DATE:
March 24, 1999
TO:
Provost’s Office
FROM:
John Wesolek, Dean
College of Human Development
SUBJECT:
Response to PRC Report on B.A. in Psychology
Regarding the above, I have talked with Mary Flynn and Tom Franklin and the CHD administrative team
to gather information in responding to the recommendations from this report. My responses to the
recommendations are as follows:
1. Recommendation: Develop a plan for the addition of new laboratory facilities and larger
classrooms.
Response: The CHD Space Committee will be given a charge to evaluate overall space needs in the
college including the lab and larger classroom needs of the B.A. Psychology program. I will continue
to pursue the prospect of adding one additional room adjacent to the current lab configuration in the
basement of the VR building. This area is currently used by General Services to provide a custodial
office and storage. Further, I will look at the possibility of finding more suitable space in building
areas outside the VR building where research labs space may be more abundant and offer a better
opportunity to interface with other research efforts in the college.
Regarding classroom needs, I am moving forward to have two small classrooms in the VR building
reconfigured into one larger classroom to accommodate larger class sizes. I will also work with the
CHD Space Committee and Registrar’s Office to seek better classrooms in other facilities on campus.
2. Recommendation: Provide additional funds for services and supplies particularly for computer
software and maintenance.
Response: The department’s services and supplies budget will be increased next year by nearly
$5,000. A portion of these dollars should be allocated to purchase computer software and needed
computer maintenance. In addition to receiving $3,000 in special project funds for lab computers and
another $3,000 award for being recognized as a “high performing department,” $2,500 was added to
the services and supplies budget by the college to cover further needs this fiscal year. The dean will
work with program directors from both the graduate and undergraduate programs to explore ways in
which the psychology lab could provide fee-for-service to the outside community to generate selfsustaining dollars to meet further needs. Prospects for developing a Center for Applied Research are
being explored.
3. Recommendation: Provide funds for renewal of SPSS Statistics Package for Social Sciences license.
Response: This need can be addressed similar to the above. With the increased services and supplies
dollars next year ($4,780) and opportunity for Specialized Funds, a plan can be developed to cover
this cost. Last year the department experienced an inordinate amount of copying costs that used
extensive services and supplies dollars. Better management of the increased services and supplies
funds for fiscal year 1999-00 should provide for more resources for SPSS software.