100 Grant Street De Pere, WI 54115-2099  www.snc.edu
TO:
FROM:
DATE:
RE:
CURRICULUM AND EDUCATION POLICY COMMITTEE
CHARLEY JACOBS, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF POLITICAL
SCIENCE AND DISCIPLINE COORDINATOR
AUGUST 27, 2015
YEAR ONE STATEMENT: VISION, DISCUSSION OF PREVIOUS
LONG-RANGE GOALS
Below are the elements of the Year One Program Review Statement required of the
Discipline of Political Science by the Curriculum, Education and Policy Committee
(CEPC).
I.
REVISED MISSION STATEMENT
Political Science Mission Statement: The Political Science Discipline educates
responsible citizens of the world, trains thoughtful scholars, and develops innovative
leaders for diverse communities.
II.
REVISED VISION STATEMENT
Political Science Vision Statement: Every Political Science student will be a role model
citizen. We will achieve our vision by attracting students to the dynamic world of human
interaction in the political process; creating and enhancing student learning opportunities
both inside of outside of the classroom; increasing the interaction of students, alumni, and
faculty; encouraging mutually beneficial relationships with our local, national, and global
community through collaboration; promoting the individual career development of our
faculty; and by engaging in regular strategic planning to advance our discipline.
III.
RELATION OF THE POLITICAL SCIENCE PROGRAM TO THE
NEEDS OF THE COLLEGE AND LOCAL, REGIONAL, AND
NATIONAL COMMUNITY
Political science is the social science that deals with the ways human beings organize and
govern themselves. We are social beings and our lives are inextricably connected. All of
us as individuals, as members of various groups and as parts of larger organizations,
communities and nations, must acknowledge and interact with one another. We all share
a common humanity.
Political science is a valuable component of liberal or general education, because it
enhances our understanding of human relations and behavior, of how we make decisions
and of the factors that influence them. Power, justice, law, social order and the creation of
effective and equitable human relationships are the essential concerns of politics. Politics
affect virtually all aspects of our cultural, economic, religious and social lives, and almost
all public decisions are made through collective political activity. Politics is an
inescapable attribute of human relations and behavior; and it is a moral imperative that
we do our best to build social, economic and political systems that protect individual
human rights and beliefs, that promote social justice and that permit fuller realization of
our human potential. By making us aware of these factors, problems and possibilities, the
study of political science encourages our intellectual, personal and moral development.
Political science allows us to have an understanding of how government functions and
what is expected of a responsible citizenry.
The Political Science program offers students both the opportunity to gain a liberal arts
education and prepare for a future career. As a liberal art, Political Science at St. Norbert
College attempts to broaden and enlighten the minds of our students regarding political
issues, processes and behavior, hence serving to free their intellect from ethnocentrism
and provide them with the skills and analytical tools to understand the political world
around them. Although emphasizing the study of Political Science as a liberal art, the
Political Science program does not overlook its importance in the preparation for a
variety of careers. A major in Political Science prepares students for graduate study and
research; for professional careers in business, law, government or public administration;
for active participation in local, state and national politics; and for living effective lives as
members of a democratic society in a diverse and complex world.
Political science also encourages students and faculty to utilize the skills and knowledge
developed and transmitted in the classroom in the surrounding community. The faculty
frequently serve as commentators for media outlets1 and speak for local, regional and
1
These include, but are not limited to: The News Hour (PBS), ABC.com, The
Washington Post, The Washington Examiner, CNN, The Green Bay Press Gazette, The
Wisconsin State Journal, Wisconsin Public Radio, WBAY-TV, WLUK-TV, WFRV-TV,
WGBA-TV, WTAQ Radio, WHBY Radio.
state community groups.2 The Strategic Research Institute (SRI), director by Emeritus
Professor Dave Wegge (that also employs Drs. Wendy Scattergood and Charley Jacobs
as Research Associates) conducts research on behalf of local and state community groups,
non-profit organizations, and governments. Political science students frequently conduct
internships through the Washington Semester program, during study abroad opportunities,
and in the local community.3 Students also volunteer with local, state, and national nonprofit and religious groups.
IV.
POLITICAL SCIENCE GOALS ESTABLISHED IN 2010
•
Address the issues of insufficient resources for the Pre-Law Program/Mock Trial
Dr. Charley Jacobs was forced to teach an overload every semester to meet the needs of
the mock trial program established in 2009. This has been addressed and the course is
now part of his normal rotation. However, the program, while receiving a yearly budget
of $2,500 each year as a permanent budget and an infusion of discretionary dollars,
continues to need a more stable source of funding. The overall mock trial budget still
lags the mock trial budget of teams that participate at other colleges and universities in
the area.
•
Address the need for more courses in international relations to meet the needs of
students in an era of globalization
The Discipline has offered additional courses over the last five years, as hoped, through
the efforts of both new and visiting faculty. The Discipline has continued to press for an
additional member of the faculty with a specialty in international or area studies. Those
requests were not met. When Dr. Gratzia Villarroel accepted the position of Associate
Dean for Global Affairs, we were provided with a visiting assistant professor, Dr. Ozum
Yesiltas, who has been a valuable addition, offering courses in Middle East politics that
the students have found valuable. Both Drs. Villarroel and Yesiltas continue to provide
courses necessary for the development of our students. The Discipline is of the opinion
that it is imperative that we retain the services of Dr. Yesiltas or some other visiting
faculty to maintain the number and quality of courses in the area of international and area
studies.
2
These include but are not limited to: the St. Norbert College Distinguished Speakers
series, De Pere Rotary, ACLU-WI.
3
Examples include but are not limited to: the British Parliament, the Department of
Commerce (Washington, D.C.), The White House, the Office of the Executive in Brown
County, De Pere City government, Brown County Courthouse, Office of the Brown
County District Attorney, Office of the Public Defender, and numerous campaigns for
local, state, and national candidates.
•
Seek additional resources for faculty research
The faculty has been able to utilize funds allocated to the Discipline through our J-term
and summer teaching to enable additional travel and support for research endeavors
(including the purchase of new software, books, and other resources). However, timeintensive obligations to high-impact practice activities (e.g., coordination of internships,
the Washington Semester, independent studies) as well as campus programs (Political
Science has been responsible for, or continues to be responsible for, such programs as
Leadership Studies, the Pre-Law Certificate program, and the International Studies
minor) often limit the ability of faculty to complete research projects. The Discipline still
seeks assistance in balancing these obligations against the desire to expand our ability to
be productive scholars.
•
Other 2010 Goals
The Political Science Discipline achieved the following short- and medium term goals
established at the time of the last program review.
-
Established a chapter of the honor society Pi Sigma Alpha
Created a discipline Facebook page
Increased contact with alumni
Expanded campus engagement through presentations to campus
organization, the student body, and faculty.