AY 2014-2015 ACADEMIC PROGRAM REVIEW SELF-STUDY TEMPLATE
Reporting School/College: St. John’s College
Program Reviewed: Government & Politics BA SI
Date Submitted to Department/Division Chair: September, 2015
Overview and Program Review Summary: Please summarize this program’s mission and its relationship to the vision and
mission of St. John’s University, and the program’s School/College. Identify similar programs regionally and nationally and
distinguish this program from them. In addition, summarize your findings as they relate to (1) program quality, (2) market
growth potential, and (3) student learning. Also, summarize any significant changes, achievements (by faculty and students
and the program itself), and plans for the future. Finally, based on the information gleaned from the data in the self-study,
give an overall rating of the program’s Enrollment/Market Potential by categorizing it as one of the following: (1) Enhance; (2)
Maintain; (3) Reduce support, Phase out, Consolidate, or Discontinue.
(Suggested limit 1 page)
The mission of the undergraduate program in Government and Politics (GOV) is to prepare students for careers in
the civil and foreign service; positions of political and administrative responsibility in the public and private
sectors, including with both international and domestic non-governmental organizations; careers in the field of
education; or further study as graduate or law students. Moreover, the BA in Government and Politics provides
the expertise to put the University’s mission into practice as a career. The program provides competencies in
communication skills, analytical skills, and the ability to conduct research and policy analysis. Many of our
undergraduate majors go on to law school or to graduate studies in political science or public administration;
others pursue teaching careers at the elementary or secondary levels; still others secure positions in the United
States civil service or in a private-sector field related to government and public policy. Many students work in
positions and fields with an international focus, in the United States and abroad. There are also undergraduate
students who go on to unrelated careers, who completed our major because of their general interest in the subject
matter and the analytical, research and writing skills we emphasize.
The undergraduate curriculum of the GOV program offers a wide variety of courses across the political science
discipline’s four major subfields: American Politics, with an emphasis on political institutions and public law;
International Relations, with a focus on international organizations, international law, international political
economy and large scale questions of war and peace; Comparative Politics, with an emphasis on area studies,
political, economic and social development, and issues of the environment and gender; and Political Theory, with
offerings in classical, modern and contemporary thought. We also offer experiential opportunities, with courses
for internships and also via courses abroad on the Rome and Paris campuses, and via travel courses (e.g.,
Morocco and Greece). Our undergraduate program in GOV requires completion of thirty-six credit hours of
study. Eighteen of those hours comprise a “major core.” There are three specifically required courses, GOV 1030,
American National Government, GOV 1050, Research Methods in Government and Politics and GOV 49914994, the Senior Seminar in one of the four major subfields. We also require students to take at least one course in
International Relations, Comparative Politics and Political Theory; we offer a range of courses to meet this
requirement. In the remaining eighteen credits, students can go wide or deep into subjects that spark their interest.
In going wide, students can emphasize a broad range of country and area studies, or combine subfields to
demonstrate a broad range of theoretical and empirical knowledge. Students can go deep and assemble courses to
create an area of strength with a focus in pre-law, international law, international political development, or
municipal and state government. Any focus or approach will effectively serve as preparation for pursuing an
advanced degree or pursuing a professional career through our attention to developing students’ analytical skills,
research and writing.
SJC_GOV_GOV_BA_SI
Self-Study Template 1
The Government and Politics program is the 3rd largest major in St. John’s College and has been so for some time.
On the Queens campus the program serves more than 250 students. On Staten Island, the same program averages
about 20 majors. Political science and international relations are incredibly popular majors at St. John’s and
across the country. It is among the top ten majors in the country, according to Princeton Review. According to the
National Center for Education Statistics, the social sciences granted the second largest number of degrees, just
behind business, in 2013. More importantly, the major is also clearly a popular one for students who come to St.
John’s. Moreover, our BA/MA program is incredibly popular among our best and brightest on both Queens and
Staten Island. The ability to complete the BA and MA in 5 years continues to be a draw for high school students
and their parents.
Across entrance requirements and GPA earned at the University, the GOV program compares well with peers.
Our entrance requirements are significantly lower than aspirational schools but given our job and graduate school
placement rate, our students do well enough to compete with our aspirational schools. This is especially evident
given our student recent successes achieving prestigious fellowships, awards and internships. Our students have
recently earned awards from Fulbright, Marshall, Pickering and Truman, internships from the White House and
Watson, and admission to the Public Policy and International Affairs summer programs at Princeton and Stanford.
Those awards and opportunities earned by our best indicate the effectiveness of the program, particularly in the
goals and objectives identified by the program. Our graduates are able to communicate effectively orally and in
writing, and have high levels of knowledge in their field of study. Furthermore, our 6-year graduation rate
continues to be a point of pride as we graduate significantly more than the College or University. However, at
64% there is considerable room for improvement, and we believe the next reported cohort will respond to the
changes made in the program to graduate more of our majors.
The Department of Government and Politics faculty made significant improvements to the GOV program; the
creation of GOV 1050, a research and methods introductory class, and the creation of a majors only introductory
requirement (GOV 1030, American National Government) is perhaps the most significant. Full time faculty
always teach these two classes. The majors only class and the focused instruction have improvement retention and
also have influenced students’ skills across our goals and objectives.
In terms of the program’s enrollment and market potential, as the SI campus as whole goes, so too does the GOV
program. There is no need to Enhance the program until enrollment increases. If the number of majors in GOV on
SI increases or the number of students taking our courses as requirements or electives from other programs
increases, we could add courses taught by adjuncts (although it is often difficult to find them and the one
administrator with an MA from our program was given a very hard time about teaching for us). We would need a
significant increase in majors to justify adding faculty. An argument can be made to Maintain the program as it
does serve on average 20 majors, and a number of minors and non majors. However, an argument can also be
made to close the program. On Queens, GOV offers considerably more variety in course offerings. Moreover,
bringing the 2 full time faculty from SI to Queens, would reduce the tremendous reliance on adjuncts in the
Queens program. Thus, the decision to Enhance, Maintain or Close is entirely dependent on what is done with the
SI campus.
STANDARD 1. The purpose of the program reflects and supports the strategic vision and mission of St. John’s University,
and the program’s School/College.
1a.
What evidence can you provide that demonstrates that the program embodies the Catholic, Vincentian, and
metropolitan identity of St. John’s University? www.stjohns.edu/about/out-mission. (Suggested limit 1/3 page)
Catholic
SJC_GOV_GOV_BA_SI
Self-Study Template 2
The Catholic identity of St. John’s University is grounded in the Church's social teaching concerning human welfare and
social justice, with a strong emphasis on actualizing these principles through service and ministry. The program of
Government and Politics is dedicated to the understanding, development and administration of political systems,
institutions and values. Thus, this program includes emphases on evaluating the translation of social values through
various types of government systems, primarily focusing on democracies. Components of many of our courses focus on
the wide variety of social values articulated in Papal Encyclicals commencing with Rerum Novarum and continuing
through the papacy of Francis. We also have course components that address the rights of workers and the responsibilities
of employers as per John Paul’s On Human Work.
We offer course components that emphasize comparative analyses of
classical, modern and postmodern political thought, as per John Paul’s Faith and Reason. Our students are exposed to
course components that emphasize globalization and issues of human rights, a matter of concern to Catholic thinking.
Globalization and world poverty is covered in many of our courses, a matter of concern in light of the position taken by
the Latin American Bishops’ Conference. We also have course components that focus on social and economic justice, a
matter of concern highlighted by the Conference of American Bishops as well as components that emphasize Thomas
Aquinas’ notion of “just law” and “just war.”
Vincentian
The BA in Government and Politics rests on the core components of the Vincentian tradition. Course components in the
program focus on analyzing issues of social justice, e.g., national redistributive economic policy, progressive tax
structures, and developed-developing countries’ socioeconomic and political relations. Moreover, the program
emphasizes issues of human rights, e.g., rights of the accused, treatment of prisoners, religious tolerance, and the rights
of labor. The program has a number of courses focused on issues of legal justice, e.g., national and international courts,
issues of reparations, and affirmative action. The program also includes an emphasis on service learning both locally
and internationally by serving the less fortunate in a society.
Metropolitan
The BA in Government and Politics is metropolitan in both theory and practice. Theoretically, we offer courses that focus
on cultural diversity with the United States and abroad, e.g., urban politics and comparative politics offerings. We have
classes and components that focus on environmentally friendly sustainable development. We have courses and
components that focus on issues of metropolitan governance and the economic inequities between and among local
communities in the U.S as well as abroad. In practice, the program encourages internships so that students experience
directly the metropolitan nature of their major. We encourage participation in internships in local, state, national and
international economic and political arenas.
1b.
What evidence can you provide that demonstrates that the program embodies the University’s vision.
www.stjohns.edu/about/out-mission/vision-statement. (Suggested limit 1/3 page)
The vision and mission of the University focuses on academic excellence and the pursuit of wisdom, which stem from the
values articulated as Catholic, Vincentian and Metropolitan. As a department, we have established specific strategic goals
dedicated to academic excellence. For the BA in Government and Politics, we aim to help students 1) understand and
apply concepts of political science, 2) communicate effectively, either orally and in writing, 3) address issues critically
and effectively. Our program is central to students’ ability to analyze and present arguments about a range of issues at
home and abroad. We are truly global in our approaches to social justice, social action, community service, and social
and economic inequality. Our country and region specific courses enable students to understand in specific cases the
determinants of the distribution of power, material resources, opportunities, and social values. Our international relations
courses examine forces and policies regarding war, peace, human rights regimes, and international organizations and law
more widely. Our political theory courses enable students to critically compare various normative arguments for just and
caring social arrangements within the context of specific issues of for example tax policy, immigration laws, family
SJC_GOV_GOV_BA_SI
Self-Study Template 3
policy, and the role of religion in politics. Many of our courses engage students in practical applications of service or
advocacy either through internships or group projects.
1c.
What evidence can you provide that demonstrates that the program embodies the vision and mission of the
program’s School/College? (Suggested limit 1/3 page)
The major in Government and Politics embodies multiple aspects of the vision and mission of St. John’s College. To
become student centered we made a commitment that our required classes for the major would only be taught by full time
faculty. In doing this, we guarantee that our students have an early opportunity to build intellectual relationships with our
faculty, laying the foundation for a sense of mentorship and academic community within the department. Our program has
many courses that use the most advanced technology available to us at St. John’s. As noted in how we serve the university
mission, the program is both international and leadership oriented. Our focus is on “the highest standards of scholarly
inquiry” from both the students and they faculty. Moreover, the exit surveys provided by the Career center demonstrate
that in the last three years (the years for which data is available) our placement rate is excellent. With over 70% of our
graduated majors responding, the surveys demonstrate that an average of 90% of our students reporting they are either
employed, furthering their education or a combination of the two. In the last two years, those seeking but not finding
employment is under 10%. Consequently, we feel the department embodies the goals of the college vision and mission to
serve our undergraduates with a program that reflects “industry, market, and employer needs as well as the global
perspectives of our continuously changing world” (St. Johns’ College Mission, May 2013).
Standard 1.
Additional comments if needed. (Suggested limit 1 page)
STANDARD 2. The program attracts, retains, and graduates high quality students.
The undergraduate program in Government and Politics unquestionably attracts, retains and graduates high quality
students. After the University raised the bar for undergraduate admission some years ago, the quality of students being
admitted to our program on Staten Island improved markedly. The quality was reflected in better class attendance, better
writing and critical thinking skills, more engagement with the course, and better average grades. On Staten Island, it is
tied with English as the third largest major in St. Johns’ College – however, that means on average only 20 majors. Over
the last five years, the number of majors dipped in 2009 and 2010 but recovered to yield a 10 year average of 20 majors.
Given the challenges the university faces in Staten Island enrollment, we understand why the program has not grown but
we are not pleased by it.
Judging from the SAT scores, the student quality in our program is 100 points higher than the College on Staten Island, as
well as the University. We believe that SAT scores for our majors are likely to continue to rise as our program has
traditionally attracted good students. Moreover, as the student interest in legal careers reemerges, and interest in globally
oriented careers continue to rise, we expect that the “better prepared” students (as judged by standardized tests rather than
a high school average), seeking to attend law school will apply to our program. The GPA for our students remained stable
for the last 10 years and is similar to the College and University average.
As for retention, the Staten Island campus has generally always had a respectable rate, a testimony to the quality
experience that the student tend to have on that campus. Several factors may explain this high retention rate, including the
small scale campus which allows and encourages close and sustained interaction between faculty and students beyond the
classroom experience.
Our 1st Year Retention Rate in the program on Staten Island was 100% in 2003-2005 and in 2008. It then slipped
downward in 2009 (63%), probably due to the economic meltdown at that time, and started rising steadily after that,
reaching 86% in 2012 (date for 2013 not available), a higher rate than the University average of 80% in that year. The
SJC_GOV_GOV_BA_SI
Self-Study Template 4
University Retention average climbed from 78% in 2003 to 80% in 2013. The Retention rate for our Government
program on Staten Island has been very good for most years and is well above the university average. In fact the Retention
Rate for the entire Staten Island Campus has generally been steadily higher than that of the main campus.
Our 6 year graduation rate continues to be a point of pride as we graduate significantly more than the College or
University. Our most recent rating of 88% and 75% is quite impressive. It does, however, fluctuate rather significantly,
likely due to the enrollment fluctuations. In 1999, it was at a high 75% but then went down to 0% in 2000. Note that 1999
was the last year of the autonomous Notre Dame College under which our Government program operated on Staten
Island. In 2003-04 the rate started to climb steadily thereafter, reaching a high 88% in 2005. In 2007, the last year for
which data is available, it was 75%. In that same year the university 6 Year Graduation Rate was 55%.
2a.
Undergraduate SAT and High School Average
SAT
High School Average
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
Program
1075
1065
1110
1033
1159
86
90
89
87
87
School/
College
1014
1057
1074
1069
1097
85
87
88
88
88
University
1068
1075
1075
1087
1092
86
87
87
87
88
Freshmen SAT Scores
Fall 2010
Fall 2011
Computed
Fall 2012
Computed
gov
1,123
Fall 2013
Computed
1,193
Computed
1,043
1,197
Freshmen High School Average
Fall 2010
Fall 2011
High School
gov
Fall 2012
High School
86
High School
86
SAT Scores
School/
Fall 2013
High School
88
88
High School Average
2010
2011
2012
2013
2010
2011
2012
2013
1079
1113
1097
1104
87
88
88
90
SJC_GOV_GOV_BA_SI
Self-Study Template 5
College - SI
Total
University
1097
1087
1096
1104
SAT
87
87
88
Test-Takers
Intended College Major
89
Mean Scores
Number
Percent (%)
Critical Reading
Mathematics
Total
489
0.4%
445
440
886
Public Administration and Social Services Professions
* For further information, please visit http://www.ets.org/s/gre/pdf/gre_guide.pdf.
Undergraduate 1st Year Retention Rate
2b.
Fall
2003
2004*
2005
2006
2007
2008**
# Fresh
# Ret
%
Program
100%
100%
100%
83%
75%
3
3
100%
School/
College
76%
70%
79%
83%
77%
102
86
84%
University
78%
78%
78%
79%
76%
3268
2557
78%
Note* The % of students started in Fall 2004 and returned to the program in Fall 2005
** The % of students started in Fall 2008 and returned to the program in Fall 2009
2009
Total
GOV
8
2010
Returned
DNR
#
%
#
%
5
63%
3
38%
Total
6
2011
Returned
DNR
#
%
#
%
4
67%
2
33%
Total
7
2012
Returned
DNR
#
%
#
%
5
71%
2
29%
Total
7
Returned
DNR
#
%
#
%
6
86%
1
14%
Fall
SJC_GOV_GOV_BA_SI
Self-Study Template 6
2009
2010
2011
2012**
# Fresh
# Ret
%
School/
College - SI
85%
71%
85%
53
45
85%
Total University
78%
78%
76%
2757
2195
80%
* The % of students started in Fall 2012 and returned to the program in Fall 2013
2c.
Undergraduate 6 Year Graduation Rate
Fall
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
Program
75%
0%
40%
40%
50%
School/
College
Average Rate
74%
65%
60%
69%
58%
University
64%
59%
61%
61%
58%
2004
Total
GOV
2005
Graduated
2
#
%
1
50%
Total
2006
Graduated
8
#
%
7
88%
Total
6
2007
Graduated
#
%
4
67%
Total
4
Graduated
#
%
3
75%
Fall
2004
2005
2006
2007
School/College
Average Rate - SI
56%
74%
65%
58%
Total University
58%
58%
59%
55%
2d.
Graduate Standardized Test Scores
SJC_GOV_GOV_BA_SI
Self-Study Template 7
NA
Comments: Refer to Charts 2a – 2d in your response. (Suggested limit 1/2 page)
2e.
Please describe how the program compares with peer and aspirational institutions.
(Suggested limit 1/2 page)
The Government and Politics program compares well with peers but not with aspirational institutions.
Baruch College requires a minimum of 2.25 to become a major in their Bachelor of Science in Public Affairs, which
is much lower than our students. The GPA is similar for the College at 89.6, but their average SAT is significantly
higher at 1264. John Jay College has a lower GPA and lower SATs, at 84.4 and 986 respectively. CW Post is similar,
looking for 82-85 GPA and SATs of 1000 for their admission requirements. Adelphi reports chances of getting in to
be high with our GPA and SAT scores. Hofstra attracts students with a higher GPA but about the same SAT scores.
Our sister school, DePaul, reports similar GPA and SAT scores to our majors. However, the GOV program does not
compare as favorably with aspirational institutions like NYU and Columbia with significantly lower SATs and overall
GPA (1340 average SATs, GPAs in the top 10% or higher of their high schools).
2f.
If applicable, describe the program’s student performance over the past five years on licensure or professional
certification exams relative to regional and national standards. (Suggested limit 1/4 page)
NA
2g.
Number of majors and minors enrolled over the past five years. See table below.
Fall
Number of
Students
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
Majors
27
26
21
24
23
Minors
3
6
1
3
4
Total
30
32
22
27
27
Fall 2010 Fall 2011 Fall 2012 Fall 2013
Majors
MAJORS
GOV
BA
20
BA/MA
Total
SJC_GOV_GOV_BA_SI
20
Majors
Majors
Majors
15
17
19
1
2
1
16
19
20
Self-Study Template 8
Fall 2010 Fall 2011 Fall 2012
Minors
MINORS
Government & Politics
Minors
1
Minors
1
1
Fall 2010 Fall 2011 Fall 2012 Fall 2013
Total
Total
Total
21
2h.
17
Total
Total
20
20
Number of degrees granted during the past five years. See table below.
Academic Year
Degrees
Granted
04/05
05/06
06/07
07/08
08/09
BA
9
1
8
2
8
SJC-UG-SI
GOV
Government & Politics
BA
10/11
11/12
12/13
Degrees
Conferred
Degrees
Conferred
Degrees
Conferred
6
2
4
Below is comparison degrees conferred data for local and national institutions based on data retrieved from the IPEDS
website. This is based on the Classification of Instructional Program (CIP) Code of 45-Social Sciences.
20092010
20102011
20112012
Bachelors
Local
3,417
National
137,582
SJC_GOV_GOV_BA_SI
3,423
3,322
142,145
143,422
Self-Study Template 9
1
Local institution include: Adelphi University, Columbia University, CUNY Queens College, Fordham University, Hofstra
University, Iona College, C.W. Post University, Manhattan College, New York University, Pace University, Seton Hall
University, Stony Brook University, and Wagner College.
Comments : Based on the data in 2g and 2h, how do these trends compare to institutional, regional and national patterns?
(Suggested limit 1/2 page)
Political science and international relations are incredibly popular majors. It is among the top ten majors in the country,
according to Princeton Review. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, the social sciences granted the
second largest number of degrees, just behind business, in 2013. The Queens version of this program serves more than
280 undergraduates through major and minor; the major is also clearly a popular one for students who come to St. John’s
in Queens. We do not know why the major is not as popular on Staten Island. It could be the lack of variety in course
offerings; it could be related to whom the University admits. The program should be and could be bigger.
2i.
What mechanisms are in place to monitor students’ progress toward degree? And, to what extent is there a
collaborative effort to provide quality advising and support services to students? (Suggested limit 1/4 page)
The department provides individual advising to all its majors in all its programs. All faculty provide quality advising and
support. All students meet with full time faculty each semester with their UIS report in hand. At these meetings, progress
toward degree, opportunities, and options for the future are discussed. On the Queens campus, we work to overcome the
large size of the program by endeavoring to introduce students to opportunities. On Staten Island, the problem is not
intimacy – our students have close, personal relationships with our 2 full time faculty members and as such get effective
personalized attention.
2j.
If available, provide information on the success of graduates in this program as it relates to employment or attending
graduate school. (Suggested limit 1/4 page)
According to the information provided by the Career Center for the last three years, the combined Queens and Staten
Island Government and Politics majors are finding either employment or a place in graduate school at a high rate. On
average over the last three years, 80% of our majors are either employed or in graduate school. However, our placement
rate keeps increasing. The department used to have a thriving alumni program, where we kept track of the data. Alumni
Relations took over this task in the late 1990s and since then we have not had as effective a relationship with our Alumni
or kept as effective track of them. Alumni Relations has also been less than helpful in assisting us in contacting our
Alumni. Therefore, beyond the information from the Career Center surveys, we only have anecdotal information and
information from faculty LinkedIn connections. Our anecdotal information indicates that our students have a wide variety
of interesting professions – some are the natural paths from Government and Politics: law, politics, and policy. We have
alumni who work for government, in government or in politics. We also have alumni working abroad, working in media
and journalism, and even working in investment banking. We have alumni in various levels of government from the state
department, to the CIA, the FBI and a variety of bureaucracies. Our majors are successful!
2k.
Please comment on the students’ competencies in the program. Support your response using data provided below
and any other data available. (Suggested limit 1/3 page)
As indicated in the following charts, Government and Politics majors are doing very well at St. John’s. The overall GPA
for the program has increased over time and is equal to the college and better than the university average. Moreover, our
BA/MA students represent the best and brightest in the College and University, as indicated by GPA. In addition,
assessment of students in the program via the senior seminar (GOV 4991- 4994) indicates that significantly more than
80% earn our highest ranking in the goals and outcomes assessed by the department. Thus, our graduates are able to
communicate effectively orally and in writing, and have high levels of knowledge in their field of study.
SJC_GOV_GOV_BA_SI
Self-Study Template 10
Standard 2.
Additional comments if needed: (Suggested limit 1 page)
STANDARD 3. The program engages in ongoing systematic planning that is aligned with the University and School/College
planning, direction, and priorities.
3a.
How does your program’s strategic goal/objectives link to your School/College plan and the University’s strategic
plan? http://www.stjohns.edu/about/leadership/strategic-planning
The goals and objectives of the GOV program are to prepare students for public and/or private sector careers as well as
prepare them for further study as graduate or law students. Fundamentally, the GOV program seeks to educate students
about government and politics at home and abroad; we especially focus on the linkages between countries and on the rule
of law across countries. We focus on American Politics, with an emphasis on political institutions and public law;
International Relations, with a focus on international organizations, international law, international political economy and
large scale questions of war and peace; Comparative Politics, with an emphasis on area studies, development, and issues
of the environment and gender; and Political Theory, with offerings in classical, modern and contemporary thought. The
program provides competencies in communication skills, analytical skills, and the ability to conduct research and policy
analysis.
We believe that the BA in Government and Politics provides the expertise to put the University’s mission into practice as
a career, regardless of the path chosen. In many respects, the political science discipline always has been concerned with
social justice issues. Aristotle long ago pursued political philosophy from the ethical and organizational perspectives.
The common good, closely associated with political stability, was jeopardized should disparities exist and persist among
economic groups. Via practical competencies as well as its mission, the GOV program’s strategic goals and objectives
SJC_GOV_GOV_BA_SI
Self-Study Template 11
dovetail nicely with both the College and University’s strategic plans. The Program’s dual academic and practical focus is
a main point emphasized very clearly in the Provost’s letter of September 13, 2013 addressing the Strategic Plan and
Repositioning Progress Report, which noted that: “although we value knowledge as a goal in and of itself, the external
reality is that there has been a shift in the social and political paradigm that will continue to challenge us.” These
challenges involve educating our students in ways that encourage and prepare them to be active participants in the careers
that reflect and will help shape the global future, to produce “tangible results” that make certain that our “courses will help
[our students] meet industry and employer needs.”
It is also important to note that the twin emphases of academic rigor and practical application are distinct but related goals.
We want our students to have careers focused on governance and the use of power partly because we want our students to
be successful professionals but also because we hope they will bring their St. John’s experience with a multi-cultural
environment, an emphasis on social justice and the Vincentian notion of service to their careers and to the lives of the
people these careers impact. In short, we want to train our GOV students to be successful and effective spokespeople for
the basic values and underlying Mission of St. John’s as they move on to their professional careers in private or public
service. These values are obviously needed in all areas of life today but none more so than in that area where the
formulation and implementation of public policy most directly occurs—the venue where decision makers give meaning to
the ideals of celebrating diversity, establishing social justice and acting in service to something larger than oneself.
As the Department of Government and Politics works to maintain and expand the GOV Program in both of the twin
emphases mentioned above, academic understanding and practical application are foremost in faculty members’ minds.
The Program strives to help students address fundamental questions of representative governance, as for example, what is
the proper balance between the democratic accountability found (at least theoretically) in the elected branches of
government and the professional knowledge and responsibility housed in the organizations that implement public policy
and how are public services delivered effectively, efficiently and justly, while also making certain that our students
develop the practical skills necessary to help them reach positions where they can address these and other equally thorny
questions in ways that reflect the University’s core value of Vincentian service and the commitment to social justice. Few
areas of study are more relevant to the needs of the future, both for society in general and in terms of student opportunities
for meaningful employment in that society, than that of Government and Politics.
3b.
What is the evidence of monitoring the external and internal environments, specifically what are the strengths,
weaknesses, opportunities and threats facing the program? How were they identified? What actions have been taken in
response to these findings? What characteristics of the program suggest a competitive edge against other programs
regionally and nationally?
Changing environments present both challenges and opportunities for the GOV program on Staten Island. The program’s
strengths lie primarily in its combination of large university and small campus attributes. The program features small
classes and extensive student-faculty interaction. Though increasingly diverse, the modest size of the student cohort
yields a tight-knit group which facilitates peer learning and student engagement. Engagement is enhanced by the campus’
Government and Politics Society, which, with faculty support, hosts a variety of student events each year. The Society
and, more broadly, the small Staten Island campus afford students with extensive opportunities to demonstrate leadership
and impactful initiative. The University’s Catholic identity and Vincentian mission mesh well with the Government
major, as noted above. Extensive interdisciplinary events, lectures, and discussions also occur on campus, with high
participation by Government majors and faculty; these contribute to an integrated approach to learning and to approaching
social questions. Both the program and the University campus also provide students with opportunities for engagement
with the broader community beyond the campus. At the same time, the program offers big-university faculty who are
well-published and who routinely teach graduate-level courses. The BA/MA program has proved to be an attractive
option for students; other strong undergraduates not participating in the BA/MA program also have the option of taking
graduate courses, and all students have the opportunity to take specialized courses or participate in activities on the
Queens campus if desired. Attractive opportunities for study abroad also exist, and are utilized by many students in the
Staten Island campus Government B.A. program. And, the St. John’s University name is widely recognized and
respected, offering graduates a competitive edge over those from lesser-known schools.
SJC_GOV_GOV_BA_SI
Self-Study Template 12
The program’s primary weakness is in its small enrollment, which limits the number of course offerings and hence student
options. On the Queens campus, the GOV program offers 25 courses each semester. The SI program offers three courses,
sometimes 4 courses. A related weakness is the presence of just two dedicated full-time faculty. Reductions in
intercampus shuttle service have also made participation in the BA/MA program more difficult for students.
Opportunities for the program include building on existing strengths, and building on enhanced opportunities in such areas
as student engagement, integrated learning, and community engagement which may be afforded by campus-wide
initiatives. The growing national and local prominence of social and political issues, and heightened employer interest in
skills and knowledge provided by the Government major (see 3c) also present opportunities to grow and enhance the
program.
The program’s primary threat comes in the form of declining enrollment, which is largely a function of declining campuswide enrollment across virtually all programs in Staten Island. Responses to campus-wide threats occur primarily at the
University level; program faculty are involved in University efforts to address campus-wide threats. At the program level,
responses to enrollment issues include the exploration of opportunities to heighten awareness of the program in its
primary market through potential engagement with high schools and potential higher-profile community engagement by
students in the program. To further enhance the student experience, the number and quality of campus events sponsored
or co-sponsored by program faculty and/or students has been stepped-up. The number of course offerings has also very
recently been stepped-up, reversing a decline. Also, there is an effort is underway to bring about improved intercampus
shuttle service for the BA/MA program.
The characteristics which suggest a competitive edge for the program include the combination of the small-campus
characteristics identified above, including high levels of student engagement and student-faculty interaction, ample
student leadership opportunities, small classes, and a friendly, personal environment, and the large-university
characteristics identified above, such as graduate-level faculty, the BA/MA program, and a well-known name. SJU’s
Catholic identity and Vincentian mission, and special honors and scholarship programs tied to that identity and mission,
further differentiate the program from competitors in a positive way.
3c.
What is the current and future market demand for the program? Support your response using the data provided
below or any other internal or external sources to justify your response.
The occupations in the provided table represent those chosen by only a small fraction of program graduates. The
Government and Politics major, as a liberal arts major, prepares students broadly for life, and for employment in any of an
extremely diverse range of fields. In 2010 the American Association of Colleges and Universities conducted focus groups
with employers, and then conducted broad employer surveys on the basis of the focus group results, identifying the
learning outcomes on which employers wanted colleges to place more emphasis. Of the 14 areas identified by a majority
of employers for enhanced attention, 13 represent particular strengths of the Government and Politics B.A. program.
These are: global issues; the role of the United States in the world; cultural diversity in the U.S. and other countries; civic
knowledge, participation, and engagement; written and oral communication, critical thinking and analytic reasoning;
complex problem solving; teamwork skills in diverse groups; creativity and innovation; information literacy; quantitative
reasoning; ethical decision making; and applied knowledge in real-world settings.
The current and future market demand for trained social scientists is good, consequently the demand for the program
remains high. According to the Federal Government’s Bureau of Labor Statistics, the growth and earning potential of
Government (political science) majors is excellent. Looking purely at positions termed “political scientists,” the job
outlook is expected to grow by 21%, between 2012 and 2022 and is considered faster than average. “There are some
experiential indications that the growth will be somewhat larger: e.g., political scientists with social media skills are
increasingly in demand in local, state and federal campaigns. One also might add the growing divergence among states on
public policy issues such as marijuana use, assisted suicide and gun control. Each of these areas promises employment
SJC_GOV_GOV_BA_SI
Self-Study Template 13
opportunities.” In addition, similar positions, like market research analysts, teachers, survey researchers, urban and
regional planners are also expected to grow. Although the field of law is only expected to grow about average, according
to the Bureau, political science is still considered the preferred track for those seeking law degrees. Moreover, according
to the Hamilton Project at the Brookings Institute, Political Science and Government are the only social science degrees,
which beat the overall average lifetime salary of majors.
The increasing globalization of the business and political sectors, as well as the growth in work and opportunity in
developing countries, underscores the need to understand these processes. Consequently, interest in the international
relations and comparative politics side of the major continues to grow. According to College Factual, there were over
11,000 graduations in International Relations and over 42,000 in political science, which is 3 percent of the approximately
1.8 million degrees awarded last year.
In addition, the current and future demand from St. John’s students remains high. Our students look for ways to connect
the mission to their career, their preferences, as well as their beliefs. Consequently, we would expect to continue to serve
students who want to serve at home and abroad via government and NGO service. Furthermore, we would also expect to
continue to be an affiliated program for students interested in environmental studies and global development.
Another reason to be confident in our market demand is the long legacy of local career success. Our students are children
of department alumni – not just St. John’s alumni. In New York State, we have produced state governors and a third of the
New York legislators were St. John’s University undergraduate, graduate or law graduates. Significant numbers of
program graduates go on to law school and to other graduate and professional programs. Most go directly to employment
throughout the private, public, and nonprofit sectors in a diverse variety of occupations. Representative BLS 2012-2022
employment projections, all at average to above-average growth levels, which are all potential careers for our students,
include:
Occupation group
Numerical increase
Percentage increase
Public relations and fundraising managers
8,000
12.8
Management occupations (all)
636,000
7.2
Business and financial operations occupations
898,100
12.5
Lawyers, judges, and related workers
76,600
9.3
Media and communications workers
60,200
8.3
Political science teaching, postsecondary
3,100
14.6
http://www.bls.gov/ooh/life-physical-and-social-science/political-scientists.htm
http://www.hamiltonproject.org/files/downloads_and_links/MajorDecisions-Figure_2a.pdf
Fastest growing occupations and occupations having the largest numerical increase in employment by level of education and
training projected.
SJC_GOV_GOV_BA_SI
Self-Study Template 14
Fastest Growing Occupations
Change, 2010-20
Percent
Numeric
0%
200
Paralegal and Legal Assistants
18%
46,900
Judges, Mediators, and Hearing
Officer
7%
4,600
Legislators
Occupations having the
largest numerical increase in
employment
Paralegal and Legal
Assistants
Change, 2010-20
Percent
Numeric
18%
46,900
Changes, 2010-20
Grow faster than average - Increase 15 to 20.9%
Paralegal and Legal Assistants
Percent
Numeric
18%
46,900
Changes, 2010-20
Grow about as fast as average - Increase 7 to 14.9%
Judges, Mediators, and Hearing Officer
Percent
Numeric
7%
4,600
Changes, 2010-20
G Little or no change - decrease 2 percent to increase 2 percent
Legislators
Percent
Numeric
0%
200
*For more information please visit: http://www.bls.gov/news.release/ecopro.toc.htm
Standard 3.
Additional comments if needed: (Suggested limit 1 page)
STANDARD 4. The program provides a high quality curriculum that emphasizes and assesses student learning and
engagement.
4a.
Please indicate how the program curriculum is in alignment with the following three items:
(Suggested limit 1/2 page for each of the three categories below)
1. Standards within the discipline
2. Curriculum integrity, coherence, academic internships, teaching excellence, teaching vibrancy, and study abroad
experiences.
3. The University Core competencies
Standards within the Discipline
The discipline of Political Science provides the foundation and standards for the program in Government and Politics. As
a social science, we apply the scientific method to the study of political behavior. Thus, our standards for teaching
students focus on the “doing” of political science. However, we are aware that most of our students will not be political
scientists in the classic sense, earning Phd’s in the field, rather they will be citizens and participants in the environment
where political behavior occurs. Thus, the standards for teaching in the discipline also include focusing on how to
SJC_GOV_GOV_BA_SI
Self-Study Template 15
formulate questions, understanding how to design answers to those questions, identifying where to get information,
gleaning the difference between good and bad information (especially important within the digital age) and the value in
being a participatory citizen. We use many of the classic readings in political science in our courses, and also rely on
texts and workbooks designed to teach students methodology and research design.
The standards for research in the field can be found in publications produced by our primary professional association – the
American Political Science Association. As core research forms the foundation of for our courses and their syllabi, it is
not surprising to find similarity in terms of courses, and the approach to those courses provided by the Association’s self
evaluation, Political Science The State of the Discipline, which is currently in its third iteration. The volume focuses on
the adjustment of the field and “the state of the discipline in an era of globalization; democracy, justice, and their
institutions; citizenship, identity, and political participation; and studying politics, including essays on comparative
politics, rational choice, game theory, data and formal theory, and reclaiming the experimental tradition.”
Curriculum integrity, coherence, academic internships, teaching excellence, teaching vibrancy, and study abroad
experiences.
Our program provides an exceptionally integrated and coherent program covering the major subfields of political science.
The department prides itself on offering courses supporting the 5 fields within the discipline. Four of those fields comprise
the GOV major – International Relations, Comparative Politics, American Government, and Political Theory. The 5th field
is Public Administration, which we serve via the Public Administration and Public Service Major.
Our course offerings are among the most comprehensive when compared to the practices in other political science
departments across the country as compiled by the American Political Science Association’s Curriculum Report. For
example, 57.1 % of responding departments did not offer a research methods course, 16.3% of responding departments do
not offer political theory; 22% reported not offering a Constitutional Law or Judicial Politics class, all of which we now
offer with great frequency. Our faculty has been particularly vibrant in terms of expanding course offerings both on
campus and online. Newer courses include GOV 3310 Comparative Diversity, Identity and Governance; 3340 Arms
Races and Arms Control; GOV 3851 Politics of Genocide; GOV 3820 Politics of Migration and most recently, GOV 2000
Introduction to Conflict Resolution. In addition, we are especially proud of the choice to take on the task of preparing
GOV 1050, the Research and Methods course, a crucial avenue for retention. At least two more new courses are in the
pipeline: Transnational Politics of Gender and Campaigns and Elections. Several of our faculty ventured across
disciplinary lines working with Global Justice and Women’s and Gender Studies programs. In addition, a number of
faculty have worked assiduously to offer courses online regularly during each semester and summer sessions. Finally,
for many years we have had a comprehensive internship program, which has enabled student to integrate practical
experience and academic research. Internships are available in American politics and domestic and international public
administration. Such internships are absolutely central to our being able to offer our majors a uniquely practical avenue to
their post-graduate careers.
We have rich and developing opportunities for study abroad: In Rome, we offer GOV 2650 - Government and Politics of
Western Europe and GOV 3320 - Current Terrorists Movements, in France we offer GOV 3290: The Politics of
Revolution. Online, specifically for DTW students, we also offer GOV 3992 Integrating Seminar: Politics of the
European Union in Paris, Rome and Salamanca. We typically offer 1 upper division GOV course online so that our
students abroad can take a course, in addition to those offered in Rome and Paris. Our BA/MA students can also take a
graduate course on the Rome campus, if they are there for the semester. Moreover, top students and BA/MA students have
had the opportunity to enroll in new developed graduate short course: GOV 199. In 2014, we had a very successful
version of this course for which 15 students traveled to Morocco. For summer 2015, we have developed a version that we
hoped would run in Athens, Greece.
As noted in the table provided in section 5, the Government Department’s faculty – full time and part time receive high
marks from students for teaching vibrancy. In every category in the table, the faculty scores are much higher than both the
college and the university. Clearly, the students in the program value the faculty highly and consider their courses
beneficial to their overall goals. Our faculty work hard to maintain and update our course offerings as well as the material
SJC_GOV_GOV_BA_SI
Self-Study Template 16
in their courses. Much of what we do in political science is analyzing the past in order to explain the present and offer
predictions for the future, thus our faculty must always remain current with knowledge in the field and with their own
research.
The University Core Competencies
Almost every course we teach is designed to increase students’ ability to think critically, to find and use information
effectively, to write skillfully, to present their work orally, and to analyze quantitative information. Indeed, our program
and our field is one of the best majors in which to coherently unite empirical and normative concerns, as suggested by
these competencies. In our courses, students are motivated to analyze both theoretical concepts and contemporary data.
Beginning in Fall 2015 the combination of GOV 1050, Research Methods in Political Science and the Senior Seminars,
will allow the department to do a full assessment of student entering and exiting skill sets. We expect the combination of
these assessment points will allow the department to fully understand where our students are and what we need to do to
get our students where they need to go.
4b.
The syllabi for the courses within this program incorporate the suggested elements of a syllabus – an example of
which can be found at the following St. John’s University Center for Teaching and Learning link. (Suggested limit 1/3
page) http://stjohns.campusguides.com/content.php?pid=71651&sid=984766
All Departmental syllabi incorporate the “suggested elements of a syllabus” as outlined in the link included in this section.
We have made the suggested elements standard for all department syllabi. Moreover, each semester, as mandated by the
most recent Collective Bargaining Agreement, every full- and part-time faculty member offering classes is required to
submit his/her class outline to the Departmental Personnel and Budget Committee. These class outlines (individual class
syllabi) are then posted on the Department’s e-Portfolio page for review by the faculty each semester. The Department
requires that these outlines include all relevant class information concerning faculty contact, required readings, required
assignments, grade assessment plan, units of analysis, class objectives, scheduling, departmental policies, etc.
4c.
Describe the assessment model currently in place for the program and indicate the extent to which disciplinary
and core knowledge, competence, and values are met, as well as findings and action plans for improvement. For reference,
visit WeaveOnline – https://app.weaveonline.com//login.aspx; Digication – https://stjohns.digication.com (Suggested limit
1/2 page)
The Department has worked hard to develop our academic identity, which rests on three main goals for the GOV program.
Goal 1: Understand and apply concepts of the discipline. Goal 2: Communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.
Goal 3: Demonstrate critical analysis of issues. Within these goals, we have 10 objectives. Our undergraduate course map
demonstrates how within each course, objectives are either: Introduced and/or, Reinforced, and/or Mastered. We use this
map to design our WEAVE assessments. As part of our assessment program, we randomly sample a course each year to
evaluate a goal and its objectives. In addition, we undertake continuous assessment of all our majors via the Senior
Seminar. For the four courses that fall under the senior seminar, we designed an assessment rubric to evaluate the goals of
the program. As every student must take the seminar, we are able to assess each and every major for competencies in the
goals and objectives we have articulated. As our WEAVE analysis demonstrates, we routinely see over 80% of our
students successfully meeting our objectives. In response to student evaluations and their frustrations with the goals of the
seminars, we created GOV 1050 in 2011. With this course, we now have the ability to assess all our majors at their
common entry point and then again as they exit the program. Beginning in Fall 2015, we will be able to truly understand
the process of growth for our students and begin to better fill needs identified by the assessment program.
4d.
What, if any, external validations, e.g. specialized accreditations, external awards, other validations of quality has
the program received? (Suggested limit 1/3 page)
SJC_GOV_GOV_BA_SI
Self-Study Template 17
In the last four years, Queens and SI Government undergraduates have won very prestigious awards and internships. We
had two White House interns in Spring 2015. One of our students won a fellowship from the American Bar Association.
Our students have submitted papers and been accepted to the Pi Sigma Political Science Student Conference. They have
also participated in local and regional professional political science associations, e.g., the NYPSA and NEPSA. Our
students continue to gain admission to top graduate schools and obtain wonderful job opportunities. They have earned
prestigious opportunities to assist in their post-SJU careers from the Fulbright, Watson, Marshall, Pickering and Truman
awards. Although it would be nice to win a “best department” award from another institution – the success of our
students speaks louder than any external validation could.
Standard 4.
Additional comments if needed. (Suggested limit 1 page)
STANDARD 5. The program has the faculty resources required to meet its mission and goals.
5a.
Below you will find the number of students enrolled as majors and minors in the program. Please complete the table
by adding the number of full-time faculty assigned to the program. Then calculate the student to full-time faculty ratio.
Fall 2005
Fall 2006
# Majors/
FT Faculty
FT
PT
Total
Majors
27
0
27
25
Minors
3
3
6
Majors
& Minors
Combined
30
0
30
31
# of FTE
Students
(Majors &
Minors)
30.00
0.00
30.00
31.00
FT
PT
1
Fall 2007
Total
FT
PT
26
21
6
1
1
32
22
0.33
31.33
22.00
0
Fall 2008
Total
FT
PT
21
24
1
3
0
22
27
0.00
22.00
27.00
0
Fall 2009
Total
FT
PT
Total
24
23
23
3
4
4
0
27
27
0
27
0.00
27.00
27.00
0.00
27.00
# of FTE
Faculty
assigned
to the
program
0
0
0
0
0
FTE
Student/
FTE
Faculty
Ratio
0
0
0
0
0
SJC_GOV_GOV_BA_SI
Self-Study Template 18
Fall 2010
Fall 2011
Fall 2012
Fall 2013
F
P
Total
F
Total
F
Total
F
Total
Majors
Majors
Majors
Majors
Majors
Majors
Majors
Majors
Majors
MAJORS
21
1
22
Fall 2012
Total
Minors
Minors
1
P
Minors
1
F
MAJORS/MINORS
SJC_GOV_GOV_BA_SI
19
20
1
1
P
Fall 2011
Fall 2012
Fall 2013
Total
F
Total
F
Total
F
P
Total
Total
Total
Total
Total
Total
Total
Total
Total
Total
Total
22
1
23
19
19
19
1
20
21
21
F
FTE MAJORS
1
Minors
Fall 2010
Total
18
Total
Fall 2010
Total
18
Fall 2013
F
MINORS
18
P
Fall 2011
Fall 2012
Total
F
Total
F
Total
F
FTE
FTE
FTE
FTE
FTE
FTE
FTE
FTE
22
0.333
22.333
19
19
19
Fall 2013
0.333 19.333
P
Total
FTE
FTE
21
21
Self-Study Template 19
Fall 2010
Fall 2011
# of FTE faculty assigned to
the program
2
2
FTE Student/FTE Faculty
Ratio
7:1
7:1
Fall 2012
Fall 2013
2
2
3:1
4:1
Important Notes:
FTE Students = Number of FT Students + (number of PT Students/3)
FTE Faculty = Number of FT Faculty + (number of PT Faculty/3)
This methodology is used by STJ for all external reporting.
The figure for majors includes first and any second majors.
5b.
Below you will find the credit hours the department has delivered by full-time faculty and part-time faculty (including
administrators) and the total credit hours consumed by non-majors.
Credit Hours
Fall 2005
Fall 2006
Fall 2007
Fall 2008
Fall 2009
#
%
#
%
#
%
#
%
#
%
2166
67%
1671
55%
1713
62%
2019
64%
2310
70%
PT Faculty
1044
33%
1365
45%
1065
38%
1158
36%
1005
30%
Total
3210
100%
3036
100%
2778
100%
3177
100%
3315
100%
Taught
FT Faculty
% consumed by
Non-Majors
Credit Hrs
Taught
Fall 2010
Number
F-T Faculty
30%
1,992
SJC_GOV_GOV_BA_SI
Percent
59.9%
30%
Fall 2011
Number
1,800
Percent
57.0%
28%
Fall 2012
Number
1,947
Percent
75.8%
37%
32%
Fall 2013
Number
1,596
Percent
63.0%
Self-Study Template 20
P-T Faculty (inc
Admin)
1,332
40.1%
1,356
43.0%
0.0%
Total
3,324
% Consumed by
Non-Majors
29.3%
24.2%
0.0%
100%
975
621
3,156
1,068
100%
33.8%
936
37.0%
0.0%
2,568
0.0%
100%
591
23.0%
2,532
100%
531
21.0%
5c.
Below you will find the number of courses the department has delivered by full-time faculty and part-time faculty
(including administrators).
Courses
Fall 2005
Taught
#
Fall 2006
%
Fall 2007
Fall 2008
Fall 2009
#
%
#
%
#
%
#
%
27
60%
29
64%
31
63%
31
66%
FT Faculty
26
67%
PT Faculty
13
33%
18
40%
16
36%
18
37%
16
34%
Total
39
100%
45
100%
45
100%
49
100%
47
100%
Courses
Taught
Fall 2010
Number
Percent
Fall 2011
Number
Fall 2012
Percent
Number
Fall 2013
Percent
Number
Percent
F-T Faculty
26
60.5%
37
67.3%
31
75.6%
27
65.9%
P-T Faculty (inc
Admin)
17
39.5%
18
32.7%
10
24.4%
14
34.1%
0.0%
Total
43
100%
0.0%
55
100%
0.0%
41
100%
0.0%
41
100%
5d.
What is the representative nature of faculty in terms of demographics, tenure and diversity? (See departmental
information on next page). How well does this support the program? (Suggested limit 1/2 page)
SJC_GOV_GOV_BA_SI
Self-Study Template 21
The full GOV and Politics department is represented in this table. Two full-time faculty are assigned primarily to the SI
program. One is a non-Hispanic white male and one is North African male, bringing a highly relevant international
perspective to the program. Both are tenured. One specializes in political theory and American government, one in
comparative politics and international relations. This supports the program well and meets most teaching needs. The fulltime faculty are occasionally supplemented by specialized adjunct faculty, and students have access to additional
departmental faculty via distance learning.
SJC_GOV_GOV_BA_SI
Self-Study Template 22
Departmental Plan
2005
FT
2006
PT
Total
#
%
#
%
Male
7
64%
4
50%
Female
4
36%
4
Total
11
100%
Black
1
Hispanic
FT
2007
PT
Total
#
%
#
%
11
7
64%
8
62%
50%
8
4
36%
5
8
100%
19
11
100%
9%
0
0%
1
0
0
0%
1
13%
1
Asian
1
9%
0
0%
White
9
82%
7
Unknown
0
0%
Total
11
100%
Tenured
9
Tenure-Track
FT
2008
PT
Total
#
%
#
%
15
7
64%
4
36%
38%
9
4
36%
7
13
100%
24
11
100%
0%
1
8%
1
0
0
0%
1
8%
1
1
1
9%
0
0%
88%
16
10
91%
11
0
0%
0
0
0%
8
100%
19
11
100%
82%
9
9
1
9%
1
Not Applicable
1
9%
Total
11
100%
FT
2009
PT
Total
#
%
#
%
11
8
67%
5
45%
64%
11
4
33%
6
11
100%
22
12
100%
0%
1
9%
1
0
0
0%
1
9%
1
1
1
9%
0
0%
85%
21
10
91%
9
0
0%
0
0
0%
13
100%
24
11
100%
82%
9
9
2
18%
2
1
0
0%
11
11
100%
FT
PT
Total
#
%
#
%
13
8
67%
5
50%
13
55%
10
4
33%
5
50%
9
11
100%
23
12
100%
10
100%
22
0%
1
9%
1
0
0%
1
10%
1
0
0%
1
9%
1
0
0%
1
10%
1
1
1
8%
0
0%
1
1
8%
0
0%
1
82%
19
11
92%
9
82%
20
11
92%
8
80%
19
0
0%
0
0
0%
0
0%
0
0
0%
0
0%
0
11
100%
22
12
100%
11
100%
23
12
100%
10
100%
22
82%
9
9
75%
9
9
75%
9
2
18%
2
3
25%
3
3
25%
3
0
0
0%
0
0
0%
0
0
0%
0
11
11
100%
11
12
100%
12
12
100%
12
Gender
Ethnicity
Tenure Status
SJC_GOV_GOV_BA_SI
Self-Study Template 23
2010
FT
2011
PT
Total
#
%
#
%
Male
7
64%
6
55%
Female
4
36%
5
45%
Total
11
FT
2012
PT
Total
#
%
#
%
13
8
67%
6
60%
9
4
33%
4
40%
22
12
FT
2013
PT
Total
#
%
#
%
14
8
67%
3
75%
8
4
33%
1
25%
22
12
FT
PT
Total
#
%
#
%
11
8
67%
3
60%
11
5
4
33%
2
40%
6
16
12
Gender
11
10
4
5
17
Ethnicity
Black
0%
1
9%
1
0%
1
10%
1
0%
Hispanic
0%
1
9%
1
0%
1
10%
1
0%
1
0%
0
0%
1
20%
1
25%
1
0%
1
20%
1
Asian
1
9%
0%
1
1
8%
0%
1
1
8%
0%
1
1
8%
0
0%
1
American
Indian/Alaskan Native
1
9%
0%
1
1
8%
0%
1
1
8%
0%
1
1
8%
0
0%
1
White
9
82%
82%
18
10
83%
80%
18
10
83%
75%
13
10
83%
3
60%
13
2 or More Races
0
0%
0
Native
Hawaiian/Pacific
Islander
0
0%
0
0
0%
0
Unknown
9
0%
Total
11
0%
11
0
8
0%
22
12
0%
10
0
3
0%
22
12
0%
4
0
0%
16
12
5
17
Tenure Status
Tenured
9
82%
9
10
83%
10
11
92%
11
11
92%
11
Tenure-Track
2
18%
2
2
17%
2
1
8%
1
1
8%
1
0%
0
0%
0
0%
0
0%
0
Not Applicable
Total
11
SJC_GOV_GOV_BA_SI
11
12
12
12
12
12
12
Self-Study Template 24
5e.
What evidence exists that the program’s faculty have engaged in research and scholarship on teaching and/or
learning in the program’s field of study? (Suggested limit 1/2 page)
In the last 2 years alone, the department’s 12 fulltime faculty produced 13 books, 15 peer-reviewed articles, 8 book
chapters, 2 book reviews and presented at 63 conferences. The faculty of the Department of Government and Politics is
very engaged in research and scholarship. The two faculty stationed on Staten Island routinely publish and participate in
conferences. They are very active scholars, and more importantly, they are very, directly engaged with their students.
5f.
What initiatives have been taken in the past five years to promote faculty development in support of the program?
(Suggested limit 1/2 page)
In the past 5 years, the Government Department has encouraged its faculty to participate in numerous conferences
presenting and receiving peer-reviewed critiques of their research. The Department has also encouraged its faculty to
participate in the APSA’s Annual Teaching and Learning Conference. The Department has encouraged its faculty to
participate in St. John’s Center for Teaching and Learning programs. The Department encouraged its faculty to present
their research at colloquia for students and alumni. The Department has granted numerous research reductions, several
research leaves and encouraged its faculty to apply for outside grants.
Program faculty participate in teaching-development workshops and seminars offered by the University’s Center for
Teaching and Learning and the Global Studies program. Both faculty members have been certified for distance learning
by the University. Both faculty members have been engaged in programs associated with the university’s Vincentian
Institute for Social Action (VISA). Both faculty members have received recognition and financial incentives from the
university for accomplishments in teaching, research, and service
5g.
The table below shows the amount of external funding received by the department. If available, please provide the
dollar amount of externally funded research for full-time faculty supporting the program under review. (Program dollar
amounts are available through departmental records.)
Fiscal Year
External
Funding
04/05
05/06
06/07
07/08
08/09
$ Amount
Program
$ Amount
Department
Fiscal Year
External
Funding
09/10
10/11
11/12
12/13
$ Amount
Program
$ Amount
SJC_GOV_GOV_BA_SI
-
-
-
-
Self-Study Template 25
Department
5h.
Please comment on the table below that shows trends in overall course evaluation and instructional vibrancy for your
program (if available), your college and the university. (Suggested limit ½ page)
As noted in the table provided, the Government Department’s faculty – full time and part time receive high marks from
students. In every category in the table, the faculty scores are much higher than both the college and the university.
Clearly, the students in the program value the faculty highly and consider their courses beneficial to their overall goals.
Overall Evaluation (Spring)
Governement
& Politics (SI)
Saint John’s
College
Total
Undergraduate
Instructional Vibrancy (Spring)
2011
2012
2013
2011
2012
2013
4.60
4.33
-
4.60
4.40
-
3.95
4.01
4.00
4.28
4.33
4.33
4.01
3.21
4.07
4.27
4.29
4.35
Note: Institutional Vibrancy is the average of the first 14 questions on the course evaluation, with questions pertaining to
course organization, communication, faculty-student interaction, and assignments/grading. All course evaluation questions
range from 1 (Strongly Disagree) to 5 (Strongly Agree).
5i.
What percentage of full time faculty assigned to this program have terminal degrees or industry certifications
renewed within the past 2 years? Comment. (Suggested limit 1/3 page)
All the Department’s faculty have the terminal degree in the field – the PhD in political science.
Standard 5.
Comments: Indicate to what extent the program has the faculty resources required to meet its mission and
goals. Include references from 5a – 5i. (Suggested limit 1 page)
The GOV program on SI is functional but not optimal. Students are able to take 12 different courses in the major.
However, they are doing this by taking the same 2 professors, plus the occasional adjunct with an occasional class online
or more for variety. However, if students truly want variety of subject and faculty, the students have to come to Queens.
The SI students are successful within the program and rate their professors highly. The program is not optimal at its
current size, but as with Queens, as the campus grows, the number of majors grows as the program is a popular one. So if
SI become healthy again, it is likely GOV will get bigger which would allow us to offer more courses .
Standard 5.
Additional comments if needed. (Suggested limit 1 page)
STANDARD 6. The program has adequate resources to meet its goals and objectives. And, it is cost-effective.
SJC_GOV_GOV_BA_SI
Self-Study Template 26
6a.
Narrative/Supportive Technological Environment - Comment on classrooms and labs meeting industry-standards for
quality and availability of hardware, software, and peripherals; library space, holdings and services; science laboratories, TV
studios, art/computer graphic labs; etc. (Suggested limit 1 page)
The program on Staten Island has ample support in terms of classroom availability, a highly supportive technological
environment in and out the classrooms.
6b.
Narrative/ Supportive Physical Environment - Comment on level of faculty and student satisfaction with HVAC; faculty
and student satisfaction with classroom lighting, crowdedness, and acoustics; flexible teaching environments, and faculty
offices, etc.. (Suggested limit 1 page)
With the construction of the DaSilva Hall Academic Centre a few years ago, faculty members gained new work offices
plus one floor of new classrooms shared with other colleges and disciplines. The University also upgraded the Internet
and computer-based capabilities of the Staten Island campus that assist our program.
6c.
To what extent has the University funded major capital projects, e.g., renovations, which are linked directly to the
program during the past five years? (Bulleted list)
No major capital project or renovation was done in the last 5 years that would have affected our program. The most
important one goes back to a little over five years, the construction of the DaSilva Hall Academic Centre. See above
comments.
6d.
If external data that describes the cost effectiveness of the program has been provided by your School/College Dean,
please comment on the program’s cost-effectiveness. (Suggest limit 1 page)
According to the contribution margin analysis the Department was provided, the Government and Politics program on
Staten Island brought in $835,000 dollars in tuition and fees from its undergraduate majors. After financial aid, tuition
remission and expenses, the Government and Politics program contributed more than $181,000 dollars to the university
during FY 2014. This is 14 times smaller than the contribution from the GOV Program in Queens. However, the GOV
program in Queens brought in 10 times more than SI. The Department was not given access to the source of any of these
numbers so we have to trust that the numbers are correct. We were informed that the numbers are based on the numbers of
students. However, since the costs of the 5 programs that are housed in the Department of Government and Politics are
fixed, it is hard to understand how some of these numbers where determined. For example, there are 12 faculty in the
Department – all 12 teach for GOV, some teach for PA, 2 for SI, and 2 go to Rome each semester. Thus, it is unclear how
the direct expenses were calculated.
Moreover, the calculations done by the Rome campus indicate that FY 2014 we earned $612,399.50 as the total amount of
MA tuition money generated at the Rome campus. The costs for staff salary, faculty housing, faculty per diem, and faculty
flight costs from NY to Rome equal $116,862. Thus, by our calculations we made $495,537.50 for a difference of
$378,675. The entire difference comes from the “direct expense” category. Thus, this category appears to double
and triple count faculty salaries across all 5 programs the Department runs. Consequently, every GOV program
makes money, we believe some make considerable more than identified by the Contribution Margin Analysis provided by
the university.
Irrespective of the issue with the numbers and the small size of the program, the GOV program on SI makes money. In
contrast to the Queens program, it does so without relying on adjuncts, which is beneficial to our students and our efforts
to bring them more high impact practices.
SJC_GOV_GOV_BA_SI
Self-Study Template 27
Standard 6.
Additional comments if needed. (Suggested limit 1 page)
The steady decline in the student population on Staten Island affected the number of majors our program has had there. Now,
there are around 20 majors and several of them will be graduating in May 2015. However, since the decline has stopped in the
last two years, it is hoped that our major will pick up and regain the vibrancy it used to have under Notre Dame College. The
various initiatives that are currently underway to attract new students from the main market (Staten Island, Brooklyn and New
Jersey) are expected to bear fruits in the near future. This, it is hoped, will have a positive effect on the number of majors.
STANDARD 7. Effective actions have been taken based on the findings of the last program review and plans have been
initiated for the future.
Comments: (Suggested limit 1page)
The Department of Government and Politics faculty have been very active in revising and reshaping the undergraduate
Government and Politics program since the last program review. Our primary focus was on revising the curriculum.





We created different tracks for freshman declared majors and non majors
o Non-majors take 1010 – this class is no longer a requirement for majors but students who take the class
and then become a major can use it as an elective. This class is intended to appeal to majors and non
majors alike. It is a course to attract new majors but also to provide non-majors with a basic
understanding of politics and political systems. We hope that it spurs non-majors to participate in politics,
even if it does not attract them to our major.
o Our majors are now required to take 1030 – American National Government and 1050 Research Methods
in Government and Politics. 1050 is closed and is for majors only. We offer 1030 for anyone interested
but we created a special section for majors. As noted earlier, have majors only classes taught by full time
faculty has been beneficial for retention and for growth in student skills across our objectives.
 We are running 1050 for the first time on SI in 2015-2016. We are assuming it will be as effective
on SI as it has been in Queens.
We revised all our assessment tools, our goals, our objectives and our rubrics.
We encouraged participation in fellowships, awards, and internships resulting in the winning of prestigious
awards and fellowships as cited above.
We encouraged opportunities to present at undergrad conferences and professional conferences. We encouraged
our students to make use of the Dean’s offices travel grants for student conference participation.
We revised our advisement process engaging all faculty and all students.
Going forward, the faculty will continue to be engaged in revising and reshaping our curriculum to meet the needs of our
students. We plan to:
 Create a new BA/MA track with Homeland Security
 Create a new BA/MA track with Environmental Studies
 Revise the curriculum in response to the planned revision of the Public Administration and Public Service
program to make the two programs more distinctive.
 Create additional advisement opportunities – by grade, e.g., sophomore, junior, senior – with information tailored
to their progression through the university
SJC_GOV_GOV_BA_SI
Self-Study Template 28