Program/Discipline: Speech
Annual Program Review Update
Instructions
The Annual Update is conducted district-wide by each program/discipline and consists of
a) analysis of general changes, staffing, resources, facilities, equipment and other needs,
as well as b) reporting of curricular changes and outcomes assessment.
The questions on the subsequent pages are intended to assist you in planning for your
program or area. Input should be sought from all campuses. It should be submitted or
renewed every year by the designated date in anticipation of budget planning for the
next fiscal year.
Institutional data used to document program/discipline statistics and trends will be
provided by Institutional Research.
Please include pertinent documents such as student learning outcomes assessment reports
and data analysis to support any requests for new faculty, facilities, equipment, etc.
Retain this information for your discipline’s use,
Submit an electronic copy of your Annual Update Document and supporting data to the
Program Review Committee. Also submit a copy of these documents to your Division
Chair, Director, or Campus Lead Faculty.
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Annual Program Review Update
*Be sure to include information from all three campuses.
Program/Discipline: Speech
Submitted by (names): Kerry Mayer
Contact Information (phone and email): 476-4326
Date: November 7, 2008
1. Program/Discipline Changes
Has there been any change in the status of your program or area since your last
Annual Update? (Have you shifted departments? Have new degrees or certificates
been created by your program? Have activities in other programs impacted your area
or program? For example, a new nursing program could cause greater demand for
life-science courses.)
Note: curricular changes should be addressed under 12 (Curriculum).
No (go to next question)
Yes Describe the changes below:
In the last year, the non-tenured member of the Speech Department did not have his
contract renewed. This reduces the full-time faculty members in the discipline to
one.
2. Program/Discipline Trends
Refer to the data provided (data link is located at
http://inside.redwoods.edu/Assessment/ProgRev/InstructionalProgramReviewData.as
p) and describe the trends in enrollment, retention, success rates, and student
demographics. If applicable, describe how changes in these areas are impacting your
discipline and describe efforts within your area to address these impacts.
While our efficiency rates (FTES/TLU) have remained fairly consistent in the Speech
Department over the last four years (range = .61 -- .63) and our FTES generation
appears to be correlated with the number of sections offered (more sections = more
FTES), there has been a notable downward trend in our retention rates. Student
retention in speech classes has moved from a consistent high of 90% in ' 04-05 and
'05-'06 to a low of 84% in '06-'07. Retention rates improved from '06-'07 to '07-'08
where we saw an 88% retention rate across the discipline. After having reviewed the
instructor-by-instructor drop and withdraw rates for this time period, I noted
consistently low retention rates for one of the full-time instructors. This instructor
consistenly lost (over all sections taught during their tenure) an average of 52.5% of
their students during the course of the term. Comparatively, the other full-time
instructor in the discipline lost an average of 27% of their students during the course
of the term and associate faculty in the discipline had similar retention rates. Student
success rates over the four-year period also showed a slight downward trend from a
high of 79% in '05-'06 to a low of 71% in '06-'07. Success rates did see a slight
rebound in '07-'08 when they rose to 73%. (Please see attached chart.)
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3. Labor Market Review (for occupational programs)
Occupational programs must review their labor market data. Links to various reports
and information, as well as instructions on how to create program-specific reports,
can be found at http://www.redwoods.edu/District/IR/Reports/LaborMarket.asp.
Institutional Research (IR) is available to help with surveys and reviews. All survey
data (whether collected by your program or the institution) should be sent to IR to be
kept on record.
a. Meets a documented labor market demand,
b. Does not represent duplication of other training programs (in the region), and
c. Is of demonstrated effectiveness as measured by the employment and
completion success of its students.
NA
4. Budget Resources
List your area’s budget for the following categories in the table below. Restricted
funds have a sponsor/grantor/donor (federal, state, local government, etc). The
funds are restricted by the sponsor/grantor/donor. Everything else is
unrestricted.
Category
Supply and printing budget
Equipment replacement
and repair budget
Professional Development
Work-study funding
Additional Budget Items
Unrestricted Funds
Restricted Funds
Is the funding for these areas adequate?
Yes
No
If not, describe the impact of unaddressed needs on your discipline or program.
The Humanities & Communication Division has a modest budget that is shared
among all disciplines within the Division. Historically, there has been just
enough budget to cover photocopying and basic supplies (dry erase markers,
transparency sheets, etc.). Our Division has struggled at times to find budget for
some of the most basic supplies -- InFocus projector bulbs, for example. As such,
there is no dedicated budget for the discipline of Speech Communication. Any
extra needs in this area are met by the generosity of the faculty members who
teach in the discipline who will purchase new videotapes, for example, out of
pocket. As mentioned in last year's program review, we have a significant
library of historical and current political speeches that we have either purchased
or recorded on our own that do not meet current ADA closed-captioning
requirements. Again, ideally, the department would be provided a sufficient
budget to enable us to upgrade our video collection to the more efficient DVD
format and to come into compliance with ADA requirements for closed
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captioning. While the proliferation of readily available political speeches that
may be accessed free through YouTube has allowed us access to a broad range of
supplementary teaching material, it is generally not available with closed
captioning.
5. Learning Resource Center Resources
Is the level of resources provided by the Academic Support Center and Library
Yes
No
(Learning Resource Center) adequate.
If not, explain.
Students in the Speech Communication area rely heavily on assistance from
library staff to help educate them in information literacy and to assist them
in their research needs. While Ruth Moon has been most accommodating in
providing this education and research assistance to Speech students on the
Eureka Campus and the Arcata and Downtown Eureka Instructional Sites,
she is one librarian trying to serve the entire District and, as such, is
incredibly booked and has many competing pressures on her time. Our
discipline would be well-served by additional professional library staff.
6. Student Services Resources
Complete the following grid concerning Student Services Areas.
Student
Services
Does the area satisfy the needs of your discipline?
Area
There is a
connection to this
discipline/program
and YES the student
services area does
satisfy the needs of
the discipline.
There is a
connection to this
discipline/program
and NO the student
services area does
not satisfy the needs
of the discipline.
Uncertain about the
student service area
provided or how it
connects to this
discipline/program
Admissions and
Records
Counseling
Financial Aid
Career Services
Disabled
Student
Programs and
Services
(DSPS)
Extended
Opportunities
Programs and
Services
(EOPS)
CalWorks
Residence
Halls
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Upward Bound
Student
Conduct
If a lack of support was indicated in the table above, describe your program/discipline
need.
As long as the Eureka Campus has only one non-categorically-funded, professional
counselor serving our student population, students will be inappropriately directed into
our college-level, transfer Speech courses where they will have a difficult time
succeeding. Frequently we see students in both our Interpersonal Communication and
Public Speaking courses who do not meet the recommended preparation of eligibility
for English 1A. Due to the rigorous writing, research, and critical analysis components
of these courses, the likelihood that under-prepared students will succeed in these
courses is low (particularly in the highly theoretical Speech 7 course). It is our belief
that students who are unable to read and write at the collegiate level should be
counseled against enrolling in these courses until they have achieved college-level
skills. Speech faculty would be more than willing to work with counselors, advisors,
and other student services professionals to ensure that adequate and appropriate
advising regarding speech offerings is made available to our students.
Since the retirement of Rodney Kaloostian, the College's philosophy regarding student
discipline seems to be somewhat piece-meal with no clear protocols for resolution of
conflicts in ways that both protect the rights of students and faculty while ensuring the
swift handling of problems.
7. Faculty Resource Needs
Complete the Faculty Employment Grids below (data link is provided at
http://www.redwoods.edu/District/IR/Reports/EnrollmentFTES.asp).
Faculty Load Distribution in the Program
Discipline
Name
(e.g., Math,
English,
Accounting)
Total
Teaching
Load for
fall 2007
term
% of Total
Teaching
Load by
Full-Time
Faculty
% of Total
Teaching
Load Taught
by Part-Time
Faculty
% Change
from fall
2006
% Change
from fall
2005
Speech
85.5
31%
69%
+4% (27%
of TLUS
taught by
FT
instructors)
+31% (0%
of TLUS
taught by
FT
instructors)
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Explanations
and Additional
Information
(e.g.,
retirement,
reassignment,
etc.)
During the Fall
of '05, the only
full-time
faculty
member in the
discipline was
on sabbatical.
A new fulltime faculty
member was
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hired in F'06.
The increase in
TLU load by
Full-time
faculty
members
realized in '06
and '07
resulted from
this hiring.
Unfortunately,
with the
departure of
this new hire,
our FT/PT
ratios in
speech are
back down to
around 23%
this F'08.
Faculty Load Distribution in the Program
Discipline
Name
(e.g., Math,
English,
Accounting)
Total
Teaching
Load for
spring
2008 term
% of Total
Teaching
Load by
Full-Time
Faculty
% of Total
Teaching
Load Taught
by Part-Time
Faculty
% Change
from spring
2007
% Change
from spring
2006
Speech
90
30%
70%
- 7.5%
(37.5% of
TLUS
taught by
FT
instructors)
+30 (0%
of TLUS
taught by
FT
instructors)
Explanations
and
Additional
Information
(e.g.,
retirement,
reassignment,
etc.)
The increase
from Spring
'06 reflects
the fact that
the only fulltime faculty
member in
the discipline
was on
sabbatical in
S'06. The
decrease from
'07 reflects
the smaller
number of
TLUs offered
in '07 (16 in
'07 vs. 20 in
'08)
a. Describe the status of any approved, but unfilled full-time positions.
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Since one of the Speech instructors was released during the tenure process
District policy provides for the automatic replacement of that position. Since
that position has neither been advertised nor filled, the discipline is currently
operating with only one full-time faculty position where, historically, it has
always operated with two. This position will be vacant this academic year,
but it is a high priority in the discipline to begin advertisement and
recruitment of this position as early as possible to ensure a new speech hire
will be able to begin teaching during the F'09 semester.
b. If you are requesting a Full-Time Faculty position develop an attachment to
this report that addresses the following criteria (as listed in AR 305.03)
• The ratio of full-time to associate faculty
• Current availability of associate faculty
• Relation to program review recommendations
• Effect on diversity of the faculty
• Effect on academic offerings and ability to serve students and the
community
• Effect on the vitality and future direction of a program and/or the college
• Effect on student learning
c. If your Associate Faculty needs are not being met, describe your efforts to
recruit Associate faculty and/or describe barriers or limitations that prevent
retaining or recruiting Associate Faculty
The speech department is always looking for qualified associate faculty
members. This has become increasingly difficult over the last few years,
especially since Humboldt State University discontinued their graduate
program in Communication and is no longer producing Master's
prepared graduates eager to teach part-time. Due to budget constraints at
HSU, they are also hiring more associates to teach their comparable
speech courses which increases competition for the relatively small pool
of qualified instructors. Currently, two of the four part-time faculty
members teaching for CR also teach at HSU (where the pay is generally
greater). This problem is exacerbated at the branch campus locations
where the District is served by only one associate faculty member in
speech at both the Del Norte and Mendocino Coast campuses. The
problem of appointing associate faculty at these campus sites is further
complicated by the fact that there is no full-time faculty member in
Speech at either the Del Norte or Mendocino Coast campuses and we
must rely on a lead faculty member in a related discipline (English, for
example) to schedule, appoint, and evaluate our associate faculty
members at those sites. The limited number of associate faculty qualified
and available to teach for CR creates challenges to the department in
terms of being able to increase speeech offerings even when we have
student demand for additional sections. While we have been able to offer
speech courses at our Klamath-Trinity site (primarily in the summer), it
is difficult to secure faculty members to teach there and meeting student
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needs at this remote location continues to be a challenge to the
department.
8. Staff Resources
Complete the Classified Staff Employment Grid below (please list full- and part-time
staff). This does not include faculty, managers, or administration positions. If a staff
position is shared with other areas/disciplines, estimate the fraction of their workload
dedicated to your area.
Staff Employed in the Program
Assignment
Full-time
Part-time staff
(e.g., Math,
(classified) staff (give number)
English)
(give number)
Gains over
Prior Year
Losses over Prior
Year (give reason:
retirement,
reassignment,
health, etc.)
Speech
0
0
0
0
Do you need more full-time of part-time classified staff?
If yes, explain why.
yes
no
9. Facilities, and Classroom Technology
Are teaching facilities adequate for achieving the educational outcomes of this
Yes
No
discipline/program?
If No was checked, complete and attach Facility Form (facilities.form) for each
instructional space that does not meet the needs of this discipline/program:
10. Equipment
Is the available equipment (other than classroom specific equipment described in the
facilities section) adequate to achieve the educational outcomes of your
program/discipline?
Yes
No
If No was checked, complete the following grid for each piece of equipment being
requested for this area/discipline:
Equipment
Presentation
Easels
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Approximate
Price
Number of
students using
equipment each
semester
4@214 = $856
350
8
Describe how the equipment
allows achievement of
program/discipline educational
outcomes
For use with small group work in
both the Interpersonal
Communication Course as well as
the Group Decision Making
Course. Additional use for student
presentations in the Public
Speaking Course.
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Interactive
Panel
1@$6427
Laptop
Computer
1@$1260
Floor Lectern
1@ $200
Digital
Camcorder +
Tripod
1@ $415
1@ $40
300+
For digital recording of student
presentations for analysis;
additional use by Interpersonal
Communication and Group
Decision Making course for
interaction analysis purposes.
Instructional
Video Upgrade
$2,000
350+
For replacing non-captioned VHS
tapes with ADA-compliant DVDformatted materials.
2@ $200 =
$400
300+
For safe storage of traditional
presenation materials.
300+
For use with Interactive Panel.
300+
300+
Expandable
Portfolio
For wireless projection of
computer-generated content in the
Public Speaking classes to
educate students using equipment
commonly found in private
industry.
Compatible with interactive panel
and laptop computer system.
Equipment Repair
Is the equipment used for your discipline/program in need of repair, which is outside your
current budget allotment? This does not include classroom specific equipment repair
described in the facilities section.
Yes
No
If Yes was checked, provide the following information to justify a budget allotment
request:
Equipment
requiring repair
Desktop
Computer
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Repair Cost /
Annual
maintenance
cost
Could easily
be replaced
with laptop
system
described
Number of
students using
equipment each
semester
350+
9
Describe how the equipment
allows achievement of
program/discipline educational
outcomes
Students in the public speaking
course need to be able to have
training with equipment and
presentation technologies that
are currently readily available
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above.
in most private and/or business
settings.
11. Learning Outcomes Assessment Update.
List all expected program-level outcomes, whether you have completed the assessment loop
(use of results) or not. For each outcome, identify the means of assessment and the criteria
for success. Summarize the data that have been collected in the ‘Assessment Results’
column. If no data have been collected and analyzed for a particular outcome, use the
‘Assessment Results’ column to clarify when these data will be collected and analyzed. In
the fourth column, indicate how the assessment results are being used to improve the
program.
Program Outcomes (Not all
disciplines have program-level
outcomes)
Means of
Assessment and
Performance
Criteria
Assessment Results Summary
Use of Results
NA
List all course-level student learning outcomes for which some assessment activity
(assessment, analysis, or use of results) has taken place since the most recent program review,
and complete the table below as appropriate
Student Learning Outcomes
(course-level)
Means of
Assessment and
Performance
Criteria
Assessment Results Summary
Use of Results
NA
Discuss the extent to which part-time faculty (if applicable) have been involved in the dialogue
about assessing student learning outcomes:
Part-time faculty have been made aware of the inclusion of course-level
outcomes in the updated curriculum documents, but no formal discussions or
trainings have been completed regarding closing the assessment loop.
12. Curriculum Update
Identify curricular revisions and innovations undertaken
a. in the last year.
All courses in the discipline have been updated within the last year. Speech 1
and Speech 7 (our core courses) were both updated in Fall of '07. Speech 6
and Speech 40 were both updated in Spring of '08.
b. planned for the coming year.
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There are no curricular revisions planned in the upcoming year.
Complete the grid below. The course outline status report can be located at:
http://www.redwoods.edu/District/IR/Reports/Curriculum/Curriculum_Course_Outlines.htm
Course
Year Course Outline Year Next Update
Last Updated
Expected
Speech 1, Speech 7
F'07
F'12
Speech 6, Speech 40
S'08
S'13
If the proposed course outlines updates from last year’s annual update (or
comprehensive review) were not completed, please explain why.
NA
13. Communication
Are the current lines of administrative, faculty, and staff communication adequate to
meet the needs of this discipline/program? Describe representative example of
effective or ineffective communication.
The Division Chair structure works well for the Speech discipline. Since our
discipline is so small, we rely on an area coordinator who works with the
Division Chair to ensure that the needs of our students and of our program are
at least heard, if not always met. Our division chair has been instrumental in
assisting with student discipline and student complaints. As a seasoned teacher
whose office is located literally right around the corner from our classrooms, we
have been able to call on his assistance as soon as issues arise and he has been
there to assist in their resolution. For example, recently the computer system in
our public speaking classroom failed during class while students were delivering
speeches that utilized the classroom technology. The instructor sought the
assistance of the division chair in remedying this issue and he was able to help
navigate through the labyrinthian process of gaining tech support while the
instructor returned to her classroom and her students.
14. Action Plans
List any action plans submitted since your last annual update. Describe the status of
the plans. If they were approved, describe how they have improved your area.
NA
15. Goals and Plans
If you have recently undergone a comprehensive review, attach your Quality
Improvement Plan (QIP) if applicable.
QIP Attached
If you do not have a QIP, refer to the goals and plans from your previous annual
update. For each goal and/or plan, comment on the current status. List any new goals
and plans your area has for the coming year, and indicate how they are aligned with
the goals/objectives in CR’s Strategic Plan. (CR’s strategic plan is located on the web
at http://inside.redwoods.edu/StrategicPlanning/strategicplan.asp).
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Our previous goals included completing updates for all our speech curricula
which has been accomplished. Additionally, we sought to explore data regarding
retention and student success rates in the discipline with an eye toward
understanding the drops in those categories (as addressed in Question 2 above).
We also sought to assess the efficacy of a linked Speech 1/Digital Media course
package, and this pairing was offered in Spring '08 with mixed results. Finally,
we have continued to explore the viability and pedogogical soundness of offering
on-line courses in the discipline.
A priority goal for the upcoming year is the recruitment and appointment of a
replacement for the vacant tenure-track faculty position in the department.
Additionally, we would like to focus on determining the process for assessing the
impact of incorporating formalized SLOs on teaching and student learning,
provide an orientation to associate faculty on course-level SLOs, and work in
conjunction with our newly hired faculty member to determine the departmental
direction on adding new curriculum.
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