TRUCKEE MEADOWS COMMUNITY COLLEGE
PROGRAM/UNIT REVIEW
VICE PRESIDENT’S RECOMMENDATION
PROGRAM/UNIT REVIEWED: ARCHITECTURE
Self Study Committee Chair:
Division:
Kreg Mebust
Technical Sciences
Year of Review: 2014-2015
Date Submitted to the President:
Vice president’s findings of strengths and weaknesses of the program/unit:
Strengths: Architecture recently lost two faculty members with subsequent loss of momentum and number of program
graduates. Nevertheless, the program now has a number of strengths.
1. A tenure-track faculty is now in place who had served previously on a year-to-year contract. He is committed to
building the program.
2. The end of the recession appears to point to an upswing in opportunities for program completers.
3. Faculty in Architecture have been diligent in responding to market conditions and college directives.
4. Architecture is popular program with high school CTE students.
5. Demographics of students within the program are good, with better representation from women and minorities
than the field in general.
Weaknesses: Architecture now is on the low-yield list.
1. Enrollments and program completer numbers are currently too low to continue architecture degrees and new
directions are necessary.
2. Articulation agreement with UNLV appears incorrect and fails to recognize NSHE rules about AA transfer and
general education requirements. Few students choose this long pathway to a master’s at UNLV in order to
practice.
3. Only one fulltime faculty with multiple demands placed on him related to teaching, program planning, community
outreach, student mentoring, and oversight of part-time faculty.
Summary action recommended for program/unit: Continue if low enrollment and completion numbers can be turned
around within three years through outreach efforts or merger with construction technologies. If no change occurs, degrees
should be discontinued.
Recommendations for development strategies and anticipated time lines: Congruent with Dean’s and PURC’s
recommendations.
1. Finalize and publicize formal articulation agreement with New School of Architecture and complete agreements
with at least two other colleges. In place by September 2015
2. Analyze value of UNLV pathway for students to unaccredited bachelor’s degree and necessity for master’s to
practice architecture. If warranted, make changes to TMCC program or transfer agreement so that pathway for
students is clear. Work with Dean Fruzzetti to correct transfer agreement with UNLV. September-October 2015
3. Explore program merger with Construction Technologies to change architecture to an emphasis, rename degrees,
or propose different educational tracks, such as landscape architecture, within general AA and AAS degrees per
the choices outlined in the Dean’s recommendations. 2015-16 academic year
4. Develop a plan to consolidate Construction Technologies into the same physical space at Edison campus.
Finalize by Fall 2016.
Vice President’s Recommendation
5. Strengthen Advisory Board membership and ensure regular meetings with minutes filed so that future workforce
needs can be properly assessed and Board can help with recruitment and hiring. 2015-16 academic year
6. Update new statewide DOE CTE requirements to support high school partnerships as described in self-study and
recruit high school students, particularly from underrepresented populations. 2015-16 academic year
7. Explore partnership with WNC to offer some architecture courses to their students in Construction Management
bachelor’s program. Ongoing
8. Implement the assessment plan articulated in the self-study by Spring 2016.
9. Develop a prioritized list of necessary equipment and technology needs with valid justification to be added to
RAP and Perkins list. Spring 2016.
10. Explore development of non-credit professional workshops to meet workplace needs of workers. Summer 2017
11. Explore need for and feasibility of bachelor’s degree in Interior Design if UNR does not replace their defunct
degree and do so in partnership with Fine Arts and Architecture faculty. Complete feasibility study by summer
2016.
Identify additional resources and/or actions necessary from each administrative unit for implementation of
recommended development strategies:
Academic Affairs: Monitor and support program in needed actions to build enrollment.
discontinuation if no actions result in increased number of program completers.
Recommend
Student Services: Advising can assist students in understanding architecture pathways and professional job
opportunities.
Finance: Consider support for space for merger of architecture and construction technologies and for equipment
requests.
Human Resources: None
Faculty Senate: Consider degree changes or program merger if brought forward.
Other: None
Executive Summary:
Architecture offers technical, transfer, and general education courses leading to a two year AA transfer degree in
Architecture and a terminal Architectural Design Technology degree – AAS in Residential Design. In recent years, the loss
of two faculty members has left the program with fewer resources to recruit and support students and the recession has
slowed down Northern Nevada’s need for architecture graduates, resulting in the program’s current status as low yield.
However, the program now has a fulltime tenure-track faculty member and appears to be energetically pursuing pathways
to meet the growing needs of the construction industry locally as the economy is rebounding. Current studies are focusing
on 1) merger of Construction Technologies with Architecture to produce students better prepared for today’s workplace, 2)
seeking formal transfer agreements with more accredited bachelor’s architecture programs, 3) partnership with WNC in
Construction Management bachelor’s degree, and 4) exploring demands from industry related to landscape architecture and
interior design. This excellent program will be monitored and given three more years to rebound in number of graduates or
through program restructuring before its low yield status results in its discontinuation.
Vice President of Academic Affairs:
Name
Signature
Dr. Jane Nichols
Vice President’s Recommendation
Date
05/10/15