EXTERNAL PROGRAM EVALUATION
DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL SCIENCE
CENTRAL WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY
A. Goals and Mission of the Department
The goals of the Department of Political Science are clearly stated and well
conceived. The pursuit of knowledge of politics, the communication of that knowledge,
and the promotion of a genuine interest in politics are the shared mission of all members
of our discipline. As the Department’s self-study shows, however, that mission is
expressed in a particular way at Central Washington University (CWU).
The Department points out that its primary role as a teaching department has
meant that the promotion of knowledge of politics at CWU has taken the form primarily
of curriculum development. The need to develop a more diverse collection of course
offerings has led the Department to set for itself the concrete objectives of increasing its
faculty resources, operational support, student assessment capabilities, and professional
development opportunities.
An especially noteworthy accomplishment in this regard is the Department’s
creation of POSC 489 Senior Assessment. The use of capstone courses at the
undergraduate level is not widespread in the discipline. Even more unusual is the use of
such a course for both individual student assessment and for the evaluation of program
effectiveness. Continued experimentation with and development of this initiative should
be encouraged and supported. In particular, the Department may wish to consider
increasing the credit assigned to POSC 489 in order to emphasize to students the
importance of the course and to more fully compensate faculty assigned to teach it.
Beyond the singular achievement of the Senior Assessment course, the
Department has faced significant challenges in accomplishing its other objectives. These
have mainly to do with the provision of resources that will be required for continued
improvement in achieving Departmental goals and improving program effectiveness in an
environment that increasingly emphasizes the creation of new knowledge. Stated in the
most general terms, the Department perceives the reconciliation of its historic role as a
teaching and service unit with an emerging institutional climate emphasizing increased
research productivity as its major challenge in the years ahead. The Department’s
concern in this regard is not unwarranted.
B. Educational Program and Its Effectiveness
In comparing the Department and its place at CWU to other institutions, one is
immediately struck by the role political science plays in the general education program.
An introduction to American politics course in university general education is a nearly
universal phenomenon. However, the presence of introduction to political science and
international politics courses in CWU’s general education (GE) plan imposes a burden on
the Department that, while not unique, is unusual given the relatively small size of its
faculty.
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An examination of enrollment data from Fall, 2002 through Winter, 2008
illustrates the pressure that its general education service function places on the
Department. During that time, enrollment in the three GE courses accounted for
approximately 45% of the Departments student enrollments. In one quarter, the GE share
of enrollments rose to 63%. In a Department without teaching assistants, enrollments of
this size in introductory courses places significant demands on instructional resources.
This has manifested itself in a number of ways. Of greatest concern is the impact on the
Department’s ability to offer courses of special interest to its majors with sufficient
frequency.
Enrollment data shows that a number of courses in the Department have been
offered only infrequently over the past seventeen quarters. In some cases, enrollment
figures do not suggest greater demand than a long rotation can satisfy. However, the
situation with other classes is more worrisome. POSC 313 Legislative Politics, POSC
315 Political Campaigns and Elections, and POSC Political Parties and Interest Groups
have each been offered only twice in seventeen quarters. But when offered, each meets
or exceeds its enrollment cap. While not required for the major, these courses lie very
near the heart of contemporary political science. A similar picture emerges when one
looks at data for the history of political thought courses (POSC 481, 482, 483). This is
especially significant because these courses must be used by political science majors to
satisfy a Departmental requirement. The fact that only one section of any of these is
available in any given academic year must create scheduling complications for both the
Department and its majors.
The picture outlined above is of a Department that will continue to face
challenges in reconciling its GE service mission with its responsibilities to its own
majors. One consequence of this challenge is that a disproportionate share of faculty
effort is invested in teaching assignments that create little synergy with the commitment
to remain current in the discipline and to increase scholarly output. Professional
publication in political science, as in many disciplines, has become increasingly arcane
and specialized. Teaching introductory courses does little to “exercise the muscles” that
are needed to produce that kind of scholarship. In fact, teaching general education
courses consumes “intellectual bandwidth” that might otherwise be dedicated to scholarly
pursuits. Another consequence is that the development of special topics courses that
might enhance scholarly output and broaden opportunities for departmental majors is
made more difficult by the Department’s ongoing commitment to its general education
service function.
Worthy of special mention is the Department’s participation in the undergraduate
major in Public Policy. An interdisciplinary major in public affairs is a sound and
sensible technique for a smaller university to diversify student curricular opportunities in
this area and to better serve the needs of the public that supports it. However, it is
notable that enrollment in the courses that the Department contribute to this program is
quite uneven. Enrollment in POSC 320 Public Administration far exceeds that in POSC
325 Public Policy and POSC 429 Research Seminar in Public Policy. Without examining
the enrollment in Public Policy courses contributed by other participating departments, a
definitive interpretation of this pattern is not possible. But one hypothesis would be that
there is greater interest in public service careers among political science majors than
enrollment in the public policy courses would suggest. Information included in the self-
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study section on the Department’s students and their career paths tends to reinforce this
hypothesis.
Absent a more definitive analysis of the situation, firm recommendations are
impossible. But a number of options might be considered. The major in Public Policy
could be cut loose as a free-standing interdisciplinary major. This would require no
changes in its current degree plan and would make the major more attractive to students
who do not wish to combine it with a second major in political science, economics, or
geography. This approach, however, might have the unintended effect of depriving the
Department of some number of majors while creating another external service
commitment for the department that would further complicate its already difficult
scheduling situation. And it would, of course, require the approval of other departments
involved in the major.
Another possibility would be to allow Public Policy majors to include a larger
number of economics and geography courses as electives in their political science
curriculum. This would make the second major in public policy more attractive without
reducing the number of majors in political science by making Public Policy more like a
“track” or specialization within political science. This approach would also be simpler in
that the agreement of other departments to fundamental changes in the Public Policy
major would not be required. To the extent that this is successful, however, it is likely to
increase student demand for political science courses that are part of the Public Policy
major, again complicating Departmental scheduling issues.
A final possibility, complementary to either of the first two, is to increase the
effort to market the Public Policy major to the CWU student body. Given the interdepartmental character of the major, support for such an effort should be sought at the
College level.
C. Students
While perhaps few in number, the Department’s students have an admirable list of
accomplishments to their credit. Departmental alumni go on to occupy significant
positions in the public sector and attend law school and graduate school in significant
numbers. Of special note is the Department’s participation in Model United Nations and
in undergraduate research conferences. As the Department’s self-study indicates, these
achievements are the direct result of significant investments of time and effort on the part
of departmental faculty over a long course of years.
It is especially encouraging to see the Department employing a senior exit survey
to assess its effectiveness in satisfying students curricular and career needs. It is clear
that this survey, and the senior assessment course of which it is an integral part, have
produced important information that the Department has used to significant effect.
It is also noteworthy that the Department has placed increasing emphasis on
reviving student organizations and on participating in campus career planning and
advising activities. No individual department can play more than a secondary role in
these areas. But it is gratifying to see that these efforts are valued and encouraged in the
Political Science Department. Continuing emphasis in these areas would be likely to
increase the number of majors in the Department and to raise its profile in the University
generally.
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D. Faculty
Like its student body, the Department’s faculty has compiled a record of
achievements that belies its small size. They serve, or recently have served, in a number
of administrative and governance roles outside the Department. They contribute their
time in significant ways to student activities and student support services of various
kinds. And, within the limits of their workload commitments, they develop special topics
courses that significantly enhance the curricular opportunities of their students. Finally,
they show a commitment to the idea of remaining intellectually active and current in their
various specializations within the discipline. This is clearly evidenced in the recent
increases in scholarly productivity documented in the Department’s self-study materials.
This last commitment, to remain current and active in their specialties, is a subject
of significant concern within the Department. As suggested above, there is a certain
tension between this commitment and the institutional role that the Department plays. As
a general matter, the teaching load at CWU is comparatively high. The impact of this on
the Department is greater than it might be elsewhere within the University. Lacking a
graduate program, teaching and research assistants are not available to faculty within the
Department. And, as noted above, the teaching load of the Department is tilted
significantly toward lower division and general education classes. This characteristic of
the Department’s teaching load, the size of its lower division and non-major component,
makes it all the more impressive that its faculty consistently record higher student
evaluations than is typical within the College. Those same characteristics, however,
reduce the synergy between the teaching enterprise and scholarly pursuits. Several
responses to this situation come to mind.
Both the Departmental self-study materials and site-visit observations suggest that
the Department, and CWU generally, are in a state of transition with respect to the topic
of work load management. As anxiety producing as transitions of that nature can be, they
are also moments of opportunity. A new commitment to flexibility in managing teaching
loads could significantly improve opportunities for an increased commitment to scholarly
productivity. A primary focus on generated FTE, rather than contact hours per se, would
allow departments with large demand for introductory courses to realize greater benefits
from those enrollments. Sections of introductory courses that enroll at twice the normal
target for lower division courses (or more) might be credited to the faculty member as
two courses. This approach would be limited, of course, by the availability of
instructional spaces that could accommodate courses of that size. But it is important that
departments wishing to take advantage of increased management flexibility not be placed
at the back of the line for the facilities that are available.
If work load planning flexibility can be afforded to departments, additional
benefit can be realized if faculty members can be given options regarding how that
flexibility is used. For example, teaching a large section counted as two courses could
reduce an instructor’s load that quarter by one course. Alternately, the instructor might
be permitted to “bank” the credit earned by teaching large sections over the course of
several quarters so that short-term, self-funded “sabbaticals” become possible. Each of
these options would, of course, be subject to the curricular needs of the Department. But
any resulting complexities would likely be regarded by all concerned as a “better set of
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problems” than they currently confront. The Department’s recent increase in scholarly
productivity clearly indicates that a decision by the University to provide flexibility of
this sort would likely be rewarded.
Finally, a primary commitment to teaching does not have to be inconsistent with
scholarly publication if the term “scholarly” is understood properly. Both in the
discipline of political science and in academe generally, there are a number of highquality, peer reviewed journals that publish articles about teaching. These journals are
generally amendable to both small-n and case study research that is well within the
capacity of scholars at a wide variety of institutions. A review of the University
standards for faculty performance reveals that scholarship on teaching and application of
knowledge is specifically recognized and encouraged. The Department should consider
emphasizing that form of scholarship in its own policy documents. Of particular interest
in the profession would be the Department’s experience with its senior assessment class
and exit survey.
E. Library and Information Resources
The decline of library resources documented in the Department self-study is
distressing, but far from unusual. At a time when information literacy is an increasing
concern, it is ironic that access to information seems to suffer from ongoing resource
depletion. The Department has, within the limits of its resources, taken this problem
seriously by subscribing to four particularly useful periodicals. As praiseworthy as this
step is, the Department cannot be expected to provide the information resources that its
instructional and scholarly missions require.
F. Governance
As noted in its self-study, the Department utilizes an informal approach to internal
governance. Given the Department’s history, its culture, and the personalities involved,
this seems an eminently reasonable approach. It does, however, carry with it certain
risks. Chief among these is that it has the possibility to overload the Department
Chairperson. This risk is exacerbated by the fact that members of the Department serve
in important governance positions outside the Department. This is particularly true of the
senior members of the Department who, in the normal course of events, would be best
positioned to support the Chair in his or her efforts. In fact, it could be argued that the
University depends on the Department for faculty leadership to a degree that is not
always healthy for the Department.
Be that as it may, political science departments are often heavily relied upon in
systems of shared governance. That can be expected to continue. Indeed, members of
the discipline generally serve those needs so well that it would be short sighted to
discourage them from doing so. But members of the discipline should be aware of the
implications for their own Department’s “system maintenance” needs. They should plan
accordingly to provide timely support for their Chairperson and remind relevant others of
the unique demands for institutional service that members of political science
departments often face.
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G. Finance
Department level analysis of financial resources and requirements is always
inherently difficult. The broader perspective necessary to assess the adequacy of
resources is usually lacking, as is a detailed knowledge of the competing necessities and
interests that lead to existing allocations. While this much must be conceded, it makes it
all the more urgent that management flexibility of the kind discussed above be provided
to the greatest degree possible. Innovations in instructional delivery which are at least
revenue-neutral should be given favorable consideration whenever possible, particularly
in the case of probationary faculty members.
H. Physical Resources
The major concern noted in this area is the possibility that the Department will be
without a copier if the Department of Law and Justice is moved from its current location.
Needless to say, this would not be a tolerable situation.
A broader concern will continue to be the availability of smart classrooms,
particularly those capable of holding the large classes that might allow the Department to
create the work load flexibility it requires. A “fair shares” system for allocating those
physical resources should be used rather than a “first come – first served” approach. The
latter approach discourages classroom innovation and is particularly disadvantageous to
new faculty who wish to increase their opportunities for scholarly activity.
I. Integrity
If it has not already done so, the Department may wish to consider integrating
materials on professional integrity in the discipline and in public office into its courses,
particularly POSC 101 Introduction to Politics and POSC 210 American Politics.
J. Summary Observations and Future Directions
Having reviewed the information provided by the Department in its self-study,
enrollment data covering the last seventeen quarters, and the faculty performance
standards of the Department, College, and University, I consider the Department’s
statement of its future direction to be well considered and supported by the available
evidence.
There are indications in the enrollment data that the Department has had difficulty
in offering its courses in a timely manner and that additional sections of many of those
courses would have better met the needs of its students. For the Department to offer
those sections, additional faculty resources will clearly be required.
The Department has shown a commitment to increasing its emphasis on scholarly
productivity, but new options in work load management will be required for this trend to
continue. Additional resources for professional travel and library acquisitions will also
be necessary. But the key resource that is needed for the Department to pursue this
objective is released time from teaching. To the extent that the University can provide
resources in support of that release time, the Department’s record suggests that an
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investment of that kind would be rewarded. But allowing the Department to access more
of the resources that its own enrollment generates is a form of research support that is
more easily and immediately available.
The Department’s ongoing commitment to its senior assessment process should
be actively supported. It has already produced action information that is enhancing the
quality of instruction delivered by the Department, as is evidenced by its renewed
commitment to career advising, curriculum development, and civic engagement projects.
The Department’s assessment of its prospects for continuous improvement of its
teaching, research, and service efforts are realistic and achievable. The resources
required for those efforts are carefully and accurately documented in its self-study
material. The Department’s performance over the period covered by the report supports
the proposition that, given the required resources, the Department is capable of achieving
the results described and is committed to doing so.
It is not for me to place those objectives in the hierarchy of the University’s
priorities. But I am confident in my conclusion that the learning community of students
and instructors in the Political Science Department is fully capable of building on the
success it has enjoyed to date.
Submitted by:
Walter F. Baber, JD, PhD
Graduate Center for Public Policy and Administration
California State University – Long Beach
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