CADV Final MOU 5/14/12
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Office of Undergraduate Studies
Child and Adolescent Development Department
Program Review – 2011-2012
Memorandum of Understanding
Commendations
The Department is commended for:
1. Developing an undergraduate curriculum with an impressive combination of foundation
and advanced courses that help prepare students for both graduate degree programs and
entry-level workforce positions suitable for individuals holding bachelor’s degrees in
Child and Adolescent Development.
2. Developing an undergraduate program that enables students to explore a diversity of
career options across the social sciences, health sciences, and field of education that
include theory-to-practice experiences.
3. Developing a graduate school preparation seminar course sequence which is the only one
of its kind in the CSU system.
4. Re-designing the previous S-factor fieldwork experience courses into a highly structured
and exceptional academic internship program.
5. Being selected as a national Jumpstart Early Literacy site (AmeriCorps program) in 2002
with subsequent renewals of the competitive award each cycle.
6. Designing and implementing an Option in Early Childhood Development (available to
students in Fall 2013) which allows community college transfer students with previous
CADV Final MOU 5/14/12
coursework in Early Childhood Education a viable and efficient pathway to complete the
B.A. degree. This new option provides First Time Freshmen interested in early
childhood education/development a viable education path without needing to be
concurrently enrolled at a community college in order to complete the State of California
Child Development Permit at the Director’s level.
7. Creating a Minor in Child and Adolescent Development (available Fall 2014). It is
anticipated that the minor will generate FTES as well as reduce time-to-graduation,
particularly for students who have double-majored because there was no minor in CADV.
8. Collaborating with the Recreation and Tourism Management and Psychology
Departments to cross-list five courses in the major to make wise use of financial
resources and provide students with opportunities to explore across disciplines.
9. Creating a Department Honors Program in 2007.
10. Securing four tenure-track positions in the last two years. These additions indicate strong
support from the College and University, which is also to be commended.
11. Implementing curricular changes as a result of the assessment data collected.
12. Faculty members’ service to the department, college and University and their enthusiasm
for their disciplines, students and program, as well as providing important contributions
to the community.
13. Its rate of progress of students to their degree.
14. Its effective use of University services and resources such as classroom technology (i.e.,
clickers and the library page associated with CADV 250).
15. An impressive list of publications and presentations that speak to faculty expertise and
reputations in their respective areas of study.
CADV Final MOU 5/14/12
16. The development and implementation of Personnel Policies & Procedures for Temporary
Faculty as one method to maintain high quality learning experiences for students across
part-time faculty. In addition, the PP&P provides a mechanism for regular feedback about
part-time faculty regarding strengths and areas to improve that mirrors the process
already in place for full-time faculty.
17. Keeping up with the enrollment demand while maintaining the quality and integrity of
the Program.
Recommendations
The Department should:
1. Reconsider the decision to move CADV 250: The Child and Adolescent Development
Profession from a major core course to an elective. The course exposes students to all
career paths (even if they think they already know their own career path) in preparation
for future leaders in the discipline.
Understanding: The Department explicitly made the choice to “trade” the career
exploration course for enhanced research methods training (i.e., redesign of 380/L &
381/L) which is consistent with comparable programs in the field. It is also important to
note that no comparable programs require a mandatory 3-unit career exploration
experience. Career exploration and professional development have been embedded and,
as such, are taught across the other core course, especially in the internship course.
2. Work with the College to seek ways to support the Department in maintaining this
program as a model program, including a close examination of its FTES and allocated
O&E budget. Continue conversations with College and University to explore the
CADV Final MOU 5/14/12
possibility of supplemental funding based on FTES generated to other
departments/programs due to the interdisciplinary nature of the degree program.
3. Make a priority this year of the implementation of an efficient and effective learningcentered advising system using less than 14.8 units of reassigned time or equivalent.
4. Continue their efforts to assess learning outcomes in the internship, both in the seminar
and on site.
5. Work with the College to design and development a formal system for tracking the career
placement of students who participate in the internship or go into graduate programs.
6. Improve the assessment plan by, for example, (a) developing alternative measures of
assessment (i.e., other than self-report) for students’ increases in technological skills, (b)
reevaluating the changes (e.g., honors designation, research lab, and designated courses
to develop research skills) to make sure they align with the current SLOs, (c) “closing the
loop” by assessing whether the curricular changes they have made and are making have
been effective, and (5) given the removal of some prerequisite courses, reexamining sequencing
for any possible effects on preparation and success in upper division courses.
7. Explore ways to strengthen expertise in infancy/early childhood development that should
include seeking 1-2 tenure-track hires with that expertise.
8. Continue small group opportunities for students, particularly freshman and sophomores,
to interact and network outside of the classroom, including opportunities to collaborate
with the alumni association.
9. Develop advising materials and resources that support and monitor the progress of new
minors.
CADV Final MOU 5/14/12
10. Consider the inclusion of a thesis option for honors students using a model that generates
appropriate faculty workload given the high level of supervision required when
mentoring students in developing theses.
Understanding: The fiscal reality prohibits us from pursuing this worthy goal and that it
is a good opportunity to engage a private philanthropic donor.
11. Seek additional administrative support from the College and University.
12. Increase community alliances perhaps through the development of a community advisory
committee and exploration of a potential underwriter for the program.
Understanding: The Department consists of a relatively small faculty with a high-level of
responsibility in maintaining basic operations and focus on advising and mentoring
students. The Department is currently highly active with approximately 20 community
partners whom meet at least twice annually with over half of the tenure-line faculty.
The Department should engage with the college to increase community alliances by
identifying potential members of the Dean’s circle.
13. Redesign an assigned space for research collaborations with Department faculty and
students.
Understanding: We are working on this recommendation now and have been for a year.
14. The Department and College should continue to pursue shared use of observation rooms
in Monterey Hall currently used by the Department of Communication Disorders &
Sciences (CD&S).
Understanding: CD&S are converting their observation rooms to digital recording
rooms.