AY 2014-2015 ACADEMIC PROGRAM REVIEW SELF-STUDY TEMPLATE
Reporting School/College: St. John’s College
Program Reviewed: Sociology BA S.I.
Date Submitted to Department/Division Chair: September, 2015
Overview and Program Review Summary: Please summarize this program’s mission and its relationship to the vision
and mission of St. John’s University, and the program’s School/College. Identify similar programs regionally and
nationally and distinguish this program from them. In addition, summarize your findings as they relate to (1) program
quality, (2) market growth potential, and (3) student learning. Also, summarize any significant changes, achievements
(by faculty and students and the program itself), and plans for the future. Finally, based on the information gleaned
from the data in the self-study, give an overall rating of the program’s Enrollment/Market Potential by categorizing it as
one of the following: (1) Enhance; (2) Maintain; (3) Reduce support, Phase out, Consolidate, or Discontinue.
(Suggested limit 1 page)
The B.A. program in Sociology at the Staten Island campus is guided by two central problematics: understanding the
nature of social order and dynamics of social change. The study of the structured nature of social inequality and the
correctives to this structured inequality are foundational to theprogram’s curriculum. The ethic of striving for social
change is directly related to the university’s mission, values, and goals.
Our program is unique and distinguishes itself both regionally and nationally because of the inextricable connection
between the faculty members’ understanding and dedication to the ideals of the Vincentian heritage and how those
ideals inform the field of sociology and the pursuit of research-based knowledge. Furthermore, as is true of all those
universities located in New York City, the quintessential global city, the city is our laboratory both for faculty and
students in pursuit of broad-based understanding and involvement in the social problems that ordinary people face in
the urban world that is New York City. Life as lived here, by its living, breathing citizenry, in groups, neighborhoods,
communities, and social organizations is the subject matter of our sociological inquiry and the object of our
methodological practice as we guide students to understand our urban world. In our curriculum and in our emphasis on
service-learning, we continually link the local to the global and the personal to the structural, for both intellectual
understanding and ethical conviction. The sociology department of St. John’s University offers its majors a unique
mission-guided education, incorporating the broad-based array of sociology courses, much like those offered by our
competitors, but infused with the deeply held Vincentian ideals revolving around the mission of understanding the
marginalized of society and social activism directed toward alleviating and eliminating oppressive conditions.
Toward that end, we have an array of courses such as Social Change, Inequality: Race, Class and Gender, Sociology of
Poverty in America, Global Poverty, Race and Ethnicity in America, The Sociology of the Black Experience, Sociology of
Latino/as, Immigration and Inequality in the U.S., Sociology of Gender, Gender in a Global Context, Social Justice and the
City, Urban Sociology, Neighborhoods, Sociology of War, and Law and Society most of which are not offered on the
Staten Island campus because of limited faculty resources and student interest.
This Vincentian focus also requires that our faculty not only teach sociological theory and methods; it demands that our
faculty integrate across the curriculum the ways in which sociological theory and methods can be applied to help those
in need in the New York metropolitan area as well as nationally and globally. Incorporating the ideals of the Vincentian
heritage into the department’s mission has a positive impact on the job prospects for our graduates. Sociology majors
educated at St. John’s will have an enhanced awareness of the needs of others and how best to serve them. This is
critical for the types of careers typically pursued by sociology majors. According to an American Sociological Association
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(ASA) study published in 2010, most of those graduating with a major in sociology focus on social services,
administrative support, management, and research position. More than 60% find that their job is closely related with
their major, and are accordingly highly satisfied with their field of choice and their work. The Bureau of Labor Statistics
(BLS) Occupational Handbook, October 2014 indicates a 15% growth for jobs in the field of sociology for the period
2012-2022, a rate significantly higher than in other fields. This report lists the following occupations for those who
graduate with a degree in sociology: postsecondary teachers; high school teachers; policy analysts; demographers;
survey researchers; statisticians and social workers. The BLS notes that sociology graduates are able to work in a variety
of fields due to the applicability of the research techniques taught in sociology. This was reaffirmed in an ASA report
released in 2010 that emphasized that graduating sociology majors are able to apply skills learned such as identifying
ethical issues in research; developing evidence-based arguments; evaluating different research methods; writing
reports understandable to non-sociologists; forming causal hypothesis; using computation and statistical resources for
developing research, and interpreting results of data gathering. Students of Sociology at St. John’s University certainly
gain an education that includes these standard set of skills, and also acquire a heightened sense regarding social
inequalities and the value of becoming an active citizen, providing for the most disadvantaged groups, and promoting
social justice.
STANDARD 1. The purpose of the program reflects and supports the strategic vision and mission of St. John’s
University, and the program’s School/College.
1a.
What evidence can you provide that demonstrates that the program embodies the Catholic, Vincentian, and
metropolitan identity of St. John’s University? www.stjohns.edu/about/out-mission. (Suggested limit 1/3 page)
Through its very course offerings, the sociology program demonstrates its Catholic, Vincentian, and Metropolitan
identity as it provides our students with intellectual and moral education, including the Judea-Christian ideals of respect
for the rights and dignity of every person and individual responsibility for the world in which we live. Course offerings
on topics such as race, class, and gender inequality, poverty, and immigration all directly incorporate the values inherent
in the Catholic and Vincentian nature of our program. In addition, our faculty believes in the ideal of social justice. Each
of us is imbued with the idea that it is not enough to understand the social problems of American society; it is morally
right and proper for all of us, individually and united with others, to fight against injustice and work to ameliorate the
condition of the poor and marginalized of society. Also, the metropolitan component of our program is demonstrated
through the very diversity of our faculty and the multifaceted and multi-dimensional course offerings directly related to
issues of class, gender, race, ethnicity and immigrant status. As a program, the sociology program is proud to fully
support, in word and deed, St. John’s University’s identity as Catholic, Vincentian, and metropolitan.
1b.
What evidence can you provide that demonstrates that the program embodies the University’s vision.
www.stjohns.edu/about/out-mission/vision-statement. (Suggested limit 1/3 page)
As a discipline, sociology has been historically committed to the ideal of social justice, social equality, and the
improvement of the conditions of the poor and marginalized of society, all central to Catholic teaching. As a faculty, our
emphasis on service learning and social activism attests to our belief in the University’s vision of empowering diverse
learners with quality education. Our willingness to utilize innovative teaching methods, including teaching on-line
courses, attests to our belief in developing a caring, energized, and nimble academic culture. The full-time faculty
member on Staten Island has mentored students in the Ronald E. McNair Post Baccalaureate Achievement Program; this
attests to our belief in empowering diverse learners as well as in service and social justice.
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1c.
What evidence can you provide that demonstrates that the program embodies the vision and mission of the
program’s School/College? (Suggested limit 1/3 page)
Our faculty has been directly involved with addressing the Vincentian traditions and values in regard to social injustice,
social inequality, poverty, and the unequal distribution of wealth and power. The core of the Sociology Department’s
undergraduate program and the core of our faculty’s research and teaching have reflected these concerns as well. The
faculty member participates in Academic Service Learning and systematically applies this pedagogical tool to develop
curricula and plan student’s engagement and evaluation. Simultaneously, more than half of the course offerings cover
issues that are of concern to the Vincentian tradition such as poverty, social inequality, social movements to struggle
against social injustice, racial and ethnic disparities, and the marginalized standing of minorities locally, nationally, and
globally.
Standard 1.
Additional comments if needed. (Suggested limit 1 page)
STANDARD 2. The program attracts, retains, and graduates high quality students.
2a.
Undergraduate SAT and High School Average
SAT
2005
2006
2007
High School Average
2008
2009
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
Program
1100
1099
1104
1001
1089
87
87
85
88
85
School/
College
1104
1099
1085
1093
1093
88
88
88
88
89
University
1068
1075
1075
1087
1092
86
87
87
87
88
SAT Scores
High School Average
2010
2011
2012
2013
2010
2011
2012
2013
School/
College - SI
1079
1113
1097
1104
87
88
88
90
Total
University
1097
1087
1096
1104
87
87
88
89
SAT
Intended College Major
Social Sciences
Test-Takers
Mean Scores
Number Percent (%) Critical Reading
2,069
1.5%
551
Mathematics
Total
536
1087
* For further information, please visit http://www.ets.org/s/gre/pdf/gre_guide.pdf.
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Self-Study Template 3
The SAT scores and high school averages of the limited number of sociology majors on the campus fall in line with those
of the college and university in general.
Undergraduate 1st Year Retention Rate
2b.
Fall
2003
2004*
2005
2006
2007
2008**
# Fresh
Program
# Ret
%
100%
#DIV/0!
School/
College
76%
70%
79%
83%
77%
102
86
84%
University
78%
78%
78%
79%
76%
3268
2557
78%
Note* The % of student started in Fall 2004 and returned to the program in Fall 2005
** The % of student started in Fall 2008 and returned to the program in Fall 2009
2009
Total
SOC
2
2010
Returned
DNR
#
%
#
%
1
50%
1
50%
Total
2011
Returned
#
DNR
%
#
Total
%
2012
Returned
#
%
DNR
#
Total
%
Returned
#
%
DNR
#
%
Fall
2009
2010
2011
2012**
# Fresh
# Ret
%
School/
College - SI
85%
71%
85%
53
45
85%
Total University
78%
78%
76%
2757
2195
80%
* The % of students started in Fall 2012 and returned to the program in Fall 2013
The number of majors on the Staten Island campus is limited; data is not statistically relevant.
2c.
Undergraduate 6 Year Graduation Rate
Fall
1999
Program
LAS_SOC-SOC_BA_SI
2000
2001
2002
2003
100%
Self-Study Template 4
School/
College
Average Rate
74%
65%
60%
69%
58%
University
64%
59%
61%
61%
58%
2004
Total
2005
Graduated
#
Total
Graduated
%
SOC
2006
#
1
Total
2007
Graduated
%
#
%
Total
Graduated
#
%
0%
Fall
2004
2005
2006
2007
School/College
Average Rate - SI
56%
74%
65%
58%
Total University
58%
58%
59%
55%
The number of majors on the Staten Island campus is limited; data is not statistically relevant. The few majors must
come to the Queens campus to complete the upper level required courses. It’s likely that data on these students is
aggregated into the BA Sociology program on the Queens campus.
2d.
Graduate Standardized Test Scores
Not applicable
2e.
Please describe how the program compares with peer and aspirational institutions. (Suggested limit 1/2 page)
The most significant local peer institutions are the College of Staten Island, CUNY; Wagner College and Seton Hall.
According to each institution’s published data the College of Staten Island had 397 sociology majors in 2012; these are
students who anticipate pursuing careers in secondary education; Wagner College listed 74 majors in 2012; Seton Hall
University listed 25. Each school delivers a full complement of required and elective courses in the major; this is not
possible on the Staten Island campus. The department has been unsuccessful in running required courses with the
exception of Soc 1000C Introduction to Sociology.
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2f.
If applicable, describe the program’s student performance over the past five years on licensure or professional
certification exams relative to regional and national standards. (Suggested limit 1/4 page)
Not applicable
2g.
Number of majors and minors enrolled over the past five years. See table below.
Fall
Number of
Students
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
Majors
9
10
12
10
6
Minors
5
3
3
6
3
Total
14
13
15
16
9
MAJORS
SOC
Fall 2010
Fall 2011
Fall 2012
Fall 2013
Majors
Majors
Majors
Majors
BA
6
3
3
BA/MA
1
Total
MINORS
Total
LAS_SOC-SOC_BA_SI
6
3
3
Fall 2010
Fall 2011
Fall 2012
Fall 2013
Minors
Minors
Minors
Minors
Sociology
2
2
10
4
3
Fall 2010
Fall 2011
Fall 2012
Fall 2013
Total
Total
Total
Total
8
13
7
3
6
Self-Study Template 6
With the exception of 2011, the total number of majors and minors has been in decline since 2009. It’s not known if the
percentage of this decline approximates that of the overall decline in the college on the campus. In any case, it is difficult
to sustain a major with one full time faculty member.
2h.
Number of degrees granted during the past five years. See table below.
Academic Year
SJC-UG-SI
SOC
Degrees
Granted
04/05
05/06
06/07
07/08
08/09
BA
1
4
3
4
2
Sociology
BA
10/11
11/12
12/13
Degrees
Conferred
Degrees
Conferred
Degrees
Conferred
4
1
1
Below is comparison degrees conferred data for local and national institutions based on data retrieved from the IPEDS
website. This is based on the Classification of Instructional Program (CIP) Code of 45-Social Sciences.
20092010
20102011
20112012
Bachelors
Local
3,417
National 137,582
3,423
3,322
142,145
143,422
1
Local institution include: Adelphi University, Columbia University, CUNY Queens College, Fordham University,
Hofstra University, Iona College, C.W. Post University, Manhattan College, New York University, Pace University,
Seton Hall University, Stony Brook University, and Wagner College.
Comments : Based on the data in 2g and 2h, how do these trends compare to institutional, regional and national
patterns? (Suggested limit 1/2 page)
Unfortunately there is no doubt that the sociology major on the Staten Island campus has limited viability. One full-time
faculty member has willingly engaged in new preparations but upper level required courses and electives are not
sustainable on the campus. Students must come to the Queens campus to complete the major.
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2i.
What mechanisms are in place to monitor students’ progress toward degree? And, to what extent is there a
collaborative effort to provide quality advising and support services to students? (Suggested limit 1/4 page)
Advisement on the campus is done by the faculty in conjunction with the college office and the department chair. Every
effort is made to limit the number of days students must come to the Queens campus. Faculty has consistently been
willing to do independent studies to accommodate student interest.
2j.
If available, provide information on the success of graduates in this program as it relates to employment or
attending graduate school. (Suggested limit 1/4 page)
Data is not available
2k.
Please comment on the students’ competencies in the program. Support your response using data provided
below and any other data available. (Suggested limit 1/3 page)
Sociology majors have gpa’s slightly above undergraduates on all campuses.
Standard 2.
Additional comments if needed: (Suggested limit 1 page)
STANDARD 3. The program engages in ongoing systematic planning that is aligned with the University and
School/College planning, direction, and priorities.
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3a.
How does your program’s strategic goal/objectives link to your School/College plan and the University’s strategic
plan? http://www.stjohns.edu/about/leadership/strategic-planning
The strategic goals and objectives of the B.A. program in Sociology on the Queens campus are actualized on the Staten
Island campus in a limited way due to the limited faculty resources and lack of student interest in choosing a wide range
of sociology courses as general electives. We have had the most success in offering electives that appeal to students
majoring in Criminal Justice and Legal Studies. These courses reflect the general analytic framework of the discipline but
there is a restricted number of courses that can be rotated in given their specific interests. Sociology majors and minors
are encouraged to participate in the activities and extracurricula programs offered on the Queens campus.
The strategic goals/objectives of the B.A. program in Sociology are linked to the strategic plans of St. John’s College of
Liberal Arts & Sciences and the University through our department’s curriculum. It is a curriculum built on the imperative
to strive for social justice. This imperative comes from the central concerns that drive research in our field:
understanding the essence of social order and the nature of social change. This research foundation allows us to make
social justice—the core of the university’s mission, values and goals—the center of our pedagogy.
As such, the study of structural inequality and correctives to inequality are foundational in the department’s curriculum.
The department’s courses have traditionally covered the important field-specific understandings about society being
organized around institutions, the social structure, and culture. Studies about the social structure have revolved around
the subjects of race, class, and gender. Studies about institutions have focused on the social welfare system, family,
education, media, and work. And, studies about culture have incorporated deviance, sport, religion, and violence.
The department is continuously examining the new ways in which the social structure, culture, and institutions reshape
our world, particularly to create new systems of injustice and inequality. We do this in conjunction with the changing
demands of the field as well as the requirements of the strategic plans of St. John’s College and the University. As such,
the department has revised existing courses and developed new courses to respond to changes in the academy as well
as the world outside. The revisions of existing courses include updates to the units of instruction in the syllabi of courses
already in the curriculum to incorporate new developments in society, e.g. globalization and the effects of globalization
on the protagonists and victims as it takes greater hold of our society. In addition to satisfying the strategic plan of the
College, such an addition addresses part of the mission of the university. Specific undergraduate courses that reflect the
mission’s commitment to social justice and global education include: The Sociology of Poverty in America; Global
Poverty; Inequality: Race, Class, Gender; Immigration and Inequality; Human Trafficking; and Social Movements and
Change. New courses are incorporated that allow us to maintain social justice as a core component in our curriculum.
These courses incorporate new developments in social constructionism and new ways in which race, class, and gender
interlock in the world. Examples of such courses include: Human Trafficking; Social Construction of Race in the U.S.;
Sociology of News Media, Sociology of Latinos/as in the U.S.; and Immigration and Inequality.
Social justice is also incorporated into our curriculum and subsequently supports the strategic plans of both the College
and the University through our participation in the Academic Service Learning Program. Our courses regularly provide
students with the opportunity to participate in the Academic Service-Learning program. And, the majority of the
members of the faculty have been certified by the ASL program.
Through the maintenance of a campus-based chapter of AKD, the international sociology honor society, our department
regularly provides students with extra-curricular opportunities to also advance the social justice pedagogy thereby
supporting the strategic plans of both the College and the University. Through AKD students plan and co-sponsor
programs that bring speakers and films to campus to expand the curriculum outside the classroom. This work includes
bringing media studies researcher Robin Andersen to campus as well co-sponsoring sociologist’s Mary Romero’s visit to
campus. AKD screened the film “Inside Job” and led a student discussion about the global economic transformation. The
organization also led a student forum on the “Rising Cost of Higher Education;” produced a “Wealth Gap” video
documenting interviews of students discussing the impact of the growing wealth gap on their lives; and is a regular cosponsor of “The Clothes Line Project” every spring on campus.
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3b.
What is the evidence of monitoring the external and internal environments, specifically what are the strengths,
weaknesses, opportunities and threats facing the program? How were they identified? What actions have been taken
in response to these findings? What characteristics of the program suggest a competitive edge against other programs
regionally and nationally?
The persistent limited number of majors and minors in sociology is an inherent problem with no short-term solution. It
seems evident that students attracted to the Staten Island campus are interested in pursuing majors immediately and
directly related to careers. We believe that the analytic thinking skills and quantitative reasoning they receive in our
program prepare them for entry level jobs in most professions but first-generation college students and their parents
don’t necessarily see this. The competition advantage low tuition costs give to The College of Staten Island is the most
serious external threat. Wagner College and Seton Hall University, while closer in tuition costs to those of St. John’s
have the advantage of larger cohorts and thus the ability to offer all courses for the degree.
3c.
What is the current and future market demand for the program? Support your response using the data
provided below or any other internal or external sources to justify your response.
Change, 2010-20
Fastest Growing Occupations
Percent
Numeric
Social and Human Service
Assistants
28%
106,00
Social and Community Service
Managers
27%
35,800
Occupations having the
largest numerical
increase in employment
Social and Human Service
Assistants
Change, 2010-20
Percent
28%
Numeric
106,00
Changes, 2010-20
Grow much faster than average – Increase 21% or more
Percent
Numeric
Social and Human Service Assistants
28%
106,00
Social and Community Service Managers
27%
35,800
*For more information please visit: http://www.bls.gov/news.release/ecopro.toc.htm
According to the Occupational Outlook Handbook published by the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics, “most sociologists
work in research organizations, colleges and universities, state and local government, and consulting service firms.”
Sociologists typically possess analytical skills that often require them to analyze data and other information with the use
of statistical processes; communication skills for research and interaction with colleagues; critical-thinking skills for the
design and execution of research projects; and problem-solving skills to identify, study, and solve social problems. As a
result of the skills typically taught in this field, sociology can be incorporated into a variety of areas or disciplines.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the incorporation of sociology into research in other fields continues to
increase and helps to fuel a high rate of growth of jobs requiring sociological skills. As such sociology majors often
populate jobs in the social and human services and the social and community services. (See tables above.) The Bureau of
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Labor Statistics latest projections for job growth in community and social service occupations cover the period 20122022. BLS research indicates that the community and social service sectors will add 408,800 jobs, reflecting a growth of
17.2 percent during that period. This positive jobs outlook positions us to grow the number of majors because
sociological skills increase their likelihood of employment. While candidates who hold a master’s or Ph.D. degree will
have the best employment prospects, BA candidates with quantitative and qualitative skills will be well positioned
because these skills are important for all workers.
Standard 3.
Additional comments if needed: (Suggested limit 1 page)
STANDARD 4. The program provides a high quality curriculum that emphasizes and assesses student learning and
engagement.
4a.
Please indicate how the program curriculum is in alignment with the following three items:
(Suggested limit 1/2 page for each of the three categories below)
1. Standards within the discipline
2. Curriculum integrity, coherence, academic internships, teaching excellence, teaching vibrancy, and study
abroad experiences.
3. The University Core competencies
The following applies to the sociology program in Queens; to the extent possible
Disciplinary Standards:
• Updates to the units of instructions in the syllabi of courses already in the curriculum incorporate new
developments in society, e.g. globalization.
• The amount of time needed to complete the requirements in the department is in line with other fields
in the Liberal Arts College.
• The program exhibits multi-disciplinary and inter-disciplinary strengths making sociology compatible
with interdisciplinary programs.
Strategic Plan:
•
The units of instructions of most courses in the major incorporate globalization, addressing the
effects of globalization on the protagonists and victims as it takes greater hold of our society
•
Opportunities to participate in the Academic Service-Learning program are typically offered in
courses in the department
•
Faculty is certified in ASL and incorporate this pedagogical tool in classes.
•
To foster student engagement, faculty supervises independent studies with students.
University Core Competencies:
Critical Thinking:
• Faculty members include in their courses a critical writing component utilizing various forms of writing
along with student presentations. Faculty participates in faculty development programs run by the Writing
Across the Curriculum program as well as the Center for Teaching and Learning, which teach and support
pedagogical practices that support critical thinking.
Information Literacy:
• The program’s learning goals and outcomes encourages faculty to include in their courses student
presentations that require use of information technology
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• The program’s learning goals and outcomes also encourages faculty to incorporate traditional
multimedia presentations in their courses including, PowerPoint, DVDs, and online media and networking
sites (e.g. YouTube, PBWiki, and Facebook). Faculty has been certified to teach on-line.
• The program’s learning goals and outcomes supports the incorporation of all available and relevant
forms of technology in the design of courses.
• The program’s learning goals and outcomes fosters a curricula that encourages all faculty members to
design writing intensive syllabi that regularly include various forms of writing including, research papers,
critical essays, reflection essays, and journal writing.
• The program’s learning goals and outcomes also encourages faculty members to participate in the
faculty development programs provided by the Writing Across the Curriculum program, which enhance
student writing. This is an element of student engagement.
• The program’s learning goals and outcomes also encourages faculty members to incorporate in their
syllabi the writing programs to support student writing, which are offered by the Writing Center.
Quantitative Reasoning:
• The program’s learning goals and outcomes necessitate the teaching of quantitative reasoning through
the teaching of various sociology theory and methodology courses. Students are required to take Research
Methods and Statistics. These courses serve the students well academically/educationally. They also serve
them well on the job market for the interdisciplinary nature of these courses allows sociology graduates to
work in a variety of fields.
4b.
The syllabi for the courses within this program incorporate the suggested elements of a syllabus – an example of
which can be found at the following St. John’s University Center for Teaching and Learning link. (Suggested limit 1/3
page) http://stjohns.campusguides.com/content.php?pid=71651&sid=984766
The syllabi for our courses incorporate all the required elements of a syllabus, such as title page; instructor information;
a statement that incorporates the faculty’s teaching philosophy statement; purpose of the course--tell what this course
is designed to do, i.e., the objectives; course description; course and unit objectives this is where you present an outline
of the course; relevant resources that might be helpful, including in the library and on the web; required and
recommended texts; course calendar with dates for assignments, quizzes, exams; course requirements, such as types of
assignments including papers, quizzes, projects, exams; policies and expectations about attendance and academic
honesty; how student work will be evaluated; how grades will be calculated; and specific learning tools, such as notetaking, that students will have to use.
4c.
Describe the assessment model currently in place for the program and indicate the extent to which disciplinary
and core knowledge, competence, and values are met, as well as findings and action plans for improvement. For
reference, visit WeaveOnline – https://app.weaveonline.com//login.aspx; Digication – https://stjohns.digication.com
(Suggested limit 1/2 page)
Assessment has not been done on the Staten Island campus.
4d.
What, if any, external validations, e.g. specialized accreditations, external awards, other validations of quality
has the program received? (Suggested limit 1/3 page)
Not applicable
Standard 4.
Additional comments if needed. (Suggested limit 1 page)
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STANDARD 5. The program has the faculty resources required to meet its mission and goals.
5a.
Below you will find the number of students enrolled as majors and minors in the program. Please complete the
table by adding the number of full-time faculty assigned to the program. Then calculate the student to full-time faculty
ratio.
Fall 2005
Fall 2006
# Majors/
FT Faculty
FT
PT
Total
Majors
8
1
9
8
Minors
5
5
3
Majors
& Minors
Combined
13
1
14
11
# of FTE
Students
(Majors &
Minors)
13.00
0.33
13.33
# of FTE
Faculty
assigned
to the
program
1
3
FTE
Student/
FTE
Faculty
Ratio
2
FT
PT
Fall 2007
Total
2
FT
PT
10
11
3
3
2
13
14
11.00
0.67
11.67
1
3
2
6.67
Fall 2008
Total
1
10
3
6
1
15
16
14.00
0.33
14.33
1
3
2
Fall 2011
Fall 2012
Fall 2013
3
3
0
16
9
0
9
16.00
0.00
16.00
9.00
0.00
9.00
1
3
1
3
Total
F
Total
F
Total
Majors
Majors
Majors
Majors
Majors
Majors
Majors
Majors
LAS_SOC-SOC_BA_SI
3
3
3
3
4
Total
6
F
6
PT
6
Total
6
FT
6
7.2
0
Total
10
F
MAJORS
PT
12
5.835
Fall 2010
FT
Fall 2009
2
8
2
4.5
4
Self-Study Template 13
Fall 2010
Fall 2011
F
Total
Minors
MINORS
F
P
2
2
9
1
F
F
Total
MAJORS/MINORS
FTE MAJORS
10
6
Fall 2011
Total
6
3
3
Fall 2012
Fall 2013
F
Total
F
P
Total
F
Total
F
Total
8
8
12
1
13
9
9
7
7
Fall 2010
Total
Fall 2013
Minors Minors Minors Minors Minors Minors Minors Minors
Fall 2010
Total
Total
Fall 2012
Fall 2011
Fall 2012
Fall 2013
F
Total
F
P
Total
F
Total
F
Total
FTE
FTE
FTE
FTE
FTE
FTE
FTE
FTE
FTE
8
8
12
0.333
12.333
9
9
7
7
Fall 2010
Fall 2011
Fall 2012
Fall 2013
# of FTE faculty assigned
to the program
3
2.66
2.66
2.66
FTE Student/FTE Faculty
Ratio
2.666
4.636
3.383
2.631
Important Notes:
FTE Students = Number of FT Students + (number of PT Students/3)
FTE Faculty = Number of FT Faculty + (number of PT Faculty/3)
This methodology is used by STJ for all external reporting.
The figure for majors includes first and any second majors.
5b.
Below you will find the credit hours the department has delivered by full-time faculty and part-time faculty
(including administrators) and the total credit hours consumed by non-majors.
LAS_SOC-SOC_BA_SI
Self-Study Template 14
Credit Hours
Taught
Fall 2005
#
Fall 2006
Fall 2007
Fall 2008
Fall 2009
%
#
%
#
%
#
%
#
%
1446
44%
1536
47%
2079
62%
1998
59%
2898
77%
PT Faculty
1824
56%
1764
53%
1290
38%
1380
41%
870
23%
Total
3270
100%
3300
100%
3369
100%
3378
100%
3768
100%
FT Faculty
% consumed
by
NonMajors
74%
Credit Hrs Taught
Fall 2010
Percent
2,046
55.9%
1,617
44.1%
Number
2,175
1,761
3,663
% Consumed by
Non-Majors
2,433
100%
66.4%
55.3%
44.7%
Number
2,358
1,149
2,568
100%
65.2%
Percent
67.2%
32.8%
Number
2,112
3,507
100%
59.5%
Percent
69.3%
936
0.0%
2,085
67%
Fall 2013
0.0%
3,936
69%
Fall 2012
Percent
0.0%
Total
66%
Fall 2011
Number
F-T Faculty
P-T Faculty (inc
Admin)
71%
30.7%
0.0%
3,048
1,935
100%
63.5%
The percentage of sociology credits consumed by non-majors has averaged 63.65% for the period fall 2010- fall 2013.
This is 6% lower than the average for the period fall 2005-fall 2009 (69.4%).
5c.
Below you will find the number of courses the department has delivered by full-time faculty and part-time
faculty (including administrators).
Courses
Taught
Fall 2005
#
LAS_SOC-SOC_BA_SI
Fall 2006
%
#
Fall 2007
%
#
Fall 2008
%
#
Fall 2009
%
#
%
Self-Study Template 15
20
48%
26
59%
29
63%
36
80%
FT Faculty
25
56%
PT Faculty
20
44%
22
52%
18
41%
17
37%
9
20%
Total
45
100%
42
100%
44
100%
46
100%
45
100%
Courses Taught
Fall 2010
Fall 2012
Number
Percent
Number
Percent
27
58.7%
35
62.5%
41.3%
21
37.5%
F-T Faculty
P-T Faculty (inc
Admin)
Fall 2011
19
0.0%
Total
46
100%
Number
34
18
100%
Percent
Number
Percent
65.4%
33
67.3%
34.6%
0.0%
56
Fall 2013
16
32.7%
0.0%
52
100%
0.0%
49
100%
The one full-time faculty member on the Staten Island campus has delivered on average 63.475% of all courses for the
period fall 2010-fall 2013.
5d.
What is the representative nature of faculty in terms of demographics, tenure and diversity? (See departmental
information on next page). How well does this support the program? (Suggested limit 1/2 page)
The one faculty member assigned to the campus is white and female.
Departmental Data
LAS_SOC-SOC_BA_SI
Self-Study Template 16
Departmental Data
2005
FT
2006
PT
Total
#
%
#
%
Male
7
64%
8
50%
Female
4
36%
8
Total
11
100%
Black
1
Hispanic
FT
2007
PT
Total
#
%
#
%
15
7
64%
10
59%
50%
12
4
36%
7
16
100%
27
11
100%
9%
5
31%
6
1
0
0%
0
0%
0
Asian
0
0%
2
13%
White
10
91%
9
Unknown
0
0%
Total
11
100%
Tenured
10
Tenure-Track
FT
2008
PT
Total
#
%
#
%
17
7
54%
9
60%
41%
11
6
46%
6
17
100%
28
13
100%
9%
5
29%
6
2
0
0%
0
0%
0
2
0
0%
1
6%
56%
19
10
91%
11
0
0%
0
0
0%
16
100%
27
11
100%
91%
10
10
0
0%
0
Not Applicable
1
9%
Total
11
100%
FT
2009
PT
Total
#
%
#
%
16
7
50%
7
64%
40%
12
7
50%
4
15
100%
28
14
100%
15%
3
20%
5
2
1
8%
0
0%
1
1
0
0%
2
13%
65%
21
10
77%
10
0
0%
0
0
0%
17
100%
28
13
100%
91%
10
10
1
9%
1
1
0
0%
11
11
100%
FT
PT
Total
#
%
#
%
14
7
50%
4
50%
11
36%
11
7
50%
4
50%
11
11
100%
25
14
100%
8
100%
22
14%
2
18%
4
2
14%
2
25%
4
1
7%
1
9%
2
1
7%
0
0%
1
2
0
0%
0
0%
0
0
0%
1
13%
1
67%
20
11
79%
8
73%
19
11
79%
5
63%
16
0
0%
0
0
0%
0
0%
0
0
0%
0
0%
0
15
100%
28
14
100%
11
100%
25
14
100%
8
100%
22
77%
10
10
71%
10
10
71%
10
3
23%
3
4
29%
4
4
29%
4
0
0
0%
0
0
0%
0
0
0%
0
11
13
100%
13
14
100%
14
14
100%
14
Gender
Ethnicity
Tenure Status
LAS_SOC-SOC_BA_SI
Self-Study Template 17
2010
FT
2011
PT
Total
#
%
#
%
Male
5
42%
7
70%
Female
7
58%
3
30%
Total
12
FT
2012
PT
Total
#
%
#
%
12
6
46%
6
55%
10
7
54%
5
45%
22
13
30%
5
2
15%
1
FT
2013
PT
Total
#
%
#
%
12
6
43%
5
63%
12
8
57%
3
38%
24
14
27%
5
2
14%
8%
0%
1
1
1
FT
PT
Total
#
%
#
%
11
6
43%
4
40%
10
11
8
57%
6
60%
14
22
14
25%
4
2
14%
2
20%
4
7%
0%
1
1
7%
0
0%
1
7%
0%
1
1
7%
0
0%
1
0%
0%
0
0%
0
0%
0
75%
16
71%
8
80%
18
2 or More Races
0
0%
0
Native
Hawaiian/Pacific
Islander
0
0%
0
0
0%
0
Gender
10
11
8
10
24
Ethnicity
Black
2
17%
Hispanic
1
8%
0%
1
Asian
0%
0%
0
0%
0%
0
American
Indian/Alaskan
Native
0%
0%
0
0%
0%
0
70%
16
73%
18
White
9
Unknown
Total
75%
3
7
0%
12
0%
10
10
0
77%
3
8
0%
22
13
0%
11
10
0
71%
2
6
0%
24
14
0%
8
10
0
0%
22
14
10
24
Tenure Status
Tenured
8
67%
8
9
69%
9
11
79%
11
12
86%
12
Tenure-Track
4
33%
4
4
31%
4
3
21%
3
2
14%
2
0%
0
0%
0
0%
0
0%
0
Not Applicable
Total
12
LAS_SOC-SOC_BA_SI
12
13
13
14
14
14
Self-Study Template 18
14
5e.
What evidence exists that the program’s faculty have engaged in research and scholarship on teaching and/or
learning in the program’s field of study? (Suggested limit 1/2 page)
Faculty attends seminars conducted by the Center for Teaching and Learning and has attended an outcomes assessment
seminar at Hunter College.
5f.
What initiatives have been taken in the past five years to promote faculty development in support of the
program? (Suggested limit 1/2 page)
Yearly travel funds are distributed to support conference presentations.
5g.
The table below shows the amount of external funding received by the department. If available, please provide
the dollar amount of externally funded research for full-time faculty supporting the program under review. (Program
dollar amounts are available through departmental records.)
Fiscal Year
External
Funding
04/05
05/06
06/07
07/08
08/09
$ Amount
Program
$ Amount
Department
70,000
Fiscal Year
External
Funding
09/10
10/11
11/12
12/13
$ Amount
Program
$ Amount
Department
-
2,500
1,000
-
5h.
Please comment on the table below that shows trends in overall course evaluation and instructional vibrancy for
your program (if available), your college and the university. (Suggested limit ½ page)
Sociology (SI)
Saint John’s
College
Total
Undergraduate
Overall Evaluation (Spring)
2011
2012
2013
Instructional Vibrancy (Spring)
2011
2012
2013
4.28
4.45
4.31
4.37
4.53
4.61
3.95
4.01
4.00
4.28
4.33
4.33
4.01
3.21
4.07
4.27
4.29
4.35
Note: Institutional Vibrancy is the average of the first 14 questions on the course evaluation, with questions pertaining
to course organization, communication, faculty-student interaction, and assignments/grading. All course evaluation
questions range from 1 (Strongly Disagree) to 5 (Strongly Agree).
5i.
What percentage of full time faculty assigned to this program have terminal degrees or industry certifications
renewed within the past 2 years? Comment. (Suggested limit 1/3 page)
All have terminal degrees
LAS_SOC-SOC_BA_SI
Self-Study Template 19
Standard 5.
Comments: Indicate to what extent the program has the faculty resources required to meet its mission
and goals. Include references from 5a – 5i. (Suggested limit 1 page)
The department in general has enough resources to meet its mission and goals on the Queens campus. These cannot be
met on the Staten Island campus due to low enrollment and limited full-time faculty assigned there.
Standard 5.
Additional comments if needed. (Suggested limit 1 page)
STANDARD 6. The program has adequate resources to meet its goals and objectives. And, it is cost-effective.
6a.
Narrative/Supportive Technological Environment - Comment on classrooms and labs meeting industry-standards
for quality and availability of hardware, software, and peripherals; library space, holdings and services; science
laboratories, TV studios, art/computer graphic labs; etc. (Suggested limit 1 page)
The technological environment is adequate to meet the goals and objectives of the sociology major at this time. Of
course, technology needs to be constantly updated with change in hardware and software. The personnel in the
computer lab have proven to be very helpful and competent. E-studio on the Queens campus is also very responsive to
questions raised on the Staten Island campus. The Loretto Memorial Library on the Staten Island campus has undergone
a major renovation during the summer of 2015. The library now has computer-assisted work stations and an expanded
lounge/study area. The librarians have observed an increased number of students using the library since this
renovation. The number of books has been reduced from two floors to one floor with many outdated books being
removed. However, the access to books is facilitated by electronic search engines . Upon request, books requested
from the Queens library are promptly sent to the Staten Island campus library. The Media Center in Queens is also
receptive to purchase orders that have requested for DVD’s. It has a large audio-video collection . The Staten Island
library has reduced the number of hours for service. It is not open on the week-ends at this time which includes Friday
evening. I suggest that recently published books in sociology be purchased for the Staten Island library to add quality to
its limited collection and to the enrich the sociology program.
6b.
Narrative/ Supportive Physical Environment - Comment on level of faculty and student satisfaction with HVAC;
faculty and student satisfaction with classroom lighting, crowdedness, and acoustics; flexible teaching environments,
and faculty offices, etc.. (Suggested limit 1 page)
Room climate control is variable; it is either too hot or too cold; neither of which is conducive to learning.
6c.
To what extent has the University funded major capital projects, e.g., renovations, which are linked directly to
the program during the past five years? (Bulleted list)
There have been no major capital projects directly linked to the program at this time.
6d.
If external data that describes the cost effectiveness of the program has been provided by your School/College
Dean, please comment on the program’s cost-effectiveness. (Suggest limit 1 page)
SJC Sociology
BA
LAS_SOC-SOC_BA_SI
S
Enrollment
Credit
Hours
4
146
Tuition
183,275
Fees
5,204
Gross
Tuition
& Fees
188,479
Financial
Aid
Tuition
Remission
88,013
Self-Study Template 20
0
Fellowships
SJC Sociology
BA
S
0
Net Tuition
Revenues
Other Direct
Revenue
100,466
1,125
Total
Revenue
Direct
Expenses
101,591
Contribution
Margin #1
53,950
47,641
Report Glossary
Enrollment is based on the Fall 2013 Institutional data.
Tuition and Fees – gross tuition and fees posted to the student account regardless of where the student
takes his or her classes.
Financial Aid – University financial aid as posted to the student account. (Does not include any externally
funded or government aid.)
Tuition Remission –dependent and employee remission for students in the program; reported based
upon the college / program of the student and not the employee organization budget code.
Fellowships - fellowships and graduate assistant tuition remission; does not include stipends.
Other Direct Revenue – Represents additional revenue (e.g. refunds).
Direct Expense – faculty and other instructional costs for the courses within the program of study.
*The information was obtained from a very large data base and you are seeing the end results.
This data base was created by looking at every student in the University for the semesters
under review (Summer & Fall 2013 and Spring 2014).
The BA sociology program at Staten Island is cost effective.
Sociology provides a total revenue of U$D 101,591, which after calculating its costs, leaves a marginal contribution of
U$D 47,641.
Standard 6.
Additional comments if needed. (Suggested limit 1 page)
STANDARD 7. Effective actions have been taken based on the findings of the last program review and plans have
been initiated for the future.
Actions have been taken to generate student interest in the major and minor including a rotation of electives and
independent studies but the desired effect has not been achieved.
Comments: (Suggested limit 1page)
The few majors from the campus must come to Queens to complete the required courses. The department does all it
can to minimize the number of days a week and the number of semesters students must come but we recognize that
this has presented an economic challenge and has interfered with their academic schedules on the Staten Island
campus. While there are benefits to studying on Queens including the intellectual stimulation generated by a cohort
taking classes together, students from the Staten Island campus have voiced considerable dissatisfaction with this
requirement. We have found that students aren’t made aware of this when they first declare the major on Staten Island
and are rightfully upset. We have tried to offer at least 3 of the required courses over the past 5 years including
Statistics; Inequality and Theory but they have been cancelled due to lack of enrollment. Students from the Staten
Island campus take a minimum of 15 credits on Queens; many of them take 21 credits in total.
LAS_SOC-SOC_BA_SI
Self-Study Template 21
Addendum: The following was submitted by Irene Dabrowski, Ph.D. the department’s only full time faculty member on
the Staten Island campus. She has asked for it to be included in its entirety.
AY 2014-2015 ACADEMIC PROGRAM REVIEW
Reporting School/College: St. John’s College
Program Reviewed: Sociology BS SI
Date Submitted to Department/Division Chair: April 6, 2015
Upon receiving the completed document, the review portrays a distressed major in a distressed Institution with an
analysis of facts and numbers to document this point. I played a substantial role in developing the sociology major
serving as Chair of the Division of Social Sciences in the former Notre Dame College of St. John’s University for 10 years.
Currently, I am on the faculty as Associate Professor of Sociology with a seniority of 35 years within the Department of
Sociology and Anthropology. As the only full-time sociology faculty member in St. John’s College of Liberal Arts on the
Staten Island campus, I continue to strive for high quality and competent teaching. Also, I work for the development of
instructional initiatives such as the learning community that I have entered into whereby SOC 1000C Introduction to
Sociology will be linked with SCI 1000C Scientific Inquiry and DNY 1000C Discover New York. This faculty-driven learning
community is a product of having attended the 2014 SENCER Summer Institute (Science Education for New Civic
Engagements and Responsibilities) at the University of North Carolina (Asheville). Subsequently, the St. John’s
University SENCER team of which I am a member was awarded a $3,000 grant over a two-year period to pursue a
pedagogical project of which the discipline of sociology will be prominently featured, as SENCER is calling strongly for the
interdisciplinary connection of the natural sciences with the social and behavioral sciences, especially sociology. The
SENCER team is grant-oriented and instructional projects will be sustained and advanced by such funding. Grant
applications remain a top priority on SENCER’s agenda at this immediate time and for the long-term.
In terms of the big picture, the educational process, at present, finds itself in an unprecedented transformative phase
at this time. The current focus of my research and publication centers on education: the technologizing of education,
he emergence of electronic literacy, innovative international instructional approaches, and higher education policy. At a
recent professional conference I attended, a discussion suggested the elimination of majors and grades. In fact, this is a
topic starting to be addressed in colleges and universities across the country. My recommendation is to include
sociology wisely in core changes being made to the curriculum at this time at St. John’s University in order to ensure the
best educational fulfillment of our students and a better educated society. The question arises as to why sociology was
not been included as a course in St. John’s University core curriculum up this point? This omission and exclusion has
certainly had a negative impact on the growth of the sociology major and course enrollment on the Staten Island
campus.
In the 21st century, the social knowledge generated by sociology is needed and requested by workplaces, occupations,
and professions of all kinds. A recent study by two scholars at Oxford University who reviewed the status of 702 U.S.
occupations, concluded that 47% of existing jobs are at high risk of being automated in the next decade or so. This
includes blue-collar and white-collar jobs. College graduates are not immune from this emerging and widespread trend
of human expendability in the work sector. This same study points out that workers with creative and social skills and
sensibilities will be the ones to find a place for themselves in the labor force. The sociology major on the Staten Island
campus is fractured at this time, just as is the workplace. We need to maintain the courses that exist on the Staten
Island campus and work with them during this recessed economic and educational cycle. The discipline of sociology
itself is undergoing a transition in perspective and method. In my recent publication, “Re-visioning Social Science for the
Singularity: The Transformation of An Educational Discipline,” The ECCSSA Journal, Vol. 14, No. 1, pp. 55-68, which
appeared in a special issue entitled: “New Frontiers: Models for Redesign in the Social and Behavioral Sciences,” I
discuss the historical development of the field of sociology from its classical roots to the present and the future
explaining how humanity itself is entering a time of radical change in the Biotechnology Age which, in turn, is instigating
major changes in education. As a result, sociology may very well need to be rewritten and merged with other
disciplines, starting with foundational concepts and theories in introductory sociology. I point out that the students of
LAS_SOC-SOC_BA_SI
Self-Study Template 22
today are the potential transformation agents of tomorrow contingent on the nature of their education and the quality
of their synthetic thinking processes. In light of this expectation and the report under review, sociology remains an
important area of study for the students on the Staten Island campus. In the meantime, artificial intelligence is making
its way into sociological research. Is the Department of Sociology and Anthropology prepared for this new era?
Overall, my teaching and research continues to be guided by a recent United Nations report which states the purpose
of education in the 21st century is to build a sustainable world. The report goes on to say that the UN goals of education
which I have adopted, are to make people wiser, more knowledgeable, ethical, responsible, respectable, and capable of
continuing to learn, all of which parallel the Vincentian mission of education. In the 2014-15 academic year I have served
and will continue next year as a faculty mentor to an Ozanam Scholars student and a Catholic Studies student wherein
these UN goals are addressed in the research, capstone project, and the student formation process. My intention, in
this review, is to provide a qualitative, insider’s view to a largely objective account.
Respectfully submitted,
Irene J. Dabrowski, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Sociology
Department of Sociology and Anthropology
St. John’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
LAS_SOC-SOC_BA_SI
Self-Study Template 23