 I1 The Department will seek to increase the number of field trips offered to our students |
| Criteria | G1 O4 I1 C1 Four years ago, the department purchased a 15-passenger van and has since made an effort to increase the number of field trips. |
| Finding | GEO Field work Field work has been significantly facilitated by availability of vans on short notice |
| Criteria | G1 O4 I1 C2 In 2006, the department offered its first International trip (Geo 475-special topics) to China and Thailand. This trip constituted 3-hours of advanced credit. A second trip to Thailand is planned for 2008. |
| Finding | GEO Field Trips International and Domestic trips very successful. review for future expansion to other courses. |
Actions for Objective:
| Action | GEO Program Quality Van purchased and well used. |
| Action | Program Internationalization Trips to UK, Thailand(2) all very successful. Program to be expanded. |
GOAL: Goal 1 - Quality of Geography Program
| Objective | G1 O5 | |
| The department will increase the availability of its courses and its visibility by offering web courses. Associated Goals: Goal 1 - Quality of Geography Program |
| Indicator | G1 O5 I1 The Department will add to and/or maintain the number of its web-based courses. |
| Criteria | G1 O5 I1 C1 In the past 5 years, the department has added web-versions of Geo 265, Geo 369, Geo 471 to its curriculum offerings in addition to those already offered (Geo 131/111 and Geo 161). |
| Finding | Web Courses Upper level web course offerings expanded. |
Actions for Objective:
| Action | GEO BS Web Courses Web course offerings expanded successfully. |
GOAL: Goal 2 - Understanding of Discipline
| Objective | G2 O1 | |
| Geography students will successfully complete courses that encompass the breadth of the discipline, ranging from cultural geography, to physical and environmental geography, as well as technical courses. Associated Goals: Goal 2 - Understanding of Discipline |
| Indicator | G2 O1 I1 Successful completion of major requirements and major electives |
| Criteria | G2 O1 I1 C1 Majors must maintain a major GPA of 2.0 |
| Indicator | G2 O1 I2 : Internship Performance - Those students that opt to do an internship will be evaluated by their supervisor using a departmental evaluation form to be completed by the supervisor. (See sample Internship Survey form and Internship Agreement form) |
| Criteria | G2 O1 I2 C2 A significant majority of our students will be evaluated as "satisfactory" or better by their internship supervisors. |
| Finding | Understanding of Discipline All interns achieved an assessment of or above "satisfactory". |
Actions for Objective:
| Action | Breadth of discipline All interns are above the minimum standard of "satisfactory". |
GOAL: Goal 3 - Professional and Technical Skills
| Objective | G3 O1 | |
| The Department will seek modify its curriculum as needed in order to meet this goal. Based on input from our advisory councils and other sources, the department determined that it needed to add the following courses to its curriculum:
a) Added Remote Sensing - added 2005
b) Added Computer Cartography - added 2006
c) Hired a new faculty line for purposes of teaching remote sensing and computer cartography
d) Proposed a Tourism Geography course in 2007
e) Proposed a Population Geography course in 2007
f) Proposed an Urban Geography course in 2007
g) Proposed a Geospatial Technology course in 2007
Associated Goals: Goal 3 - Professional and Technical Skills |
| Indicator | G3 O1 I1 The success of our program, as defined in terms of the success of our graduates, is measured using an Alumni Survey that is given periodically. |
| Criteria | G3 O1 I1 C1 A substantial majority of respondents to our survey will indicate that they are satisfied with the quality of education that they received as regards preparation for their career. |
| Finding | P&T Skills Applied curriculum needs major adjustment and integration with GIS Masters Program. |
Actions for Objective:
| Action | P&T Technical Skills telephone and e-mail to specific cohorts give better informed feedback. Their input will go into new plans for course and curriculum adjustments. |
GOAL: Goal 3 - Professional and Technical Skills
| Objective | G3 O2 | |
| The department developed two new minors in the technical areas of geography that is used primarily by students seeking a BS in Geography. This included a composite minor titled "GIS" that was includes coursework in the Department of Computer Science. The second minor is titled "Geospatial Science" and consists of the technical courses offered in the department, some of which were added in the last two years. Associated Goals: Goal 3 - Professional and Technical Skills |
| Indicator | G3 O2 I1  The success of our program, as defined in terms of the success of our graduates, is measured using an Alumni Survey that is given periodically. |
| Criteria | G3 O2 I1 C1 A substantial majority of respondents to our survey will indicate that they are satisfied with the quality of education that they received as regards preparation for their career. |
| Finding | P&T Skills Program under a new review. Alumni survey not held. |
Actions for Objective:
| Action | Increased GIS course offerings New courses added as well as new courses under review |