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DEPARTMENT OF NUTRITION, EXERCISE AND
HEALTH SCIENCES
CENTRAL WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY
SELF-STUDY REVIEW
Dr. Vince Nethery, Chair
Dr. Connie Lambert, Dean
APRIL 7, 2009
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Section I: Introduction to Departmental Programs
Department
Mission
Context
Governance
Programs
Goals
Results
Changes
Section II: Description of Programs/Curriculum
Program Descriptions
Gen. Ed., Prof. Ed., Service Courses
Efficiency
Currency of Curriculum
Instructional Effectiveness
Use of Technology
Student Learning Outcomes
Section III: Faculty
Profile
Vitae
Awards
Performance Standards
Section IV: Students
Accomplishments
Thesis Samples
Advising
Activities
Section V: Facilities and Equipment
Facilities
Equipment
Technology
Section VI: Library and Technological Resources
Library
Technology
Adequacy
Section VII: Analysis of Review Period
Accomplishments
Challenges
Prior Review Recommendation Implementation
Then and Now
Section VIII: Future Directions
Aspirations
Productivity and Efficiency
Resource Needs
Items/Issues Not Requested
Section IX: Suggestions
Accomplishments
Challenges
Prior Review Recommendation Implementation
Then and Now
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DEPARTMENT OF NUTRITION, EXERCISE, AND HEALTH SCIENCES
I.
Introduction to Department/Programs:
A: Mission Statement
The NEHS mission is to prepare lifelong learners, critical thinkers, and skilled practitioners who
promote and support the physical and functional abilities of individuals to the benefit of
themselves, their immediate, and their extended communities through leadership and the
application of established principles.
Programs provide a rich educational experience where students are challenged through both
didactic and experiential learning, they interact with expert faculty, and research opportunities
are provided at both undergraduate and graduate levels.
B: Department and Program Contexts:
The Department of NEHS is in the midst of significant transition. In 2005, the Recreation and
Tourism program (formerly in HHPR) established an alliance with the Dept. of Family and
Consumer Sciences (FCS) while the Food Science and Nutrition program (formerly in FCS)
aligned with the Department of HHPN.
Since that time, considerable discussion has revolved around the reorganization of the College of
Education and Professional Studies into two separate colleges – The College of Education (COE)
– with a focus on teacher preparation, and the College of Applied Science and Technology
(CAST). In concert with this “macro-level” change, the large and complex Department of HHPN
has just completed a reorganization that is philosophically and conceptually consist with the
College reorganization plan. This has resulted in two separate departments – one consisting of
Physical Education and Health programs, and the other comprising Nutrition, Exercise Science
and EMS-Paramedic programs. A business plan for department reorganization, submitted
Summer 2008, received approvals from the Dean, Academic Affairs and the Provost, and
recently received final approval by the President.
The Food Science and Nutrition, Exercise Science, and EMS-Paramedic programs – component
programs within the Department of Nutrition, Exercise, and Health Sciences (NEHS) - are
encompassed within this report. These programs offer the following degrees and supporting
minors:
1. Exercise Science: BS – Exercise Science; BS – Exercise Science with Clinical
Physiology specialization, Minor – Exercise Science; Minor – Athletic
Training. MS – Exercise Science
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2. Food Science and Nutrition: BS – Food Science and Nutrition, BS – Nutrition
and Dietetics Specialization, BS; Nutrition Science Specialization, BA – Food
Service Management, Minor – Nutrition. MS – Nutrition
3. EMS – Para-medicine: BS – Paramedics, EMS/Paramedic Certification
These programs comprise 12 tenure track and two full-time non-tenure track positions. Two
fulltime administrative support positions are currently shared with the Physical Education and
Health Programs, there is one halftime support staff dedicated to the EMS-Paramedic program,
and there is a Foods Lab Technician (0.8). Instructional services to students are completed
through the use of adjuncts as deemed appropriate on a quarterly basis. The department also
receives ~15 graduate student teaching assistantships administered through the Office of
Graduate Studies with some additional graduate student support secured through other avenues
(Athletic Department – Athletic Trainers-Sports Medicine and Conditioning Specialists), the
Student Recreation Center (Athletic Trainer-Sports Medicine) and Ellensburg High school
(Athletic Trainer – Sports Medicine).
The three programs serve the needs of over 300 majors, minors, and graduate students per year.
In addition several courses are encompassed within the curricula of other majors outside of these
programs, and Basic Nutrition is one of the most sought after classes in the General Education
program.
C: Departmental Governance System
Department Organization
The department is administered by a philosophy of shared governance and consensus. The
department chair is elected every four years by the department faculty and approved by the Dean
of the College. The faculty members of each program elect a program director. The program
directors along with the Chair comprise the executive committee. Each program director meets
with their respective faculty members to discuss issues of advising, curriculum, scheduling, and
program coordination. The executive committee and the department as a whole meet monthly to
discuss policy, administration, budget, schedules and any other areas deemed necessary.
The Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) between the Faculty Union and CWU
Administration serves as the governing document on issues of schedule, workload, credit hours,
and other matters of personnel management.
The following department committees advise the department chair and the faculty as a whole on
pertinent issues or concerns.
• Executive Committee
• Personnel Committee
• Research Committee
• Technology Committee
• Graduate Faculty Committee
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BS: EXSC Clinical
Physiology
Exercise Science
(EXSC)
BS: EXSC
Minor: EXSC
BS: FSN Nutrition and
Dietetics
Chair: Nutrition,
Exercise, and
Health Sciences.
Food Science and
Nutrition (FSN)
EMS-Paramedics
BS: FSN
BS: Food Service
Management
BAS: Food
Service
Management
BS: FSN - Nut.
Science
BS:Paramedics
EMS-Paramedic
Certification
Minor: Nutrition
Paramedic
Assistant (0.5)
Classified Staff
Assistant to Chair
(shared)
Office Manager
(shared)
Food Lab
Technician (0.8)
Faculty Listing:
Department Chair: Dr. Nethery (0.75)
Exercise Science
FTTT:
Drs. Burnham (Program Director), D’Acquisto, Nethery (0.25), Papadopoulos,
Pritchett, R., and Pritchett, K. (0.5),
FTNTT:
Lecturer Contreras
Quarterly Adjuncts: Varies quarterly
Food Science and Nutrition
FTTT:
Drs. Bennett, Gee (Program Director), Hawk, and Pritchett, K. (0.5), Professors
Cashman and Adams
Quarterly Adjuncts: Varies quarterly
Emergency Medical Services/Para-medicine
FTTT:
Professor Monosky (Program Director)
FTNTT:
Lecturer Pierce
Quarterly Adjuncts: Varies quarterly
Graduate Programs:
Classified Staff:
Dr. D’Acquisto (Program Director), faculty in EXSC and NUTR
Rhonda Busch-Gehlen, Edith Fowler, Lori Hauser (Paramedic Program
Lucinda Engel (Food Lab. Technician).
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D: Department Programs: Relationships between program, college and university goals.
1. Specific Program Goals
BS: Food Science and Nutrition:
• Students will demonstrate knowledge, skills and attitudes to be successful in their field.
• Develop a successful Food Service Management program based at the Lynnwood campus.
• Continue to be recognized in the region for its outstanding programs and graduates.
• Faculty will be active as scholars in their field of study.
BS: Exercise Science:
• Students will demonstrate knowledge, skills and attitudes to be successful in the variety of
fields encompassed within EXSC.
• Faculty and students will exhibit behaviors that facilitate professional growth and rapport.
• Academic resources will be adequate for an optimal undergraduate education experience and
will be used appropriately by faculty and students.
BS: EMS-Para-Medicine:
• Students will demonstrate knowledge, skills and attitudes to be successful in the field of prehospital care as competent entry-level paramedics.
• Develop successful programs to provide for continuing medical education needs of pre-hospital
medical providers at local, state, and regional levels.
• Continue to be recognized in the region for its outstanding programs and graduates.
• Faculty will be active as scholars in the field of pre-hospital and medical care.
MS: Exercise Science - Nutrition:
• Students will demonstrate knowledge, skills and attitudes to be successful contributors in their
fields.
• Faculty and students will exhibit behaviors that facilitate professional growth.
• Academic resources will be readily available and used by faculty and students.
• Faculty and students will collaborate to promote academic and professional growth.
2. The relationship between program goals, and relevant college/university goals.
Relevant University Goals:
Goal I: Maintain and strengthen an outstanding academic and student life on the
Ellensburg campus.
Faculty are concerned and dedicated teachers who maintain relevance and currency of curricula,
who utilize technology as deemed appropriate, and whose content reflects the dynamic nature of
individual and societal opinions and needs.
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Goal III: Strengthen funding base and infrastructure to support academic and student
programs.
NUTR, EXSC, and EMS programs all include substantive laboratory components as part of their
instructional models and faculty have consistently requested the establishment of an equipment
maintenance fund and an update/replacement program be put into place by the university. Most
equipment used is old and outdated. Only after harsh language from CoAEMSP program
accreditation reviewers were funds ($150k) for updating EMS/Para-medic lab instructional
equipment recently provided. Requests for funds to meet the basic instructional needs of students
in NUTR, EXSC, and EMS programs will continue to be made.
Goal IV: Build mutually beneficial relationships with public, industry, professional,
institutions, and communities surrounding the university.
Faculty maintain strong relationships with dietitians, private sector researchers, physicians,
hospital and other clinical administrators, clinical therapists, athlete development specialists, and
other related professionals. All programs have internship/field experiences as part of their
programs and the aforementioned are valuable resources for these internships. Faculty frequently
coordinate in-house workshops for surrounding school and community college groups.
Goal V: Achieve regional and national prominence for the university.
All faculty actively interact with fellow professionals at both regional and national levels through
research presentations, adjudication processes, and general discussions at professional meetings.
Such activities bring attention to the programs and to CWU.
Goal VI: Build inclusive and diverse campus communities that promote intellectual inquiry
and encourage civility, mutual respect, and cooperation.
Faculty frequently assign learning activities that provide opportunity for students to investigate a
variety of aspects outside of the structured classroom setting and to present their finding at public
displays such as “End of Quarter Poster Sessions” and “SOURCE Symposia”. Such activities
foster cooperation and interaction. Additionally curriculum established practicum experiences
facilitate the generation of appropriate interactive-interpersonal skills.
Relevant College Goals:
Goal I: Provide academic and professional growth experiences for students at all CWU
campuses.
Faculty are concerned and dedicated teachers who maintain relevance and currency of curricula,
who utilize technology as deemed appropriate, and whose content reflects the dynamic nature of
individual and societal opinions and needs.
Goal III: Recruit and retain diverse and highly qualified faculty to develop and sustain
prominent programs.
NUTR, EXSC, and EMS programs recruit for new/replacement faculty through outlets that
encompass national and international dissemination. New faculty are provided up to 5-WLU
release time from teaching in the first year to facilitate instructional development and to establish
a research agenda. Additionally, faculty receive $700/year from the Provost, $300/year from the
Dean, and additional funds from the Department for professional development – continuing
education opportunities.
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Goal IV: Build mutually beneficial relationships with public, industry, professional,
institutions, and communities surrounding the university.
Externally, faculty maintain strong relationships with dietitians, private sector researchers,
physicians, hospital and other clinical administrators, clinical therapists, athlete development
specialists, fellow faculty at northwest (and nationwide) institutions, and other related
professionals.
All three programs have internship/field experiences as part of their curriculum with sites
ranging from Spokane on the eastern border of the state, throughout the Central Washington
Basin, to Westside sites extending from Bellingham to Vancouver. Additional preceptor sites are
in other states ranging from Florida and Vermont to Arizona and California.
Faculty coordinate frequent in-house workshops for surrounding school and community college
groups.
Additionally, faculty interact with other departments/faculty on campus through participation in
interdisciplinary programs such as Science Honors.
Goal V: Provide professional, high quality, staffing, facilities, technologies, and appropriate
resources to ensure the highest level of academic and professional development.
The quality (education, areas of specialization, and cultural diversity) of faculty is high,
especially given the size of the institution and it’s relatively remote location. From a technology
perspective, each faculty is provided with up-to-date office computers, the functioning of these
are assessed on a regular basis and, where indicated, are updated. As well, the university has
provided reasonable resources to support faculty professional development with funds available
on an annual basis from the Provost’s and Dean’s budgets, matching travel grants available from
the Office of Graduate Studies and Research, and some funds available from the department.
However, the resources (defined by space, equipment, technologies, and technologic support) for
instruction are grossly inadequate. There is overcrowding and major scheduling issues in the
few laboratory settings that do exist. The scheduling of these settings are juggled among class
instruction where 16-20 students often share one or two pieces of equipment, individual faculty
attempt to conduct independent research, and faculty-faculty along with student-faculty attempt
to undertake collaborative research. Clearly, the functioning of these basic instructional and
research activities are stunted because of the lack of space, equipment, and technical support.
When the current facility was constructed, Physical and Health Education were the major
programs along with a smaller EMS-Paramedic program. Exercise Science did not exist and the
Food Science and Nutrition program was encompassed in Family and Consumer Sciences and
housed in a different building. Since then, PE and Health Education have further developed in
addition to the much greater extensive growth of EXSC and NUTR who service the needs of
over 300 students. Clearly the current physical space is inadequate to satisfy the existing basic
instructional needs let alone any research needs (independent and collaborative). Given the
current state - there is a clear and urgent need for additional facilities. Any future growth of
these Allied Health programs (local, regional, and national indicators suggest that areas of health
care – especially preventative care is a burgeoning field) can only be accommodated if there is a
progressive plan of additional facilities through a new structure or through an extensionrenovation of the current building facility to meet instructional and research needs of NEHS.
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Additionally, some equipment is well over 20 years old, does not reflects current workplace
settings, and faculty spend many hours locating and ordering supplies, identifying and ordering
malfunctioning equipment components and repairing these (with little expertise of electronics).
Despite multiple requests for more than a decade for the employment of a scientific-laboratory
technician to support programs’ functioning, and for the university’s provision of sufficient
funds to enable a maintenance budget for functional equipment repairs, nothing has eventuated.
By comparison, all other science units on campus (e.g. Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Geology)
have such a service to support faculty, and indeed, the Physical Education program per-se has a
“full-time” equipment manager who maintains inventory, repairs and maintains equipment, and
disburses/collects equipment.
As noted elsewhere in this document, it was only after the accreditation body for the EMSParamedic program provided stern language in their report, that some funds were released for
updated equipment and for part-time administrative support for that program. Sadly, the
comment by a high level administrator “isn’t accreditation wonderful”, reflects the malaise in
administration for resolving this long-standing lack of adequate program equipment support.
For individual program responses to items D3, D4, and D5 – please refer to the individual
program tables in Appendix I.
3. Data used to measure goal attainment
1. Assessment of knowledge, skills and attitudes is measured by student success in didactic,
structured laboratory-experiential learning, internal and external practicums, and field-internship
experiences. Student grades derived from a plethora of assessment components, and supervisor
evaluations of practicum and field/internship experiences provide the primary mechanisms of
assessing the aforementioned characteristics.
2. Faculty and student professional growth is measured by membership in relevant
club/professional associations and by participation in the activities of these associations.
3. Regional/National recognition of program quality is measured by the demand for student
admission to the various programs, by the participation of students and faculty at professional
conferences and other professional gatherings, and by the external evaluation of student
performance in internship/field experience settings.
4. Criterion of achievement
Criteria indicative of mastery include:
1. Minimum grades for individual courses (e.g. ≥ C)
2. Minimum GPA in major upon graduation (e.g. 2.25)
3. Student membership and participation in clubs associated with major area of study,
4. Faculty and student participation in local, regional, and national meetings of relevant
professional associations
5. Regulate class sizes – especially for experiential learning activities (laboratories)
6. Provide sufficient equipment so that adequate hands-on learning can occur
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7. Preceptor evaluation of student performance in all relevant areas during and following
internship experiences
8. Successful completion of nationally recognized certification exams such as:
RD, ACSM-HFI, NSCA-CSCS, NREMT, ACLS, PALS.
5. Major activities that enable goal achievement
1. Maintain a faculty corps dedicated to teaching and mentoring of students through to
successful completion of an academic program in a timely manner.
2. Establish pre-admission standards as indicated by academic achievement in selected
relevant course work deemed essential background for satisfactory progress in the major.
3. Maintain a faculty corps dedicated to mentoring students through the experiential
learning/research process and who facilitate the dissemination of generated material at
both institutional (e.g. SOURCE) and external (e.g. Professional Meetings) venues.
4. Maintain a group of faculty, learned in their respective fields.
5. Provide resources sufficient to enable students to learn in laboratory settings with
minimal passive experiences.
6. Provide resources to facilitate faculty development through funding from a variety of
sources.
E: Results for each department/program goal.
For the specific relationships between E1 (Quantitative/qualitative results for each program goal)
and E2 (Compare results to standard of mastery) – please refer to the individual program tables
in Appendix – Section I.
The following summarizes each program’s achievement:
Food Science and Nutrition:
1. Students are performing satisfactorily at demonstrating the knowledge, skills, and
attitudes to be successful in their field (all degrees/specializations).
2. Development of a successful program in Food Service Management based on the
Lynnwood campus. (BASFSM) has been challenging. The faculty coordinator for the
BAS FSM was not hired until 2007-2008. In initial planning, it was anticipated that
Culinary Programs at community colleges would be the key source for student
recruitment since those students would likely meet the 2000 hour related work experience
requirement. Early contacts with those programs and assessment of their curricula
revealed that those students would require approximately one additional year of
community college courses in order to meet the admission requirements for the program.
Hence, that avenue for bringing students into the BAS in FSM program will be most
fruitful in later years.
3. Recognition in the region for outstanding programs and graduates has been challenged
by the limited placement opportunities for dietetic internship. Due to increased number of
applicants for limited internship slots, the national percentage of students being placed
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has dropped over the last two years. In 2008, the national percentage of first-time
applicants gaining admission to dietetic internships was only 55%.
4. Faculty are active as scholars in their field of study with active involvement at local,
regional and national levels.
Exercise Science:
1. Students are performing satisfactorily at demonstrating the knowledge, skills, and
attitudes to be successful in their field although the student failure rate is greater in initial
classes (e.g. EXSC 351) that serve as pre-requisites for higher-level learning. This is to
be expected because some students do not initially comprehend the scientific nature of
the program Although no data is available on overall major GPA for graduates, 100% of
students eligible for placement completed the internship requirements with satisfactory or
better evaluations from preceptor evaluators.
2. Regarding adequate laboratory facilities, this goal was only partially met with 30% of
laboratory classes having higher numbers than deemed optimal for learning. The sizes of
laboratories varied with specific classes. Additionally, laboratory equipment needs were
not met in most courses.
3. Regarding professionalism, all Exercise Science majors belong to the student club and
all EXSC faculty attended at least one conference each year and each faculty presented at
least 3 peer-reviewed papers at national conferences in the last 5 years.
Emergency Medical Services – Para-medicine:
1. Students are performing satisfactorily at demonstrating the knowledge, skills, and
attitudes to be successful in the field of pre-hospital care as competent entry-level
paramedics. This goal was measured by student completion of field and clinical
internships (EMS 493) and successful completion of national paramedic certification
exam by NREMT. Annual survey of graduates and employers of CWU paramedic
program graduates supported this conclusion.
2. The development of successful programs to provide for continuing medical education
(CME) needs of pre-hospital medical providers at the local, state and regional level is
currently under development with several CME courses scheduled or in planning.
3. Regional/national recognition for its outstanding program and graduates was achieved.
The paramedic program has historically had much higher than average first time pass
rates for the national paramedic certification exam (92% versus 60% nationally), and
graduates from CWU’s EMS-paramedic program have 100% job placement.
4. Faculty scholarship activity in the field of pre-hospital medical care has remained a
challenge. The recruitment of highly qualified faculty has also been challenging.
Graduate Programs:
1. Students are performing satisfactorily at demonstrating the knowledge, skills, and
attitudes to be successful with students maintaining a GPA of 3.0 or better.
2. Faculty met the goal of professional growth by attending professional meetings and
submitting and presenting research. Additionally, over 50% of students attended a
professional meeting with numerous presentations.
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3. Financial and physical resources (space and equipment) available for the research
aspect of graduate education and for independent and collaborative faculty research is
very limited.
4. Graduate students were provided opportunities to assist professors in the classroom or
laboratory settings thus facilitating collaboration and academic growth.
F: Projections based on the results noted above.
1. Potential impact/changes to curriculum:
Food Science and Nutrition:
1. Students in general are performing satisfactorily, however, several specializations
require some modification to best match student needs and desires with professional
standards and opportunities.
2. Consolidation is under review for the Food Service Management program that may
eliminate the two-component model and place all FSM students under a single umbrella.
3. As well, the limited number of Dietetic Internship sites is incongruent with the number
of students applying, and processes are underway to revise the initial core coursework
relationship to the various specializations so that a more selective process can be
implemented for students suitably qualified to enter the dietetic realm. This will increase
the percent of students gaining acceptance into the dietetic internship.
Exercise Science:
1. Students are performing satisfactorily at demonstrating the knowledge, skills, and
attitudes, and preceptor evaluations of interns are very positive.
2. However, the students do enter a variety of internship and subsequent professional
arenas ranging from corporate fitness and wellness programs and private fitness and
sports clubs to athlete development programs and clinical rehabilitative settings. This led
to the recent addition of a Clinical Physiology specialization that better prepares students
to enter the clinical-rehabilitative (PT, OT, Cardiac Rehab) settings.
3. Additional specializations are under consideration in the areas of Sports Physiology,
and Corporate/Personal Fitness.
Emergency Medical Services – Para-medicine:
1. Students are performing satisfactorily at demonstrating the knowledge, skills, and
attitudes to be successful in the field of pre-hospital care as competent entry-level
paramedics.
2. However, there are significant challenges and demands imposed upon student and
faculty time to complete the specific coursework and field hours related to the paramedic
major in the time frame allotted.
3. Discussions are underway to revise the time frame for presentation of the curriculum
and field experiences to the students, to enable faculty to enact a more methodical
learning pattern.
4. Additionally, there is a perceived need among currently practicing pre-hospital care
professional for place-bound friendly programs (on-line) that would facilitate the
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professional’s understanding and abilities in a variety of non-clinical aspects such as
program planning and management.
Graduate Programs:
1. No projected major modifications of the graduate curricula exist at this time.
2. The most pressing challenge is in the area of laboratory access in terms of both
physical facilities and equipment availability.
3. Severe restrictions currently exist for laboratory access for graduate student and faculty
research as a result of the need to satisfy the substantial instructional components of
undergraduate programs.
2. Specific changes related to the assessment process:
NEHS faculty believe that current assessment procedures are comprehensive, inclusive of
the educational domains, and are sufficiently rigorous to differentiate students who vary in levels
of knowledge and skills. NEHS faculty also believe that not all students are suited to the
scientific and clinical nature of the programs and that the assessment procedures in place ensure
that entry into programs, satisfactory progress through program curricula, and knowledge and
skills at graduation are commensurate with requirements in the professional arenas the students
are entering.
3. Statewide and regional needs:
US Department of Labor and Statistics indicates that occupations related to Allied Health
(including clinical and prophylactic areas), singularly comprises over 35% of new positions in
the near future. The dynamic and diverse culture and economy of Washington State suggests that
national projections would similarly reflect those of the state. Additionally, a website listing of
top jobs nationally, regionally (Montana, Idaho, Oregon, Washington), and state-wide reflects
high demand in all areas encompassed by NEHS programs including clinical settings, corporate
fitness, EMS, and athletic training.
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II: Department/Programs:
A.
Academic Programs (See Table IIA – Appendix II):
The Department of NEHS is comprised of 4 specific programs:
i. Exercise Science
ii. Food Science and Nutrition
iii. Emergency Medical Services/Para-medicine
iv. Graduate Programs
Food Science and Nutrition
The Food Science and Nutrition program offers several specialization options in the Bachelor of
Science degree.
• Bachelor of Science – Food Science and Nutrition - Nutrition and Dietetics
• Bachelor of Science – Nutrition Science Specialization
• Bachelor of Science – Food Service Management
• Bachelor of Applied Science – Food Service Management
• Minor – Nutrition
The Food Science and Nutrition Program is accredited by the American Dietetic Association.
Exercise Science
The Exercise Science program prepares individuals to use their knowledge and skills to assess
and improve physical status and functional abilities in both healthy and diseased populations
through both prophylactic and prescriptive processes.
It is not accredited through any specific organization but is guided by the principles espoused by
national organizations such as the American Society for Exercise Physiologists (ASEP) and the
American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM).
• Bachelor of Science – Exercise Science (General Program)
• Bachelor of Science – Exercise Science –Clinical Physiology specialization
• Minor – Exercise Science
• Minor – Athletic Training
Emergency Medical Services – Para-medicine
The paramedic program is nationally accredited through the Committee on Accreditation of
Educational Programs for the Emergency Medical Services Profession (CoAEMSP).
CWU’s paramedic program is the only bachelors degree program in Washington State and one of
the few programs that offer the Bachelor’s Degree. Students must complete 2,500 hours at EMS
agencies and 900 hours in hospital environments.
• Bachelor of Science – Paramedics
• Paramedic Certification
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Graduate Program
Master of Science degrees in Exercise Science and in Nutrition provides students with advanced
knowledge in human nutrition, human physiology, and its applications to clinical and
rehabilitation settings, research settings, corporate settings, and performance physiology. In
addition these graduate degrees prepare students to pursue further studies in doctoral or postgraduate professional programs.
• Master of Science – Exercise Science
• Master of Science – Nutrition
B: General Education, Professional Education (Teacher Preparation) and Service Courses
(See Table IIB – Appendix II).
General Education:
Basic Nutrition (NUTR 245) is the only course in the department that contributes to the General
Education program. This course is located in the “Application of the Natural Sciences” section of
general education. There is very high demand for this class (~540 students per year) with
extensive waiting lists for student enrollment for each section every quarter. Several additional
sections could conceivably be added if additional qualified faculty existed.
Professional Education:
No courses offered are specific to the professional education (teacher preparation) sequence at
CWU.
Service Courses:
A number of courses in Nutrition, Exercise Science and Emergency Medical Services are
included in degree requirements (service other programs outside of the specific course disciple).
Service courses from the Nutrition Program include the aforementioned Basic Nutrition (NUTR
245) along with the Introduction to Food (and its associated lab) (NUTR 140), and Sports
Nutrition and Weight Control (NUTR 446).
Service courses from the Exercise Science Program include Anatomical Kinesiology (EXSC
250), Scientific Foundations (EXSC 351), and Pediatric Issues (EXSC 463).
Service courses from the Paramedic Program include First Aid (EMS 245) and Myocardial
Disease and Arythmia Diagnosis (EMS 443).
C: Measures of Efficiency for the last 5 years
Efficiency measures for lower division, upper division, and graduate classes for the three
programs are noted in the following table.
From a FTES perspective, numbers have grown steadily in the upper division classes (majority
of classes for the major) in both NUTR and EXSC while this same indicator has remained steady
for the EMS program. The FTES numbers in lower division classes have remained remarkably
steady for all programs over the past 5 years.
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When FTES are viewed relative to faculty workloads (FTES/FTEF = SFR), the student-faculty
ratios are again remarkably similar in general across the 5 years for given course levels (lower,
upper) for each program. Specifically, lower division classes for EXSC, NUTR and EMS have
varied by not more than 3 or 4 units in most instances. Upper division classes in EXSC, NUTR
and EMS also exhibit the same general level of consistency – especially over the last 4 of the 5year review period.
As expected, graduate programs have lower student numbers and a lower SFR.
For comparison, the CWU SFR average for undergraduate programs is approximately 22:1 and,
using this as a comparative number, all programs are functioning at a more efficient level (most
substantially higher) that the institution as a whole.
Full-time Equivalent Students (FTES), Full-time Equivalent Faculty (FTEF), and Student
Faculty Ratio (SFR) for EXSC, NUTR, and EMS Programs
2003-2004
2004-2005
2005-2006
2006-2007
2007-2008
Exercise
Science
Lower
Division
FTES: 21.8
FTEF: 0.84
SFR: 26.0
Upper
FTES: 53.4
Division FTEF: 2.3
SFR: 23.2
Graduate FTES: 2.8
FTEF: 0.71
SFR: 3.94
FTES: 18.7
FTEF: 0.84
SFR: 22.26
FTES: 75.0
FTEF: 2.3
SFR: 32.6
FTES: 6.5
FTEF: 0.71
SFR: 9.16
FTES: 22.2
FTEF: 0.84
SFR: 26.43
FTES: 87.2
FTEF: 2.3
SFR: 37.9
FTES: 4.1
FTEF: 0.71
SFR: 5.77
FTES: 22.1
FTEF: 0.84
SFR: 26.31
FTES: 84.7
FTEF: 2.3
SFR: 36.83
FTES: 4.8
FTEF: 0.71
SFR: 6.76
FTES: 22.3
FTEF: 0.84
SFR: 26.55
FTES: 84.7
FTEF: 2.45
SFR: 34.57
FTES: 12.3
FTEF: 0.71
SFR: 17.32
Nutrition
Lower
Division
FTES: 74.4
FTEF: 1.71
SFR: 43.3
FTES: 41.7
FTEF: 1.58
SFR: 26.4
FTES: 70.0
FTEF: 1.98
SFR: 35.4
FTES: 45.0
FTEF: 1.71
SFR: 26.3
FTES: 72.3
FTEF: 1.87
SFR: 38.7
FTES: 51.0
FTEF: 1.98
SFR: 25.8
FTES: 72.6
FTEF: 2.0
SFR: 36.3
FTES: 57.9
FTEF: 2.0
SFR: 29.0
FTES: 73.8
FTEF: 1.87
SFR: 39.5
FTES: 61.0
FTEF: 2.53
SFR: 24.1
FTES: 29.5
FTEF: 1.0
SFR: 29.53
FTES: 44.7
FTEF: 1.11
SFR: 26.6
FTES: 28.3
FTEF: 1.13
SFR: 24.94
FTES: 44.7
FTEF: 1.11
SFR: 40.2
FTES: 29.0
FTEF: 1.07
SFR: 27.19
FTES: 54.2
FTEF: 1.29
SFR: 42.0
FTES: 27.1
FTEF: 1.07
SFR: 25.38
FTES: 45.1
FTEF: 1.11
SFR: 40.6
FTES: 26.7
FTEF: 1.0
SFR: 26.73
FTES: 40.1
FTEF: 1.11
SFR: 36.1
Upper
Division
EMS
Lower
Division
Upper
Division
17
D: Currency of Curricula
Each programs consistently reviews their curriculum and revises when necessary. The specific
curricula components reflect content required by accrediting and/or professional organizations.
Nutrition:
The curriculum is continually monitored and updated with discussions at regular program
meetings and at the annual program faculty retreat. Data from Registration Exam, Internship
acceptance rates, and surveys are used to identify strengths and weaknesses in the programs and
students. Input is sought from the Advisory Board and from Preceptor supervisors. National,
regional, and state meetings keep faculty current of knowledge and technology. CWU provides
technology-oriented in-service opportunities to faculty to facilitate student learning and Nutrition
faculty have been asked to lead several such in-service activities.
The majority of students specialize in Nutrition and Dietetics. This program, accredited by the
“Commission on Accreditation of Dietetic Education”, was last reviewed in 2002 with the next
review in 2009. Key criteria are currency in curricula in nutrition and dietetics.
Exercise Science:
A number of professional organizations guide the curriculum in Exercise Science including the
American Society for Exercise Physiologists (ASEP) and the American College of Sports
Medicine (ACSM).
According to the American Society of Exercise Physiologists, the curriculum should contain:
 A basic science core
 An exercise physiology core
 General education courses, and
 Electives
Basic Science Core:
Math
Biology
Chemistry
Physics
Computer Science
Exercise Physiology Core:
Example: Suggested Courses in the Exercise
Physiology Core
First aid & CPR
Movement anatomy/kinesiology
Introductory and Advanced Exercise Physiology
and Biomechanics
Exercise testing & prescription (with ECG)
Exercise biochemistry
Sports nutrition
Statistics & research design
Internship
(32 credits)
(2)
(3)
(6)
(3)
(3)
(3)
(3)
(6)
18
Suggested Electives:
Sub-discipline (career)
Exercise Specialist for Special Populations
(cardiac rehabilitation, gerontology, etc.)
Corporate Fitness Director
Personal Trainer
Strength & Conditioning Coach
Graduate School Preparation
(Researcher, University Professor)
Suggested electives study
ACLS certification, courses relevant to the
population (pediatrics, aging, cardiac
rehabilitation, etc.)
Minor in business/marketing
Leadership management, wellness
Neuromuscular physiology
Advanced exercise physiology, research
methods, statistics, teaching methods
According to the American College of Sports Medicine, course areas that develop the
appropriate Knowledge, Skills, and Attitudes include:
 Exercise Physiology and related exercise sciences
 Pathophysiology and risk factors
 Health appraisal, fitness, and clinical exercise testing
 Patient management
 Human behavior and counseling
 Exercise prescription and programming
 Nutrition and weight management
 Safety and injury prevention and emergency procedures
 Program administration, quality assurance and outcome assessment
 Clinical and medical considerations
The Clinical Physiology Specialization is almost completely in accordance with the above
standards from both associations with classes in:
 Chemistry and Biochemistry (CHEM 111, 112, 113)
 Biology (BIOL 201, 355, 356)
 Computer Science (CS 101 or IT 101)
 First Aid and CPR (EMS 245)
 Anatomy and Physiology (EXSC 250, 351, BIOL 355, 356)
 Exercise Physiology (EXSC 450)
 Testing and Prescription with ECG (EXSC 455, EMS 443)
 Human Behavior (EXSC 457)
 Nutrition and Sport Nutrition (NUTR 245, 446)
 Safety and Injury Prevention (EMS 245, EXSC 348, 438, 452)
 Special Populations (EXSC 456)
 Program Administration (EXSC 456)
 Statistics (PSY 362)
 Strength and Conditioning (EXSC 360)
 Practicums and Internship (EXSC 495, EXSC 490)
19
The General Exercise Science program incorporates classes in:
 Computer Science (IT 101)
 First Aid and CPR (EMS 245)
 Anatomy and Physiology (EXSC 250, 351)
 Advanced Exercise Physiology (EXSC 450)
 Testing and Prescription with ECG (EXSC 455)
 Human Behavior (EXSC 457)
 Nutrition and Sport Nutrition (NUTR 245, 446)
 Safety, Injury Prevention (EXSC 348)
 Special Populations (EXSC 456)
 Program administration (EXSC 456, 464)
 Strength and Conditioning (EXSC 318, 360)
 Internship (EXSC 495, 490)

The General Program degree does not, however, include any classes in the basic sciences
(Chemistry, Biology), and not does it include Statistics. Projected development of additional
specializations (Sports Physiology, Corporate-Personal Fitness) may address these shortcomings
if deemed relevant to the profession to which the specialization is directed.
Additionally there are no specific biomechanics or physics courses in either program however
elemental principles of biomechanics are addressed in Anatomical Kinesiology (EXSC 250).
EMS-Para-medicine
The national standards for Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) and EMT-Paramedic are
established through the Department of Transportation, National Highway and Transportation
Administration, Office of Emergency Medical Services in the National Standard Curriculum
Guidelines for EMT and EMT-Paramedic, promulgated in 1998. In addition, the established
state standards for instructional curricula were promulgated for EMT in 1996 and for EMTParamedic in 2000.
The program at Central Washington University is committed to providing instruction in all
aspects of emergency medical services in excess of each of the established national and state
standard guidelines. As such, all cognitive and psychomotor objectives in Central Washington
University’s Paramedic Program meet or exceed the state and national standard guidelines. This
objective is established to assure that graduates of the Program possess extraordinary skill sets
and talents that will promote professional growth and create leadership within the discipline.
Additionally, the Paramedic Program also endeavors to meet or exceed the goal
recommendations proposed by the National Association of Emergency Medical Service
Educators (NAEMSE) in their publication, National Education Agenda for the Future. This
publication serves as a foundational guide in the Paramedic Program’s future growth and
development.
Graduate
Exercise Science
20
The Master of Science in Exercise Science program provides a post-baccalaureate education with
the aim of preparing graduates with career aspirations in the areas of performance physiology
(science of human performance), clinical settings (cardiopulmonary rehabilitation), corporate
health and fitness, and tertiary education. The Exercise Science graduate program strives to:
(1) Prepare professionals who will be productive members of their profession
(2) Enhance the ability to interpret research findings so that he/she can make informative
and well thought out decisions, and
(3) Develop the ability to think logically and critically, and communicate in a clear and
effective manner.
These efforts are in-line with the standards and guidelines of the ACSM.
Nutrition
The Nutrition graduate program shares a substantial curriculum with our American Dietetic
Association’s Commission of Accreditation for Dietetics Education (ADA/CADE) accredited
Dietetic Internship (DI). Within the core requirements in the MS in Nutrition curriculum are
four graduate level courses that are requirements in the DI. In addition, two other courses (one
graduate level and one undergraduate level) that are required in the DI are approved electives in
the MS in Nutrition curriculum. These six courses make up over half of the credit requirements
in the MS in Nutrition program. The DI submits a self-study to ADA/CADE every five years
and undergoes a complete accreditation review every ten years to insure that the curriculum
adequately prepares entry-level dietitians for this dynamic health care arena.
Recent changes in the curriculum reflect the changes in the health care arena. For example,
NUTR 547 – Nutrition Update has included topics on dietary supplements, complementary and
alternative medical therapies, and pediatric obesity. Plans are being formulated to include the
emerging field of nutrigenomics in NUTR 543 – Advanced Nutritional Biochemistry.
The remainder of the MS in Nutrition curriculum includes two elective courses and other courses
that facilitate thesis research (inferential statistics, research design, thesis). Most Nutrition
student research results in presentations at a national meeting and some in publications in peerreviewed journals.
E: Effectiveness of Instruction:
1. Student Evaluations of Instruction (SEOI):
The table below presents the SEOI – Teaching Effectiveness means of the department indexed to
the university mean by quarter for the past 5 years. These data do not partition out individual
programs and the department values represent the means of all evaluations conducted by all
programs. Note the generally consistent trend of department teaching effectiveness being
between 3% and 6% higher than the institutional values.
Year 1
2003-2004
F
W S
Year 2
2004-2005
F
W
S
Year 3
2005-2006
F
W S
Year 4
2006-2007
F
W S
Year 5
2007-2008
F
W
S
Dept.
4.59
4.61
4.87
4.60
4.46
4.65
4.66
4.48
4.80
4.71
4.41
4.57
4.65
4.53
4.48
CWU
4.36
4.33
4.25
4.30
4.33
4.35
4.51
4.31
4.48
4.49
4.33
4.33
4.38
4.33
4.35
Ratio
1.05
1.06
1.14
1.06
1.03
1.06
1.03
1.03
1.07
1.04
1.01
1.05
1.06
1.04
1.02
21
The SEOI is a 5-point scale with 1 = Low and 5 = High.
2. Evaluations of Instruction beyond SEOI:
1. NEHS employs a “senior faculty” mentorship approach with new faculty – especially
those with limited experiences - to facilitate development in instructional competencies, along
with guidance in service and scholarship activities.
2. Faculty regularly participate as guest lecturers for other courses with presentations
evaluated and the results shared.
3. Occasional team-teaching of classes provides opportunity to observe peer instruction
and to provide feedback.
3. Instructional methods to facilitate student learning – Innovative and Traditional:
Didactic instruction is a primary pedagogy tool and is reinforced with practical application in
the lab setting to reinforce educational objectives and to refine practical/psychomotor skills and
to reinforce relevance. In both settings, learning is enhanced by facilitated discussion of
concepts, principles, and practices using clinical dilemmas, case studies, real life experiences,
and other integrated scenario-based instruction.
Typical pedagogy practices include PowerPoint, supportive documentation, handouts, reference
material, illustrations, websites, and Blackboard postings. Future methodologies are expected to
include student interactive instruction with TurningPoint™ Technology; collaborative facultystudent endeavors in pre-hospital and other professional research settings, and extensive online
supplemental instruction.
Collaborative experiences provide students with the opportunity to collect and analyze data,
and present results in written manuscript and public presentation formats (Professional Meetings,
SOURCE, End of Quarter Poster Displays). Selected NUTR students compete in a National
Nutrition College Bowl with each identifying a specific area of focus. The students and their
graduate-student coach work together to prepare and to obtain the funding necessary to attend
this event.
Professional attitudes are developed by attendance at national, regional, state, and local
conferences to reinforce knowledge, practices, and values of the profession.
Leadership opportunities are provided through student clubs, field trips, and on-campus
workshops for local schools. These provide opportunities for leadership and application of
knowledge and skills. The state Dietetic Association has a Student Ambassador position for their
organization with students from CWU frequently holding that position. The Paramedic Program
utilizes qualified students to participate in the instruction of the Emergency Medical Technician
(EMT) students on campus. This reinforces the principles of basic life support among the
paramedic students and develops their potential as educators, problem-solvers, critical-thinkers,
and leaders. This practice employs the traditional medical philosophy of “see-one, do-one,
teach-one” approach toward skill mastery.
Academic service learning projects that benefit the community include ‘Shape Up Kittitas
County” program, a ‘walk-ability’ study, a garden program, local food bank drives, community
22
fun-run, influenza immunization projects, vehicle rescue and hazardous material awareness
exercises, and disaster exercises with local and regional emergency service agencies.
Internship, field, and practical experiences are gained under the guidance of professionals at
approved preceptor settings. Weekly progress logs, self-evaluations, supervisor evaluations, and
reflective insights are components of reports submitted to faculty advisors.
Examples of collaborative research efforts include the following with students (undergraduate
and graduate) highlighted in red.
D’Acquisto, L.J., Dickinson, J. Nethery, V.
Metabolic, Cardiovascular, and Kinematic Responses to Running on Sloping Surfaces.
American College of Sports Medicine Meeting, New Orleans, 2008.
Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, Supplement, 40 (5).
Contreras, B.E., D’Acquisto, L.J.
Estimated Mechanical Efficiency During Running Tracks Well with Lactate Threshold and
Treadmill Time to Exhaustion.
American College of Sports Medicine Meeting, New Orleans, 2008.
Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, Supplement, 40 (5).
Wagner, J., Schlafer, T., Burnham, T., D’Acquisto, L., Papadopoulos, C., Kemble, K.
Preliminary Evaluation of a Cancer Survivorship Educational Program.
North West American College of Sports Medicine Meeting, Seattle Center, February 2008.
Swanson, N., D’Acquisto, L.J., Pritchett, R., Nethery, V., Perkins, R., Green, A.
Physiological Comparison of Young and Older Runners.
(SOURCE 2008, mentor: D’Acquisto))
Perkins, R., Swanson, N., Green, A., D’Acquisto, L.J.
Kinematic Characteristics of Younger and Older Trained Runners.
(SOURCE, mentor: D’Acquisto)
Rust, B., Swanson, N., D’Acquisto, L.J., Gee, D.
Elite Master Age Group Runners Show Diminished Macronutrient Intake per kg Body
Weight Compared to Competitive College Runners.
(SOURCE, mentors: Gee and D’Acquisto)
Burnham, T. R., Kemble, K., Hineline, G., Wagner, J. and A. Zorn
Exercise Dose Required to Improve Quality of Life and Fatigue in Breast Cancer
Survivors.
American College of Sports Medicine Meeting, 2007.
Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 39:5 2007
Burnham, T. R., Kemble K., Dickinson J., and M. Garver
Aerobic Exercise Improves Quality of Life in Breast Cancer Survivors.
American College of Sports Medicine Meeting, 2006.
Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 38:5 2006
Dickinson, J., Burnham, T., Skordahl, A. and L.D’Acquisto.
23
Metabolic Changes Associated with Exercise Training in Cancer Survivors.
American College of Sports Medicine Meeting, 2006.
Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 38:5 2006
F. Instruction via Distance Education:
The BAS – Food Service Management, based at CWU – Lynnwood is the only distance learning
oriented program offered by the department. This is a hybrid program using classroom-video
transmission as the primary medium.
No current courses or programs are offered through an on-line format.
G. Assessment of Programs and Student Learning:
1. Student learner outcomes for each undergraduate and graduate program, and the linkage
between program outcomes and related department, college and university goals are presented in
the specific Table IIc in Appendix II.
2. Results of student learner outcomes:
Nutrition:
Outcome 1: Program graduates will have knowledge of effective communication techniques
through a wide variety of mediums (group presentations, individual counseling and education,
media presentations).
70% or better standard is being met.
Outcome 2: Program graduates will have knowledge from the basic sciences of biology and
chemistry and be able to apply them to the nutritional care and education processes.
70% or better standard is being met.
Outcome 3: Program graduates will have knowledge of research process.
70% or better standard is being met.
Outcome 4: Program graduates will have knowledge of the science of foods, processing on
commercial and consumer scales, food safety and sanitation issues, food delivery and production
systems, and factors that affect food selection.
70% or better standard is being met.
Outcome 5: Program graduates will have knowledge of the science of nutrition including the
assessment of health status, influence of age and physiological state on nutritional needs,
nutritional therapy of those in disease or injured states, and the use of dietary supplements and
methods of complementary medicine.
70% or better standard is being met.
Outcome 6: Program graduates will have the knowledge of management theories and principals
including organizational change theory, human resource management, risk management, quality
improvement, information management, and financial management.
70% or better standard is being met.
24
Exercise Science:
Outcome 1: Students will demonstrate knowledge of structural components and the
interrelationships between these structural components in the human organism
• A passing grade (C or better) yearly average for classes (incorporating a variety of
assessment components) that address this outcome: EXSC 250 (90.9%), EXSC 348
(98.6%), and EXSC 351 (77.2%).
• Data indicate that the outcome of demonstrating structural knowledge and
interrelationships was achieved.
Outcome 2: Students will demonstrate knowledge of the physiologic processes that govern
organism functioning and maintain homeostasis with specific emphasis on humans
• A passing grade (C or better) yearly average for classes (incorporating a variety of
assessment components) that address this outcome: EXSC 250 (90.9%), EXSC 351
(77.2%) and EXSC 450 (85%).
• Data indicate that the outcome of demonstrating an understanding of physiologic
processes that govern organism functioning and maintain homeostasis was achieved.
Outcome 3. Students will be able to describe the impact of personal behaviors - lifestyle
decisions (e.g. physical activity and energy balance) on human structural and functional
integrity.
• A passing grade (C or better) yearly average for classes (incorporating a variety of
assessment components) that address this outcome: EXSC 318 (93.9%), EXSC 351
(77.2%), EXSC 360 (100%), EXSC 450 (85%), EXSC 455 (100%), and EXSC 456
(100%).
• Data indicate that the outcome of describing the impact of personal behaviors - lifestyle
decisions (e.g. physical activity and energy balance) on human structural and functional
integrity was achieved.
Outcome 4. Students will be able to identify, describe, and employ the various components of
scientific inquiry including deductive reasoning, the analysis of data, and the establishment of
defensible conclusions.
• A passing grade (C or better) yearly average for classes (incorporating laboratory
activities and case studies that use a variety of assessment components) that address this
outcome: EXSC 250 (90.9%), EXSC 351 (77.2%), EXSC 450 (85%), EXSC 455 (100%),
and EXSC 456 (100%).
• Data indicate that the outcome of employing the various components of scientific
inquiry including deductive reasoning, the analysis of data, and the establishment of
defensible conclusions was achieved.
Outcome 5. Students will be able to apply the knowledge and skills developed and honed
through the many directed and experiential learning components of the didactic program, to the
“real-world” settings.
• A passing grade (S) for practicums and internships (incorporating self, preceptor
supervisor, and faculty supervisor assessment of multiple components (cognitive,
25
psychomotor, affective) that address this outcome: EXSC 495 A, B, C, D, (100%) and
EXSC 490 (100%).
• Data indicate that the outcome of applying the knowledge and skills developed and
honed through the many directed and experiential learning components to “real-world”
settings was achieved.
EMS-Para-medicine:
Outcome 1: Students will demonstrate knowledge of effective therapeutic techniques in orehospital medicine.
• Data from multiple sources (didactic and experiential) indicate that the outcome of
demonstrating effective therapeutic techniques in ore-hospital medicine was achieved.
Outcome 2: Students will demonstrate the ability to use critical and creative thinking to solve
problems.
• Data from multiple sources (didactic and experiential) indicate that the outcome of
using critical and creative thinking to solve problems was achieved.
Outcome 3. Students will demonstrate knowledge of the research processes in pre-hospital
medicine.
• Successful presentation of research project indicates that the outcome of knowledge of
the research processes in pre-hospital medicine was achieved.
Outcome 4. Students will effectively demonstrate information competence and the ability to use
computers and other technologies.
• Successful use of PCR’s and FISDAP indicates that the demonstration of information
competence and the ability to use computers and other technologies was achieved.
Graduate:
Outcome 1: Students will demonstrate knowledge of correctly interpreting and understanding
research, and knowledge of advanced principles.
• 100% of students demonstrated expected knowledge in relevant EXSC and NUTR
classes.
• 100% of students who initiated and were examined on thesis research finished.
• Data indicate that the outcome of demonstrating knowledge of correctly interpreting
and understanding research, and knowledge of advanced principles was achieved.
Outcome 2: Students will demonstrate professional attributes such as attending local, regional or
national conferences and skills such as writing/preparing professional communications
• Over 50% of students attended a professional meeting and 37% submitted a research
abstract.
• Data indicate that the outcome of demonstrating professional attributes such as
attending local, regional or national conferences and skills such as writing/preparing
professional communications was achieved.
Outcome 3: Students will demonstrate effective application of technology skills in the
acquisition of exercise physiology data, and effective communication skills using oral, print, and
visual formats.
•100% of students used technology to collect data and to present results and reports.
26
• Data indicate that the outcome of demonstrating effective application of technology
skills in the acquisition of exercise physiology data, and effective communication skills
using oral, print, and visual formats was achieved.
Outcome 4: Students will demonstrate the ability to effectively assist professors in the
classroom or lab setting and collaborate on research.
• 90% of graduate assistantship awardees satisfactorily executed their responsibilities,
• 100% of students finished their final culminating experience, and 83% of students
completing thesis or Graduate Research submitted paper for consideration at a
professional meeting.
• Data indicate that the outcome of demonstrating the ability to effectively assist
professors in the classroom or lab setting and to collaborate on research was achieved.
3. Based on stated outcomes:
(a) Specific changes to curriculum or teaching methods:
Nutrition:
Although outcomes were generally met in a satisfactory manner, the following actions will be
considered:
1. For the BAS-FSM, the 2000-hour related work experience requirement may be an impediment
to student admission and some modification may facilitate greater interest/admission into this
program. Additionally, combining the on-campus FSM program with the BAS program will
provide for a more consistent and cohesive structure.
2. The limited internship slots for the Dietetic program combined with the high (but not
necessarily sufficiently qualified) student numbers has reduced the number of applicants gaining
admission to the dietetic internship. A more selective process for determining admission into the
Dietetic program will resolve this dilemma and result in a better match between the umber of
applicants, the quality of applicants and the availability of internship locations.
3. The maintenance, purchase, and replacement of laboratory equipment for basic instructional
and research purposes has provided some challenges and continued efforts will be made to stress
the need for the institution to provide basic levels of support for these activities.
Exercise Science:
Although outcomes were generally met in a satisfactory manner, the following actions will be
considered:
1. Laboratory classes (especially EXSC 250, EXSC 351, and EXSC 450) need to be limited to
optimal enrolments (n = 15/16). Even at this level, equipment available is inadequate to provide
for many active learning experiences. The university has been reluctant to provide funds for
maintenance, purchase, and replacement of laboratory equipment for basic instructional and
research purposes. Continued efforts will be made to stress the need for the institution to provide
such basic levels of support.
27
2. The requirement for passing (C or better) for all EXSC classes and achieving an S grade for
practicum’s and internships is deemed acceptable goal and will be maintained. The lower %
achieved in EXSC 351 reflects the composition of the class (students just entering the major and
non-EXSC students), some of whom are challenged by the scientific nature of human anatomy
and physiology. The passing rate of this class is deemed appropriate given the student profile.
3. The Clinical Physiology specialization has been a successful addition to program offerings and
removal of the “General” program to be replaced by additional specializations is under strong
consideration. There needs to be a more efficient method for tracking the data through the
registrar, institutional research, and the alumni.
EMS-Para-medicine:
Although outcomes were satisfactorily met, the following actions will be considered:
1. Increased emphasis on report writing skills and documentation of patent care, as well as more
routine knowledge assessments in the different areas of focus to encourage more routine
studying of material by students.
2. Develop and implement ongoing CME course offerings for local EMS providers through
CWU. 3. Continue to receive and act on feedback from preceptor supervisors at field experience
sites and graduate employing agencies.
3. Additionally, faculty activity in presentations and publications at the state, region, and national
levels once the staffing and curriculum situations are stabilized.
Graduate Programs
While all learning outcomes were met, the Graduate Program will continue to encourage students
to conduct and present research in the future. No major changes in curriculum or teaching are
planned.
(b) Specific changes to assessment processes:
1. For all programs, the assessment procedures employed in assessing learner outcomes covered
the gamut of cognitive, psychomotor, and affective domains of education.
2. Even in programs/specific learner outcomes where “class grades” are the major determinant,
these grades are derived from a complex combination of:
• demonstrated knowledge
• written and oral communication skills at several levels
• analytical processes, and
• logical/critical thinking.
No major changes in assessment processes are planned.
28
III: Faculty:
A: Faculty Profile (See tables for each program in Appendix III):
Scholarship
Faculty actively pursue scholarship with high levels of involvement of research paper readings at
national, regional, and state meetings, a manuscript generation, and several successful grants.
Faculty are also actively involved in Service activities at all three (Institution, Profession, and
Community) levels. Additionally, a clear record of student mentorship at both Graduate and
Undergraduate levels exists.
The following Tables summarize the cumulative scholarship, service, and student mentoring
activities of faculty.
Scholarship Activity:
2003-04
2004-05
2005-06
2006-07
2007-08
5yr total
Peer Reviewed
Manuscripts
2
2
1
2
7
14
Abstracts-Conference
Proceedings
14
17
15
19
20
85
Conference PaperReadings
20
20
15
13
16
88
External Grants
Submitted/Successful
4/2
2/1
1/0
2/0
3/3
12/6
Internal Grants
Submitted/Successful
5/5
5/5
1/1
1/1
2/2
14/14
2003-04
2004-05
2005-06
2006-07
2007-08
5yr total
CWU Committees
21
20
19
20
28
108
Professional
Organizations
6
3
4
4
6
23
Community
14
17
13
13
14
71
2003-04
2004-05
2005-06
2006-07
2007-08
5yr total
SOURCE
5
5
6
9
15
40
Thesis/Project/Exam
Chair
9
8
9
10
15
51
Thesis/Project/Exam
Committee
6
3
12
9
18
48
Service Activity:
Faculty Mentored Research:
29
B.
Curriculum Vita (See Appendix III)
C.
Faculty Awards for Teaching, Scholarship, and Service
• Dr. Bergman - selected as the Assoc Dean - College of Education and Professional Services.
• Dr. Bergman - elected as Speaker of the House for the American Dietetic Association.
• Professor Cashman - elected as president of the Yakima Valley Dietetic Association.
• Professor Cashman – member of Nutrition Ad Hoc Committee for Shape Up Kittitas County.
• Dr. Gee - awarded the CWU Symposium on University Research and Creative Expression
(SOURCE) Faculty Mentor Award.
• Professor Adams – selected to the Speakers Bureau, National Dairy Council
• Professor Adams - Resource Media Spokesperson, American Dietetic Association
• Dr. Burnham, Excellence in Teaching, CWU Alumni Association - 2005
• Dr. Nethery - CWU Distinguished Professor of the Year – Teaching - 2006
• Dr. Nethery - CEPS Outstanding Scholarship Award - 2008
• Dr. D’Acquisto - CEPS Outstanding Teaching Award - 2008
• Dr. D’Acquisto - CEPS Outstanding Scholarship Award – 2007
• Dr. Papadopoulos - HHPN Outstanding Teaching Award - 2007
• Dr. Papadopoulos – CEPS Symposium: Outstanding Research Poster Award - 2006
• Dr. Papadopoulos - CEPS Outstanding Teaching Award - 2007
D.
Department, College, University Performance Standards (Appendix III)
30
IV: Students:
A: Student Accomplishments
Nutrition:
1. Students in FSN regularly present research at SOURCE with three to four undergraduate
presentations and one graduate presentation each year.
2. Over the past five years, an average of 8-12 undergraduates per year are admitted to accredited
dietetic internship sites. Admission rate to dietetic internships over the past five years averages
approximately 70% - close to the national average.
3. Three to four undergraduate students are accepted to the Masters degree program.
4. Undergraduate student participation in the Nutrition College Bowl, held annually at California
State University in Northridge. CWU has sent teams the last three years and is the only two-time
champions in the six year history of that event.
Exercise Science:
1. Students (graduate and undergraduate) from the Exercise Science program have presented 22
SOURCE presentations.
2. Eighteen students from the undergraduate program have progressed to successfully acquire a
Master of Science in Exercise Science from CWU and numerous others have obtained these
same degrees at other institution or have proceeded to graduate professional programs in areas
such as Physical and Occupational Therapies.
3. Four students are currently entered in Ph.D. programs in several universities well known for
their Exercise Science program (Ohio State, Ball State, University of Georgia, and U.C. Davis).
4. Approximately 75% of Exercise Science graduates are working in a field related to exercise
physiology or medicine (PT, OT, RN, PA, PTA, Cardiopulmonary rehabilitation, Cancer
rehabilitation, Private Health/Fitness Organizations, Non-Profit Agencies.).
5. Approximately 15% of graduates go on to further schooling including Master’s or Doctorate
level work, professional programs related to Physical or Occupational Therapy, or some other
type of healthcare training. The remaining 10% are lost to tracking.
EMS – Para-medicine:
1. The Paramedic Program surveys alumni one year after the completion of the program as part
of the accreditation process for CoAEMSP/CAHEP to assess how the program prepared
graduates for employment in a healthcare setting.
2. Background information including employment and credential status and to rate the program
on a 1-5 scale with additional comments on how the program helped them with their knowledge
base (cognitive domain), clinical proficiency (psychomotor domain), and behavioral skills
(affective domain). Surveys also identified program strengths and weakness, suggestions for
program improvement and comments that would help better prepare future graduates based on
their work experience. The average rate of return on the graduate surveys was 67%.
3. Positive placement in employment averaged 98% or better within 3 months of graduation for
those graduates responding to the survey.
4. All students passed the National Registry of EMT-Paramedic written examination and
practical skills evaluation, resulting in a national certification.
5. Continuing education activities, such as OTEP through King County, CME, and other on-thejob training programs averaged 94% for those graduates responding.
6. No students placed in Master’s or Doctoral programs.
31
Table summary of the survey data over the past 5 years:
Total # of
Graduates
Graduate Surveys
returned/Percentage
National Registry
Pass Rate
2007-2008
2006-2007
2005-2006
2004-2005
2003-2004
18
19
19
18
18
0/0%
12/63%
15/84%
14/78%
8/44%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
B: Master’s Theses Suggestions:
• Megan Erickson’s “Nutritional and Economic Impact of School Nutrition Policies on Vending
Machine Purchases”.
• Phillip Matern’s “Light Exercise Does Not Ameliorate DOMS Symptoms Beyond That
Achieved by Rest”.
• Jared Dickinson’s “Physiologic and Kinematic Responses to Sloping Surface Running”.
All theses are available through either the department upon request or are located in the library.
C: Advising
Nutrition:
1. Students are assigned academic advisors (FSN faculty) based on last name unless otherwise
requested. They meet with their advisor when first declaring their major with all necessary
documents provided.
2. Faculty advisors use the SAFARI-CAPS report to insure that students are aware of what major
requirements still need to be met.
3. Academic advising is also provided in group-settings on a regular basis to cover areas such as
dietetic internships, setting up cooperative field experiences, and career opportunities. Students
provide feedback on the academic advising and show general satisfaction with this process.
Exercise Science:
1. All students meet with the program director prior to entering the Exercise Science major. Preadmission requirements, the pre-requisites structure for courses, and the quarters in which the
courses are offered are all explained.
2. A tentative 2-year plan for the student is generated and a faculty advisor is assigned.
3. Students meet with their advisor preferably quarterly but at least once a year depending on
need, during the faculty member’s office hour or other arranged times.
4. Each faculty member advises between 20 and 40 students.
5. Academic advising is also provided in group-settings through guest presentations in EXSC
461 to cover setting up internship experiences and career opportunities.
6. Student feedback on the academic advising indicates a high level of satisfaction with the
procedures employed.
7. Dr. Nethery develops affiliation agreements with approved preceptor institutions, generates
education-learning agreements between the students and the preceptor sites, and is responsible
for all internship oversight and supervision. This consistency is critical.
32
EMS – Para-medicine:
1. Advising for the Paramedic program begins with student recruitment and selection.
2. The programs reputation is substantiated by the select cohort enrolled each year and the
exceptionally high first-pass rates on the National Registry for EMT-Paramedic Examination.
3. This selection process engenders highly motivated and experienced emergency medical
technicians as paramedic students in the program and facilitates program guidance and successes
in matriculation.
4. The Program of Study for paramedic students is well established, invariant, and fairly
complete in scope.
5. Entering students are fully aware of required coursework and understand, from the beginning,
the expectations.
6. Advising largely constitutes assuring continuance along the guidelines of the Programs of
Study and of counseling in academic and related matters.
7. Students rarely report scholar-related impediments or unexpected academic obstacles that may
threaten program completion or graduation due to the well-defined nature of the program.
8. Advising is benefited by a seasoned faculty member that has institutional, program, and
career-specific knowledge to deal with unanticipated academic challenges.
Graduate Program:
1. General advising information regarding program curricula and Fall Quarter schedule is sent by
the Graduate Program Director following acceptance into the program and prior to arriving on
campus.
2. A meeting is held at the beginning of Fall Quarter during which a Graduate Student Handbook
(available upon request) containing all the necessary forms for individual classes, course of
study, thesis requirements, and responsibilities and expectations is distributed.
3. During the two academic quarters, students have the opportunity to meet with faculty in both
formal and informal settings to discuss areas of interest to assess mutuality.
4. Based on areas of mutual interest, a faculty mentor is identified, a course of study established,
and a research agenda including time-line to completion generated.
5. The tight student-faculty mentor-collaborative relationship ensures that faculty and students
meet on a regular basis to assess course and research progress.
D: Other Student Services – Clubs, Organizations
Nutrition:
1. The Nutrition Science Club provides the opportunity to be involved in extracurricular food
science and nutrition related activities. A faculty member is assigned to be the NSC’s advisor.
NSC organizes or is involved in numerous events, including working with the local health
department in their Shape Up Kittitas County project and teaming with the local hospital in their
annual diabetes education fair.
2. A Peer Nutrition Education program led by faculty and two graduate assistants gives
undergraduate students an opportunity to provide individual and group nutrition education
through the student health center and the student recreation center.
3. One faculty member provides continuous, ongoing supervision for the Club, in both
organizational oversight as well as fiduciary integrity.
33
Exercise Science:
1. The Exercise Science Club (mandatory for all EXSC students) provides the opportunity to be
involved in extracurricular profession-related activities.
2. Organized a community fun run since 2004.
3. Organizes guest presentations to educate students about various career options.
4. Organizes student attendances at professional meetings – geographically appropriate.
5. Apply for funds through student union fund support for student clubs - to offset registration
for the regional conferences.
6. Organize related social events.
7. One faculty member provides continuous, ongoing supervision for the Club, in both
organizational oversight and fiduciary integrity.
EMS – Para-medicine:
1. The Paramedic Program oversees, supports, and advises the Wildcat EMT Club.
2. This organization is a state-recognized EMS provider entity, delivering initial medical
response and basic life support services to on-campus emergencies.
3. All students are certified emergency medical technicians (EMTs) and function to provide
limited basic life support care until local emergency medical service (EMS) agencies arrive.
4. Faculty members from the Paramedic Program regularly interact with the Wildcat EMT Club
members, offering instruction, continuing education, in-service sessions, and general counsel.
5. One faculty member provides continuous, ongoing supervision for the Club, in both
organizational oversight as well as fiduciary integrity.
34
V: Facilities & Equipment by location
A: Adequacy of Facilities:
Nutrition:
General Description:
• Food Science and Nutrition have two general food laboratories (MI 129 & MI 127) that can
accommodate 18 students each. These laboratories are housed in Michaelsen Hall, located across
the street from the building housing NEHS faculty. Stoves and other major appliances were
replaced about a decade ago (unfortunately with inadequate consumer quality), the physical
structure has remained largely unchanged from the construction of the building in the 1960’s. Of
particular concern is the lack of adequate ventilation above cooking units. As well, the
building lacks air conditioning and the heating system is often inadequate.
• A food and nutrition science laboratory (MI 222) is used for teaching Experimental Foods and
Nutrition Assessment Laboratory. This laboratory was renovated in the late 1980’s and
generally serves the needs of the program. However, its small size limits student capacity.
• The faculty sincerely believe that with the growing numbers of students in the Nutrition
programs, a new modern and larger facility located in the same building as faculty offices is
warranted, and funding for this expansion should be urgently sought over the next 3-5 years.
Exercise Science
General Description:
• The two main facilities utilized by Exercise Science programs are the Anatomy Laboratory (PE
207) and the Physiology Laboratory (PE 202). These laboratories are used for teaching,
research, and as a destination for many outside interest groups that come to the CWU campus
(high school students, nurses, students not enrolled in department courses).
• The Anatomy Laboratory is small (approximately 24 x 32 feet) and contains four cadavers, a
number of skeletons and other models, along with desks and chairs for students.
• A goal for this facility is to cap enrollment at 15-16 students per lab section. Unfortunately,
this goal is met less the 50% of the time. High student lab enrollment makes instruction
difficult. Physically moving around desks, students, backpacks, skeletons and cadavers is
cumbersome. Ideally 4 students should be able to work at a cadaver, however 5-6 students
currently view a cadaver at a time making it difficult for some of them to adequately study the
anatomical structures.
• Community groups of 20-30 people often visit this laboratory to examine the cadavers. The
quality of this experience is minimized for many of these visitors, as the room is too crowded
and therefore less functional.
• At current levels of usage and more-so with future growth, the faculty, students, and visitors
would be better served with larger facility that would double the anatomy laboratory space.
• The Physiology Laboratory is used as a teaching room, a learning laboratory for practicum’s
and extra practice sessions, a fitness evaluation center for the general public, and as a research
facility for faculty and students.
• Currently, two faculty members and 4-5 graduate students have offices in this lab. This facility
is clearly inadequate.
• Approximately one quarter of this facility is set up for metabolic and cardiovascular assessment
activities (metabolic cart, treadmill, cycle ergometer, ECG), one half is set up as an instructional
setting (chairs, desks, boards, instructional technology unit), with the remaining quarter a clean
up area (sink, counters), restroom, shower facilities, and offices. A small back room (sufficient
to handle 3-4 people) contains a hydrostatic weighing tank and shower stall.
35
• Lab classes, frequently comprising 18-20 students, will often be in the teaching area while,
simultaneously, research will be conducted in the metabolic-cardiovascular section. A curtain
separates these sections however noise, space, equipment needs, and adherence to protocols are a
significant problem.
• Research integrity is compromised by ongoing instruction and student learning activities,
whereas student instruction is similarly distracted by the research activity (noise from a treadmill
or cycle ergometer).
• Additionally faculty members, graduate students, and students coming to faculty offices located
inside the laboratory for advising, often walk through the middle of an ongoing instructional
session or interfere with a research team to reach the office area.
• In the mid-late afternoon daily (3pm-6pm), this lab is used by Exercise Science practicum
students for fitness assessment of CWU students, faculty and staff from the university, and
members of the community. The heavy use during this time precludes effective work in faculty
and graduate student offices and eliminates these times for faculty/student research projects.
• During any academic quarter, several faculty members (up to 5 or 6 including Nutrition) are
conducting research projects in this lab in collaboration with graduate or undergraduate students.
The scheduling of research appointment times that do not conflict with class times, or the
undergraduate Fitness Lab practicum, is quite difficult.
• Clearly, this facility is inadequate for teaching needs, public visits, and practicum work.
• The current single lab arrangement, with some additional/updated equipment, is sufficient for
general instructional settings, however it is clear that separate laboratory facilities (metabolic lab,
thermoregulation center, body composition/anthropometry, ………,) for projects, graduate
student instruction, and faculty-student collaborative research are warranted and desperately
needed.
EMS – Para-medicine:
General Description:
• The EMS-Para-medicine Program has administrative and faculty offices in the Physical
Education Building and conducts the majority of classroom and lab instruction in Michaelsen
Hall.
• Office facilities are adequate for current staff and faculty levels, however, should these
numbers increase with the anticipated program growth, additional office (and instructional) space
will be necessary.
• The rooms in Michaelsen Hall that are dedicated to emergency medical services (EMS) training
(rooms 223 and 224) have been configured to accommodate the unique needs of EMS education.
Secured cabinets for storage of medical supplies, pharmacological supplies, syringes and
needles, and other, similar soft supplies have been constructed.
• Standard instructional audio/visual equipment and routinely used training manikins and
equipment have been recently provided – all of which are essential for effectively attaining
program goals.
• Seating can accommodate approximately 20 students in room 223 and approximately 40
students in 224.
B: Current Equipment:
Nutrition:
• Equipment in the foods laboratory urgently needs to be upgraded to industrial levels in all food
preparation areas. Current equipment is at least a decade ago and many acquired several decades
ago. Additionally, equipment if of consumer rather than the needed industrial quality.
36
• Along with a capital project to build new laboratory facilities would be a request to upgrade all
of the equipment in the labs. Expansion of the food and nutrition laboratory would include
copies of additional scientific equipment to remove one aspect of the limitations of the capacity
of laboratory instruction.
Exercise Science:
• The equipment utilized by the Exercise Science faculty is primarily housed in the Anatomy and
the Physiology laboratories.
• The equipment in the Anatomy laboratory consists of the following: 4 cadavers (replaced on a
two-year rotational basis, skeletons, individual bones, plastic organ models – more are needed,
storage cabinets, sinks, and work tables. Currently this room is overcrowded and, while one or
two additional cadavers and additional plastic models could be used to enhance instruction in this
lab, current physical size precludes this possibility.
• The equipment in the Physiology Laboratory consists of the following: two metabolic –
cardiovascular assessment stations (metabolic cart, treadmill, ECG, cycle ergometer, lactate
analyzer), 7 additional bikes, 1 additional treadmill, hydrostatic weighing tank, body
composition calipers, heart rate monitors, sphygmomanometers, spirometers, scales, computers,
Biopac laboratory equipment, and additional fitness analysis equipment.
• About half of this equipment is out of date – some 25+ years old, and has low functional value.
Additional – replacement/upgraded of most all units are needed.
• In general, this equipment gets heavy use as this lab is used for teaching, research, and
practicums.
EMS – Para-medicine:
• Program growth in the baccalaureate degree through expansion from one to two years to
complete degree components would generate increased equipment demand for by doubling the
student population.
• However, some of that expense would be absorbed through parallel instruction (sharing of
equipment among students of different cohorts during same quarter) and through the marked
increase in tuition revenue (the return on investment for supplies would be much greater yielding
improved utility – assuming tuition intake directly translates to program support). Nonetheless,
some additional equipment needs would be realized (e.g., manikins, soft supplies, accessory
equipment and perhaps some education equipment).
• Because all baccalaureate degree instruction occurs at the Ellensburg campus, the demand for
additional classroom and storage space will be greater than at present. Again, the magnitude of
the increase would be buffered by sharing of equipment, classrooms, and supplies with properly
structured course offerings (opposing day courses for differing cohorts).
• The projected addition of distance education units, especially graduate education development,
would incur small administrative and educational costs to support faculty/staff for the additional
workload as well as computerized instruction. With distance education growth, the principal
cost would be adjunct faculty, projected as only a fraction of the associated increases in tuition
revenue.
• Current facilities needs fall far short of what is necessary considering the planned on-campus
programmatic growth in expanded clinical scope, graduate education in EMS, and the critical
adjustment of Program length for the baccalaureate degree.
• Increasing the program duration from one to two years toward the baccalaureate degree will
force a doubling of student population in the major (two overlapping cohorts)– that will
necessitate at least one additional classroom. In addition, the paramedic education requires
intensive psychomotor development in patient care labs, which are currently satisfied using
37
simple partitions to isolate “break-out” stations. Ideal circumstances would provide for actual
rooms dedicated to emergency medical services skill education. This program expansion would
also necessitate a modest increase in additional durable equipment, as well as an increase in soft
supplies.
• Facility needs relative to graduate education is anticipated to be much less by comparison as
this growth is expected to be via distance education (online) with little (if any) on-campus
student presence.
C: Current Technology Status and Anticipated Future Needs
Nutrition:
• Analysis programs are widely used in the profession and, with well over 100 major, minor, and
graduate students, there exists a real need for a small dedicated computer laboratory that will
allow access to program-specific software including nutrient analysis, assessment of health risk,
body composition analysis, and other specific programs.
• Faculty currently teach several lecture courses in a laboratory setting (MI 129) and teaching
effectiveness in this environment is compromised. An additional lecture hall adjacent to the food
laboratories with a capacity of up to 50 students is needed.
• Appropriate teaching technology, including a camera stand, would also be required.
Exercise Science:
• Computer technology is currently at reasonable levels for graduate and undergraduate students,
and for faculty. The greatest need is in specific new and updated laboratory equipment for
physiology, and also the acquisition of relevant software (e.g. Statistical Packages) for both PC
and Mac platforms.
EMS – Para-medicine:
• At the Ellensburg campus, where all didactic and lab instruction takes place for the Paramedic
Program, the technology available to the Program has been recently upgraded and enhanced.
• The classrooms are outfitted with state-of-the-art audio-visual equipment and specialized EMS
training equipment.
• There is an associated attrition and a progressive need to replace worn and out-dated equipment
every year, particularly of the training equipment, but the Program currently operates on a firm
foundation.
• As new techniques are introduced to the discipline, new training aids become necessary to meet
the new educational demands. This next year, we expect an increased need for simulated
resuscitation manikins, cricothyrotomy manikins, and needle thoracentesis manikins.
Additionally, the Program would benefit greatly from a student interactive learning system, such
as TurningPoint™, to improve instructional methodologies.
• With Programmatic growth in distance education, there would be a commensurate demand in
computer technology to meet the needs of online instruction. Additionally, other, incidental,
needs would also arise with graduate program growth (e.g., library resources, journals, reference
texts, audio/visual aids, etc.) that would comprise a marginal increase in Program expenses.
Graduate:
• Technology status and needs of the graduate program are largely consistent with those
described the NUTR ad EXSC undergraduate programs.
• In addition to specifics already noted, the acquisition of a large plotter-printer for poster
generation is needed for both graduate and undergraduate students. Indeed, and as a result of
38
multiple requests from NUTR and EXSC faculty, such a printer was purchased by the College
several years ago, but was placed in the Educational Technology division of the Education
Department. While initial access and cost was acceptable, it is now more economical to utilize
printers in departments on campus outside the College and, for high quality presentations,
commercial settings are often, unfortunately, the preferred generation source.
39
VI: Library and Technological Resources by Location:
A: General and Specific Needs – Current and Future
Nutrition:
• The University Library provides books, periodicals, and video media in physical form from
their own collection, periodicals via electronic database subscriptions, and via inter-library loan.
• The Library budgets each department an allocation to purchase books and media. Each
department has a list of periodicals that is dedicated to that department and the budget for those
periodicals is fixed. Adding additional subscriptions generally requires a cutting another
subscription.
• Library resources are currently adequate with electronic access to periodicals as well as
electronic access via inter-library loan greatly enhancing access to necessary library resources.
• Future needs of library resources should be met without great difficulty.
Exercise Science:
• Library resources (books, periodicals) are somewhat dated in general, however availability via
electronic mechanisms and through inter-library loan is reasonable.
• The library budgets to a department and periodical are fixed, when adding subscriptions cutting another is required. A systematic review of library collections that reflect the new
(NEHS) department will be required as soon as there is a formalization of the department.
• Future needs of library resources will be better assessed when a Department of NEHS – Library
analysis is done.
EMS – Para-medicine:
• The Paramedic Program has not routinely sought library support for programmatic needs. As a
result, there is a substantive deficit.
• The Program is in dire need of medical reference textbooks, professional trade and peerreviewed journals, and instructional audio/visual aids (DVDs).
• At minimum, it would benefit from online subscriptions to the following journals:




Prehospital Emergency Care, National Association of EMS Educators and
the National Association of EMS Physicians,
(http://www.naemse.org/publications/naemse- publications/description/ 396973/ )
Annals of Emergency Medicine, American College of Emergency
Physicians, (http://www.annemergmed.com/ )
Prehospital and Disaster Medicine, World Association for Disaster and
Emergency Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison
(http://pdm.medicine.wisc.edu/ )
The American Journal of Emergency Medicine, Elsevier Publishing
(http://www.journals.elsevierhealth.com/periodicals/yajem/home)
As well as the following reference texts:
 Emergency Medicine: A Comprehensive Study Guide, Judith Tintinalli,
M.D.
 Rosen’s Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice, John A.
Marx, M.D.
40
• Other emergency medical journals and textbooks would benefit the Program in either hardback
or electronically. Several professional associations offer individual and institutional discounts to
acquire these resources.
• As the Program develops and enhances its curricula, the need for quality reference information
becomes proportionately greater. This is particularly true for the planned courses in Problembased Learning, Advanced Clinical Practices for the Paramedic, and other specialized courses
being considered or under development.
Graduate:
• Graduate program library needs are adequately described in the aforementioned NUTR and
EXSC sections.
B: Information technology currently used and anticipated needs:
Nutrition:
• Faculty in Food Science and Nutrition regularly utilize internet resources in the classroom,
Blackboard as the means of managing course materials and content, smart classrooms that allow
for PowerPoint presentations, internet access, as well as video presentations, classroom instant
polling technology (TurningPoint Technologies), and podcasting with access of the recorded
lectures on iTunesU linked on the course Blackboard site.
• We hope that the University standard smart classroom technology will include both food
laboratories in Michaelsen Hall, as well as the main lecture hall in Michaelsen Hall.
Exercise Science:
• Faculty in Exercise Science regularly utilize internet resources in the classroom, Blackboard as
the means of managing course materials and content, smart classrooms that allow for PowerPoint
presentations, internet access, as well as video presentations.
EMS-Para-medicine:
•The Program faculty members currently utilize digital projection, overhead projection from
document viewers, DVD projection, and PowerPoint displays extensively in classroom
instruction.
• In addition, specialized, EMS-specific, instructional equipment is utilized extensively in the lab
environment.
• A recognized need for student interactive equipment, such as TurningPoint Audience Response
Systems, has placed emphasis on the availability of this equipment as an expanded educational
methodology.
Graduate:
• Graduate faculty regularly utilize internet resources in the classroom, Blackboard as the means
of managing course materials and content, smart classrooms that allow for PowerPoint
presentations, internet access, as well as video presentations.
41
C: Current Technology status (other than IT) and anticipated needs:
Nutrition:
• Graduate students in nutrition have access to a small computer laboratory in the PE building.
However, undergraduate students in food science and nutrition must go to other buildings to use
program related software.
• As noted earlier, there is a need for a computer laboratory dedicated to students in NEHS and
we hope this will be a component on any expanded or new building plan.
Exercise Science:
• Exercise Science has made multiple requests over several years for new and updated equipment
to meet the needs of instruction and to provide students with practical experiences that are
reflective of those existing in the profession. These requests have ranged from ~$100,000 to
~$150,000.
• The optimal development of practical skills necessitates acquisition and maintenance of
appropriate technology.
• In addition to new equipment-technology needs, it is anticipated that ~ $15,000 is required
annually for maintenance.
EMS-Para-medicine:
• As previously noted, the Paramedic Program recently received institution funds (as a result of
the CoAEMSP accreditation report) to upgrade equipment and staffing (support 0.5 position).
This has placed the Paramedic Program on a solid foundation for potential growth and
development.
• Owing to the intensity of the Program in emergency medical services and in skill development,
the need for emerging technology and training equipment is ongoing.
• Without additional Program growth, it is reasonably accurate to anticipate equipment needs
each year of between $12,000 and $15,000 to maintain the depth and breadth of EMS education
at Central Washington University. With planned program growth, it is expected that amount
would approximately double.
Graduate:
• Graduate program needs are adequately described in the aforementioned NUTR and EXSC
sections.
42
VII: Analysis of Review Period:
A: What has gone well:
Nutrition:
Enrollment: Over the past five years, enrollment in NUTR programs has steadily grown from
116.1 FTES in the 2003-04 academic year to 134.8 FTES, a 16% increase. Virtually all of those
increases have occurred in upper division courses, reflecting an increase in both majors and
minors in the NUTR. Enrollment demand for the general education course NUTR 245 – Basic
Nutrition remained high throughout the 5 year period and was always filled to capacity.
Incorporation of classroom technology: NUTR faculty are leaders at CWU when it comes to
the use of classroom technology to enhance student learning. NUTR faculty were among the
first to use instant classroom response systems (“clickers” ) as a means of polling student
opinions and evaluating student learning in real time. NUTR faculty were also among the first at
CWU to utilize iPods for recording lectures and posting them as podcasts on iTunesU. NUTR
faculty are also heavy users of more typical classroom technologies such as PowerPoint slides
and Blackboard. In the past few years, faculty in NUTR have begun delivering classes via
interactive television (ITV) technology from CWU-centers to the Ellensburg campus.
Community and professional service: NUTR faculty and students have become active
participants in the Kittitas County Health Department’s “Shape Up Kittitas County” program.
NUTR faculty serve on their nutrition advisory board and NUTR students participate in a variety
of that program’s community activities. NUTR faculty and students have had leadership roles in
the local, state and national dietetic associations. The current president of the Yakima Valley
Dietetic Association, the student representatives on the Washington State Dietetic Association
executive board in the past two years, the current WSDA media representative, and the current
Speaker-elect of the House of Delegates for the American Dietetic Association are NUTR
faculty and students.
Student achievement: NUTR graduate and undergraduate students regularly present their
research at the annual meeting of the American Dietetic Association (Food and Nutrition
Conference and Expo). In addition, NUTR undergraduate students competed at the annual
Nutrition College Bowl held at California State University at Northridge in 2006, 2007, and
2008. The teams from 2006 and 2008 won the competitions and CWU is the only university to
have won that event twice over the 6 year history of the competition. The admission rate of
CWU undergraduates into Dietetic Internships and the passage rate of the national registration
examination have remained approximately at the national average. Employment of graduates
from our dietetic internship is nearly 100%. Also, in 2006 and 2007, two NUTR undergraduate
students were selected to participate in CWU’s Science Honors Research Program.
Program expansion: As a result of increased program enrollment and sustained high demand
for spaces in NUTR 245 – Basic Nutrition, the NUTR program was granted in 2006 a new tenure
track position, and in 2007 granted a conversion of a full-time non-tenure track position into a
tenure track position and 1.5 new tenure track positions. A new program based at CWULynnwood (BAS-Food Service Management) was initiated in 2007 with the new tenure-track
position approved in 2006. The new tenure track positions approved in 2007 will give the
NUTR program flexibility that the program has never had. For example, in addition to creating
new sections of NUTR 245, the new positions will allow faculty to be given workload units for
supervising graduate students. Also, the new tenure track faculty will give the NUTR program
much more diversity in expertise than it has ever had.
Department reorganization: In 2006, the NUTR program moved from the Department of
Family and Consumer Sciences to the Department of Health, Human Performance and
Recreation. Subsequent to the move, the department was renamed to Health, Human
43
Performance, and Nutrition (HHPN). The reorganization was a result of the natural scholarly,
practical, and programmatic connections between NUTR and programs within HHPN. The
physical and administrative changes have resulted in new collaborations between NUTR and the
programs in exercise science, health education, and physical education.
Exercise Science:
Over the past five years the Exercise Science program, students, and faculty have accomplished a
number of noteworthy items.
Program:
• Of the 3 program goals listed in Section E.3., two of them Goal 1 (internships) and Goal 2
(Exercise Science Club) have been met. Goal 3 (16 students per laboratory section) was not met
for a substantial number of laboratory sections and needs to be addressed in the future.
• Student learning outcomes have been set during this period and are within acceptable
parameters.
• Student enrollment in the Exercise Science program continues to grow, with approximately 150
students currently enrolled as majors.
• Courses in the curriculum are taught very efficiently with SFR numbers ranging from
approximately 22-37 over this assessment period.
• Additionally, a new specialization, Clinical Physiology, was developed during the review
period and was implemented in Fall 2007. This specialization better prepares students to enter
areas of Health and Allied Health Care where exercise is an integral part of prophylactic and
rehabilitative programs. Such areas include cardiopulmonary rehabilitation, specialized
metabolic disorder clinics, athletic training/sports medicine, and as exercise physiology assistants
to physical therapists. This specialization also prepares students for eligibility to enter graduate
school or specialized post-graduate certification programs in several areas including physical and
occupational therapy, physical therapy assistant, physician assistant, athletic training, and
master/doctoral level studies in integrated human physiology and exercise science.
Students:
• Approximately 75% of Exercise Science graduates are working in a field related to their
degree.
• Approximately 15% of graduates go on to further schooling in exercise science or the
healthcare field.
• Over this assessment period, the students have produced 22 SOURCE presentations and 18
students from this program have gone on to receive their M. S. degree in Exercise Science from
CWU.
Faculty:
• During the last year of this assessment period, the Exercise Science faculty gained 1.5 tenure
track positions (Dr. Pritchett full time exercise science and Dr. Kerr .5 exercise science plus .5
nutrition).
• Additional faculty have allowed more sections of various classes to be opened, thus decreasing
class size. One of the main recommendations of the last review was to increase faculty
scholarship. During this last review period, EXSC faculty produced 11 peer-reviewed papers, 61
published conference abstracts and 74 conference presentations. They also submitted 5 external
grants and 9 internal ones demonstrating a solid scholarship record.
• EXSC faculty also performed a large amount of service work, serving on 79 university
committees and performing 53 acts of community service.
44
• Additionally they supervised 34 theses projects and served as members on 35 thesis
committees.
• Faculty awards during this period include CEPS Outstanding Teaching 2008 (Dr, D’Acquisto)
and CEPS Outstanding Scholarship 2007 (Dr. D’Acquisto), CEPS Outstanding Scholarship 2008
(Dr. Nethery), CWU Alumni Association Excellence in Teaching 2005 (Dr. Burnham), and
Central Washington University’s Distinguished Professor - Teaching 2006 (Dr. Nethery). All of
these accomplishments occurred with full teaching loads.
These accomplishments have been supported primarily with internal resources. Specifically,
funds from the Graduate School, the Provost and the Dean to promote professional development.
The department has also established a Research Committee that partially funds (at relatively low
levels) – typically at a matching level - faculty and student research projects.
EMS-Para-medicine:
The EMS Paramedic Program has undergone considerable change and volatility over the past
five years. As a result of the accreditation process, several areas of deficiency as well as
programmatic excellence were identified. In addition, feedback from professional organizations,
students, graduates, faculty, and other external sources has provided considerable insight into the
Program’s accomplishments and challenges.
• In the past five years, the program has attained full accreditation from the Committee on
Accreditation of Emergency Medical Services Education Programs (CoAEMSP). Student
terminal performances have well exceeded national averages in cognitive and psychomotor
domains of the National EMT Paramedic examination processes. Central Washington University
Paramedic Program student first-pass-rates approach 100%, whereby national averages are closer
to 65%.
• Additionally, graduate and employer surveys indicate great satisfaction among both
groups in the level of preparedness the graduates have achieved through the Paramedic Program.
New graduates are sought after by EMS employers throughout the region – owing to the longstanding reputation as well as the competence of the graduates.
• State-of-the-art training equipment has been acquired by the Paramedic Program
through generous allocations from the University to satisfy cited deficiencies from the
accreditation agency. These training aids have enabled the Paramedic Program to provide
superior instruction in all aspects of paramedicine. This standard, coupled with the
comprehensive curriculum and institutional history the Program possesses, have set the Central
Washington University’s Paramedic Program into an elite status nationally.
• The Paramedic Program’s service courses have gained substantial popularity and utility
among other majors on campus. Currently, the Program routinely fills four service courses per
quarter.
• The Program’s future growth and development have recently been supported through
the hiring of a new Director with substantial experience in Program direction, distance education
development, curriculum development, and graduate program development. The future of the
Paramedic Program has incredible potential for growth and notoriety.
• Local EMS agencies and government EMS offices have declared and demonstrated
ongoing support for the development and continuance of the Paramedic Program. Many
agencies provide valuable internship opportunities for the students during their education process
in the Program. This area of programmatic support continues to grow at a time when most
paramedic education programs nationwide are being forced to close due to a lack of field
internship opportunities.
45
• The same level of commitment is realized with hospital-based clinical sites for
paramedic education. Regional hospitals welcome Central Washington University’s Paramedic
Program students to experience unique clinical opportunities that contribute greatly toward their
professional development.
Graduate Program:
• The addition of two new exercise science – nutrition faculty members.
• Both faculty members teach several exercise science graduate level classes and mentor
graduate students along with responsibilities in the undergraduate exercise science and nutrition
programs.
• This has helped with the distribution of thesis workload among faculty.
• In addition, there are two new faculty members in nutrition that potentially will help in the
mentoring of nutrition graduate students in the completion of thesis research and to function on
other graduate student committees.
Four exercise science graduate students have entered Ph.D. programs.
Ball State University
The Ohio State University
University of Georgia
University of California at Davis
Graduates have secured jobs in the workforce (cardiac rehabilitation, teaching, working in a
wellness/fitness facilities). Examples include the following:
Coordinator Oncology Support Services, Harrison Medical Hospital, Bremerton, WA.
Instructor, Lane Community College, Eugene, OR
Clinical Dietitian, Children's Hospital, Seattle, WA.
Dietetic Intern, Central Washington University, Ellensburg, WA.
Clinical Research Coordinator, Rainier Clinical Research Center, Renton, Washington
Pacific Nutrition and Wellness. Exercise Physiologist position. Seattle, WA.
Strength and Conditioning Coach, Seattle Seahawks, Seattle, WA.
Wellness and Ergonomics Specialist - Providence Medical Systems, Everett, WA
Program Coordinator, YMCA, Port Charlotte, Florida
Assistant Athletic and Strength Coach, Pepsi Center, Denver, Colorado
PRO Sports Club, Trainers and Center Directors, Bellevue, WA.
Fitness and Membership Services Coordinator, University Recreation, Central
Washington University, Ellensburg, WA.
Yakima Regional Hospital, Physical Therapist Aide, Yakima, WA.
• A new Master of Science in Nutrition was approved by the HECB - Summer 2008.
• A new Metabolic Cart (Parvo-Medic), used in the classroom and for research was secured by
acquiring funds from multiple sources.
• Nutrition faculty joined the department in 2006. This reorganization was appropriate given the
scholarly and programmatic interests consistent with exercise science faculty. As a consequence,
the department changed its name to Health, Human Performance and Nutrition.
• More recent restructuring resulting in the formation of NEHS has better representation of
departments programs at all tiers. In addition, the Graduate Director can exclusively focus on
nutrition and exercise science graduate studies.
46
• Continue to receive Graduate Assistantship support from the Office of Graduate Studies. The
number of assistantships has been relatively stable over the years. Exercise Science graduate
students also receive assistantship opportunities through partnerships with the Athletic
Department, CWU Recreation, and Ellensburg High School (in previous years).
• Research collaboration among faculty and graduate students. These efforts result in regional
and national presentations.
Examples of recent research conducted in a collaborative effort among faculty and graduate
students. (Note: Students are highlighted in red).
Cashman, Linda, MS, RD; Bergman, Ethan, PhD, RD; Englund, Tim, PhD; Elkins, Ann, BS;
Tibay, Joe, BS, RD; Aragon, Maria Oakley, Charlotte.
Schools Meeting School Lunch Calorie Standards Tend to be Larger and Have Lower
Community Poverty Rates than Schools That Don’t Meet Calorie Standards.
33rd National Nutrient Databank Conference. Spring 2009
D’Acquisto, L.J., D’Acquisto, D., Renne, D.
Physiological responses during shallow water exercise in elderly females.
International Council for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, Sport, and Dance – Journal of
Research. Fall 2008 (in press).
D’Acquisto, L.J., Berry, J., Boggs, G.
Energetic, kinematic and freestyle performance characteristics of male swimmers. (Spring, 2007)
J. Swimming Research. Vol. 17, pp. 31-38.
D’Acquisto, L.J., Dickinson, J. Nethery, V.
Metabolic, Cardiovascular, and Kinematic Responses to Running on Sloping Surfaces.
American College of Sports Medicine Meeting, New Orleans, 2008.
Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, Supplement, 40 (5).
Contreras, B.E., D’Acquisto, L.J. Estimated Mechanical Efficiency During Running Tracks Well
with Lactate Threshold and Treadmill Time to Exhaustion.
American College of Sports Medicine Meeting, New Orleans, 2008.
Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, Supplement, 40 (5).
Wagner, J., Schlafer, T., Burnham, T., D’Acquisto, L., Papadopoulos, C., Kemble, K.
Preliminary Evaluation of a Cancer Survivorship Educational Program.
North West American College of Sports Medicine Meeting, Seattle Center, February 2008.
Swanson, N., D’Acquisto, L.J., Pritchett, R., Nethery, V., Perkins, R., Green, A.
Physiological Comparison of Young and Older Runners.
(SOURCE 2008, mentor: D’Acquisto))
Perkins, R., Swanson, N., Green, A., D’Acquisto, L.J.
Kinematic Characteristics of Younger and Older Trained Runners.
(SOURCE, mentor: D’Acquisto))
47
Rust, B., Swanson, N., D’Acquisto, L.J., Gee, D.
Elite Master Age Group Runners Show Diminished Macronutrient Intake per Kg Body Weight
Compared to Competitive College Runners.
(SOURCE, mentors: Gee and D’Acquisto)
Burnham, T. R., Kemble K., Dickinson J., and M. Garver.
Aerobic Exercise Improves Quality of Life in Breast Cancer Survivors.
Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 38:5 2006
Dickinson, J., Burnham, T., Skordahl, A. and L.D’Acquisto
Aerobic Exercise Decreases Depression and Anxiety in Breast Cancer Survivors.
Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 38:5 2006
Burnham, T. R., Kemble, K., Hineline, G., Wagner, J. and A. Zorn
Exercise Dose Required to Improve Quality of Life and Fatigue in Breast Cancer Survivors.
Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 39:5 2007.
B. Twaddle and C. Papadopoulos.
Influence of the built environment on physical activity of adults in a small rural community.
Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 38(5), 2006.
M. Garver, L. Nielsen, J. Dickinson, and C. Papadopoulos.
Effect of storage on blood lactate concentration and determination of various lactate threshold
definitions.
Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 38(5), S514, 2006.
L. Nielsen, M. Garver, J. Dickinson, and C. Papadopoulos.
Physiological and metabolic responses during two self selected cycling time trials.
Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 38(5), S491, 2006.
Support for these accomplishments:
Faculty have applied for external and internal funding to support scholarship. Several examples
of grants include the following:
 Ethan Bergman, Linda Cashman, and Tim Englund. National Food Service Management
Institution for $45,750. Secondary analysis of the SNDAIII funded with USDA funds from
NFSMI. 2008. Two grad students are currently working on the data from the SNDAIII School
Nutrition Dietary Assessment III data set. The students are Ann Elkins and Joe Tibay.
Additional graduate students may help in the future.
 Effects of Diet and Exercise on PSA and Risk Factors for Prostate Cancer. Primary
investigator: Tim Burnham, Co-Investigators: Katie Kemble, Chandra Villano. Submitted to the
Lance Armstrong Foundation on July 29,2005 after getting approval of the Letter of Intent (May
2005). Grant amount $247,461 ($82,487 a year for 3 years). Status: Not funded, asked to
resubmit.
 CWU Essential Instructional/Research Equipment Grant, sponsored by Central Washington
University. Grant amount: $9,125. Status: funded May 19, 2004.
48
Effects of Support Services on Quality of Life in Cancer Survivors. Primary investigator: Tim
Burnham, Co-Investigators: Vince Nethery, Katie Kemble. Submitted on January 13, 2004 to
the Oncology Nursing Society, 125 Enterprise Drive, Pittsburgh, PA, 15275-1214. Grant
amount: $44,903.98. Status: not funded
 Faculty Sponsor (Dr. Tim Burnham) for Denton Norwood’s Masters Research Grant for
$700 provided by Central Washington University Graduate School. The Effects of Kinesio
Taping on the Electromyographic Activity of the Vastus Medialis Oblique and Vastus Lateralis
Muscles. Status: funded December 2005.
 Faculty Sponsor (Dr. Leo D’Acquisto) for Nicole Swanson’s Masters Research Grant for
$700 provided by Central Washington University Graduate School. Physiological Comparison of
Young and Older Runners. Status: funded, academic year 2007-2008.
 Dr. Harry Papadopoulos , Central Washington University Seed Grant Program “The Seniors
Physical Activity and Community Evaluation (S.P.A.C.E) project: The influence of “built”
environment on physical activity among older adults.” $1,846, March 2005,

Dr. Harry Papadopoulos, Len Thayer Small Grants Program, “Relationship between lactate
threshold definitions and cycling performance.” $250 April 2, 2004, (Amount requested
$751.15)

Dr. Harry Papadopoulos, Central Washington University Faculty Summer Research
Appointment, “The influence of the use of different anticoagulants in test tubes in the
determination of the lactate threshold.” July, 2003, $2,450,
•
A new metabolic cart was supported by funds secured from the Graduate Office, CWU
Technology Committee, College of Education and Professional Studies, and the Department.
B: What challenges exist:
Nutrition:
Program accreditation: In 2009, both the Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) and the Dietetic
Internship (DI) will undergo accreditation review by the Commission on the Accreditation of
Dietetic Education (CADE) of the American Dietetic Association. Both programs elected to
meet new accreditation standards established this past year. Some of the new accreditation
standards will require that the NUTR faculty rethink program organization and content.
Program development: The new BAS-Food Service Management will need to establish itself at
CWU-Lynnwood, attract significant numbers of majors, and become recognized by the
foodservice/restaurant industry as a reliable source of qualified entry-level managers. Also,
courses taught via Interactive Television technology to the Ellensburg campus must be adapted
to best utilize that technology.
In addition, the admission rate for dietetic internships has been declining nationwide over the
past five years due to increases in undergraduate enrollment in nutrition programs with minimal
increase in the number of available positions in dietetic internships. The NUTR program must
increase its efforts to develop non-dietetic relationships to insure that NUTR graduates have
49
good access to careers related to their training. The NUTR faculty must also increase its efforts
to make the NUTR students more competitive in the dietetic internship application process.
Department and college reorganization. Beginning in fall of 2008, the process to split HHPN
into two separate departments was initiated. NUTR now resides with exercise science and
emergency medical services in a new department called Nutrition, Exercise, and Health Sciences
(NEHS). The College of Education and Professional Studies is projected to be reorganized into
two colleges with NEHS to be housed within the College of Applied Sciences and Technologies.
The new department and college will provide many benefits, but also challenges.
These challenges include maintaining collaborations with faculty in health education and
physical education and establishing strong university administrative and budgetary support of the
new college and department.
Exercise Science:
The Exercise Science program has continued to grow during this period. This increase in student
numbers has prompted the hiring of 1.5 tenure-track faculty (as outlined above), however, with
the reorganization (Dr. Nethery assuming the role of NEHS Chair) – this in an effective 0.75
increase. This has allowed some extra sections of overburdened courses to be offered. However,
many of these courses require a laboratory section with the lecture class. The laboratory
facilities and equipment have not grown with the increase in student numbers. This has led to an
overcrowding condition in both the Anatomy lab and the Exercise Science lab. If this program is
to continue to grow, additional laboratory space needs to be made available for the students.
A second main challenge is time for faculty scholarship. Exercise Science faculty teach 36
credits (12 per quarter) in the academic year, along with service requirements. It is difficult for
many of these faculty members to find the time for scholarship activities. Structured release time
needs to be offered to these faculty members to help them accomplish scholarship activities.
The cause of the overburdened lab classes is the increase in popularity of the Exercise Science
courses coupled with the lack of expansion in laboratory space and equipment. The lack of
scholarship time stems from CWU’s roots as a teaching institution. The faculty are thought of as
teachers first and researchers second. As the University demand for research increases, faculty
release time to match that demand needs to be made available.
EMS-Para-medicine:
During the past five years the Paramedic Program has been faced with several challenges that
were successfully overcome. The foci of these challenges were in the areas of program
management and educational goal attainment.
The Paramedic Program has suffered from managerial instability and directional uncertainty over
the past five years. Program Directorship has had untimely turnovers, which led to a lack of
purposeful direction and measurable benchmarks for goal attainment. This problem has recently
been rectified with the addition of a new Director committed to Program growth and clear
direction.
Educational goal attainment was also in jeopardy due an inadequacy of clerical support and
program-specific training equipment. The recent accreditation review revealed these
deficiencies and a concerted effort was mounted by the University’s administration to correct all
50
deficiencies. The corrective action was realized and the Program has regained the ability to set
and achieve realistic educational goals.


Graduate Programs:
A major challenge is building space with inadequate facilities to simultaneously do research
and teach students. Programs in nutrition, exercise science, paramedics, physical education, and
health education have grown over the years. Currently, there is one science lab that
accommodates classes most of the week which makes it very challenging when attempting to
schedule data collection sessions by graduate students and faculty for research purposes.
A second major challenge is getting faculty to slow down. Faculty are doing too much in many
areas. It would be great, for example, for a faculty member to focus more on research and reduce
some level of focus on teaching and/or service. Perhaps workload plans provide for this
opportunity; however, there are simply too many classes to teach. On average, eighty percent of
a faculty’s workload is in teaching. On top of this the faculty member budgets for research time
with students and service work. Faculty work very hard to meet their teaching responsibilities
(preparing for lecture, lecturing, grading, advising), mentor students in scholarly activities
(preparation of research proposals, grants, collection of data, statistical analysis, reading of
original research, reading of thesis chapters, preparing abstracts, preparation of presentations
etc…….), and service work. In addition, several faculty hold administrative positions which
fragments their time throughout the academic year, consequently, taking away from their time
with students and research.
C: What past recommendations have been implemented/not implemented.
Nutrition:
The following program goals were established for the NUTR program five years ago. Our
progress in meeting these goals is described.
a.
Prepare for the site visit for ADA-CADE accreditation. The Self-Study Documents for
the DI and the DPD have been prepared and submitted for review. The site visit will occur in
February 2009.
b.
Increase enrollment in the major. As documented in previous sections, there have been
significant increases in enrollment in NUTR courses and increases in the number of NUTR
majors and minors.
c.
Continued use of distance education to enhance the dietetic internship program. The DI
continues to use ITV on a weekly basis to connect DI interns and the DI program director.
However, the use of ITV to create more collaboration between other DI’s has been largely
abandoned due to time demands on all of the DI program directors.
d.
Continue to provide support for and recognize the contributions of the preceptors in the
DI program. The NUTR program continues to support the DI preceptors by providing them new
print resources and honoring them at the DI graduation banquet. The NUTR program will
continue to seek recognition of their contributions by getting university approval to grant them
adjunct faculty status or other official recognition.
51
e.
Increase the number of graduate assistantship positions. The number of GA’s has
increased from 2-3 in 2003 to 5 in 2008.
f.
Enhance faculty development and research opportunities. Since the last program review,
faculty in NUTR now has access to funds provided by the Shoudy Nutrition Endowment
managed by the CWU Foundation. Funds from this endowment has been used to fund faculty
development activities and provided limited research funding.
g.
Identifying strategies for articulating food service management with secondary programs.
With the newly created BAS-FSM program, articulation with secondary programs like ProStart
will more likely occur.
h.
Explore opportunity for culinary arts program collaboration. The new BAS-FSM
program was established at the CWU-Lynnwood campus because of the existence of a strong
culinary arts program at the Edmonds Community College. The BAS-FSM faculty member has
also initiated relationships with other culinary programs at community colleges and technical
schools.
Exercise Science:
1. In order to meet the increasing enrollment in the Exercise Science program, the College has
hired 1.5 new tenure track positions. This has allowed additional sections of courses to be
opened. Nicholson pavilion and the Field House have been remodeled to allow for more gym
and activity space, however, this has little impact on the instructional setting for most EXSC
classes. In a few cases, small amounts of faculty release time for scholarship have been
implemented to encourage research. Increased technology funds have allowed upgrading of
software and hardware in the classroom as well as faculty needs. All of these steps have
enhanced the Exercise Science program.
2. The majority of the recommendations of the previous report have been implemented to some
degree. It is the magnitude of this implementation that is the real question. For example, the
Exercise Science program has gained 1.5 tenure track positions however; they have effectively
lost 1 tenure track position, as Dr. Nethery is now the Chair of the department. Becoming the
Chair has removed him from teaching, thus netting the program .75 positions not 1.5.
EMS-Para-medicine:
Program-specific recommendations from past surveys were not specified in any documentation
available for review. The most recent survey cited goals needing attention which, when
applicable to the Paramedic Program, are herein substituted for the program recommendations:
1.
The need to emphasize research-oriented content into course content and undergraduate,
student-led research have not been realized in the Paramedic Program, but remains as priority
goals for future course and curriculum development. It is unclear as to why this goal has not
been attained over the past five years.
2.
Overhead projection equipment not being permanently mounted overhead in classrooms
has been fully resolved in the Paramedic Program by facilities management.
3.
Efforts to recruit students from diverse backgrounds and geographic locations have not
been realized by the Paramedic Program since the last review and remain as important goals. It
is unclear why this goal has not been attained over the past five years.
4.
Updating of course syllabi to incorporate learner outcomes, assessments, and University
standards have occurred and are subject to annual review by the Program Director.
Graduate Programs:
52
The last review highlighted the need for equipment and technology. Classrooms have been
equipped with technology (access to internet, computers).
We were also able to secure internal funds for purchase of a new metabolic cart to be used in the
classroom and for research. This was a difficult task, taking several years, and required securing
monies from multiple facets across campus. A new metabolic cart was needed to support our
student growth over the years and also to support research.
Given that CWU is a regional and comprehensive institution, it would make sense that there
would be in-line money (State) allocated for the purchase and maintenance of equipment to
support research and learning in the classroom, especially for programs that have grown in
student numbers.
D: Compare the department from the last program review and now
Nutrition:
N/A --- Nutrition did not join the department until 2006.
Exercise Science:
1. The Exercise Science program is better off now than it was at the time of the last review. We
have more faculty members, adjuncts have been hired to try to minimize the impact of elevated
student numbers on teaching loads, and scholarship undertakings have increased. These positive
trends have occurred, perhaps not to the degree envisioned, but forward progress has been made.
These advances have been supported internally through the department and the college.
2. The two major challenges are still the release time for scholarship and the lack of adequate
lab facilities for instructional and research purposes. Some release time has occasionally been
given to some faculty, however, challenges seem to arise on a frequent basis that make the
allocation of time for scholarship difficult if not impossible. Perhaps a more structured system
needs to be put in place such as a certain amount of release time for the academic year, rather
than a few workload units here and there that tend to get consumed by other demands.
Few effective additional facilities have been provided (Nicholson pavilion has little impact)
however, the lack of laboratory space for teaching and research needs to be addressed
urgently.
EMS-Para-medicine:
In most respects, the Paramedic Program has realized increased stability and direction since the
past self-study period. The accomplishments of the Program, as detailed in the previous selfstudy, have been maintained and, in some cases, even exceeded.
1. Effective programmatic goal attainment, maintenance of contemporary instructional content
and methods of instruction, faculty and staff development, and achievement of industry standards
have all been supported by the University’s administration, as well as by interested external
entities. Allocation of financial support and University resources on behalf of the Paramedic
Program has been timely and critically important for programmatic success. External entities
(EMS provider agencies, EMS regional offices, etc.) have also demonstrated continued support
for the Paramedic Program over the past five years.
53
2. The unmet challenges that continue to exist are the need for an expanded recruitment of
Program applicants geographically, as well as culturally; the need for adequate faculty support to
administer and instruct core and supplemental courses; and the need to incorporate
undergraduate research into the Paramedic Program curriculum. Each of these challenges will be
addressed in upcoming strategic planning for the Program.
Graduate Programs:
The many programs currently housed in the Physical Education building do not have adequate
lecture and laboratory classroom space. Programs have grown in student numbers and faculty.
However, we have run out of room.
This point was made in the previous program review report. Remodeling of Nicholson Pavilion
has not resulted in any additional classroom space for the many program currently housed in
the Physical Education Building. Also, there still remains a lack of appropriate equipment to
effectively run a research laboratory setting and run class instruction.
The following extracts (in italics) are taken from the previous program review regarding
future directions. Only extracts related to Nutrition, Exercise Science and EMS-Paramedicine programs are included.
Make the department’s highest priority conduction of a search to fill a tenure-track position for
Paramedic/EMT. The search should begin in fall 2004 to fill the position beginning with the
2005-2006 academic year.
This was successfully completed for the 2008-2009 academic year with the hiring of Professor
Monosky.
Continue the discussions between Exercise Science and Nutrition to develop an interdisciplinary
program under the IP charter, which will be submitted to the Academic Affairs Council in
August for approval. Determine if such an interdisciplinary program could evolve into a Center
of Excellence.
Food Science and Nutrition joined the Department in 2006 and are now an integral part of
NEHS.
Graduate Programs. HHPR graduate programs include Master of Science degrees in two fields
of study: (a) Exercise Science; and (b) Health, Human Performance, and Recreation. A
department distinction is that the HHPR program is available completely on-line. Although I
perceive no deficiencies in any of the programs, I am presenting the following recommendations:
Recommendations
Make the Exercise Science a distinctive program; that is, list it in the catalog as a Master of
Science in Exercise Science (perhaps with specializations in Exercise and Nutrition and/or
exercise physiology and/or Psychology of Exercise/Human Performance). The faculty of the
program are exemplary in that they have the research expertise and dissemination, knowledge,
and name recognition to attract students to the program. Interdisciplinary approaches and
54
curriculum development with Food Science and Nutrition, as well as psychology could add to the
program evolving into a Center of Excellence.
Exercise Science is now a distinct Master of Science degree. Additionally, Nutrition is also now
a distinct Master of Science degree.
Continue working with the CEPS dean, CEPS development officer, and the Office of Research
and Graduate Studies to develop additional on-going year-long graduate assistantships.
Communication is ongoing with the Dean of Graduate Studies and Research regarding graduate
assistantship allocations in both Nutrition and Exercise Science. Additionally strong
relationships have between developed between Exercise Science and the Sports MedicineAthletic Training division of Athletics, the Strength and Condition Specialists of Athletics, the
Student Union Recreation Programs (Sports Medicine-Athletic Training), and Ellensburg High
school (Sports Medicine-Athletic Training).
The HHPR faculty need to recognize and honor various types of scholarship, including
empirical-based research/publications, qualitative-based research/publications, curriculumbased publications, etc. The Department Chair should take leadership in working with the
Personnel Committee in collaboration with all tenured and tenure-track faculty members to
develop a department scholarship policy. The policy should reflect levels of expectations, which
include annual reappointment for tenure-track faculty, tenure acquisition, promotion from
assistant professor to associate professor, and promotion from associate professor to full
professor. The Personnel Committee, then, should adhere to those policies when making
personnel decisions.
With the split to two philosophically consistent departments, the scholarship requirements and
the interpretation-adherence to such requirements should be less problematic than in the prior
conglomerate composition.
Since time for scholarship for both tenure-track faculty and graduate faculty is a concern, the
department chair and faculty should develop a plan to provide faculty who wish to engage in
scholarship with some course reduction on a rotating basis (Note: The dean’s office may be able
to assist in this endeavor.). For example, the Chair should encourage faculty members to apply
for scholarship grants and incentives from the Office of Graduate and Research and the CEPS
Dean’s office. In addition, the faculty should write and submit grant proposals to external
agencies to seek funding for research and projects. The proposals should include buy-out time
for the projects.
The rhetoric towards such actions is strong but viewed by faculty as “hollow”. The numbers of
students in programs and the tremendous focus by administrators on FTES prevents much
attention by faculty to dedicated scholarship time.
The department should work with technology offices on campus to obtain computers, software,
and technology adjuncts, which are needed for graduate students and faculty in the various
HHPR units.
NEHS has a technology committee to facilitate such faculty requests
55
The faculty in the department desire and need appropriate technology and other hard equipment
for their programs. The faculty need to assess technologies that will be needed during the next
five years, develop an acquisition plan, and consider ways to meet those needs. In this time of
reduced resources from the state, faculty must seek external funding sources for technology and
laboratory upgrades and new equipment, along with having departmental, college, and
university sources.
Faculty find it difficult to understand why basic resources essential for student instruction at
even moderately elemental levels are not supplied and maintained by state resources at the
institutional level.
To install an undergraduate computer lab, department representatives should meet with the
campus technology and academic space personnel to develop and implement a plan for such a
lab.
Has not occurred and will likely remain an improbability until-unless building extensions or a
new building structure occur.
The Exercise Science faculty should conduct an inventory of their present technology, develop a
list of their needs for academic purposes, and a plan to replace the equipment when necessary.
The faculty should meet with the Chair and the Dean to discuss the needs of the program.
Numerous operational models for equipments needs, replacement, and maintenance have been
made both through the Department Chair and directly to the Dean for many years to no avail.
The facilities (Nicholson Pavilion and the Physical Education Building) for the HHPR
department are inadequate and overused. I am making only one recommendation (remodel the
balcony area above the swimming pool; i.e., the balcony area could be “glassed in” with
effective HACV controls and used as classroom space for physical education activity oriented
courses). There are university plans to remodel Nicholson, to move the Athletic Department into
the remodeled portion of Nicholson. That implementation will result in increased office and
classroom space for HHPR programs.
While there was some shifting of office locations, there was no generation of additional space.
Graduate student offices were eliminated from Nicholson Pavilion. These were relocated to the
offices within the Exercise Science Physiology Laboratory (6-7 Graduate Students per Room)
and the faculty from there were relocated to more suitable offices in the downstairs area. No
additional classroom-instructional space was generated for any programs within NEHS.
It is clear that space is inadequate for NEHS programs and faculty to conduct their
professional responsibilities in an optimal manner. Additional classroom and laboratory space
is essential for all three programs of NEHS and this can only be achieved by the construction
of a substantial addition to the current facility or the construction of a new facility.
Faculty morale seems to be quite good, even as the department faces significant challenges.
Communication seems to be good within the department, except for a few misunderstandings
among some faculty concerning personnel decisions and college resources. In an earlier section
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of this APR document, I addressed the personnel committee issues. A concern and challenge lies
in some faculty members’ expectations of administrators; specifically, distrust of administrators.
The high level of commonality of professional expectations among NEHS programs/faculty
should go a long way to minimizing or eliminating issues concerning personnel or resource
allocation. Regarding expectations and integrity of administrators, the turnover of administrators
at the Department, College, and University levels makes it difficult to report on this aspect.
The HHPR Chair should arrange a quarterly department meeting during which the dean will
meet with the faculty. Both the dean and faculty will share information and designate time for
Q&A.
Did not happen on a quarterly basis and the propensity for this to happen will depend on the
outcome of the reorganization of CEPS into the COE and the CAST
The HHPR Chair should arrange an annual department meeting during which the Provost will
be invited to meet with the faculty for information exchange and discussion.
Not met; again – turnover in this position has made such an action highly improbable.
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VIII: Future Direction:
A.
Describe the department’s aspirations for the next three to five years.
Nutrition:
1. The NUTR program aspires to be the premier undergraduate program in foods and nutrition in
the state of Washington in the next five years.
2. The NUTR programs will be recognized as the largest undergraduate program in the state
preparing skilled and knowledgeable students ready to enter the diverse opportunities available
in the foods and nutrition area.
Exercise Science:
The Exercise Science Program aspires to the following over the next 3-5 years.
1. Develop specializations in Sport Physiology, and Corporate Fitness that will better prepare
students for positions in the diverse employment areas of Exercise Science.
2. Continued growth in student enrollment as far as the facilities will allow.
3. Continued emphasis on faculty scholarship including collaborative works with graduate and
undergraduate students.
4. Investigate the possibility of including specialty certifications within the degree program such
as the Physical Therapy Assistant certification.
5. Faculty and students will exhibit behaviors that facilitate professional growth and rapport.
6. Promote and support local and extended community service by faculty members and students.
EMS – Para-medicine:
The Paramedic Program has remained in the present structure and scope for quite some time.
With substantive modification, it has tremendous potential for growth and expansion. The
following is a summary of the principal planned directions of growth and development.
1. At present, the core content of the paramedic program has been condensed into a single
academic year. This approach provides only the essential elements of para-medicine training to
be incorporated. Although this approach is efficient for the student, it lends little depth and
breadth to the educational objectives that are met by the Program. It would serve the University
and the paramedic profession well to develop a two-year curriculum for the para-medicine
education. This approach would enable a greater comprehensive scope of education in that
discipline with skill sets that are varied, unique, and desirable. In addition to growing the
profession, it would facilitate greater student involvement in the Paramedic Program, as well as
generating greater revenue for the University and Paramedic Program alike. An expansion of the
educational scope of the Program would enable more capable graduates with premier skills,
create a higher demand for Central’s Paramedic Program graduates, and inevitably increase our
enrollment considerably.
2. Secondary to the plan above would be the creation of specialty fields within the para-medicine
education; selected as an option by the student. This choice of field concentrations could
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include: critical care pre-hospital medicine, austere para-medicine (valuable in wilderness
medicine and disaster medicine), or clinical leadership. By offering degree concentrations within
the Paramedic major (which should be renamed Emergency Medical Services Major), it would
enhance the desirability of the degree program by prospective candidates, as well as provide
Central Washington University with career relevance and notoriety among the profession.
3. The additional benefit of restructuring the Paramedic Program curriculum would be to enable
existing certified paramedics the opportunity to seek and attain a bachelor degree within their
specialty of para-medicine. Veteran paramedics with certifications from accredited institutions
could receive advanced standing in the Emergency Medical Services Degree Program. This
status, coupled with the prerequisite two-year credit accruement, would enable a large segment
of the paramedic provider population to attain a bachelor degree in approximately one year at
Central.
4. Additionally, components of the undergraduate Emergency Medical Services Degree Program
could be attained by the student via distance education at CWU. This platform would enhance,
considerably, the availability and attractiveness of a bachelor degree for currently certified
paramedics. If Central Washington offered online educational elements to facilitate the
progression of academics toward a bachelor degree, it would set CWU apart from many of the 14
or so university-based emergency medical service degree programs in the United States and,
certainly, it would be quite unique to the northwest region.
5. Eventually, as the Emergency Medical Services Program (formerly the Paramedic Program)
evolves with the implementation of the strategic plans above, the stage would be set to provide a
graduate level of emergency medical services education. This advanced degree could be tailored
to meet specific needs of the industry (as well as the student) as situations and circumstances
dictate. For example, with the advent of anti-terrorism initiatives, homeland security issues, a
growing elderly population, shrinkage of healthcare access, and similar economically-induced
evolutionary events, specialization in various areas of emergency services is becoming
increasingly important. With a self-designed concentration opportunity as described herein,
students seeking an advanced degree would be highly motivated to enroll at Central, particularly
if the degree were to be offered via distance education.
6. Much of the development of the Program (items 1 – 4 above) could be accomplished within
one year, with implementation immediately following formal approval. The greatest expense
associated with this substantive restructuring would be faculty support. There would be a need
to embellish the existing on-campus complement of faculty in order to satisfy the instructional
demands of the revised curriculum. The advantage in this approach is, with the two-year
curriculum, there will be two simultaneous cohorts with differing educational needs. That
enables the existing faculty to instruct in both cohorts during different days of the week and
necessitating a smaller increase in additional faculty support. Furthermore, since portions of the
undergraduate curriculum are delivered via distance education, the faculty expense for those
components would be greatly reduced with a much higher return on investment. The two-year
expansion could be accommodated with little enhancement of the existing facilities (again, by
instituting opposing days of instruction based upon cohort).
Graduate Programs:
1. To continue delivering a quality graduate program in nutrition and exercise science and to be
recognized as such.
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2. To provide additional mentoring time with graduate students in order to facilitate all aspects of
the research process, which spans from the development of ideas, questions, proposals, grants, to
publication.
3. To update basic equipment in the laboratory (treadmills, cycle ergometers, technology)
4. To have more space available for lecture, classroom laboratory experience, and research.
5. To hire a laboratory technician to maintain equipment, to ensure inventory is adequate for
laboratory needs, and to prepare laboratory supplies and equipment for instructional sessions.
6. To investigate the possibility of introducing an entry-level Master of Science program in
Athletic Training. This would be a nice professional niche for the institution and would interact
harmoniously with both the current graduate programs of the department and with the proposed
PTA certification in the BS: EXSC degree.
B. In this context, describe ways the department or unit plans to increase quality, quantity,
productivity, and efficiency as a whole and for each program. Provide evidence that
supports the promise for outstanding performance.
Nutrition:
1. The additional faculty positions in NUTR in the past two years will provide new opportunities
for program improvement. The increase in diversity of expertise, including international and
migrant nutrition, nutrition and cancer, sports nutrition, and food service management, will
broaden the education students in NUTR will receive as well as provide new opportunities for
more advanced studies.
2. The additional faculty provides the opportunity to allocate teaching workload units for
graduate student research mentorship. This will improve the quality and quantity of research
done by these students beyond what is already thought of as a strong program in this university.
3. The new faculty positions will also allow the NUTR program to provide better supervision of
the graduate assistants and better integrate lecture classes taught by the faculty with the
laboratory/discussion groups taught by the graduate assistants.
Exercise Science:
1. The quality of the Exercise Science programs can be enhanced by continued professional
development of the faculty. Support for professional and sabbatical activities should be
continued.
2. The quality of the program will be increased by the development of several specializations that
target more precisely the areas of current employment in exercise science to the degree the
facilities will allow.
3. The productivity of the faculty may be enhanced by continued and extended support for
release time for scholarship.
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4. The efficiency of the program and faculty is quite high with SFR numbers ranging from
approximately 22-37 over this assessment period. Faculty produce high levels of scholarship and
service given the high teaching loads.
5. The current Exercise Science faculty are very knowledgeable in their selected fields and all
faculty members have demonstrated outstanding performances in teaching, scholarship and
service.
Graduate Programs:
1. At this time faculty are saturated with responsibilities in teaching, research and service. If
anything, the amount of time spent among teaching, research and service needs to be adjusted by
the faculty member so that he/she can devote time in a specific area of interest (i.e., research).
2. Given the number of classes that make up the curriculum, additional faculty members would
need to be hired.
3. Productivity in areas such as increased time for mentoring graduate students and producing
manuscripts for research journals is warranted.
B.
What specific resources would the department need to pursue these future
directions?
Nutrition:
1. The NUTR program has had a positive history of utilizing graduate assistants as teachers of
record in undergraduate laboratory classes and discussion groups. This has improved the
efficiency of the program as well as providing an excellent teaching experience for the graduate
assistants.
2. Expansion on improving the efficiency and productivity of the NUTR faculty could occur with
additional graduate assistant allocations.
3. The fragmentation of program components between two buildings and the clear lack of
laboratory facilities for research and teaching needs to be addressed. Most equipment is old, of
consumer rather than commercial quality, the overall facility has poor ventilation, and the
general space is inadequate.
4. In addition, with the growing number of faculty and students at both the undergraduate and
graduate level, a proportionate increase in budgetary allocation is needed. With the addition of
recent faculty positions, a major resource need has been met and it is critical that emphasis be
placed on facilities and updating of equipment in the near term.
5. Continued support of these positions (flexibility in teaching loads) is needed for professional
growth, and success of faculty in meeting tenure requirements.
Exercise Science:
1. The Exercise Science faculty needs continued support for instruction, and for facilitating their
professional development and scholarship. Elaboration on these two aspects follows.
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2. There is a clear lack of laboratory facilities for the combination of research and teaching
that takes place in the program and this need must be urgently addressed within the next year or
two. The current anatomy laboratory is too small to effectively utilize the cadaver, skeleton, and
model components to their pedagogical potential and still have a seating arrangement for
instructional and group-study purposes. A doubling of the current room size would provide
sufficient space for more effective instruction.
3. The physiology laboratory is heavily scheduled with laboratory classes for the academic
programs every quarter (EXSC 250, 351, 450, 455, 463, 553) and faculty research – especially
related to mentoring undergraduate and graduate student projects – is severely stunted as a result
of this limited access. Often, the only options available to faculty are late evenings, early
mornings, and weekends. Additionally, for instructional purposes, the limited equipment
available provides for less than optimal active learning by the student, and the antiquated
nature of some of the equipment provides for a learning environment that is not reflective of the
future professional settings for graduate employment.
4. Faculty spend many hours ordering supplies, doing maintenance on equipment, attempting
to fix antiquated machinery, and there is a real need to hire both laboratory technicians and
instructional support personnel to maintain, service, prepare, inventory, and set-up/take down
for all the laboratory instruction and research projects of the lab.
Graduate Programs:
1. State funds to support additional faculty, building expansion, equipment, and maintenance of
equipment (more classrooms and laboratory space).
2. To continue delivering a quality graduate program in nutrition and exercise science and to be
recognized as such.
3. To provide additional mentoring time with graduate students in order to facilitate all aspects of
the research process, which spans from the development of ideas, questions, proposals, grants, to
publication.
4. To update basic equipment in the laboratory (treadmills, cycle ergometers, metabolic units,
cardiovascular monitors)
5. To have adequate space available for lecture, classroom laboratory experience, and research.
C.
What do you want us to know that is not included in this self-study?
This report covers the current and forward-thoughts of the programs comprising the Department
of NEHS in an accurate and concise manner. Critical to understand and to reflect upon are the
historical aspects – especially - the change in programs and culture of the department, the
composition of the faculty, and the changing requirements of the institution for tenure and
promotion.
The department size and professional preparation areas have changed considerably over the
years. While teacher preparation in PE and Health remains an emphasis area, there has been
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tremendous growth especially in non-teaching professions. This shift was characterized by rapid
responses to market demands in professional and clinical sciences such as Exercise Science,
Nutrition and Dietetics, and the EMS-Para-medicine (pre-hospital provider) fields.
The size of the department (having reached about 25 FTTT faculty and numerous adjuncts), the
conglomerate nature of the programs (teacher preparation, professional and clinical sciences),
and the rapid growth in number of students serviced by the professional and clinical science
programs (EXSC - ~200, NUTR ~130, EMS ~30), resulted in the natural morph to the two
separate departments most recently observed.
The Department of Nutrition, Exercise, and Health Sciences has a strong, highly qualified,
and diverse faculty; a clear, relevant, and common mission and vision; has the professional
preparation of students as a primary objective; has appropriately rigorous standards for
program entry, student assessment, and graduation; and has a consistent understanding and
application of faculty requirements for progression though the professional ranks of academia
at CWU. In this regard, there could not be a better base on which to establish a new
department.
The primary challenges to optimal departmental growth and maturity include the acquisition of
sufficient space to effectively implement instructional and research requirements; to reduce
the peripheral-tangential demands on faculty time so that they can optimize their time on
essential areas of teaching, service and research; to obtain clarity in the classified staff and
budget structures needed to effectively manage the department; to be allocated sufficient state
based funds to carry out necessary functions including equipment updates and maintenance;
and the need to acquire essential help in technical and laboratory services (this relates highly to
minimizing tangential demands on faculty).
Institutional demands on faculty time and more rigorous requirements for tenure and promotion
have evolved in the absence of any reduction in teaching load over the past 30-years.
Additionally, there is an increased need for student advising, and increased involvement in other
traditional student related activities including program marketing and promotion through the
office of student admissions and retention. There is a clear and apparent disconnect between
demands placed on faculty time, the ability of faculty to meet such demands, and their ability to
live a well-rounded life both within and external to their professional environments.
It is critical to remember the adage that reflects a well-rounded existence:
“We work to live, we do not live to work”
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IX: Suggestions for Program Review:
The program review has the potential to be an excellent tool for internal assessment of the past,
evaluation of the current program, and planning for the future. Unfortunately, the process
seemed rushed, inefficient in the effort it took to access data and to define terminology, and at
times, disjointed in its efforts. The program review was not the thoughtful process it should be.
It is recommended that in the summer prior to the review year, program directors are given
assigned time to prepare for the review process. All of the necessary data could be gathered,
many parts of the review completed, leaving the opportunity for the faculty to gather in a retreat
setting to commit the needed time and quality thought for producing a valid and valued
document.
In addition, Institutional Research should provide all of the numerical data that is needed to
complete this document. They (staff of IR) know what data is needed and who (which
departments/programs) needs that data. It is very, very inefficient and ineffective for program
directors to be scrambling to assemble this data. Institution Research should be collecting and
analyzing the data in a consistent manner for all departments in an ongoing basis and providing
this data to the department annually in a moving five year window.