TRUCKEE MEADOWS COMMUNITY COLLEGE
PROGRAM/UNIT REVIEW
VICE PRESIDENT'S RECOMMENDATION
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Year of Review: =2~0~I2~-2~0~1~3_ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ Date Submitted to the President: August 1. 2013
Vice president's findings of strengths and weaknesses of the program/unit:
Strengths: Mathematics is a large department with a major responsibility for general education and advanced
mathematics courses required for allied health, science, and other disciplines at TMCC. An Associate of Science is
offered with an Emphasis in Mathematics that articulates with the UNR baccalaureate degree. The self-study states
rightly that "The current national and state pressure to increase completion and persistence in math programs, together
with the continuing mathematical weakness ofentering students, will continue to engage the department to give careful
a1te11tio11 to matters ofplacement, curriculum, and standards." Its highly qualified mathematics faculty have been
proactive in testing new models to increase student completion and persistence in math: using stretch courses, minicourses, hybrid courses, skills lab, and standards for on line courses. Course retention rates in remedial and college
mathematics have increased in the past few years dramatically. Faculty are exploring multiple placement methods for
new students and working with career and technical programs to embed applied math in CTE courses. Faculty have
worked well with WCSD, the TMCC High School, and summer bridge programs.
O
eaknesses: Excellent innovative pilot projects in mathematics are being tested, but are not yet commonly available to
students. The department plans to continue testing new pathways and course models without sacrificing learning
outcomes for students in Math 120 or Math 126, but may need additional financial support to do so. Accuplacer scores
have been changed recently and remain the only method of placement for most students. The Skills Lab replaced two
remedial courses and is now state-funded, instead of self-supporting, and is still very much in the early stages and untested
as to its overall effectiveness. Alignment with UNR in course content and pathways meets common course numbering
standards, but has some differences that impact students. Few students complete the mathematics emphasis, raising
questions about the value of the emphasis if it is not needed for successful transfer.
Summary action recommended for program/unit: Continue
Recommendations for development strategies and anticipated time lines:
Review and revise Student Leaming Outcomes and Measures for courses as required by the Office of Assessment.
Timeline: 2013-14
Expand the number of sections of successful models of course restructuring, such as stretch courses, mini-session classes,
and hybrid courses. Timeline: 2013-2015
Establish goals for student success in completion of one college-level course for each level of initial student placement.
Timeline: 2013-14 and ongoing
Vice President's Recommendation
Develop and test multiple measures for student placement into mathematics. Time line: 2013-15
Identify additional curricular pathways for students that lead to student success without sacrificing learning outcomes in
required college-level course and pursue funding opportunities to test and implement them. Time line: Ongoing
Request adequate office space for faculty members. Timeline: 2013-14
Study mathematics emphasis, collect data to address low number of completers, and pursue reverse transfer degrees.
Timeline: Ongoing
Identify additional resources and/or actions necessary from each administrative unit for implementation of
recommended development strategies:
Academic Affairs: Support department in seeking funding for needed resources to improve student success and
for faculty professional development as requested in self-study. Support revision of Student Leaming Outcomes
and Measures for courses as required.
Student Services: Provide consistent test preparation for Accuplacer administration; promote alternate pathways
through advising.
Finance: Two additional offices for faculty members.
Human Resources: None
Faculty Senate: None
Other: None
Executive Summary:
The Mathematics Department has eighteen full-time faculty dedicated to providing excellent instruction for all TMCC
students as part of General Education requirements or advanced math courses needed in students' fields of study. They
have made significant progress in improving their retention rate and in testing new innovative models that offer students a
faster pathway to complete their math courses. In Spring 2012, they taught over 1,288 students in developmental math
courses and 1,322 student in college-level math courses. Additionally, the Mathematics Skills lab serves more remedial
students at the lowest level of test scores, and these are not included in the 1,288 cited above. The critical importance of
excellence and success in remedial education for this department is evident, and the math faculty continue to search for
new instructional models to improve student success while protecting learning outcomes. They have offered an AS with
an emphasis in mathematics since 2007 that allows students to transf~r seamlessly to UNR to gain a bachelor's degree in
mathematics, but to date only one student has completed this emphasis. More students transfer prior to degree
completion. Math's self-study accurately captures the difficult curricular work ahead for the Department and conveys a
strong commitment to moving forward.
Vice President of Academic Affairs:
Name
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Date
Dr. Jane Nichols
7/31/201 3