1
Program Director Self-Study Report
For Applied Science
Submitted by Ann Parsons
Year: 2012
Planning and Review Committee
1.
1.1
1.1.1
UW-STOUT’S STRATEGIC PLAN
Describe how the program relates to UW-Stout's Strategic Plan.
Describe early and ongoing experiential learning opportunities to students within the
program.
Experiential learning has been incorporated into BIO136 Molecular Cell Biology I, a
required course for all concentrations. This course is commonly taken in the freshmen or
sophomore year. Continued experiential learning is embedded in upper level courses of
discipline-specific concentrations.
o Biotechnology:
 BIO235 Molecular Cell Biology II
 BIO470 Advanced Biotechnology
o Environmental Science:
 BIO444 Problems in Environmental Sustainability
o SUST425 Sustainable Design & Development Capstone
o Nanotechnology:
 NANO401 Nanotechnology Applications
Students in these and other classes have the opportunity to present their projects at the
STEM Expo at the end of each term.
In addition to class-based experiential learning, all students are required to complete
either APSCx49 Coop Experiences in APSC or APSC398 Field Experience in APSC.
Furthermore, many students are engaged in research projects outside of the curricula.
Several science faculty received funding from the Provost’s Office to hire freshman
students for research projects. Students have presented at UW-Stout Research Day, UWSystem Research Symposium, Posters in the Rotunda, and other regional, national, and
international venues.
1.1.2
What are the initiatives used to increase and support program enrollment, student
retention and graduation rates?
Enrollment
Program enrollment has continued to grow over the last several years (Figure1). Prehealth professional fliers were published, drawing a large cohort of students which is
currently just shy of 100 students, nearly a third of the program population. Support for
this has come in a ¼ release for a Pre-professional Coordinator.
2
Figure 1. APSC program enrollment for fall terms from 2006 to 2012
Not surprising, the bulk of our students come to us as incoming freshmen (Figure 2).
Adjustments to concentration offerings have provided traditional students the ability to
better identify with the Applied Science program allowing them to envision specific
careers beyond college. Furthermore, the admissions office has hired a full-time STEM
recruiter and marketing materials are carefully construed. Faculty also provide significant
recruiting efforts in their attendance at the Ellsworth Career Fair, Minnesota National
Colleges Fair, and Wisconsin State Science Teachers Association Meeting. The high
level of faculty engagement in professional societies and events also serves as an
important recruitment tool. For the benefit of multiple programs and students, the
Applied Science faculty have partnered with Applied Math and Computer Science faculty
supporting the bioinformatics curriculum and with social science faculty to build
curriculum related to GIS (Geographical Information Systems).
Figure 2. Fall Admissions from 2006 to 2012
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Concentrations have been developed and updated to appeal to the incoming student
body as well as meet societal needs. Two concentrations that had little interest from 18
and 19 year olds were retired: Scientific Sales and Technical Support and Laboratory
Management. These were replaced with Biotechnology and Environmental Science
which fed into faculty strengths. Shortly after concentrations in Materials Science and
Nanotechnology were also developed and the “No Concentration” designation was
changed to a concentration in interdisciplinary science.
Retention
Freshman retention rate in 2010/11 was 52% within program and 67% in any
program. UW-Stout’s overall retention rate of ~72% for that year isn’t much higher.
There is a relatively new APSC living learning community in which students can chose to
live on the same floor in a freshman dorm. These students are also enrolled into one of
three sections of APSC101 Applied Science Profession I. The sections of APSC101 are
coordinated such that students interested in nanoscience, materials science and
biotechnology are in one section, students interested in health professions in a second
section and students interested in environmental science are in a third section. All
students in APSC101 are introduced to the Applied Science Scholar Community and
educated, with the help of peer mentors, about the resources available for their success.
The development of numerous student organizations also supports recruitment and
retention. These include: Green Sense, Materials Research Club, Natural Areas Club,
Pre-Pharmacy Club, Research Club, Stout Pre-Health Society and Sustainable
Agriculture Education Society.
Furthermore, concentrations have been developed and updated to appeal to the
incoming student body as well as meet societal needs. Two concentrations that had little
interest from 18 and 19 year olds were retired: Scientific Sales and Technical Support and
Scientific Laboratory Management. These were replaced with Biotechnology and
Environmental Science which fed into faculty strengths. Shortly after concentrations in
Materials Science and Nanotechnology were also developed and the “No Concentration”
designation was changed to a concentration in interdisciplinary science.
There are always extenuating factors that impact student retention. For the APSC
program, the rigor of the curriculum may be more demanding than what some incoming
students are expecting. Only about 50% of students test into calculus, a requirement in
the program. Thus, many students are then faced with the added cost and time of taking
preparatory mathematics classes.
Graduation Rates
The number of graduates from Applied Science are shown in Figure 3. The program
now boasts 127 graduates over the course of eleven years in existence. There was an
average of 23 graduates over the last two years.
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Figure 3. Graduate numbers by Concentration from 2003 to 2012
1.1.3
Respond to the program facts and your program’s creative endeavors related to the
diversity aspects of Inclusive Excellence: “UW-Stout’s plan to intentionally integrate
diversity efforts into the core aspects of everything we do. Diversity is broadly defined
and includes, but is not limited to, race/ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age and
disability status.”
Of the 300 students currently in our program, 53 (18%) are identified as minority.
This number has grown from only 7 students in 2007 (Figure 4). In 2010, UW-Stout had
660 minority students from a total of 8273 students or 8%. In the same year, the APSC
program had 16 minority students from a total of 195 students or 8%). The retention rate
in our program (58%) for minority students lags behind that of the university’s average
(67%). However, the retention rate of minority students in APSC is similar to the
retention rate within the whole program which ranges from 52% within program to 67%
in any program.
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Figure 4. Minority students enrolled in APSC from 2007 to 2012
The program is actively involved in Inclusive Excellence initiatives. Of the seventeen
faculty members who participated in the NTLC Infusing Diversity Across the Curriculum
2011-2012 program, two (Drs. Hashmi and Little) are faculty in the APSC program.
Currently, the APSC program is the only academic program at UW-Stout that integrates
diversity awareness education in a freshmen seminar course, APSC101 Applied Science
Professions I. The diversity programming was first incorporated fall 2009. Since that
time, over two hundred APSC101 students have been involved with in-classroom and
out-of-classroom diversity awareness experiences. To assess the effectiveness of the
programming, a pre- and post-course survey is implemented. Results indicate APSC101
programming is improving students’ attitudes and behaviors related to Inclusive
Excellence.
1.1.4
Describe the environmental sustainability initiatives of your program: “UW-Stout’s
attempt to make students, faculty, and staff more aware of the importance of sustaining
our environment through energy conservation, waste reduction, and other measures that
will not bring harm to the environment, and to provide students with innovative research
opportunities in these areas.”
In an applied science program with an environmental concentration and
environmentally conscious faculty, it is not surprising that a number of environmental
sustainability programs are supported through APSC. Krista James and Arthur Kneeland,
both of biology, are members of the UW-Stout’s Environmental Sustainability Steering
Committee. They work with the sustainability coordinator to integrate sustainability
projects into the curricula for BIO111 Science, the Environment and Sustainability
(formerly Science, Society and the Environment) and BIO141 Plants and People.
Krista James, along with two additional biology dept. members (Jim Church and Haley
Frater), are faculty advisors for Greensense, Stout’s environmental awareness student
organization. Mandy Little, biology, is the faculty advisor for the Natural Areas Club.
Arthur Kneeland is the faculty advisor for the Sustainable Agriculture Education
Association. Several biology department members are also actively involved with the
Sustainability Across the Curriculum Network group on campus. Applied science
students also have opportunities to participate in sustainability research through the
Sustainability Institute.
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Environmental sustainability discussions are not isolated to general education courses
or courses in the environmental science concentration. The course PHYS321 Statics and
Strengths of Materials also includes green and sustainable curriculum. It is taken by
students in the materials and nanoscience concentrations. The class talks about building
structures that require the least amount of material, hold up longer to the environment,
utilizes recycled materials, have the lowest labor costs and can be constructed safely.
1.1.5
List various training and development opportunities of core faculty teaching within your
program.
In section 2.2.1 the key faculty in the program are listed. Professional development is
a fundamental core value within the program. For this section names will not be included
for fear of leaving out specific individuals. Faculty have and are doing:
• Case study development and publication
• Conference presentations at local, regional and national venues (many of which
have been funded through professional development grants)
• Nakatani Teaching and Learning Center participation
• POGIL (Process oriented guided inquiry learning) module development
• Research Resident, ASM/NSF Biology Scholars Program
• WI Teaching Fellows
• Workshop presenters and attendees
2.
2.1
2.1.1
DESCRIPTION OF THE PROGRAM
Curriculum Design
State the program objectives.
• Demonstrate Application of Scientific Knowledge, Training and Experience
• Demonstrate Awareness of and Adaptability to Technological Innovations
• Demonstrate Proficiency in Laboratory Skills and Experimental Design
• Demonstrate Management and Supervisory Skills
• Demonstrate Valuable Knowledge and Employment Skills
• Demonstrate Advanced Technical Report Writing, Data Analysis, Interpersonal
Communication, and Team-building Skills
• Obtain Co-op or Field Experience
2.1.2
What are the initiatives used to determine the need for program revision, including but
not limited to program enrollment, student retention or student graduation rates.
According to the UW-Stout’s mission statement the university is a “career-focused,
comprehensive polytechnic university… to solve real-world problems, grow the economy
and serve a global society.” Thus, when determining the need for program revision the
program committee considers job placement, feedback from our advisory board, industry
trends and defined societal issues in which our graduates will be part of the discussion
and resolution. The actions being taken by the program are a reflection to this
information.
With our job placement rate at 100%, there must be a lot of factors going right in the
program; thus, large changes in the program would be cautioned. However, at the spring
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2012 advisory board meeting, the unique needs of graduates entering environmental
positions were contrasted with those of other concentrations within the APSC program.
As a result, faculty began to explore the need to move this group of students into their
own major with career specific curriculum. The proposal to make the environmental
concentration into a BS degree in environmental science is in the review process.
Furthermore, advisory board members emphasized the importance of ethics and
infusing ethics throughout the curriculum thus negating the need for six credits in ethics.
Thus each concentration has reevaluated the ethics curriculum, particularly in light of the
campus’ revision to general education categories including social responsibility and
ethical reasoning. These revisions will go forward this year to be in effect for fall 2013.
Historically, program enrollment has also been used to make changes and revisions to
concentrations. In 2006, the concentrations of sales and scientific support and scientific
laboratory management were discontinued due to a small student body. The rollout of
concentrations in biotechnology and environmental science as well as the development of
programs in pre-health professional studies caused enrollment to climb rapidly beginning
in 2008. Low enrollment in the current concentrations of materials science and
nanoscience as well as the overlap of faculty involvement between these two
concentrations has resulted in the merging of these concentrations (proposal will go
forward this year for approval).
2.1.3
Is your program defined as a distance learning program? NO
2.1.4
Give examples and explain the ways in which the program intentionally integrates
diversity efforts, functions and contributes to the program.
Some of this information is previously reported in section 1.1.4. To follow-up, Drs.
Hashmi and Little have combined for over ten local, regional and international
presentations regarding their work towards infusing diversity into the curriculum. Dr.
Hashmi has her students research different cultural aspects of health. Last term, five
groups presented at the STEM expo at UW-Stout.
Concentrated effort has been made for increasing international experiences for
students through study abroad programs and international internships. Drs. Bessert and
Parsons developed faculty-led programs to Belize and Nicaragua, respectively, in January
2012. Nearly 30 students participated in the first offering of these courses. Both programs
are ongoing. Science curriculum at Murdoch University, Perth Australia, and University
of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand, are also being reviewed for possible study abroad.
Internship opportunities have been developed in India and Nicaragua. Two students have
studied in each of these countries summing to four international work experiences.
2.1.5
UW-Stout “programs are presented through an approach to learning which involves
combining theory, practice and experimentation” (Mission Statement). Briefly describe
the components of your program where students participate in scholarly activity such as:
research, scholarship, experiential learning and creative endeavor.
Research integrated into curriculum, capstone courses and coop/internship
experiences are all ways in which students in the APSC program combine theory,
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practice and experimentation. As stated in section 1.1.1, research and scholarly projects
are part of several classes. All students are required to complete a coop or field
experience prior to graduation. A specific example of the magnitude in which research is
incorporated into the curriculum is showcased in Dr. Nold’s 3-yr NSF TUES CRIUSE
project. To translate: National Science Foundation (NSF) Transforming Undergraduate
Education in Science (TUES) grant for Dr. Nold’s project called Classroom Research to
Invigorate Undergraduate STEM education (CRUISE).
Furthermore, nearly all faculty in the program guide students in research projects
outside of the classroom. Their presentations populate the UW-Stout Research Day
Poster Session and provide travel experiences for students to regional, national and
international conferences. APSC students are regular contributors to UW-Stout’s Journal
of Student Research. Most students gain experience in more than one faculty’s lab prior
to graduation. It is not surprising, then that many students continue their education in
graduate or professional studies.
2.1.6
Does your program currently have an accreditation or certification agency that reviews
the program? If so, which agency and to what extent do they influence the structure of
the curriculum?
Currently the APSC program is not governed by an accrediting body. Program
leaders regularly evaluate whether or not accreditation would be a value-added choice.
Because of our success in job placement following graduation and the feedback from
hiring professionals in the field, no accreditation is being sought.
2.2 Faculty/Academic Staff Expertise
2.2.1 List the key people in the curriculum.
The following list is the faculty who teach one or more required course in any of the
program’s concentrations or emphasis areas.
• Kuchta, Matthew
Biology
Chemistry
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
2.2.2
Bessert, Michael
Burritt, James
Carlson, Kitrina
Church, James
Grant, Jennifer
James, Krista
Kneeland, Arthur
Little, Amanda
McGovern, Scott
Nold, Stephen
Parsons, Ann
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Kirk, John
Miller-Rodeberg,
Marcia
Prissel, Mark
Ray, Matthew
Ruenger, Eugene
Schultz, Forrest
Vande Linde, Ana
Physics
•
•
Hanna, Gabriel
Hopp, Jo
• McCullough, Laura
• Patterson, Marlann
• Scott, Alan
• Zimmerman, Todd
English and Philosophy
• Shiell , Timothy
• Ruefman, Daniel
• Critchfield, Michael
Math, Stats and CS
• Thielman, Loretta
What additional areas of faculty/academic staff expertise are currently needed?
As the program continues to expand, additional faculty are needed. Students report
problems in getting into courses and staying on track towards graduation. Scheduling
continues to be an issue as limited faculty results in limited number of sections being
offered. The greatest needs lie in:
• Biotechnology/Health Sciences – a search is in progress to fill a vacancy, but even
with that position filled there is continued need to provide more sections of
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required courses and expand our offerings of health science courses
• Biostatics – this position is currently being filled by an adjunct faculty member;
due to the important of this training for our students, the position should be a
tenure-track position
• Zoology – the offering of courses in this area is sporadic and in need of expanding
as our student body increases particularly in environmental sciences and animal
health professions
For several years, courses have been taught with enrollment growth positions and not
tenure track positions. Many of the faculty, particularly in biology, have release time for
appointments in other positions (chair, director, assistant director) or to manage major
federally funded projects. To ensure the integrity of the program, the number of adjuncts
teaching courses needs to be in an appropriate balance with the number of tenure track
faculty.
2.3
2.3.1
Facilities
What special facilities and or capital equipment currently available are utilized and how
do they strengthen this program? What additional facilities (special classrooms, labs,
additional space involving minor construction) have been requested and has that been
filled?
The $43 million renovation and construction of new office space, associate offices,
tutoring areas, and science laboratories have provided outstanding facilities including an
array of capital equipment. DIN dollars have provided additional much needed equipment
not included in the original building plan. Lab Modernization proposals have provided
state-of-the-art equipment in plant science and expanded basic field equipment for
ecology and other areas of environmental science. This year, multiple lab modernization
proposals are being moved forward to covers areas in the curriculum not covered by the
building or DIN dollars.
2.4
2.4.1
Resources for the Program
Evaluate as to currency/up-to-datedness, quality, relevance, and quantity of the library
resources to support the program. List or describe any information or service needs
created over the past three years by concentration and course changes and include a brief
statement as to how these needs have been met by the library.
Faculty need access to the same literature databases that are available for researchers
at doctorate granting institutions. Although the UW Research Fellows program has
provided some faculty with access for a year, this is hardly sufficient to sustain dynamic
research programs at a polytechnic institute. UW-Stout has the faculty, facilities and
student body to conduct cutting-edge, world-class research, but will be unable to achieve
this goal without timely knowledge of research findings. Experiential learning for our
students need to be real and supported in all manners including access to the literature.
2.4.2
List any special resources used to meet program and/or student needs such as: Academic
Computing, Instructional Technology Services for curriculum materials development,
ASPIRE, Research Center, Media Self-Instruction Lab, Academic Skills Center, etc. List
or describe any other resources which are needed to meet the program objectives with a
brief statement as to how these would enhance or maintain the concentration quality.
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Individual faculty seek these resources out as needed.
2.5
2.5.1
Assessment in the Major
The 2011/2012 Assessment in the Major report can be found in the addendum of this
document.
3.
3.1
EVIDENCE OF THE QUALITY OF THE GRADUATES OF THE PROGRAM
Describe the demand for graduates and anticipated changes or trends in such
positions/roles.
With 100% placement, there seems to be adequate demand for graduates. Faculty
continue to network with new industry partners expanding opportunities for graduates.
Market indicators suggest that continued societal need in the scientifically educated
workforce.
3.2
Interpret the data from the Planning, Assessment, Research and Quality (PARQ)
office of the alumni follow-up surveys.
There were ten graduates in 2010, three of which responded to the one-year alumni
survey for a response rate of 33%. In 2006, for the five-year alumni survey, there were
only two responses out of ten graduates for a response rate of 20%. All graduates who
responded to the surveys were either employed or in graduate school. For one-year
alumni, communications, problem solving and analytical reasoning were reported as
being highly influenced by their experience at UW-Stout, whereas maintaining a sense of
well-being, appreciating and understanding diversity and appreciating social, economical
and political forces scored below 3.0 on the 5.0 scale used. General education areas in
global perspective, appreciating literature and arts and putting history into context of
current issues were rated as only 2.0. Overall, students rated their overall satisfaction with
general education as 3.67 on the 5.0 scale. Interestingly, alumni five-years after
graduation rated all aspects of general education at or above 3.5 with an overall
satisfaction with general education of 4.0.
In regards to personal development, the students’ experience at UW-Stout implied
that team work and leadership were important parts of the curriculum. However, ethical
decision making and maintaining a sense of well-being scored lower than 3.0 for alumni
one-year out of school. The two responders from the class of 2006, scored all aspects of
personal development at or above 4.0. Responders from both graduating classes indicated
that their development of interpersonal skills was either acceptable (n=1) or above (n=4)
acceptable levels.
A similar trend between 2006 and 2010 graduates were seen when considering
specific aspects of their UW-Stout education. In relative terms, both classes were very
satisfied with the availability of science faculty. The 2006 graduates from the old science
building rated their laboratory facilities and equipment as very satisfied (5.0), but the
class of 2010 only scored this category a 3.67. The more recent grads had to deal with the
hardships of construction and working the bugs out of the new building, thus a lower
response from them isn’t that surprising. What also wasn’t surprising, but certainly needs
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to be addressed, is the 2.0 rating students graduating in 2010 gave towards the availability
of courses according to the program sequence.
When reflecting on their senior year, responses were varied. It appears that the
program is lagging a bit in preparing students for community, civic and political roles.
The 2010 graduates rated finding employment at only 1.5. At first impression, this would
be an alarming statistic; however, all three students who responded to the survey did not
seek employment, but rather went on to graduate school.
Students felt that their classes, experiential learning and extra-curricular activities
adequately prepared them for employment. When asked how their UW-Stout education
prepared them as compared to others from other colleges, the one person who responded
from the class of 2010 claimed that they were less prepared and the graduate in 2006 who
responded said he/she was prepared equally well.
With only 3 responses from the 2010 graduating class and two from the 2006
graduating class it is nearly impossible to make any hard and fact conclusions. Based on
the results, there are no major flags that can be declared, nor can grandiose statements be
made about the program.
3.3
Interpret the major results from your Program Specific Surveys (students, faculty
and advisory committee) conducted by the Planning and Review Committee.
CURRENT STUDENT SURVEY
Juniors and seniors in the APSC program were asked to complete the program
assessment survey. Seventy-nine (52%) students responded with 39 (49%) being juniors
and 40 (51%) being seniors. Student attitudes towards many aspects of the program were
extremely high (Table 1). Items in which more than 85% of the responders agreed or
strongly agreed with will be considered as possible strengths in the program; whereas,
items with less than 70% of the students agreeing with will be considered possible
weaknesses.
TABLE 1: Percent of students who agreed or strongly agreed with the statement
Question from Survey
A. The library resources and access to collections are adequate for my
program of study.
B. My written communication skills have been enhanced through my
coursework.
C. My oral communication skills have been enhanced through my
coursework.
D. My critical thinking skills have been enhanced through my coursework.
E. My problem solving skills have been enhanced through my coursework.
F. The classroom facilities meet the needs of students in my program.
G. The laboratory equipment for my program is up to date.
H. My advisor is accessible on a routine basis.
I. Instructors in my program are accessible for help outside of regular class
time.
%
43
80
82
94
95
85
90
70
81
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J. Instructors in my program provide current and relevant information.
K. Instructors in my program achieve the stated objectives as presented in
their course syllabi.
L. The evaluation procedures for my courses in my program appropriately
measure my learning.
M. My program’s objectives were made clear to me and are being met.
N. My program has few or no problems with unnecessary repetition or
overlap of content (if you disagree or strongly disagree with this
question, pleas list the courses and/or content in which unnecessary
repetition or overlap occurs in Question #7 G.)
O. My program requirement can be completed in a reasonable time.
P. As I near the completion of my degree, I feel confident that my program
has prepared me to be successful in my profession.
Q. Overall, this is a quality program.
R. If I had to do it al over again, I would choose this program.
S. The coursework in ethnic studies that I have taken discourages racism
and has given me a greater appreciation of ethnic diversity.
T. I have developed a global perspective.
95
95
82
73
55
59
85
90
80
61
70
Within the survey, the question, “What do you perceive to be the major strengths of
the program?” garnered 72 responses with some responses presenting more than one
theme. Thus a total of 91 responses were themed. The themes and number of comments
related to each theme is represented in Table 2.
TABLE 2: Qualitative Analysis of Major Strengths of the Program
THEME
Number of
comments
Professors
37
Experiential learning
23
Curriculum (class choices)
8
Curriculum (rigor)
7
Facilities
6
Other
10
Sense of Community
2
Problem Solving
2
Teamwork and Career Development
4
Does not fit into any other category
2
The question, “What do you perceive to be the major weaknesses of the program?”
prompted 67 students to comment. Again, the comments were themed and some
comments contained more than one theme. A total of 78 responses were themed (Table
3). The primary concerns for students were the scheduling issues and curriculum in the
program. In regards to the curriculum, most students expressed the desire for more
choices in selectives. Comments regarding quality of instruction were wide ranging from
pointing out a specific instructor (but with no one instructor being commented on more
than once) to general statements. Comments such as, “Too much lab emphasis and not
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enough emphasis on content,” and “Not having enough time to go over the homework
and labs so that other people can get the concepts of the labs.” were included in this
category. Considering that there were three times the number of positive comments about
instructors as compared to negative comments, overall instruction in the program is
strong. Some comments indicated that more communication between professors would
help reduce gaps in prerequisite expectations and overlap of content.
TABLE 3: Qualitative Analysis of Major Weaknesses of the Program
THEME
Number of
comments
Scheduling
24
Curriculum
19
Lack of choice or availability
9
Matching career interests
6
Other
4
Professors (quality of instruction)
13
Other
21
University requirements
5
Advising
3
Comment didn’t make sense
2
Other courses or programs
2
Professors (availability)
2
Does not fit into any other category
5
Career Fair/Job Placement
2
Equipment
1
The student survey asked, “How can this program be improved?” This question
generated 63 responses with 75 itemized statements which have been categorized in
Table 4. The results of analyzing this question were not much different than the previous
question. Over 40% of the comments related to program planning, scheduling, and
variety of courses. Importantly, 12% of the comments recognized the need of additional
faculty and how this could be a primary solution to scheduling conflicts and selection of
courses. The “other” category included comments such as advising (n=2) and more
hands-on work (n=2) as well as twelve comments that didn’t group well including
statements such as the program is continually changing, having graduate degree options
at Stout would be nice, and smaller class sizes are needed.
TABLE 4: Qualitative analysis of Ways the Program Can be Improved
THEME
Number of
comments
Program plans, includes scheduling
23
Variety of courses
9
Number of professors
9
Cause of scheduling issues
4
Cause of lack of variety in courses
3
Other
2
14
Fix problems from previous questions
Program is good
General education requirements
Community/Industry partners
Communication within program
Other
5
3
3
3
3
16
Other messages can be drawn for the student questionnaire. A very loud and clear
voice from students stated that PHIL235 General Ethics and APSC311 Issues for Science
Professionals had overlapping materials. Concern was also raised about the need of the
APSC101 and APSC401 Science Profession I and II. The responses to “What additional
information, if any, would you like to share about this degree program?” were very
similar to the information summarized above. The vast majority of comments were
positive in terms of the quality of the program. There were several pleas to increase staff.
Overall the student surveys indicate that the program is on the right track with some
significant areas of improvement. In the next section regarding improvement efforts the
strengths and weaknesses of the program will be discussed.
FACULTY SURVEY
Faculty from all three departments (biology, chemistry, and physics) responded to the
key faculty survey with a response rate of 62% (n=13). Table 5 provides the results of
asking faculty about their judgment of various aspects of the program. The first column
of numbers represents the percent of faculty who thought the item was poor or
inadequate; the last column represents the percent of faculty who thought the item was
good or excellent. From this, three weakness and two strengths were identified in the
program. The weaknesses relate to communication, ability to provide input on
programmatic decisions, and the preparation of students into required courses. The
faculty show confidence in the quality of instruction and the relevance of the content
students are receiving.
TABLE 5: Faculty responses to specific statements
Question from Survey
%a
%b
Quality of instruction in the core classes
0
91
Relevance of information presented in the core courses
0
92
Quality of instruction in support courses
0
67
Student mastery of degree content by program graduates
8
31
Communication between program director and yourself
38
54
Program director’s leadership
15
54
15
Department cooperation in scheduling an adequate number of course
sections
23
46
Preparation of students entering my courses
31
31
Quality of classroom facilities for my courses
0
85
Quality of laboratory facilities for my courses (if applicable)
8
85
Clerical support for my courses
8
77
Adequacy of equipment for my courses
23
46
Adequacy of supplied for my courses
15
62
Ability of the library learning center to meet the needs of my students
0
64
Ability of the library learning center to meet research and professional
needs
8
62
Opportunity to participate in the program’s decisions
31
38
a
b
- % of faculty who felt the item stated was less than adequate
- % of faculty who felt the item stated was good or excellent
Major strengths of the program were categorized into themes (Table 6). The faculty
rated themselves along with the new building and a student-centered attitude as important
strengths of the program. When analyzing the comments from faculty regarding major
weaknesses in the program, many diverse issues were raised within the context of who
we are as a program: students coming in unprepared, curriculum that is not appropriate
for all graduates, and cohesive faculty with aligning goals. Concern about internships and
job placement were expressed along with the suggestion to hire someone specifically to
locate internships. As was identified by the students, overlap of instruction between
PHIL235 and APSC311 was pointed out. Overall, the faculty survey indicates the
program has a lot of energy, albeit perhaps not focused in a common direction.
Communication and vision were recurring themes.
TABLE 6: Qualitative Analysis of Major Strengths of the Program
THEME
Number of
comments
Facilities
4
Faculty
4
Student-centered focus
3
Internships and job placement
2
Interdisciplinary
2
Other
3
16
Only two key faculty outside the departments of biology, chemistry and physics were
asked to complete a program survey. One faculty responded. In general, this individual
felt the program was adequate in the key aspects of the survey; however, he/she would
benefit from more access to relevant literature. The program attracts bright students, but
its growth continues to strain its resources. The final comment was, “Keep up the good
work. From what I can see, the program overall is doing very well.”
PROGRAM ADVISORY COMMITTEE SURVEY
Five of 14 (36%) members responded. The primary message from this group of
people was that the advisory board needed more opportunity to provide input to the
program. Information going to the advisory committee was adequate. Interestingly, the
results of the survey indicate no concerns of unnecessary repetition or overlap of course
content. However, when this was discussed at the spring 2012 advisory board meeting, it
was indicated that six credits of ethics seemed like a lot and the preference would be to
reduce the requirement to three credits and infuse ethics curriculum into the science
courses and allow students to take more science courses.
4.
4.1
EVIDENCE OF CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT EFFORTS OF THE PROGRAM
Describe the strengths and unique features of your program that distinguish it from
similar programs. What are the weaknesses of the program?
The Applied Science program with its interdisciplinary curriculum and the support of
the College of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics and a polytechnic
university is a strong program for UW-Stout. As identified by the students, faculty and
the advisory board the program has strengths to celebrate and weaknesses to work on
(Table 7).
TABLE 7: Summary of Strengths and Weaknesses of the Applied Science Program
Strengths
•
•
•
•
•
4.2
Development of critical thinking and
problem solving skills in students
Availability of experiential learning
Quality instruction
The building and laboratory equipment
meet the needs of students and the
program
Job placement
Weaknesses
•
•
•
•
•
•
Scheduling of courses inhibit student
flexibility and progress towards degree
Staffing resources
More selectives in course offerings
Library resources in terms of access to
literature
Repetition of information in some
courses
Student preparation
Submit evidence of program response to the concerns and recommendations in your
previous program review.
The program review in 2005-2006 identified the following issues:
● Recruitment of students in numbers and quality to sustain the program
● Retention of students
17
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
Scheduling concerns, especially courses scheduled unpredictably
Communication regarding the total program and current requirements and
options among advisors, students and faculty
“Lack of attention to people skills”
Depth of research background and other preparation for advanced studies
(course content)
Name recognition of the degree, “Applied Science
Frequency of Advisory Board meetings
Lab facilities are out-of-date and require reconfiguration to support courses
Some of the above issues are not on the current program director’s radar screen and
are thus considered resolved, particularly if they are not part of the issues identified in
this report. Student enrollment has increased (figure 1), but due to the issues with
scheduling and selective course offerings, this has not resolved other program issues.
Student retention continues to be lower than the university’s level despite marked efforts
to build community (living learning community and numerous clubs) and opportunities
for students (study abroad, research, etc.). Remedying the issue of lab facilities through
renovation of the science wing and construction of the addition has taken considerable
amount of time and energy from program members. Maneuvering through office and lab
moves while still teaching full course loads put added strain on faculty that took away
from placing attention on some of the issues identified in the previous review. The
program is in an excellent position to move forward.
4.3
In the next seven years, what are the major improvements or changes you plan to
implement to improve program quality?
Two primary changes are currently underway. 1) a new program director began in
Aug. 2012. 2) a major program in environmental science is underway with the hope of it
beginning to enroll students in Fall 2013. Major improvements the new program director
will focus on include:
• enrollment targets in specific concentrations
• scheduling of courses to avoid overlap and increase course offerings
• increase number of exceptional faculty in the program
• building stronger relationships with industry partners to provide internship and
job placement
• internal communication
• strengthening membership on the advisory board and increase their participation
in guiding the program
• work with library learning center to provide faculty and students adequate access
to the scientific literature
5.
5.1
ATTACHMENTS
Submit any other information or documentation that may be helpful.
No additional information is being submitted under this heading.
18
5.2
Links of specific program information to be included:
• Program plan sheets: http://www.uwstout.edu/programs/bsas/ppc.cfm
• Current assessment in the major: For 2006 through 2010 reports go to:
http://www.uwstout.edu/admin/provost/aitm.cfm
• Individual program facts:
https://info.uwstout.edu/UWStout%20Document%20Library/Students/Program%20F
acts/Applied%20Science/2011/AppliedScienceReport20111231.pdf
• Current program advisory committee:
http://www.uwstout.edu/admin/provost/progcommittees.cfm
• Other items requested by the consultant: none requested
5.3
Annual Assessment in Major
Assessment in the Major
Program Outline
Annual Update – 2011-2012
Program Director:
Program Name:
Date Submitted:
College:
Dr. Ann Parsons
Bachelor of Science in Applied Science
October 15, 2012
College of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics
1. Description of Methods
Various assessment tools and indicators were used to review the effectiveness of the
program in achieving student learning and developing competencies needed after
graduation. Indirect measures were gleaned from student surveys, GPA, co-op reports
and placement rates.
• APSC101 Assessment Survey – 105 students enrolled in this course were asked to
complete pre and post surveys. The response rate was 88% (n=92) and 86% (n=90),
respectively. Questions included knowledge about the components of the APSC
program, the APSC scholar community, research and service learning activities that
are available, co-ops/internships, student support services and developing leadership
skills. Answers were collected using a 5-point Likert-type scale.
• Survey of Students Enrolled in APSC401 – 36 students enrolled in the Science
Professions II course during Fall 2012 term were asked to identify, “What is working
in the program (i.e. the strengths)”. The students self-selected into their
concentrations and worked on responses as a group. The class is comprised of 35
seniors and 1 junior.
• Review of student GPA
• Review of Employee Evaluations of co-op students – student files from summer 2012
APSCx49-002 were assessed using the Employee Evaluation completed at the end of
the student’s co-op with the company. The evaluation is divided into two parts: Job
19
•
Performance Skills and Personal Characteristics. A Likert-type scale was used in a
total of 16 measures.
Job placement – data obtained from Career Services reports
2. Results
APSC101 Survey
Overall, the statements with the greatest difference between pre- and post-course scores
were:
• I know how to get an internship/co-op experience.
• I know how to access the different university support services that are available to
me.
• I know of the different opportunities to serve as a leader within the program and
UW-Stout community.
From the post-survey, over half of the students recognized the availability of student
support services. A third of the students acknowledged that:
• having a peer mentor would provide role modeling
• research experiences would be “resumé builders” and increase knowledge
• they were aware of tutoring from various departments
• involvement in student organizations would provide leadership opportunities.
Students provided a number of suggestions for the Applied Science Living Community.
Lastly, in response to the statement, “Overall, the components of the Applied Science
Scholar Community program that I feel will contribute the most to my success at Stout
are:” students’ comments were classified into themes with the most common theme
(32%) being social support. This theme included support from peer mentors, instructors
and students.
Survey of Students Enrolled in APSC401
Recurring themes included:
• plethora of hands-on opportunities: investigative labs in the curriculum, research
with other students and professors, amount of and access to equipment and coops/internships
• Accessibility to professors and their involvement with students
• Small class sizes in major-based courses
• Travel opportunities
Review of Student GPA
TABLE 1: Student GPA by Grade and by Concentration
Average GPA
Biotechnology
Environmental Science
Materials Science
Nanoscience
Interdisciplinary Science
Undeclared Concentration
Freshmen
2.6
(61)
2.91
(21)
2.63
(12)
--2.03
(1)
2.85
(8)
2.6
(19)
Sophomores
2.9
(60)
3.07
(19)
2.96
(8)
3.21
(4)
--2.9
(11)
2.59
(18)
Juniors
3.1
(60)
2.96
(22)
3.1
(11)
--3.45
(3)
3.3
(12)
2.88
(12)
Numbers in parentheses represent the number of students in that group.
Seniors
3.1
(98)
3.2
(30)
2.96
(23)
3.63
(3)
2.88
(7)
3
(17)
2.84
(18)
Overall Avg.
2.9
3
2.9
3.4
2.8
3
2.7
20
Review of Employee Evaluations of Co-op Students
Eleven students were enrolled in APSCx49-002 Co-op Experience in Applied Science.
The students enrolled in APSCx49-001 were not assessed for this report. On a Likert-type
scale that ranged from 1-4 with 4 being the highest rating, the results for 16 different
measures in job performance skills and personal characteristics are shown in Table 2.
Values ranged from 3.64 to 4.00. The highest ratings came from personal characteristics.
Although, in the satisfactory range, the areas in which students scored below 3.70
included written communication, organization, decision making and judgment.
TABLE 2: Employer Ratings of Employee Skills during Co-op Experiences
Job Performance Skills
Quality of Work Verbal Comm.
3.82
3.73
Personal Characteristics
Motivation
Dependability
3.73
3.82
Written Comm.
3.68
Organization
3.64
Flexibiligy
4
Judgment
3.64
Problem Solving Decision Making Ethical Behavior Global Society
3.82
3.45
3.91
3.71
Punctuality
4
Appearance
3.82
Attendance
3.82
Initiative
3.73
Job Placement
From the 2010/2011 academic year there were 17 graduates, with 16 available for
employment. Seven were employed within major (44%), 3 employed outside of major
(19%) and 6 continuing their education (38%). No students were left seeking
employment resulting in 100% job placement for APSC graduates. UW-Stout
employment average is 98%. Employment in major and admissions into graduate or
professional programs can be summed because both require demonstration of necessary
skills and knowledge. The APSC program had 13/16 (81%) achieve this accomplishment
which is comparable to UW-Stout’s combined figure of 85%.
3. Interpretation
APSC101 Survey
Our first year students are getting a solid introduction into the program and its varied
fields. They are learning the social and networking skills required to meet the program
goals.
Survey of APSC401 Students
As seniors, our APSC students are indicating that they have all the opportunities
necessary to achieve program goals.
Review of Student GPA
It must be conceded that a student’s grade point average (GPA) is not a direct measure of
achieving specific program goals, it is a measure of student success in the classroom with
the curriculum of major courses matching program goals. My interpretation of GPA is
that there is plenty of room for improvement. It is encouraging to see GPA continue to
increase from freshmen through senior level studies. However, with a senior average of
3.1 out of a 4.0 scale, I am surprised at our successful placement rate.
Review of Employee Evaluations of Co-op Students
Overall, employers are very satisfied with our student performances during co-op
experiences. Program goals 5 and 7 (Appendix A) can be addressed by looking at the
21
overall scores from the survey. The item on the survey, “Quality of Work” scored 3.82
and addresses program goals 1-3. Areas that showed the lowest scores were decision
making, organization, judgment and written communication.
Job Placement
For students to successfully land that first job or get admitted into professional or
graduate programs, their applications and interviews must reveal a set of worthy skills
and adequate knowledge. Thus, this measure, albeit still indirect towards measuring our
program goals, is probably the best indicator of success I have to judge the program at
this moment. With 100% placement into a job or continuing educational programs, we
need to acknowledge that we are doing a lot of things right.
4. Dissemination
This information will be shared with our program committee at our annual fall meeting
on Oct. 18. This, along with additional information, will also be utilized in preparing the
7-year review documents for the Planning and Review Committee’s program review as
well as shared with our advisory board at our spring 2013 meeting.
5. Program Improvements
The program continues to grow in number and in class offerings. Specific goals identified
in last year’s assessment report include offering a science-based technical writing course
as well as statistics training for science students. Both of these are being successfully
addressed. ENG410 Science Communications is being brought through the course
approval process. Department chairs continue to work with the program director and
instructors of STATS320. The sciences have provided a biostatistician to aid in designing
better science application problems for the students.
6. Plans for Improvements
This fall, program revisions are being submitted to update all of our concentrations.
Specifically, the Materials and Nanoscience concentrations are being merged into a single
concentration. The Environmental Science concentration will be updated to reflect the
curriculum in the proposed new degree program in Environmental Science. If the new
program is approved, this will pull a significant number of students away from the APSC
program.
As a new program director, I have increased the visibility of the APSC program office.
When students come to the office they are greeted with bulletin boards filled with
information regarding student clubs, co-op/internship opportunities and study abroad
programs. I will be communicating with the various concentration coordinators to learn
of their goals and visions. I will also work with them to identify more direct assessment
measures of meeting the competencies identified for their students.
On last year’s assessment, only 11 of 23 students indicated that they had developed
management or supervisory skills. This is also reflected somewhat in the co-op employee
evaluations in that the skills that are critical for managers and supervisors are also the
skills in which our students scored the lowest. I will be monitoring the writing skill
22
development in ENG410 students and speaking with faculty about working with students
to improve organizational and judgment skills.
Appendix A
Program Goals
1. Demonstrate Application of Scientific Knowledge, Training and Experience
2. Demonstrate Awareness of and Adaptability to Technological Innovations
3. Demonstrate Proficiency in Laboratory Skills and Experimental Design
4. Demonstrate Management and Supervisory Skills
5. Demonstrate Valuable Knowledge and Employment Skills
6. Demonstrate Advanced Technical Report Writing, Data Analysis, Interpersonal
Communication, and Team-building Skills
7. Obtain Co-op or Field Experience