UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-STOUT______________ Planning and Review Committee
DATE:
March 22, 2016
TO:
Planning and Review Committee
Julie Bates
Chris Bendel
Kathleen Cochran
Katherine Edenborg
Mark Fenton
Susan Greene
Urs Haltinner
Kyle Kleist
John Klem
Henry Leckenby
Georgios Loizides
Mitch Ogden
Andy Peng
Betsy Pudliner
Heidi Rabeneck
David Seim
Loretta Thielman
Glendali Rodriguez
PRC Alternates:
Andy Peng
Julie Peterson
Amanda Schmidt
Scot Vaver
Amy Gullixson
SSA Reps: - None to date
FROM:
Loretta Thielman, Chair of PRC, 2015-2016
SUBJECT:
PRC Meeting Notice Friday, March 25, 2016 – 2:30-4:30 p.m. – Glass Lounge, Price
Commons
AGENDA
I.
Call to Order
II. Approval of the minutes of the last PRC meeting, March 04, 2016
III. Notice of Intent review, attachment
IV. Discussion/vote on Dean’s responses (due March 25 and 31, 2016)
V. Update from Streamlining Committee
VI. 2016-17 PRC process recommendations
a. Training sessions for programs to be reviewed
b. Process changes?
i. Self-study
ii. Surveys
VII.
Other
VIII.
Adjournment
Planning and Review Committee
March 4, 2016
MINUTES
Present:
Chris Bendel, Kathleen Cochran, Katherine Edenborg, Mark Fenton, Susan Greene, John Klem, Kyle
Kleist, Georgios Loizides, Andy Peng, Loretta Thielman
Guests:
None
Recorded by Vice Chair: Chris Bendel
1. Call to Order by Thielman at 2:37 pm
2. Approval of February 19, 2016 Minutes
Motion to approve by Fenton/Edenborg seconded.
Motion carried with 1 abstention.
3. Discussion of change to PRC bylaws. Motion to approve proposed PRC Bylaws revisions by
Ogden/Edenborg seconded. Motion carried.
4. Discussion of Consultant Reports for programs currently being reviewed. Consultants presented drafts of their
reports and solicited feedback from the committee. For one program, recommended changes will be made to the
report for reconsideration at the next PRC meeting.
a. Motion to approve Consultant Report for B.S. Information Technology Management by
Loizides/Cochran seconded. Motion carried.
b. Motion to approve Consultant Report for M.S. Applied Psychology by Fenton/Kleist seconded.
Motion carried.
c. Motion to approve Consultant Report for B.S. Cross Media Graphics by Klem/Loizides seconded.
Motion carried.
5. Membership on PRC for next year. Thielman reminded committee members that due to university
reorganization all current college reps will need to be re-elected from their new college for next year. Thielman
encouraged members to nominate themselves for continuing service on the committee.
6. Streamlining program review processes. Thielman summarized the discussion from the first meeting of the adhoc committee on streamlining review processes. Some discussion ensued.
7. Adjournment: 4:20 PM
Motion to adjourn by Peng/Edenborg seconded. Motion carried.
Notice of Intent:
Major in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
A. Proposal of New Major: This Notice of Intent introduces a new Bachelor of Science Degree in
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (BMB). This proposal will elevate the current BMB concentration
within the Applied Science program at UW-Stout to an internationally-recognized major. A preexisting
student population is available for this program change, and development of this major was a
recommendation by the Applied Science Advisory Board. The major will be housed in the College of
Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Management (CSTEMM). The Biology Department
and the Chemistry and Physics Department currently offer most of the courses required for this curriculum
and have the faculty expertise to implement the new major. Four new courses will be created to ensure
coverage of required subject material (BMB 1XX: Introduction to BMB Careers, BMB 2XX; Introduction to
BMB Research, BMB 4XX: Genomics and Bioinformatics, and BMB 4XX: Advanced BMB Application). Six
courses from the current BMB concentration will no longer be required or will be discontinued. No
approvals by accreditation bodies or other entities beyond the Board of Regents will be needed to offer
the program. The institutional contact information follows: Jim Burritt, Biology Department,
burrittj@uwstout.edu, 715-232-5048.
B. Relation to UW-Stout Mission and Fit to Existing Program Array: A new BMB major would
embrace the UW-Stout Mission, Vision, and Values as listed: http://www.uwstout.edu/about/mission.cfm.
UW-Stout’s strategic plan includes several Growth Agenda Goals, Enduring Goals, and Focus 2015 Goals
that will be directly supported by the proposed BMB Major.
The proposed major is congruent with the polytechnic mission of UW-Stout and its central tenets
by 1) offering an interdisciplinary curriculum that prepares students for careers that meet societal need
and industry demand, 2) blending research and theory with practice to produce innovative solutions to
real-world problems, and 3) working closely with our advisory committee, business, industry, government
agencies, non-profits, and other educational institutions to benefit students that will help grow the
economy. A major in BMB will offer students an integrated foundation in biological, chemical, and physical
sciences with an emphasis on research and experiential learning. The highly interdisciplinary nature of the
program will equip our graduates with the knowledge and skills for entry into and a variety of industry
opportunities in agriculture, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, as well as graduate or professional schools,
and more.
C. Need and Program Description: Offering the program as a stand-alone degree instead of a
concentration in Applied Science will provide graduates with a degree title more easily recognized by
industry and graduate programs. Changing needs in student education, societal demands, and expanding
faculty expertise call for development of our BMB concentration into a major. In addition, recent demand
and student enrollment numbers in the STEM curricula underscore a crucial need to reevaluate and adapt
our educational programs to accommodate changing student populations that can respond to dynamic job
markets. Specific needs in our university and student population, and how they will be met by the new
major, are listed in the program description below. A new curriculum has been defined to accommodate
the pedagogy and technical training needed to accommodate the proposed BMB major.
Description: A BMB major at UW-Stout will better serve the needs of our students for the following
reasons. First, job-seeking by program graduates will be easier because students and employers will
more easily recognize the BMB name. Second, the proposed major and curriculum re-organization will
offer courses that better align with professional school and industry requirements. Third, a more
individualized and effective approach will be utilized for each student to work with a faculty advisor to plan
for goals after the baccalaureate. Fourth, graduates will be able to better communicate an understanding
of biochemistry and molecular biology sufficient to qualify for graduate or professional schools or for entrylevel positions as industrial scientists. Fifth, since more faculty identify with expertise in BMB, there will be
sufficient research opportunities available for students. Experience in a research activity has now become
a requirement for almost all post-graduate directions. Finally, marketing the program to incoming students
will be improved since the program will no longer be embedded within the Applied Science major.
In addition to improved advising for pre-health students, the proposed BMB major will provide
opportunities for students planning scientific careers at universities, government laboratories,
biotechnology companies, in the food industry, agribusiness, clinical laboratories, and scientific or medical
equipment suppliers. BMB graduates are therefore uniquely positioned to take advantage of the explosive
growth of health industries that are strongly rooted in a molecular basis of research and development.
Our goal is to provide the internationally-recognized major of BMB, rather than to sequester this
offering within a concentration. This change will therefore allow us to reach, recruit, and retain a new
population of students with diverse and focused career interests. BMB training at the undergraduate level
provides excellent preparation for graduate work in the vast majority of sub-disciplines in related sciences.
In addition, a BMB major also provides crucial preparation for medical, dental, pharmacy, and veterinary
school. This curriculum has been tailored to meet the needs of the subset of current UW-Stout students
who might otherwise transfer from UW-Stout to complete such pre-professional training.
Meeting the recruitment and advising needs of our diverse student population has presented many
challenges. Recently, we have seen a rise in the number of pre-health students, who now compose
approximately 30% of Applied Science students. Those students have aligned well with the existing BMB
concentration, underscoring the need for expanding these same capabilities within our college.
D. BMB Program Alignment in Context of Local, Regional, and System-Wide Programs: UW-Stout
currently has 78 students in the B.S. in Applied Science BMB concentration, with an additional 39
undeclared students in the major. UW-Stout has 86 recent graduates with the BMB concentration
(including the previous titled Biotechnology curriculum). Of those, 57% are employed in the field utilizing
their B.S. degree, 23% went directly into graduate programs, 1% returned to schooling for non-graduate
level studies, 5% were employed outside the field, and 14% do not have a documented outcome. This
data is provided by the Applied Science program director since UW-Stout’s Career Services Office does
not track graduate placement within the different concentrations. According to the national Bureau of
Labor Statistics website, employment of life, physical, and social science occupations is projected to grow
7 percent, about as fast as the average from 2014 to 2024, which will result in about 97,600 new jobs. Job
categories more specific to BMB including, microbiologists, chemists, material scientists, as well as
chemical, biological, and forensic technicians are listed on the website at 8.7% growth. The median
annual wage for life, physical, and social science occupations was $61,450 in May 2014, which was
higher than the median wage for all occupations of $35,540. In St. Croix county (adjacent county west of
Dunn County),The Wisconsin WorkNet agency website indicates that yearly wages for biological
technicians and chemical technicians with associate’s degree earn $41,100 and $51,900, respectively,
while chemists with a bachelor’s degree earn $96,200.
Fit within the Region and UW-System: A UW-Stout BMB major will offer unique opportunities for
students in the region by providing education and training that enables them to be competitive in technical
skills that are marketable in both region and nation settings. The polytechnic nature of UW-Stout enables
our students to have access to diverse hands-on experiences. The proposed BMB Program at UW-Stout
draws upon the expertise of members of several departments including Biology, Chemistry and Physics,
Mathematics, Statistics and Computer Science, and others. The program will be distinct from others in the
state by its interdisciplinary nature and heavy emphasis on service learning, applied research
experiences, and career preparation. The program will also develop students’ skills in problem-based
research that will translate to stronger rates of matriculation into advanced programs and positions in
industry and applied health care.
UW-Eau Claire represents the single UW System University that offers a major in BMB. To ensure
compatibility between programs at UWEC and UW-Stout, a meeting was held on February 19th, 2016 that
included three UW-Stout BMB faculty and eight UWEC Biology and Chemistry faculty members. UWStout Biology Chair and UWEC Biology and Chemistry Chairs were present. In sum, the group agreed to
support a new BMB major at UW-Stout for the following reasons: 1) UW-Stout’s existing BMB
concentration and student population, 2) UW-Stout’s history and marketing success as a polytechnic
institution, 3) UW-Stout’s track record with industry partners, and 4) the potential to cooperate with UWEC
through distance education arrangements. As a result of the discussion UW-Eau Claire’s Biology
Department Chair indicated he would support our efforts.
3
Last PRC
Review
Programs to be Reviewed
2016-17 – 09 programs
• Art Education, B.S.
Last
Year
Program
Initiated Revision
06-07
08-09
10-11
11-12
1964
2013
• Career, Technical Education & Training, B.S.
• Early Childhood Education, B.S.
09-10
10-11
1918
1965
2013
2013
• Food Science and Technology, B.S.
(Formerly Food Systems and Technology, B.S.)
• Golf Enterprise Management, B.S. (on-campus & on-line)
• Health, Wellness and Fitness, B.S.
• Marketing and Business Education, B.S.
10-11
1965
2013
10-11
09-10
2005
2011
1968
2013
2013
2013
• School Counseling, M.S.
09-10
1958
2009
• Special Education, B.S.
09-10
2005
2013
1989
2013
1956
2012
2013
2012
2013
2012
2012
2006
2013
2013
Status Report:
Status Report:
Status Report:
2017-18 –12 programs
• Construction, B.S.
08-09
--• Construction Management, M.S.
10-11
• Engineering Technology, B.S.
--• Entertainment Design, B.F.A.
--• Environmental Science, B.S.
• Graphic Design & Interactive Media, B.F.A.
--• Industrial and Applied Mathematics, P.S.M.
--• Industrial Design, B.F.A.
----• Interior Design, B.F.A.
10-11
• Manufacturing Engineering, M.S.
--• Sustainable Management, M.S.
(Check for final HLC Approval & Letter)
• Technology Education, M.S. (Moved to In-Active Status 9/28/10) 03-04
(Formerly Industrial/Technology Education, M.S.)
1935
2013
2013
2013
2013
2013
2010
External Review Information
 Department of Public Instruction: 2014-15
 National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD):
2016-17
 National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education
(NCATE): 2016
 Department of Public Instruction: 2014-15
 National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education
(NCATE): 2016
 Institute of Food Technologists (IFT): Submitted for
Accreditation 2012-13
 National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education
(NCATE): 2016
 Department of Public Instruction: 2014-15
 Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related
Educational Programs – Site Visit 4/2011
 Department of Public Instruction: 2014-15
 Department of Public Instruction: 2014-15
 National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education
(NCATE): 2016
 American Council for Construction Education (ACCE): 2017
 UW System Review Due: 8/2018






UW System Review Due: 8/2018
UW System Review Due: 8/2018
UW System Review Due: 8/2018
UW System Review Due: 8/2018
UW System Review Due: 8/2018
Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA): 2012
 UW System Review Due: 8/2018
2009
 Department of Public Instruction: 2014-15