California State University, Long Beach
Program and Assessment Review Council
DRAFT Minutes
May 14, 2014
2:00 – 3:30 p.m. / BH - 302
Please notify the Chair or Vice Chair or Secretary if you are unable to attend.
(keith.freesemann@csulb.edu, bruno.pernet@csulb.edu, nielan.barnes@csulb.edu)
Present: G. Armento, T. Arora, N. Barnes, S. Bauerle, K. Chun, S. Downey, K. Freesemann, N.
Hansavadha, E. Luhr, B. Pernet, S. Platt, S. Sayegh, W. Weolfel, J. Yan.
Excused Absent: C. Nagai, I-H. Khoo.
Guests: Anne D’zmura, Chair of Theatre Arts; Jon Nathan, Graduate Advisor Theatre Arts; Cyrus
Parker, COTA Assoc Dean; Sathianathan Dhushy, COE; Anastasios Chassiakos, COE EE Chair;
Foronzan Golshani, COE; Jim Ary, EE Professor; Panadda Marayong, MAE; Jalal Torabzadeh,
MAE.

Call to Order at 2:05.

Introductions

Approval of Agenda

Approval of Minutes for May 7, 2014 PARC Meeting (Posted: BB / Minutes AY 2013-14).

Announcements


On behalf of the PARC Steering Committee and your College, thank you for your
service on the program reviews, insight, thoughtful comments, support, collegiality,
and collaboration during this past AY. Our Very Best Wishes in your summer
endeavors!

A special shout out to Bruno Pernet, PARC Vice Chair; Nielan Barnes, PARC
Secretary; Sharlene Sayegh, Director, Program Review and Assessment; and Cecile
Lindsay, Vice-Provost, Academic Affairs for their support.

Reminder: PARC business is conducted electronically via BeachBoard. Please bring
your electronic device or print material to the meeting. All PARC Members are
enrolled in the PARC BeachBoard organization. Council members access the PARC
BeachBoard via their student tab.

Next PARC meeting is September 3, 2014 in BH-302.
New Business:
1. None
VI.
Unfinished Business:
1. None

Program Review Presentations:
1. MBA-MFA in Theatre Management Program Review / Time Certain: 2:10 p.m.
UPRC member M. Laws presented the highlights of the UPRC report and outlined the
recommendations to the Department, College and PARC in the report. The TMP
representatives thanked the committee for the report and recommendations. The Chair
(Anne D’Zmura) noted a number of factual corrections and program/curriculum updates in
the Program, including recent hire of TT faculty member and implementation of ‘new’
diagnostic exams and instruments to assess student learning outcomes. Dean Parker
asked for clarification re: the assessment reporting cycle. The 2010 Department Self
Study, 2010 External Review report and the UPRC report and its recommendations were
approved as amended.
2. Electrical Engineering Program Review / Time Certain: 2:35 p.m.
UPRC members N. Hansuvadha and K. Chun presented the highlights of the UPRC
report and outlined the recommendations to the Department, College and PARC in the
report. The EEP representatives thanked the committee for the report and
recommendations. The Dean explained that electrical engineering ‘bottomed’ out in the
1990’s (when the Dept was 1000 students; now it is 300), hence an 18 year gap of new
TT hires; the Dept is ranked 32 in the nation despite the downward trend. The Assoc.
Dean commented that the recommendations are on target and the Dept is already making
progress toward them. The Chair noted that the Dept has had to work to re-align itself
with a constantly changing industry; the Department is already working to implement the
assessment recommendations provided in the Accreditation report. The Department Self
Study, Draft Statement of Accreditation and the UPRC report and its recommendations
were all approved.
3. Mechanical Engineering Program Review / Time Certain: 3:00 p.m.
UPRC member W. Woelfel presented the highlights of the UPRC report and outlined the
recommendations to the Department, College and PARC in the report. The MEP
representatives thanked the committee for the report and recommendations. The Dean
stated ME has been traditional pillar of engineering and is seeing recent growth. The
Dean is aware of the need for additional faculty and have made a number of recent hires
and are working toward more TT faculty; anticipate that 2/3’s of current faculty will retire in
next 10 years. The college is investing in upgrading equipment and extensive lab
renovation. The Associate Dean noted that the recommendation re: adjusting the
language re: SLO and assessment must consider the ABET language and requirements.
Additionally, the Assoc. Dean stated that the MEP might be challenged to offer credit for
the internship course. The Chair of the MEP commented on the growth of the department
in terms of number of students and courses alongside the decline of TT faculty. On the
topic of internships, 30-40 MAP students are in paid internships each semester, but such
work does not receive academic credit; regardless, it is important to student success in
the job sector. The Department Self Study, ABET report, the UPRC report and its
recommendations were all approved.

PARC Question and Answers
VIII.
Adjournment at 3:30.