Program Review
Master of Science in Environmental Science
College of Information Technology and
Engineering
November 2015
MARSHALL UNIVERSITY
2
3
4
Marshall University
Program Review
For purposes of program review, the academic year will begin in summer and end in spring.
Program: Master of Science in Environmental Science_______________
College: Information Technology and Engineering___________________
Date of Last Review: Academic Year 2010 – 2011 ____________________
I.
CONSISTENCY WITH UNIVERSITY MISSION
The goals of the Environmental Science program at Marshall University are in
harmony with, and contribute to, the mission of Marshall University. In particular,
the program contributes to the enhancement of graduate education, expansion of
the body of knowledge, commitment to society through public service, economic
development, diversity in student body, faculty, staff and education programs,
maintenance of rigorous standards and high expectations for student learning
and performance, and interaction with individual students. As the primary goal of
the Environmental Science program is to improve the effectiveness of
environmental scientists and managers in their efforts to protect the public health
and welfare with respect to environmental pollution, it fits well with the mission of
the institution.
This program is closely tied to other programs in the College of
Information Technology and Engineering. Five components of the College
mission are of particular note, and are listed here, along with a description of how
this program fits with and supports the College and its other programs.
1) Maintain a small full time faculty and a strong adjunct faculty. The
Program maintains close contact with many professionals in the region. Because
of the diversity and strength of these people, and because they are willing to
teach, the expertise among adjuncts is very high, affording diversity and depth.
2) Provide opportunities for lifelong learning. The course offerings are
oriented around knowledge not available to students when they were
undergraduates. Thus, students come for lifelong learning, and the diploma they
receive is a secondary consideration.
3) Make graduate study accessible to students. All courses are taught on
weekdays during the late afternoon or evenings or on-line. Programs have been
offered in various cities whenever such an offering seemed to be viable and cost
5
effective. All ES classes use Blackboard Collaborate, so any student can attend
class remotely.
4) Support economic development of the State. Prior to the start of this
program, many companies solved environmental problems in West Virginia by
looking elsewhere for the needed expertise. Many students are now filling these
positions involving greater expertise and greater responsibility as a result of the
knowledge gained in these courses.
5) Share faculty and facilities. This is a multi-disciplinary program,
involving the integration of knowledge from many areas. Faculty from these
related areas as an integral part of the program are brought in. Courses in
Biology, Chemistry, Engineering Management, Environmental Engineering,
Industrial Engineering, and Information Systems, with electives in Chemical
Engineering, Geology, Humanities, Industrial Hygiene and Safety are required.
Another example is the mutual support with the Engineering Management and
Environmental Engineering options in the Engineering program, as well as
COS/IST. Students take courses in those fields to meet proficiency
requirements, and their students are permitted to take a minor in an
environmental specialty.
II.
Adequacy of the Program
1. Curriculum: The curriculum, shown in Appendix I, is designed to provide
students with a broad awareness of issues, depth in a specialized area of their
choosing, and the tools needed to deal with current pollution problems. In
addition to taking the required number of courses, students must demonstrate
that they have had instruction or experience in the behavior of the natural
environment, analytical measurement of pollutants, and the application of
environmental regulations. Students satisfy these requirements by judicious
choice of elective courses.
For example, Risk Assessment (ES 514), a foundation course, presents a broad
perspective on how environmental protection decisions are made and how the
harmfulness of pollutants is determined in a quantitative manner. Students are
required to take courses in Environmental Chemistry (ENVE 615), Environmental
Law (ES 550), and Environmental Management Systems (ES 620). In addition,
there are four courses common to three of the graduate programs in the College
which are required of Environmental Science majors. These are, Project
Management (EM 660), Applied Statistics (ENGR 610), Comprehensive Project I
(TE 698), and Comprehensive Project II (TE 699). There are four electives: two
Environmental Science related electives in the Environmental Science program,
an approved course in the Division, and an approved course in the College.
Students may also take, and are encouraged to do so, other electives within the
University, mostly from the College of Science, with approval. Students select
electives to specialize in areas such as air pollution, river and lake pollution,
6
policy, and groundwater pollution. Students must also satisfy the expectation that
they have knowledge of the behavior of natural systems and the analytical
measurement of chemicals in the environment. Finally, there are the
comprehensive project courses (Part I and Part II) in which the student shows
mastery of these skills by applying them to a real world problem.
The most significant feature of the program is that roughly a third of the students
consist of scientists with five to fifteen years of experience in one of the
traditional specialties needed in the solution of environmental problems, such as
biology, chemistry or geology. However, in the last 5 to 8 years the percentage
of full-time, traditional students (those recently completing a BS and with little or
no experience) has markedly increased, as has the number of international
students. This combination of working, experienced professionals and
inexperienced younger students is seen as a major strength of the program,
allowing working professionals to increase their skills and knowledge while
serving as mentors to younger students. Younger students receive considerable
“real-world” knowledge, as faculty and seasoned students share their
professional experiences in class.
2. Faculty: The Environmental Science program is multi-disciplinary in nature.
There is one faculty member/program coordinator for the program. There are
also adjunct faculty who have the diverse disciplinary skills and experience
needed to solve environmental problems. The current full-time faculty member is
a Ph.D. tenured environmental engineer with approximately 24 years of private
sector and government environmental science and engineering experience.
The number of full-time faculty within the program shows a marked decrease
(roughly half) from 15 years ago, when 2 full-time faculty and 4 supporting faculty
were available for the program, while student numbers have increased in the 15
year period. In fact, the ES program often has the largest enrollment of any CITE
graduate program (ES courses are also used in Technology Management, Safety
and Engineering MS programs within CITE, as well as College of Science MS
programs). It should also be noted that the one full-time faculty member/program
coordinator also teaches courses in the Environmental Engineering program.
Lack of full-time faculty is a weakness of the program and is cited as such by
exiting students, as some complete the entire program with only one faculty
member teaching all of their ES courses.
Adjunct faculty includes a research scientist holding a Ph.D. in Aquatic Biology,
an MS environmental scientist, and an environmental engineer. See appendix II
for the Faculty Data Sheets. No graduate teaching assistants are provided to the
program, so Appendix II-A was not completed.
The student’s contact with adjunct faculty has unfortunately remained the same
since the last evaluation, rising from about 20% in 2000 to approximately 50%
today.
7
3. Students:
a. Entrance Standards: Each applicant for admission must have an
undergraduate degree from an accredited college or university, and must
satisfy at least ONE of the following criteria:
a. Score at the mean or above on the verbal GRE
b. Score at the mean or above on the quantitative GRE
c. Score at the mean or above on the analytical GRE
d. Score at the mean or above on the Miller Analogies Test
e. Have an undergraduate GPA of 2.50 or above
f. Have passed the Fundamentals of Engineering (F.E.) exam and/or
the Professional Engineer (P.E.) exam
In other words, if the final undergraduate GPA is 2.5 or above you are exempt
from taking the standardized test (GRE or MAT).
In addition to the general requirements all students entering the graduate
Environmental Science program must have completed prior to admission the
following courses OR their equivalent:
Chemistry 211 and Math 130 with a grade C or better, AND a minimum total
of FIVE (5) courses/competencies, relevant to environmental science, from
the following: Chemistry (200 level or above); Physics (200 level or above);
Biology; Geology; Geography; Statistics; Soil Science; Law; Health and
Economics; or 10 years relevant work experience.
For admission to the program, the student generally must have an academic
background in one of the sciences involved in environmental solutions. The
most popular areas are biology, chemistry, and geology, but there are many
others, including forensic science, medical technology, meteorology, and
physics.
Entrance and Exit Abilities of past five years of graduates: Appendix III
shows that our last five years of graduate students (who graduated from the
program) entered the program with undergraduate GPAs that ranged from
yearly means of 2.78 to 3.32. The yearly mean GRE Verbal scores ranged
from 377.5 to 560, and the yearly mean GRE Quantitative scores ranged from
477.5 to 622.5, and the mean GRE Writing scores ranged from 3.0 to 4.17.
Appendix IV shows that these graduates compiled respectable GPAs during
their graduate program, with yearly means ranging from 3.79 to 3.85.
4. Resources:
Financial: Over the past five years, the budget allocation for this program has
been satisfactory. The Applied Science and Technology Division, in which
8
the MS. Environmental Science program is housed, has an operating budget
which has maintained consistent funding since the 2010-11. Listed below are
operating budgets for the past five academic years. The operating budget
includes travel and does not include personnel costs.
Table 1: Division Operating Budget 2010-2015
Year
Funding Provided
2010-2011
$ 70,184
2011-2012
2012-2013
2013-2014
2014-2015
$70,184
$58,075
$52,815
$57,298
Financial support of the program consists of the salary of one faculty
member, and part of the salaries of the Associate Dean, Instructional
Technologist and Division Secretary. Office space, current expense and travel
funds are resources also provided. There is no longer designated laboratory
facility available to the South Charleston campus, and very limited lab space in
Huntington. The ES faculty member provides some support to other programs
(ENVE) (see Faculty Data).
If this program were terminated, and the Division Chair continued to
oversee the other programs in the Division, one faculty salary would be saved.
However, as the faculty member teaches courses in other programs, the other
programs would require replacements to teach the courses.
Facilities: Facilities available to the program include classrooms, audio-visual
equipment, library materials, computer laboratory facilities, access to the Internet,
and access to Compressed Video (ATM) classrooms and equipment, and
Instructional Television Services staff. No laboratory space is available to the
South Charleston campus. Laboratory classes are available on a limited basis in
the Engineering Lab on the Huntington campus, and lab space will be available
for classes, graduate student projects and research in the Environmental
Engineering Lab in the WAEC. The program does have some lab equipment, it
is currently housed in COS/IST labs, as Engineering Lab space was not available
to students for individual research. It is critical to the long-term viability of the
program to have access to the use of laboratory space and equipment. The
primary need would be for lab work, field work equipment, and student and
faculty research. The laboratory will also provide a place for students to calibrate
as well as store field equipment, a critical need in a field that requires a great
deal of field work. A weakness of the program to students has historically been
the lack of lab space to complete coursework and projects, but that should be
largely “fixed” with the WAEC, at least from a space standpoint. There is still a
critical need for equipment, however.
5. Assessment Information: NOTE: This section is a summary of your yearly
assessment reports.
9
a. Please refer to Appendix V for a summary of our program’s assessment of
student learning.
b. Other Learning and Service Activities: Students are afforded opportunities
for field trips outside of normal class activities, including activities with
undergraduate programs from both Marshall and Shepherd University.
Students are kept informed and encouraged to attend professional meetings
and conferences, and, when available, student travel has been funded.
c. Plans for Program Improvement: Because the immediate focus for the ES
program, its students, and faculty is a more effective connection to the
resources and goals of the ES BS program, the curricular revisions completed
in the past 5 years are considered to be the initial…not final step in the
process of integrating resources and goals between these programs.
Presently, the faculties of the two programs are developing plans to more
effectively share research resources and space, while waiting for a more
comprehensive vision for ES education across the University.
d. Graduate Satisfaction: Overall, through regular contact between the faculty
and graduates and their employers at professional activities and informal
meetings, there is a sense that both graduate and employer satisfaction with
this program is high, and that graduate job satisfaction is very good.
e. Please refer to Appendix IX for letters from the Office of Assessment
providing feedback regarding the program’s assessment of student learning.
6. Previous Reviews: Continuation of the program at the current level of activity.
7. Identify weaknesses and deficiencies noted in the last program review and
provide information regarding the status of improvements implemented or
accomplished.
In its last program review, submitted in academic year 2010 – 2011, the Master
of Science in Environmental Science identified the following weaknesses. These
are transcribed from that report.
Weaknesses
As mentioned, the program has succeeded without a coherent plan for
consolidated environmental education at the University. Even without appropriate
faculty numbers, lab space, field equipment, etc. the program still succeeds as
one of the biggest MS programs in CITE or COS. The lack of a second full-time
faculty member is a major weakness in the program. The field is simply too multidisciplinary to expect one person to have the required expertise in all areas.
While quality adjuncts are often available, adjuncts are relied on too heavily in
10
this program. With no effort the program is fairly large – with additional resources
the program could easily grow. Currently, growth is largely not pursued because
of a lack of resources to support that growth. A second faculty member is needed
to maintain the quality education, mentoring and advising for the program. While
the compressed video system is an excellent way of taking advantage of limited
resources, it is not without shortcomings. Currently, the program is moving away
from video-link to Wimba-supported courses utilizing a “live” classroom
concurrently with web-based participation. Generally in these courses the
division between students with a preference for “live” participation vs. those
participating remotely is about 50/50. However, much of the pursuit of technology
supported classes is due to a shortage of faculty, teaching 2 sections at a time
through video-link or Wimba continues to be necessary. Lack of appropriate lab
space prevents students from receiving adequate real-world and hands-on
experience. It also prevents faculty and students from conducting meaningful
research. This is a huge issue for this program. Environmental science is a
“hands-on” profession; while case studies and experienced instructors helps
convey a real world view of the field, they simply cannot take the place of actual
field and lab work.
8. Current Strengths/Weaknesses: As in the last review, the program has
continued to succeed without a coherent plan for consolidated environmental
education at the University. It is a subject that continues to be talked about,
meetings held, potential actions identified, plans made, and still nothing has been
done to coordinate environmental education across MU. It remains an inefficient
hodge-podge of courses and programs.
Even without appropriate faculty numbers, lab space (which should no longer be
an issue with WAEC), lab and field equipment, etc. the MSES program still
succeeds as one of the biggest MS programs in CITE or COS. The lack of a
second full-time faculty member continues to be a major weakness in the
program. The field is simply too multi-disciplinary to expect one person to have
the required expertise in all areas. While quality adjuncts are sometimes
available, adjuncts are relied on too heavily in this program at a time when
adjunct funding is dwindling. With no effort the program is fairly large – with
additional resources or a comprehensive plan for ES education across the
University, the program could easily grow. Currently, growth is largely not
pursued because of a lack of resources to support that growth. The program is
barely able to offer a complement of courses that will allow students to graduate
in a reasonable period, especially with the course-offering demands of the INTO
program. This is partially off-set by allowing more COS courses be used as
electives or as substitutes for required classes, but that avenue is not described
in the catalog but done out of necessity to better serve the student, AND
recognizes expertise and appropriate classes in other programs. A second
faculty member is needed to maintain the quality education, mentoring and
advising for the program, OR more formalized coordination across programs is
necessary. As an example, COS/IST professors Dr. Mindy Armstead and Dr.
11
Tom Jones are heavily relied upon to teach either cross-listed courses or teach
as an ES adjunct. They also mentor/supervise many ES students during their
Comprehensive Projects or Thesis, yet under current rules they cannot be a
Project or Thesis advisor. This is an unnecessary roadblock to more efficient use
of University expertise and resources.
Technology use, especially Blackboard Collaborate, has been expanded to
eliminate the need to teach on alternating campuses via video-link. The program
has moved away from video-link to using Collaborate in all ES courses, allowing
for concurrent web-based participation for remote students. Generally in these
courses the division between students with a preference for “live” participation vs.
those participating remotely is about 50/50. Planning is underway to change
some of the course requirements from supporting programs – for example
EM660 Project Management – that are not offered through Collaborate.
Currently, students can complete the program remotely EXCEPT for these
courses, and that impediment needs to be removed.
Lack of appropriate lab space and equipment prevents students from receiving
adequate real-world and hands-on experience. It also prevents faculty and
students from conducting meaningful research. This is a huge issue for this
program. While the space issue appears to be eliminated with the WAEC,
equipment remains an issue. Environmental science is a “hands-on” profession;
while case studies and experienced instructors helps convey a real world view of
the field, they simply cannot take the place of actual field and lab work.
III.
Viability of the Program: Provide a narrative summary in each of the following
sections in addition to the appendices.
1. Articulation Agreements: N/A
2. Off-Campus Classes: None. All classes are provided through Blackboard
Collaborate, allowing remote students to take all ES courses
3. Online Courses: All classes are provided through Blackboard Collaborate. No
specific E-Courses have been offered in the last 5-yr period, however planning is
underway to develop E-courses to meet course demand increases with no
increase in full-time faculty and decreases in adjunct funding.
4. Service Courses: Students in the Environmental Engineering program have two
required courses in Environmental Science and often take additional electives in
this program. Students in Engineering Management are required to take a threecourse minor, and those interested in Environment Science are accommodated
in classes. College of Science master’s students have been taking ES courses
as electives. Students majoring in Science Education have been taking
Environmental Science courses as their ES science specialty courses. As this
demand increases, other methods to be of service to this group will be explored.
12
Additionally, every semester some classes are cross-listed with COS/IST to more
efficiently provide courses to students in both programs.
5. Program Course Enrollment: Describe/Summarize program area courses
taken by students who are majors and include enrollment by semester for the
past 5 years. Specific course enrollments will be provided to you in
Appendix VI.
6. Program Enrollment: The need for this program is expected to continue
indefinitely. The damage that has been caused to the environment in the last
100 years is so extensive that a clean-up will take many additional years, and the
knowledge offered in this program will play a key role in that effort. Additionally,
there will always be a demand for professionals that control and prevent
environmental threats and move society to a more sustainable model. There is
also the continuous ratcheting upwards of environmental standards and
increasing regulations. In addition, with the world changing at such a rapid pace,
there will always be a need by those who have graduated to take courses that
will bring them up to date. As experience and familiarity with current practice is
now a major requirement for getting a job, then so long as CITE continues to
offer that “up-to-date edge” the courses will continue to be in demand.
Additionally, world-wide environmental awareness is increasing, and US
expertise is in demand, witnessed in part by the increasing number of
international students in the ES program, especially INTO.
The trend of increasing enrollments in the program is expected to continue if
properly supported.
7. Enrollment Projections: Enrollment projections are difficult. Classes are larger
than ever, with much of that growth coming from INTO and growth in other
programs that use ES courses. Growth has not been actively pursued due to a
lack of faculty resources. As mentioned, the program remains fairly large without
any attempt at growth. Current discussions of integration across programs would
likely have a significant effect on enhancing growth of the program.
IV.
Necessity of the Program: Provide a narrative summary for each of the
following items in addition to requested appendices.
1. Advisory Committee: There is a College Advisory Board which provides input to
the CITE degree programs. Examples of changes to the program made based on
input from the Advisory Board include the addition of increased technical writing
requirements, increased statistical requirements, and providing recognition of 10
years professional work experience for admission to the program.
Plans are currently underway to form an ES Advisory Board during this academic
year.
13
2. Graduates: Many of the students in the Environmental Science graduate
program are employed full-time in directly related fields. They work in the
environmental protection departments of state and regional industry, science and
engineering consulting firms, local, state and federal government agencies
tasked with environmental protection, and other places of employment at which
emissions to the environment might occur. For example, United Parcel Service
needs to be able to respond to a chemical leak of any package they carry, and
they also operate a very large deicing program for their airplanes. Some
students work for consulting firms that provide services to manufacturers related
to pollution, or for laboratories that analyze pollutants.
Students regularly report that they find opportunities for advancement, usually
within their companies, as a result of what they learned in the Environment
Science program. Several calls are received each semester from students who
state that their current opportunity would not have come without the program.
Many find that they have reaped most of the rewards from what they learned by
participating in the program (rather than from the resulting diploma), and the final
effort to receive the diploma is sometimes done primarily for personal rather than
professional reasons.
The Environmental Science program has worked very closely with adjunct faculty
and with industrial and government representatives on exit review committees
and through professional association. The informal feedback from these people,
combined with the professionalism and impartiality of the graduate satisfaction
survey, was sufficient to provide good feedback. Adjustments were made to the
attributes of the program based on the feedback, with highly successful results.
These adjustments have included entrance requirements, new courses, and a
thesis option. The Environmental Science program works very closely with
industry and employers through adjuncts, focus groups, professional
relationships, and professional meetings.
Overall, through regular contact between the faculty and graduates and their
employers at professional activities and informal meetings, there is a sense that
both graduate and employer satisfaction with this program is high. At least
several times each year, CITE faculty receive comments regarding the need for
the program to continue to offer technically strong courses. There are regular
requests for new courses or new emphases each time a new development in the
field emerges. The fact that local professionals ask the University to fill this need
is an indication that they believe CITE would do a good job. CITE in general, and
the Environmental Science program in particular, have endeavored to be very
responsive to the needs of industry.
Annual salaries are not reported to us, but informal feedback indicates a range of
$30,000 to $80,000. A recent ES grad with no significant experience other than
that gained in the ES program was hired by a national firm with a local office at
14
an annual salary of $37,000. Since the salary is strongly dependent on the field
of the student’s previous degree, it is difficult to obtain all of the information
needed in order to analyze salaries.
3. Job Placement: As stated above, students obtain a traditional degree in biology,
chemistry or geology, and then get a job in industry or government, or go straight
to graduate school. Approximately a third of the students in the program already
have professional level jobs in the field. An increasing number of students,
however, are looking for their first professional position. What is unique about
the program is that few undergrad degrees prepare students for work in the
environmental field. The knowledge necessary to work and/or move up in the
field is generally gained through on-the-job training, or a graduate degree such
as the ES program offers. Therefore, the ES program has been an excellent way
for students to get into the environmental field. For other students, after finding
employment, they later get assigned to work in the employers environmental
department. Then they come to CITE for a master's degree.
The program does have the “advantage” that the extent of environmental
problems in West Virginia and the region has attracted dozens of national
consulting firms here, and many maintain offices locally. The high acceptance of
the program and of the graduates by these companies indicates that employer
needs were being met at least as well as any major metropolitan area in the
country.
The Program Coordinator is often contacted by local employers looking for ES
graduates and has been actively involved in grad placement.
V.
RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT (If applicable)
N/A
15
16
Appendix I
Required/Elective Course Work in the Program
Degree Program:
MS Env Sci
Courses Required in Major (By
Course Number and Title)
ES 514 Risk Assessment
ES 550 Env Law (or ES 662 or 655)
ES 620 Env Mngmt Syst (or 640 or
646)
ES 585 Intro to Env Sci
TE 699 Comp Project
Person responsible for the report: ____Simonton_____________
Total
Elective Credit Required by the
Elective
Required Major (By Course Number and
Hours
Hours
Title)
3
All ES and generally all other CITE 12
3
graduate courses are allowed as
3
electives, as well as most
graduate courses within COS.
3
See narrative
3
Related Fields Courses
Required
ENVE 615 Env Chem
EM 660 Proj Mngmt
ENGR 610 Applied Stats
Expand table as needed.
Professional society that may have influenced the program offering and/or requirements:
NOTE: YOU MAY USE YOUR FOUR-YEAR PLANS OF STUDY AS APPENDIX I IF YOU WISH
Total
Related
Hours
3
3
3
17
Appendix II
Faculty Data Sheet
(Information for the period of this review)
Name: __D. Scott Simonton____________________ Rank: _Professor_______________________
Status (Check one): Full-time__X___ Adjunct _____
Current MU Faculty: Yes _X__
No ___
Highest Degree Earned: _______PhD_________ Date Degree Received: ____2002_____________
Conferring Institution: ___University of New Mexico___________________
Area of Degree Specialization: ____Environmental Engineering_________
Professional Registration/Licensure: ____Professional Engineer________________
Field of Registration /Licensure: _____Engineering____________________
Agency: ______________WV________________________________________
Number of years at Marshall (can be in either teaching or administration)
____13__
List courses you taught during the final two years of this review. If you participated in a team-taught
course, indicate each of them and what percentage of the course you taught. For each course include
the year and semester taught (summer through spring), course number, course title and enrollment.
(Expand the table as necessary)
Year/Semester
F13
Alpha Des. & No.
ES 550
Env Law
Enrollment
18
ES 575
Intro to Env Sci
15
ES 680
Thesis
6
TE 699
Comp Project
8
ES 586
Ind Study
2
ES 514
Risk Assessment
15
ES 575
Intro to Env Sci
8
ES 586
Ind Study
1
ES 640
Groundwater Principles
21
ES 680
Thesis
3
TE 699
Comp Project
7
Summer 14
ES 550
Env Law
10
F14
ES 575
Intro to Env Sci
12
ES 652
SpTp: Sustainability
14
ES 662
Env Policy
22
Sp14
Title
18
Sp15
F15
ES 680
Thesis
1
TE 699
Comp Project
7
ES 514
Risk Assessment
29
ES 550
Env Law
15
ES 575
Intro to Env Sci
9
ES 680
Thesis
1
TE 699
Comp Project
9
ENVE 615
Env Chemistry
27
ES 604
Air Pollution
20
ES 655
Env Ethics
20
TE 699
Comp Project
5
NOTE: Part-time adjunct faculty do not need to fill in the remainder of this document.
For each of the following sections, list only events during the period of this review and begin with the most
recent activities.
1)
Scholarship/Research
Eckstein, Y. and Simonton, D.S.; Coal Mining as a Source of Heavy Metals in Surface and
Ground Water, Presentation and published abstract, Geological Society of America
Conference, November 2015
Simonton, D.S. and Eckstein, Y.; Mining Impacted Groundwater as a Source of Hydrogen
Sulfide Gas in Homes; Presentation and published abstract, Geological Society of America
Conference, November 2015
Wait, I.W. and Simonton, D.S.: Calibration of Time of Concentration Models for Steep, Rural
Watersheds, Presentation and proceedings of EWRI Congress, May 2015
Huffman, D.R.; Surber, S.J.; Simonton, D.S.: Economic Sustainability Concerns for the Public
Arising from Large Scale Surface Mining, Presentation and proceedings of NAEP
Conference, April 2015
Proceedings and Presentation, World Environmental & Water Resources Congress; Hydrogen
Sulfide Exposure and Human-Health Risk in Mining-Impacted Regions; Portland, OR, June
2014
Simonton, D.S.; King S.; Hydrogen Sulfide Formation and Potential Health Consequences in
Coal Mining Regions; Water Quality, Exposure and Health, March 2013
Presentation, Appalachian Studies Association, Coal Mining Waste Disposal Practices and
Human Health Risk: A Case Study; Boone, NC March 2013
Presentation, Environmental Health 2013: Science and Policy to Protect Future Generations
(Elsevier); Hydrogen sulfide gas exposure in Appalachian coal-field communities; Boston, MA
March 2013
19
2)
Service
Search Committee Member, Environmental Engineer position, 2015
Faculty Senate, 2013 to Present
CITE Curriculum Committee, 2012-2014
Student Conduct and Welfare, Committee Member 2010-2012
Gen Ed Council, Committee Member 2012-Present
University Functions, Committee Member, 2012-1014
3)
Professional development activities, including professional organizations to which you belong and
state, regional, national, and international conferences attended. List any panels on which you
chaired or participated. List any offices you hold in professional organizations.
Vice-Chair, WV Environmental Quality Board, 2002 to Present
4)
Awards/honors (including invitations to speak in your area of expertise) or special recognition.
20
Appendix III
Entrance Abilities of Past Five Years of Graduates: MS in Environmental Science
Year
N
Mean
Undergraduate
GPA
Mean GRE
Verbal
Mean GRE
Quantitative
Mean GRE
Analytical
Writing
GMAT
Verbal
GMAT
Quantitative
Miller
Analogies
(New)
20102011
20112012
20122013
20132014
20142015
8
2.78
377.5 (n = 4)
477.5 (n = 4)
----
----
----
----
13
3.32
415.0 (n = 4)
535.0 (n = 4)
----
----
----
----
10
3.31
415.0 (n = 4)
622.5 (n = 4)
3.00 (n = 4)
23.5 (n = 2)
12
3.28
560.0 (n = 3)
603.3 (n = 3)
4.17 (n = 3)
31.0 (n =
2)
----
----
430.0 (n =
1)
----
12
2.97
434.0 (n = 5)
532.0 (n = 5)
3.88 (n = 5)
----
----
----
21
Appendix IV
Exit Abilities of Past Five Years of Graduates: MS in Environmental Science
3.83
Licensure Exam
Results
----
Certification Test
Results
----
Other Standardized
Exam Results
----
13
3.85
----
----
----
2012-2013
10
3.84
----
----
----
2013-2014
12
3.84
----
----
----
2014-2015
12
3.79
----
----
----
Year
N
Mean GPA
2010-2011
8
2011-2012
22
Appendix V: Assessment Summary
Assessment Summary
Component Area/Program/Discipline: MS in Environmental Science_______________________________________
Program Level
Program’s Student Learning
Outcomes
Assessment Measures
(Tools)
Assessment Point 1:
TE 698 or ES 585, 575,
604, 514, 640, 660, 665
Students will analyze and
(Pre-culminating
evaluate major concepts,
experience)
theoretical perspectives,
Assessment Point 2:
empirical findings, and historical
TE 699 or ES 3680
trends in ES.
(Culminating
Experience, Final
project or thesis)
Assessment Point 1:
Students will analyze and
evaluate environmental science ES 575, 661, 620, 603,
660
research methods, research
design, data analysis, and
Assessment Point 2:
interpretation.
TE 699 or ES 680
Assessment Point 1:
Students will use critical
ES 585, 655, 514, 603,
thinking, skeptical inquiry, and
660
scientific approaches to solve
problems related to
Assessment Point 2:
environmental science.
TE 699 or ES 680
Assessment Point 1:
Students will debate and
ES 575
assess environmental issues
and articulate group findings in
Assessment Point 2:
a group setting.
ES 603
Standards/Benchmark
Capstone
Advanced
Capstone
Advanced
Capstone
Advanced
Capstone
Advanced
Results/Analysis
Action Taken to
improve the
program
23
Students will express and
articulate effectively in a variety
of formats.
Assessment Point 1:
ES 575, 603
Capstone
Assessment Point 2:
TE 699, ES 680
Advanced
Program Learning Outcome 1: Students will analyze and evaluate major concepts, theoretical perspectives, empirical
findings, and historical trends in ES.
Traits
Introductory
Work Quality/Effort
Central Relevance
Performance Levels
Milestone
Capstone
Work is done with fair
The work was done with
effort, but the quality is still good effort that shows
not what the student is
what the student is
capable of. It is evident
capable of. It is evident
that the work was rushed.
that time was put into this
electronic presentation
and oral presentation.
The use of numerical
The use of numerical
evidence is sufficient to
evidence is good
allow the reader to follow
throughout the argument.
the argument. But there
However, the paper may
may be times when
not explore all possible
information is missing or
aspects of that evidence.
misused.
Advanced
The work done exceeds
all expectations and
shows that the student is
proud of his/her work. The
effort that was put into this
task is the best it can be
by the student.
The use of numerical
evidence is consistently of
the highest quality. . This
paper would be an
excellent choice as an
example of effective
central relevance to be
shared with students and
faculty.
24
Program Learning Outcome 2: Students will analyze and evaluate environmental science research methods, research design,
data analysis, and interpretation.
Traits
Introductory
Central Relevance
Students will identify,
analyze, and evaluate
arguments as they occur in
their own and others’ work.
Performance Levels
Milestone
Capstone
The use of numerical
evidence is sufficient to allow
the reader to follow the
argument. But there may be
times when information is
missing or misused.
The use of numerical
evidence is good throughout
the argument. However, the
paper may not explore all
possible aspects of that
evidence.
Identifies the target
argument(s).
Distinguishes the argument’s
conclusion from its premises
and some effort is made to
identify relevant definitions
and/or hidden assumptions.
Correctly assesses whether
the argument’s premises
provide sufficient logical
support for the conclusion,
independently of whether the
premises are true.
Correctly assesses the
reasonableness of the
premises, including the
credibility of their sources,
independently of whether
they support the conclusion.
Advanced
The use of numerical
evidence is consistently of
the highest quality. . This
paper would be an excellent
choice as an example of
effective central relevance to
be shared with students and
faculty.
Identifies the target
argument(s) and clearly
distinguishes it from any
extraneous elements such as
expressions of opinion and
descriptions of events.
Carefully articulates the
argument’s conclusion,
clearly distinguishes it from
its premises and identifies
most relevant definitions
and/or hidden assumptions.
Clearly and correctly
assesses whether the
argument’s premises provide
sufficient logical support for
the conclusion, independently
of whether the premises are
true.
Clearly and correctly
assesses the reasonableness
of the premises, including the
credibility of their sources
(e.g., observation, testimony,
measurement, experiment,
etc.), independently of
whether the premises support
the conclusion.
25
Program Learning Outcome 3: Students will use critical thinking, skeptical inquiry, and scientific approaches to solve
problems related to environmental science.
Traits
Introductory
Students will develop
well-reasoned
arguments.
Performance Levels
Milestone
Capstone
Presents an argument
using evidence and /or
logical reasoning in
support of a point of view.
Identifies some
qualifications or objections
or alternative points of
view.
Describes the broader
relevance, significance of
context and/or applies the
reasoning to a novel
problem.
Advanced
Develops a clearly
articulated argument,
using evidence and/or
systematic logical
reasoning in support of a
conclusion or point of
view.
Identifies relevant
qualifications or objections
or alternative points of
view and prioritizes
evidence and/or reasons
in support of the
conclusion.
Describes the broader
relevance, significance or
context of the issue and/or
applies the reasoning to a
novel problem.
26
Program Learning Outcome 4: Students will debate and assess environmental issues and articulate group findings in a group
setting.
Traits
Introductory
Performance Levels
Milestone
Capstone
Article/Source
The articles are not attached
and are from an invalid
source. At least 5 articles are
used. Do contain a brief
mention of the assigned
topic.
The articles submitted are
either not current or not
attached, but are from valid
sources, and are pertinent to
topic assigned in class. The
information is easy to
understand, and at least 5
sources are used.
Citation
Articles/Sources are
documented but are missing
many elements.
Articles/Sources are
documented but is missing
some required elements.
Response/Application
Your opinion is a few
sentences and slightly
explains your reactions and
opinions to the information.
The reason is not listed. Your
paper does not include
evidence to support your
opinion/reaction.
Presentation
Presentation was audible, but
needs improvement on tone
of voice when speaking.
Visual aspects of project
could be better organized
and easier to read.
Individual/Group members
were not able to answer
some questions when asked
by instructor or other
students.
Your opinion is at least one
paragraph (6-8 sentences),
somewhat explains your
reactions and opinions to the
information in your research.
The reason for your opinion
is vague at best. It includes
some evidence to support
your opinion/reaction.
Presentation was audible.
Good tone of voice when
speaking. Visual aspects of
project were organized and
easy to read.
Individual/Group members
were
able to answer most
questions posed by instructor
and other students.
Advanced
The articles are from
appropriate peer-reviewed
sources related to assigned
topic. The information is easy
to understand, and at least 5
sources are used. The
articles (cut out or
photocopied) were submitted
with report.
Articles/Sources are
documented using the
appropriate format and
contain ALL elements.
Your opinion is more than
one paragraph (6-8
sentences a piece), explains
your reactions and opinions
to the information in your
research. The reason for your
opinion is listed. Facts are
included from the articles to
support your opinion/reaction.
Presentation was presented
in a professional way. Audio
and visual aspects were
perfect. Individual/Group
members were able to
answer all questions posed
by the other students as well
as the instructor.
27
Program Learning Outcome 5: Students will express and articulate effectively in a variety of formats.
Traits
Introductory
Performance Levels
Milestone
Capstone
Advanced
28
Appendix VI
Program Course Enrollment: MS in Environmental Science
29
30
Appendix VII
Program Enrollment: MA in Environmental Science
Students
Principal Majors Enrolled
No Area of Emphasis
Principal Majors Enrolled
Area of Emphasis 1: Geo-biophysical
Modeling
Principal Majors Enrolled
Area of Emphasis 2: Mine Safety
Principal Majors Enrolled
Area of Emphasis 3: Occupational Safety
and Health
Principal Majors Enrolled
Area of Emphasis 4: Environmental
Management
Principal Majors Enrolled
Area of Emphasis 5: Training and
Development
Year 1
2010-2011
Year 2
2011-2012
Year 3
2012-2013
Year 4
2013-2014
Year 5
2014-2015
28
33
44
39
35
1
1
1
----
----
1
1
----
----
----
----
----
----
----
---1
----
---1
-------
1
----
----
Second Majors Enrolled*
1
1
----
----
----
Grand Total of Students Enrolled in the
Program
32
37
46
39
35
Graduates of the program
8
13
10
12
12
31
Figure 1. Trend Line for Total Enrollment and Program Graduates:
MS in Environmental Science
50
45
40
35
30
25
Graduates
20
Total Enrollment
15
10
5
0
2010-11
2011-12
2012-13
2013-14
2014-15
32
Appendix VIII
Job and Graduate School Placement Rates: MS in Environmental Science
Year
2010-2011
2011-2012
2012-2013
2013-2014
2014-2015
Five –Year Total
# of graduates
employed in major
field
# of graduates
employed in
related fields
# of
graduates
employed
outside field
# of graduates
accepted to
Further Study
# of
graduates
not
accounted
for
33
Appendix IX: Letters from the Assessment Office: MS in Environmental Science
34
35
36