Proposal for Change in Class Size
September 20, 2013
Discipline: Communications
Course: COM 105—Public Speaking (3 credit hours)
Recommended Change: From 26/18 to 20/14
Name of author of proposal: Thomas D. Bovino, Academic Chair, Ammerman
Signature of author of proposal:
I.
Rationale for the change:
In the late spring of 2011, it was discovered that the seat limit document published by
the Faculty Association was incorrect. The September 2010 and November 2010
documents (attached) both listed the limit for COM 105 at 20. During the 2010—
2011 academic year, the course was taught using a limit of 20 on the Ammerman
campus. However, both the Grant and East campuses taught the courses with a seat
limit of 26 because that was what they had been doing. It is not known how these
numbers were determined or why the campuses had conflicting information or what
the limit was prior to that year. The question of the proper seat count for COM 105
came to the fore when an Ammerman campus faculty member questioned a Banner
designated seat count of 28 (26 plus 2) for the Fall 2011 semester.
In discussions with Thomas Coleman, Dorothy Laffin and Sean Tvelia, it was
discovered that the aforementioned seat limits documents were incorrect. A
document from the 1990’s listed the seat count as 26, and the department was
informed that this older document was the correct one to be used.
COM 105—Public Speaking (sample course outline attached) is a performanceoriented course which requires students to deliver 5-6 speeches throughout the
semester. These speeches range from 3 minutes per student to 10 minutes per
student. Obviously, this means that each speech assignment will need several class
periods to achieve this goal. Additionally, students are required to comment and
critique these presentations which adds more time to each student presentation. Due
to this extreme time commitment alloted to the presentations, little time is left for
instructional purposes. Increasing the size of each class to 26 has caused the integrity
of the course to be compromised and has forced instructors to leave out some
information as well as to decrease the number of presentations given per student.
Such an increase is simply not fair to the students enrolled in the course, the
instructors trying to provide rich, complete coverage of the content, or the department
in trying to maintain its high academic standards. Other performance classes at the
College (i.e., Acting, Music) are limited to 20 or fewer students and some of them do
not require as many presentations as COM 105 does.
The following is presented as an example of a typical semester of speeches and the
impact of having 6 additional students:
Speech # 1—Self Introduction—typically 2—3 minutes in length
20 students = 40—60 minutes, achievable in one class period
26 students = 52—78 minutes, must use portion of second class period
Speech # 2—Special Occasion Speech—typically 3—5 minutes
20 students = 60—100 minutes, achievable in two class periods
Critique 2 minutes per student—100—140 minutes
26 students = 78—130 minutes, portion of third class probably needed
Critique 2 minutes per student—130—182 minutes
Speech # 3—Informative Speech—typically 5—7 minutes
20 students = 100—140 minutes, achievable in three class periods
Critique 3 minutes per student—160—200 minutes
26 students = 130—182 minutes, possible in three class periods, not likely
Critique of 3 minutes per student—208—260 minutes
Speech # 4—Persuasive Speech—typically 8—10 minutes
20 students = 160—200 minutes, achievable in three class periods
Critique 3 minutes per student—220—260 minutes
26 students = 208—260 minutes, fourth class period necessary
Critique 3 minutes per student—286—338 minutes
Speech # 5—Group Presentation—typically 16—20 minutes
20 students (6 groups)—96—120 minutes, achievable in two class periods
26 students (8 groups)—128—240 minutes, third class period necessary
The above does not reflect set-up and break down time for students nor does it reflect
time for a question/answer period. Additionally, sometimes a sixth speech (speech of
demonstration) is included which 26 students does not allow any time to complete.
This proposal is being initiated by me, the Academic Chair of the Department of
Communications/TV/Radio/Film on the Ammerman campus; however, both other
campuses have shown support for this proposal including the Academic Chairs on
both campuses, with no opposition expressed from any faculty member. (see attached
documentation)
II. Summarize the appropriate published research which supports a change in the current
class size. Attach a copy of the research to this form.
The National Communication Association, the largest professional organization in the
United States for the Communication discipline recommends performance classes to
have a class size between 15 and 25 (see attached document) but should be consistent
with similar courses at the institution. As stated above, Acting courses are
performance courses limited to 20, so it is suggested that COM 105—Public
Speaking follows suit.
III. Provide maximum class size limitations for similar courses at similar institutions. Attach
a copy of the documentation to support this data.
We are requesting the College Class Size Committee change the class size notations
for COM 105 to allow for optimum instructional time. In addition, this change would
reflect similar courses at SCCC (Acting, Contemporary Music Ensemble) and other
institutions (see attached course schedules from Fall 2013 at SCCC and SUNY
Oneonta, as well as SUNY community colleges—Adirondack Community College,
Clinton Community College, Dutchess Community College, Finger Lakes
Community College, Genesee Community College, Monroe Community College,
Nassau Community College, and Rockland Community College). This committee
also requested to see enrollment capacity at Westchester Community College but they
do not offer the course, which is also true of Orange County Community College and
Ulster Community College.
While Nassau Community College has a seat limit higher than what we are
requesting, we still contend that this is too many students to accomplish the objectives
of the course, a contention supported by all the other community colleges in the
SUNY system as demonstrated by the attached documentation. Furthermore, Nassau
Community College only requires three speeches in their informative speaking class
as it only focuses on informative speaking. They offer a second course that focuses
on persuasive speaking. Our course at SCCC combines both informative and
persuasive speaking; in essence, what we attempt to do in one semester takes them
two semesters to accomplish. Thus, the lower class size is imperative (see attached
course descriptions from Nassau Community College).
IV. Explain the impact on other courses in the discipline/program.
No signicant impact is foreseen. In the Fall 2013 semester, 14 sections of COM 105
were offered at the three campuses. If the class size is reduced from 26 to 20, this
would result in the displacement of 84 students. However, COM 101 (Introduction to
Human Communication), the other course that satisfies the SUNY Gen Ed
requirement for communication had 27 seats available across the three campuses.
Therefore, at most, two additional sections would need to be added and students
would not have their ability to attain degree requirements compromised in any
significant way.
V. Indicate the impact on staffing.
No significant impact is foreseen. There is no plan to significantly increase the
number of sections of COM 105. If we were to add two additional sections of the
course College-wide, it would necessitate the hiring of one or two adjuncts.
However, hiring adjunct faculty in the communication discipline is extremely
difficult. There are no M.A. programs in communication on Long Island and only
one in the state of New York in Syracuse. It is very difficult to find people willing to
relocate to Long Island due to our cost of living and to do so to teach one or two
courses as an adjunct would be next to impossible.
VI. What is the fiscal impact of the change?
No significant impact is foreseen. One could make the argument that this decrease
would necessitate additional sections to accommodate the same number of students.
However, there are no plans to add more sections as we do not have the staffing (as
explained above) or the rooms to do so. We could conceivably offer a section or two
on a Friday or at other times when rooms are not an issue, but that is not the plan at
this point. We believe that students will enroll in the alternative course, COM 101, or
simply take COM 105 in another semester.
In the event we decided to offer four additional sections of COM 105 in the fall
semester and three additional sections in the spring semester College-wide, and were
to hire an adjunct (s), the fiscal impact (based on the 2013-2014 pay scale) would be:
Fall Semester
4 sections 3 credit hours/each
salary--$ 3348/each
Total--$ 13,392
Spring Semester
3 sections 3 credit hours/each
salary--$ 3348/each
Total--$ 10,034
For the academic year:
7 sections 3 credit hours/each
salary--$ 3348/each
Total--$ 23,436
No additional fiscal impact is expected.
VII.
Mention any physical constraints which would affect this change.
No significant impact is foreseen. If we were to add additional sections, it would
necessitate finding the rooms to hold those classes in.
VIII.
What would be the total number of students per faculty member?
The requested change would result in authorizing 20 students in the traditional
classroom setting sections and 14 students for fully online sections (none of which are
currently offered.)
Thank you for your consideration of this proposal.
Thomas Bovino, Professor and Academic Chair
Department of Communications/TV/Radio/Film
451-4145