TRUCKEE MEADOWS COMMUNITY COLLEGE
PROGRAM/UNIT REVIEW
DEAN'S RECOMMENDATION
PROGRAM/UNIT REVIEWED:
HISTORY
Self-Study Committee Chair(s): Dr. John Reid
Division:
WebCollege
Year of Review: 2014/15 Date Submitted to PURC: February 5, 2015
Dean's findings of strengths and weaknesses of the program/unit:
Strengths:
1.
2.
3.
Four highly qualified and talented full-time/tenured faculty members
High student-faculty ratio for enrollment (exceeds current institutional goal) resulting in greater efficiency
Highly satisfied students both in the degree program as well as for the General Education/transfer courses offered
4.
5.
6.
7.
by the department
Degree motivated students/department' s courses support important General Education role for TMCC
Progress with regular assessment for key classes (90%)
The department has received adequate resources in support of instruction during precarious budget period
The department has developed a capstone course and careful tracking of declared students
Weaknesses:
I.
2.
3.
Expand assessment of student learning to ensure assessment of all History classes. The program has formed a
committee and established a timeline for doing so.
Program must increase enrollments and where possible. recruit more women into the program
Program must produce more graduates for the degree
Summary action recommended for program/unit:
The History Department at TMCC has an excellent faculty, an equally excellent department chair. and an outstanding
reputation with its students. Indeed. one of the faculty members was recognized nationally as amongst the top 25 of Rate
My Professor for 2014. As is documented in the self-study. the program is well organized and managed, is effective at
instruction, maintains rigor designed to foster higher-level learning, continues to make progress in assessment and has
crafted an excellent AA Degree in Hi story. The key challenge identified in the self-study is finding a way to more
effectively market the History AA Degree and increase the number of graduates as well as to generate additional overall
course enrollments in support of General Education/transfer needs.
Recommendations for strategies and anticipated time lines (All timelines are considered ongoing unless otherwise
noted):
I support the recommendations included in the self-study. Specifically:
I.
The dean and chair will work with TMCC Recruitment and Communications/ Marketing to identify specific
strategies for the recruitment of more women into the History program as well as to determine specific strategies
for increasing the recruitment of degree-seeking students to improve the overall number of graduates for the AA
degree
Dean's Recommendation
2.
As is current practice, the chair will continue to monitor Hi story courses and will remove courses from the catalog
3.
that are not being taught.
The dean and chair will identify the revenues needed to s upport the History Department technology initiatives
4.
outlined in the PUR Report.
The dean and chair w ill continue to monitor the implementation ofa revised UNR Core and will ultimately assess
5.
6.
the impact of changes to TMCC's current course offerings.
The dean and chair will reach o ut to the UN R Hi story Department to explore improved communicatio n as well as
to discuss TMCC's History degree as a possi ble "transfer feeder degree" to the UN R History program.
The dean and chair will identify ways to support the development of four-year degrees at TMCC and will provide
appropriate .. upper-l evel core" classes as needed
Identify resources necessary for implementation of recommended strategies:
The department currently receives adequate funding for operating and staffing but will need additional funding to support
the new instructional technology initiatives identified in the PUR Report. At thi s juncture, the identified needs can likely
be supported through Technology Fee funding.
Describe impact of recommended strategies on Division planning:
Success at improving enrollments and degree completions w ill necessitate additional resources - at the very least, the
ability to retain/fill the phased retirement faculty position as well as additional operating funds pegged to improved
program performance.
Dial og with UN R 's History Department, if successful. may require adjustments in curriculum/requirements to the current
AA History Degree.
Describe impact of recommended development strategies on program/unit faculty :
As indicated, improved program performance will require a commitment to retain/fill the fourth tenure faculty position,
and could require an additional tenure-track position .
Dean of WebCollege:
Name: Fred Lokken
Date
01 /22/2015