Date Received
Fall 2006 Semester Assessment Report Form
DUE March 31, 2007
Directions: Please complete a form for each of the programs within your department. This
form was designed to provide a format for assessment reporting and should not be used to limit
the amount of information provided. Each box that is attached to each of the sections is designed
to adjust to varying lengths. If you have any questions, please contact Dr. Bea Babbitt at x51506
or via email at: bea.babbitt@unlv.edu.
1. Program Information:
Program Undergraduate Environmental Studies Programs: B.A., B.S., and
Minor
Department Environmental Studies
College Greenspun College of Urban Affairs
Program Tim Farnham
Assessment
Coordinator
Semester Data Fall 2006
Collected
Report Tim Farnham
Submitted by
Phone/email 895 – 2673 / timothy.farnham@unlv.edu
Date Submitted 3/31/07
2. According to the Assessment Plan for this program, what were the planned assessments to be
conducted during the 2006 Fall Semester? You may want to copy and paste from this program’s
assessment plan.
Which outcomes for this
program were measured?
How did you
measure the
outcomes?
What results did you expect? If the
students performed well what would
their performance look like, i.e.
percentages, means, or comparisons to
a national standard?
__3__ categories out of a total of __3__ categories evaluated this semester.
I. ENV majors will develop
Exams, course
Expected C or better in core classes.
and enhance the following
grades from
cognitive abilities:
Fall 2006
Expected exams and or final
assignments to be rigorous and
A. Explain and apply
Student Survey challenging to students.
fundamental environmental
Fall 2006
theories from natural science
(Question 1).
B. Explain and apply
fundamental environmental
theories from social science
(Question 2).
C. Identify the multiple
dimensions of environmental
issues (Question 3).
D. Understand and apply
detailed knowledge of law and
policy to environmental issues
(Question 4).
II. ENV majors will be able to
apply professional evaluative
methodologies to solving
environmental management
problems:
Exams, course
grades from
Fall 2006
Expected C or better in core classes.
Student Survey
Fall 2006
Expected exams and or final
assignments to be rigorous and
challenging to students.
A. Employ models and other
decision support methods to
analyze environmental issues
and contribute to management
decisions (Question 5).
B. Describe technical and
socioeconomic trade-offs
associated with diverse
approaches to environmental
management (Question 6).
C. Identify and understand
practical issues currently
faced by environmental
decision makers (Question 7).
D. Design and complete a
professional report addressing
a research question related to
the environment (Question 8).
III. ENV majors will be able
exhibit competency in
research, analytical, and
technical tools used in finding
Exams, course
grades from
Fall 2006
Expected C or better in core classes.
Expected exams and or final
assignments to be rigorous and
2
solutions in environmental
management fields:
Student Survey
Fall 2006
challenging to students.
Brief Exit
Interview when
student seeking
a minor degree
requests
signature on
graduation
application
Expect only one or two minors to
graduate each year.
A. Demonstrate the ability to
locate and access information
on an environmental issue
(Question 9).
B. Demonstrate technical
skills required for basic
fieldwork laboratory
experiments, and/or other data
acquisition and analysis
(Question 10).
C. Display proficiency in oral
presentation (Question 11).
D. Demonstrate proficiency in
physical science and analysis
(for B.S. Question 12).
D. Demonstrate proficiency in
social science and qualitative
analysis (B.A.).
E. Develop the skills and
qualifications to compete for a
career as an environmental
professional, including
positions requiring
quantitative analytical skills
(Question 13).
I. ENV minors will develop
and enhance the following
cognitive abilities: A. Identify
the multiple dimensions of
environmental issues.
II. ENV minors will be able to
apply professional evaluative
methodologies to solving
environmental management
problems: A. Employ models
and other decision support
3
Expect fewer minors than majors.
methods to analyze
environmental issues and
contribute to management
decisions. B. Describe
technical and socioeconomic
trade-offs associated with
diverse approaches to
environmental management.
III. ENV minors will be able
exhibit competency in
research, analytical, and
technical tools used in finding
solutions in environmental
management fields: A.
Demonstrate the ability to
locate and access information
on an environmental issue. B.
Develop the skills and
qualifications to compete for a
career that requires a basic
level of environmental
knowledge.
3. Results. What are the results of the planned assessments listed above? Describe below or
attach to the form.
Results
Table 1: Summary Information about ENV undergraduate majors
Performance in three courses
Courses
Taught
Fall 2006
ENV 499
ENV 420
ENV 460
ENV Majors
percent >=
n
C
11
100
14
100
8
88
Source: Interpretation of course tables from Data Net Fall 2006
Table 1 provides a brief summary of the percentage of ENV majors whose grades in
core courses were a C or better.
4
4. Conclusions and Discoveries. What conclusions or discoveries were made from these
results? Describe below or attach to the form.
Conclusions and Discoveries
Conclusions:
ENV majors are successfully completing the core courses required for the major and
learning the concepts and materials presented in these classes in a satisfactory manner.


A number of ENV undergraduate and graduate students played a central role in
organizing Renewin’ Las Vegas, a renewable energy fair on the UNLV
Campus on December 7.
Erin Jolley, and junior Melissa Metzger attended the 1st Annual Conference of
the American Association for Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE).
UNLV has recently joined as a member institution of the AASHE..
Discoveries:
We have discovered that it is difficult for us to track the progress of our declared
majors and potential majors in the early semesters of their education. Many students
do not declare ENV as their major until after they have taken ENV 101 and ENV 205.
Also, a significant portion of our majors are transfer students, and therefore are
coming to UNLV with some requirements fulfilled.
5. Use of Results. What program changes are indicated? How will they be implemented? If
none, describe why changes were not needed.
Beginning in the fall semester of 2006, Undergraduate Coordinator Tim Farnham has
started to meet with new majors immediately after they declare. This meeting, in
combination with the student meeting with an academic advisor, has allowed the
department to more effectively track the progress of the student through the required
core courses and will allow the student the opportunity to discuss his/her curriculum and
class schedule with the undergraduate coordinator of the department.
6. Dissemination of Results, Conclusions, and Discoveries. How and with whom were the
results shared?
This assessment report will be shared with faculty, students, staff, administrators as well
as any reviewers of our programs. Portions of this report are available on our
departmental website.
5
6