TRUCKEE MEADOWS COMMUNITY COLLEGE
PROGRAM/UNIT REVIEW
VICE PRESIDENT’S RECOMMENDATION
PROGRAM/UNIT REVIEWED: HISTORY
Self Study Committee Chair:
Division:
Dr. John Reid
WebCollege
Year of Review: 2014-2015
Date Submitted to the President:
Vice president’s findings of strengths and weaknesses of the program/unit:
Strengths: I generally concur with the Dean’s and PURC’s statement of strengths with a few additions.
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Program has four highly-qualified and talented full-time tenured faculty.
Program has higher than average student-faculty ratio.
Student surveys show highly satisfied students in both degree program and General Education/transfer courses.
Progress has been made with regular assessment for five key survey classes, and plans are set for other course
assessment
5. Faculty identify work with declared degree-seekers to track and mentor them.
6. History Club is supported by faculty to link students to College and discipline and encourage retention.
Weaknesses: I generally concur with Dean’s and PURC’s statement of weaknesses.
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Not all courses are currently up to date on assessment of student learning.
Part-time faculty pool may be inadequate in numbers and quality.
Total enrollments in history classes have fallen over recent years.
Fewer women are enrolled in discipline.
Number of degree-completers is very low for AA History Emphasis students.
Summary action recommended for program/unit: Continue and support with adequate resources
Recommendations for development strategies and anticipated time lines: Congruent with Dean’s and PURC’s
recommendations.
1. Work with UNR to ensure TMCC History courses align with the new Silver Core for general education. 2015-16
Academic Year
2. Design a more robust transfer track in concert with UNR history faculty so that students receive clear information
about co-admission early. Fall 2015
3. Promote more history courses in Jump Start program to enable high school students to take history courses where
appropriate. Spring 2016
4. Complete course assessments. 2015-16 Academic Year
5. Analyze efforts currently underway to support students on AA History Emphasis track and build more activities
within History Club, faculty mentoring, and outreach to ensure value of AA degree on transfer is understood. 201516 Academic Year and ongoing
6. See external funding for innovative pilot projects such as the use of tablets in the classroom. Ongoing
7. With the move of its department of History, Political Science, and Law to the Liberal Arts division, explore stronger
partnerships with other disciplines such as Humanities to address enrollment and efficiencies. Academic Year
2015-16.
Vice President’s Recommendation
Identify additional resources and/or actions necessary from each administrative unit for implementation of
recommended development strategies:
Academic Affairs: Monitor history enrollment and FT faculty to ensure adequate positions to support program if
faculty retire or enrollment rebounds.
Student Services: In advising, provide good information to students on value of history courses. For Jump Start,
include and promote history courses.
Finance: Ensure travel budget for history faculty is sufficient to support professional development necessary.
Human Resources: Help advertise and enlarge PT pool.
Faculty Senate: None
Other: Faculty desire to run a pilot program using tablets in classroom and will likely need foundation support or
an NEH grant to accomplish this.
Executive Summary:
History has a reputation for excellent instruction delivered by four tenured Ph.D. faculty members who are dedicated to
providing students with rigorous course content and appropriate support for learning, whether in person or online. It offers
key courses which meet U.S. and Nevada constitution requirements and which transfer to four-year institutions. Currently,
History’s student retention rate is high. Nevertheless, enrollment in history courses has been dropping in recent years. There
are plans in place to try to increase student enrollment and completion which will require proactive actions by its faculty
and staff, and there may be partnership available with its move back to the Liberal Arts division which will assist. Attention
to the numbers and quality of the part-time faculty pool is identified as a priority going forward. The implementation of the
K-12 Common Core is expected to enable higher level critical analysis and effective writing skills by recent high school
graduates and may impact all course content. History faculty are carefully analyzing the impact of the new general education
Silver Core at UNR and the Common Core Standards on their courses and curriculum. This is an excellent program with
challenges related to enrollment and potential curricular demands.
Vice President of Academic Affairs:
Name
Signature
Dr. Jane Nichols
Vice President’s Recommendation
Date
04/10/15