INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAM REVIEW

Annual Program Review Update

Unit:Chemistry

Campus:Riverside _

Contact Person: Ellen Kime-Hunt_

Due: May 15, 2008

Riverside Community College DistrictOffice of Institutional Effectiveness

Web Resources: http://www.rccdfaculty.net/pages/programreview.jsp

Last Revised: February 20, 2008

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Annual Program Review UpdateInstructions

The Annual Self-Study is conducted by each unit on each campus and consists of analysis of changes within the unit as well as significant new funding needs for staff, resources, facilities, and equipment. It should be submitted or renewed every year by April 30th in anticipation of budget planning for the fiscal year which begins July 1 of the following year.

The questions on the subsequent pages are intended to assist you in planning for your unit. If there is no change from your prior report, you may simply resubmit the information in that report (or any portion that remains constant) from the prior year.

Please include pertinent documents such as student learning outcomes assessment reports and data analysis specifically supporting any requests for new faculty, facilities or equipment. You are encouraged to use lists, tables, and other formatting to clarify your requests and make them easy for large committees to review quickly. If there may be negative consequences for enrollment, safety or other important concerns if the funding is not provided please make this known in context.

The forms that follow are separated into pages for ease of distribution to relevant subcommittees. Please keep the pages separated if possible (though part of the same electronic file), with the headers as they appear, and be sure to include your unit, campus, contact person (this may change from topic to topic) and date on each page submitted. Don’t let formatting concerns slow you down. If you have difficulty with formatting, the Administrative Support Center can adjust the document for you. Simply add responses to those questions that apply and forward the document to the Administrative Support Center with a request to format it appropriately.

If you have complex funding requests please schedule an appointment with your campus’ Vice President for Business Services right away. They will assist you with estimating the cost of your requests.

Moreno Valley: Bill Orr, 951-571-6341Norco: Norm Godin, 951-372-7157Riverside: Becky Elam, 951-222-8307

Please retain this information for your discipline’s use and submit an electronic copy to the Office of Institutional Effectiveness (institutional.effectiveness@rcc.edu). The Office of Institutional Effectiveness will use the document to create a database of requests and will distribute the report to the relevant offices and committees.

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Annual Program Review Update

Unit: __Chemistry_ ____Campus: ___Riverside________ ____Contact Person: _____Kime-Hunt___Date: ___5/5/08_________________

Trends and Relevant Data (part 1)

1. Has there been any change in the status of your unit? (if not, skip to #2)NO

a. Has your unit shifted departments?

b. Have new programs been created by your unit?

c. Have activities in other units impacted your unit? For example, a new nursing program could cause greater demand for life science courses.

2. Have there been any significant changes in enrollment, retention, success rates, or environmental demographics that impact your discipline (See Appendix for Data)? If there are no significant changes in your unit’s opinion say “None” and skip to question #3. The prerequisite requirement for Chemistry 2A for Microbiology has increased our waitlist for Chemistry 2A. The prices for chemicals and shipping has increased dramatically over the past year. To increase efficiency we are starting a hybrid course in the spring for Chemistry 2A in which the lab will be offered on Saturdays. We have also added an Organic course (Chem. 12A) in the winter intersession. This has increased our cost for Chemistry 12A and has increased the enrollment for Chemistry 12B in the spring. Organic is an expensive course and we have increased our offerings without increasing our budget. We would like to increase our budget for chemicals and materials for these classes by $5,000.

3. What changes does the unit plan to make to advance enrollment management goals?

If your plan necessitates resource changes make sure those needs are reflected in the applicable resource request sections.

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The Riverside Campus has increased our Chemistry 2A offerings to the point where we have no more equipment drawers available for students. Until the new building is built we are planning to expand our 2A class into the Chemistry 1A laboratory, have extra labs meet on Saturday, we have increased our Chemistry 2A class offerings in the summer to over 100 students to meet demand. We are currently considering taking the locks off of the lockers so that multiple lab classes can use the same equipment.

In the Laboratory room PS 208 there were 8 very old computers. The computers were not functioning with current software and were removed. This increased bench space and student capacity in the lab. This will help with efficiency in our Chemistry 3 and Chemistry 1B class. Unfortunately our chemistry 1B students have no access to computer programs/techniques currently used in college laboratories around the country. We have a small room adjacent to the laboratory where we would like to have 3 newer computers.

When the new science building is in place and there are again seven full time faculty our offerings will expand. We continue to need money in our budget for maintenance and replacement of equipment and instruments, money to pay for chemicals, shipping and disposal of waste material.

The American Chemical Society is Revising its Guidelines for Community Colleges. Then entire revisions suggested are included at the end of this document and can be found at http://portal.acs.org

PROPOSED REVISION OF THE ACS GUIDELINES FOR CHEMISTRY PROGRAMS IN TWO-YEAR COLLEGES 1

SUMMARY The purpose of this document is to provide an overview of proposed revisions to the American Chemical Society (ACS) Guidelines for Chemistry Programs in Two-Year Colleges and invite feedback from the chemistry community. The Society Committee on Education (SOCED) is coordinating this revision in order to:

• Reflect changes in pedagogy, technology, and accountability • Facilitate student transfer

– by aligning with the new ACS Guidelines and Evaluation Procedures for Bachelor’s Degree Programs (2008)

– by calling for communicating with receiving institutions • Provide a more useful resource for strengthening programs

– by offering guidance for ongoing curricular change – by offering guidance for improving the working environment

Laboratory space. Laboratories should be suitable for instruction in the chemical sciences and must meet applicable government regulations. Properly functioning fume hoods, safety showers, eyewashes, first aid kits, and fire extinguishers must be readily available. Construction or renovation of laboratory facilities must conform to the regulations of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and national norms. • The number of students supervised by a faculty member should not exceed 25, except for

organic laboratories, where 20 students is the maximum. • There is a minimum of 30 square feet of laboratory space per student for the introductory

courses, which includes a minimum of 3 lineal feet of working bench space per

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student. For the second-year courses, there is a minimum of 45 square feet per student, which includes a minimum of 4.5 lineal feet of working bench space per student.

This document shows this department is utilizing space for more students than suggested by ACS. Most of the laboratory sections are enrolled above 30 students except the Organic laboratories even these classes have more than the 20 students (a minimum of 24) recommended by ACS. Our current facility does not have 4.5 linear feet of bench space/student. The Chemistry Department has pushed the enrollment in the laboratories to the limit for the space available. In the current building there will be little growth.

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Annual Program Review Update

Unit: ___Chemistry__ _________Campus: _______Riverside__________

Contact Person: ______Kime-Hunt__________Date: ________5/5/08__________

Learning Outcomes Assessment Update

[Units that perform these functions at a district level may use the same response for all campuses.]

4. In order to help us complete the annual ACCJC report on our progress in assessing student learning, please provide the following information by completing the form. Please add lines as needed:

Name of Program or Course (please list programs first)

Student learning outcomes have been identified (Yes = 1No = 0)

Outcomes assessment information or data has been generated(Yes = 1No = 0)

Assessment information or data has been used to improve student learning(Yes = 1No = 0)

Chemistry 1A 1 1 1Chemistry 1A Laboratory 1 1 1Chemistry 1B 1 1 1Chemistry 1B laboratory 1 1 1Chemistry 2A 1 1 1Chemistry 2A laboratory 1 1 1Chemistry 3 1 1 1Chemistry 3 Laboratory 1 1 1Chemistry 10 1 0 0Chemistry 12A 1 1 1Chemistry 12A Laboratory 1 1 1Chemistry 12B 1 1 1Chemistry 12 B Laboratory 1 1 1Chemistry 17 1 0 0

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5. How has your unit been engaged this past year in assessing student learning? a. Summarize your results (whenever possible, provide documentation of student

learning in your discipline and evidence that assessment data has been generated)The following assessments have been conducted by the Chemistry Department on the Riverside Campus and the Chemistry Discipline: Review of student posters: The chemistry faculty reviewed posters from

various poster sessions produced in Chemistry 1A/1B and Chemistry 12. The students showed that they could design and present a poster understood by others on various topics designed by their instructors. These posters are valuable tools to show that students are capable of using research tools, showing organizational skills, and presenting research on a topic in a clear and concise manner. Some instructors required a research paper along with the poster. This provides a chance to incorporate writing skills into the student’s chemistry/science experience.

ACS (American Chemical Society) is now being given in chemistry 2A and 12B. Data is currently being analyzed to improve instruction. These tests also give us valuable information to show our classes are comparable to the classes taught at the four year schools in the area.

Round table discussion of student preparedness for Chem. 12 (Organic Chemistry) after completion of the Chemistry 1A/1B series (General Chemistry). The faculty is working to identify concepts taught in General Chemistry that are very valuable in Organic Chemistry. Areas in which students were lacking knowledge were discussed and the faculty is working help the students in these areas.

The Chemistry Discipline took data provided by Dave Torres relating student’s grades in Chemistry 3 (Introductory Chemistry) and1B (General Chemistry part II) and related them to the grades students earned in the higher level chemistry courses. A correlation can be seen between success in lower level chemistry courses and higher level chemistry courses.

For 133 students receiving a grade of “A” in Chemistry 3 the percent of students receiving and “A” or “B” grade in higher level courses is as follows:

1A* 1B* 12A* 12B*83% 66% 79% 76%

For 184 students receiving a grade of “A” in Chemistry 1B the percent of students receiving and “A” or “B” grade in higher level courses is as follows:

12A 12B80% 83%

* Chemistry 1A and 1B are General Chemistry part 1 and part 2, Chemistry 12A and 12B are Organic Chemistry part 1 and part 2.

This data shows that grade assignments accurately represent the amount of knowledge the students have taken from chemistry courses. In the future research showing correlations between Chemistry 2A or 2B and student success in the appropriate Nursing and Microbiology courses is being sought. It would also be valuable to see how RCC chemistry students do at local 4 year institutions.

b. What did your unit learn from these results that enabled you to improve teaching and learning in the discipline?

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From the poster sessions and from the discussion about Organic chemistry course it can be gleaned that some basic chemical concepts such as Lewis Dot Structures need to be emphasized constantly in the Introductory and General Chemistry courses. Learning models have been discussed by the faculty to try to find a way in which information can be reinforced through out the semester.

c. How have part-time faculty been made aware of the need to assess student learning outcomes and been included in assessment activities?"

Part-time faculty are provided with both the general (cross-curricular) and specific (Chemistry) SLOs to use as guides for teaching and assessment. They are encouraged to participate in the decision making process regarding assessment during departmental and discipline meetings.

One method of assessment the discipline experimented with was to have each professor turn in a copy of their final exam and comparing each exam to a rubric to identify any important class material that may have been omitted from the exam. Chemistry 2A is the only course the discipline checked exams because it is the course in which there are the greatest number of part time faculty teaching. This assessment tool allowed faculty to define possible deficiency in addressing the SLOs for the class. This was not a popular assessment tool so the discipline is currently experimenting with incorporating standard final exam questions across the discipline to make sure these topics are being covered appropriately.

d. If your SLO assessment results make clear that particular resources are needed to more effectively serve students please be sure to describe the need here and include it on the request forms.

ACS (American Chemical Society) Guidelines have come out for next year and more laboratory equipment is being suggested for use in the laboratory, we will describe these needs on our request forms. See the following from the ACS web site.

Equipment and Instrumentation. Programs should have a suite of modern chemical instrumentation and specialized laboratory apparatus appropriate for the courses offered, providing hands-on laboratory experiences in characterization and analysis of chemical systems. • Programs must have certain essential equipment, such as electronic balances, volumetric

glassware, pH meters, colorimeters, thermometers or temperature probes, hot plates and/or Bunsen burners, and filtration equipment.

• Standard items, such as automated data collection devices with associated probes, centrifuges, melting point apparatus, microscale or full-scale organic kits, gas

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chromatographs, and UV-vis spectrometers, are highly recommended for programs serving students pursuing careers in science or health.

• Instrumentation such as FTIR, FT-NMR, and mass spectrometers should be available for students pursing chemistry careers.

Computational Capabilities. Students should have access to computing facilities and software that support computational chemistry, interactive simulations, and laboratory data acquisition and analysis. The available software should also include scientific word processing capabilities and illustration. Chemical Information Resources. Both faculty and students should have access to the chemical literature. Holdings should include current chemistry and related science periodicals, plus a range of other reference materials, commensurate with the size and nature of the chemistry offerings and the research activity of the students and staff. Important reference materials, or electronic access to these materials, should be within or near the science building. • The library should provide access to journal articles that are not readily available by a

mechanism such as interlibrary loan or document delivery services. If primary student access is electronic, cost or impractical times for access should not limit it unduly.

• As appropriate for the courses taught, the program includes training and experience in the use of information from the enormous and rapidly expanding chemical literature equivalent to that in the major transfer institutions.

We are currently not up to ACS standards in our lab equipment or computer technology. While we are striving to have our students have a seamless transfer to the UC and State schools it is difficult if they don’t have the basic modern technology in laboratory

We are adding to our DVD collection. Many of our faculty like to use chemical demonstrations only available on DVD

Access to computers for our Chemistry 1B students in the laboratory would be invaluable, these students if not headed for a career in the medical field are going into engineering and require more updated computer technology in the laboratory.

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Annual Program Review Update

Unit: Chemistry _________Campus: ____Riverside__________

Contact Person: _____Kime-Hunt__________Date: _____5/9/08___________

Human Resource Needs

e. Complete the Faculty and Staff Employment Grid below. Please list full and part time faculty numbers in separate rows. Please list classified staff who are full and part time separately:

Faculty and Staff Employed in the UnitAssignment (e.g. Math, English)

Full-time faculty or staff (give number)

Part-time faculty or staff (give number)

Gains over Prior Year

Losses over Prior Year (given reason, retirement, reassignment, health, etc.)

Chemistry 6 2 gained as full time temporary positions

Lost a total of 4 to retirement in the last few years

Chemistry 4

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Annual Program Review Update Campus/Unit Needs Worksheet

NEW OR REPLACEMENT FACULTY

List Faculty Positions Needed for Academic Year__2008/2009_________________Please be as specific and as brief as possible when offering a reason for the position (e.g. retirement

replacement, increased demand for subject, growth in overall student population). Be certain to mark the position as new or replacement. Place titles on list in order (rank) or importance.

Annual TCP*

TCP for employee

1. One Full time replacement faculty for 2009/2010Reason: Faculty retirement plus growth in Chemistry due to prerequisites and Nursing growth has left us in a position of not having faculty to teach our courses. Part time chemistry instructors are in high demand so it is becoming difficult to meet our needs with part time instructors 10

6 K

pe

r fa

culty

2.Reason:

3.Reason:

4.Reason:

5.Reason:

6. Reason:* TCP = “Total Cost of Position” for one year is the cost of an average salary plus benefits for an individual. New positions (not replacement positions) also require space and equipment. Please speak with your campus Business Officer to obtain accurate cost estimates. Please be sure to add related office space, equipment and other needs for new positions to the appropriate form and be sure to mention the link to the position.

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Annual Program Review Update Campus/Unit Needs Worksheet

NEW OR REPLACEMENT CLASSIFIED STAFF

List Staff Positions Needed for Academic Year___________________Please be as specific and as brief as possible when offering a reason. Place titles on list in order (rank) or

importance.

Annual TCP* TCP for employee

1.Reason:

2.Reason:

3.Reason:

4.Reason:

5.Reason:

6. Reason:* TCO = “Total Cost of Ownership” for one year is the cost of an average salary plus benefits for an individual. New positions (not replacement positions) also require space and equipment. Please speak with your campus Business Officer to obtain accurate cost estimates. Please be sure to add related office space, equipment and other needs for new positions to the appropriate form and mention the link to the position.

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Annual Program Review Update Campus/Unit Needs Worksheet

Equipment Needs Not Covered by Current Budget

List Equipment or Equipment Repair Needed for Academic Year_______Please list/summarize the needs of your unit on your campus below. Please be

as specific and as brief as possible. Place items on list in order (rank) or importance.

Annual TCO*

Cost per item

Number Requested

Total Cost of Request

1. Student PolarimeterReason: To study the specific rotation of Sugars in Chemistry 2B and Organic chemistry, ours has been in use for over 30 years and is no longer working or serviceable http://sargentwelch.com/product. 12

50

with

out

ship

pin

one 12

50

2. Melting Point apparatusReason:Organic class size has increased these apparatus are used almost every lab periodhttp://sargentwelch.com/product.

900 Two (2) 1800

3. UV spectrometerReason: Would enable Dept. to update experiments offered in Introductory, General and Organic Chemistry. Many of our compounds absorb energy in the UV rangehttp://www.opticsplanet.net/beckman-coulter-du-700-series-uv-vis-spectrophotometers-beckman-coulter-a23615.html

8000. One(1) 8000

4. Stir plateReason: These are used constantly in Organic Chemistry, since student number in these class have the number of stir plates need to increase as well; .http://sargentwelch.com/product WLS1757-13

460 Four(4) 1840

5. IR Spectrometers.Reason: These are essential instruments in Organic Chemistry and are used often by students to Identify their products. There is currently a single IR which was purchased in 1994. Not only is the technology old but the instrument is worn out.

13,250 Two (2) 26,500

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http://www.coleparmer.com/catalog/product_view.asp?sku=8300800

Annual Program Review Update Campus/Unit Needs Worksheet

Facilities Needs Not Covered by Current Building or Remodeling Projects*

List Facility Needs for Academic Year_2008/2009____(Remodels, Renovations or added new facilities) Place items on list in order (rank) or

importance.

Annual TCO*

Total Cost of Request

2. The Fume hoods in PS 205, and half of 206 DO NOT WORK, this is a dangerous situation, facilities have been over several times and have not been able to fix the problem. This is a serious problem and we are out of OSHA compliance and putting our students at risk. The hoods must be fixed and all the hoods checked for flow

Reason: While we are waiting for the new building to be constructed we can not put our student’s health at risk and especially Organic Chemistry can not tailor the labs to work without hoods. This is very important.2. White Boards in the Laboratories PS 205,206,207,and 208Reason:

3.Reason:

4. Reason:

*Please speak with your campus Business Officer to obtain accurate cost estimates and to learn if the facilities you need are already in the planning stages.

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Annual Program Review Update Campus/Unit Needs Worksheet

Professional Development Needs Not Covered by Current Budget*

List Professional Development Needs for Academic Year____2008_____. Reasons might include in response to SLO assessment findings or the need to

update curriculum. Please be as specific and as brief as possible. Some items may not have a cost per se, but reflect the need to spend current staff time differently.

Place items on list in order (rank) or importance.

Annual TCO*

Cost per item

Number Requested Total Cost of Request

1.Bobbie Grey to attend 2-year College Chemistry ConsortiumReason: 15

0

one

150

2.Reason:

3.Reason:

4.Reason:

5.Reason:

6. Reason:

*It is recommended that you speak with your campus Faculty Development Coordinator to see if your request can be met with current budget. If your request involves funding for assessment, program review or part time faculty please discuss it with the Associate Vice

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Chancellor for Institutional Effectiveness.

Annual Program Review Update Campus/Unit Needs Worksheet

Library Needs Not Covered by Current Budget*

List Library Needs for Academic Year__2008/2009Please list/summarize the needs of your unit on your campus below. Please be as

specific and as brief as possible. Place items on list in order (rank) or importance.

Annual TCO*

Cost per item Number Requested

Total Cost of Request

1.Journal Chemical Education, onlineReason:This is the journal our faculty use to keep the labs updated and which we use for teaching demonstrations. This has been discussed with the Librarian it looks like the Library will be able to obtain it for us.

2. Nova Series (DVD) 2007-2008 seasonReason:Classroom use 25.00/DVD

3.Reason:

4.Reason:

5.Reason:

6. Reason:

*It is recommended that you speak with your campus Dean of the Library to see if your request can be met within the current

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budget, and to get an estimated cost if new funding is needed.

Annual Program Review Update Campus/Unit Needs Worksheet

Student Support Services Needed by the Unit over and above what is currently provided

List Student Support Services Needs for Academic Year___________________Please list/summarize the needs of your unit on your campus below. Please be as specific and as brief as possible. Not all needs will have a cost, but may require a

reallocation of current staff time.

Annual TCO*

Cost per item

Number Requested

Total Cost of Request

1.Reason:

2.Reason:

3.Reason:

4.Reason:

5.Reason:

6. Reason:

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Annual Program Review Update Campus/Unit Needs Worksheet

Other Needs not covered by current support services or budget

List Misc Other Needs for Academic Year_____2008/2009______________Please list/summarize the needs of your unit on your campus below. Please be as specific and as brief as possible. Not all needs will have a cost, but may require a reallocation of current staff time. Place items on list in order (rank) or importance.

Annual TCO*

Cost per item

Number Requested

1. Increase in budget for chemicals, equipment and chemical waste removal. Reason: Prices have increased significantly over the past few years and there has been an increase in the number of offerings in our more expensive class (Organic chemistry). We are underfunded in this area and would like an increase in our budget $5

000

2.Reason:

3.Reason:

4.Reason:

5.Reason:

6. Reason:

Addendum3/08 1 PROPOSED REVISION OF THE ACS GUIDELINES FOR

CHEMISTRY PROGRAMS IN TWO-YEAR COLLEGES 1 SUMMARY The purpose of this document is to provide an overview of proposed revisions to the American Chemical Society (ACS) Guidelines for Chemistry Programs in Two-Year Colleges and invite feedback from the chemistry community. The Society Committee on Education (SOCED) is coordinating this revision in order to:

• Reflect changes in pedagogy, technology, and accountability • Facilitate student transfer

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– by aligning with the new ACS Guidelines and Evaluation Procedures for Bachelor’s Degree Programs (2008)

– by calling for communicating with receiving institutions • Provide a more useful resource for strengthening programs

– by offering guidance for ongoing curricular change – by offering guidance for improving the working environment

The revision process is intended to reinforce and expand the original vision for the Guidelines for Chemistry Programs in Two-Year Colleges. The third edition will reflect changes that have occurred in the world of higher education since 1997, when the second edition was published. While continuing to acknowledge that two-year college programs have different student bodies, missions, and curricula, the revised guidelines will focus on aspects that foster excellence in chemistry education in two-year programs. To better reflect the wide range of programs to which these guidelines apply, a name change to Guidelines for Chemistry in Two-Year College Programs is proposed. To emphasize how many aspects of two-year college programs align with those of other institutions of higher education, the organization of the third edition of the guidelines will be aligned as appropriate with that of the new ACS Guidelines and Evaluation Procedures for Bachelor’s Degree Programs. The proposed revisions will highlight the importance of program processes and outcomes. Mirroring changes to the new ACS Guidelines and Evaluation Procedures for Bachelor’s Degree Programs, the guidelines associated with student skills will be expanded. Similarly, assessment and evaluation will be the focus of a separate section, as will mentoring and advising. Involving students in research projects will be recommended as an effective way of mentoring, fostering interest in science, building skills, and reinforcing knowledge. Faculty development will have additional emphasis. The current guidelines related to articulation will be expanded beyond articulation agreements to address other aspects of successful student transfer. A separate section on partnerships will emphasize the many ways in which mutually beneficial relationships with other institutions can and should be fostered. 1 Sections of this document have been adapted from the new ACS Guidelines and Evaluation Procedures for Bachelor’s Degree Programs (2008) and “Proposed Revision of the ACS Guidelines for Undergraduate Chemistry Programs” (2006). 3/08 2 2 Those institutions that offer two-year programs in chemical technology should refer to the ACS Chemical Technology Program Approval Service. Like previous editions, the third edition of the guidelines is intended to be used as a guide for self-studies and program reviews. The inclusion of clear statements on faculty contact hours, space requirements, instrumentation, hands-on laboratory experiences, safety, and other important topics make the guidelines an important resource for chemistry faculty to share with administrators, colleagues, and partnering institutions and organizations. Please send feedback to SOCED by email to CommCollChem@acs.org with a subject of “ACS 2YC Guidelines Revision” by May 15, 2008. The guidelines revision will also be discussed during the SOCED open meeting at the Spring 2008 ACS National Meeting, during symposia at the 20th Biennial Conference on Chemical Education, and during a symposium at the Fall 2008 ACS National Meeting.

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THE IMPORTANCE OF GUIDELINES FOR TWO-YEAR COLLEGE PROGRAMS Chemistry is central to intellectual and technological advances in many areas of science. The traditional boundaries between chemistry sub-disciplines are blurring, and chemistry is increasingly overlapping with other sciences. Unchanged, however, is the molecular perspective that is at the heart of chemistry. Chemistry programs have the responsibility for communicating this molecular outlook and developing skill in its application. Within the context of the diversity of institutions and students that make up American higher education, ACS has developed a set of guidelines to promote high quality chemistry education for students attending two-year college programs. The goal of these guidelines is to help faculties provide students with the best possible education in the fundamental areas of modern chemistry and its relationship to other disciplines and to society. The ACS Guidelines for Chemistry Programs in Two-Year Colleges have always provided a comprehensive model designed for a range of institutions.2 Although a program may not fulfill all of the guidelines, it will benefit from pursuing those appropriate for its mission, student body, and curriculum. Implementing the guidelines can ensure that the chemistry course offerings and programs of an institution

• are consistent with the mission of the institution, • meet the needs of the diverse backgrounds and abilities of entering students, • enhance the strengths of the institution and the community, • articulate with programs to which students transfer, • are comparable with programs of recognized quality, and • augment the continuing education and other local community chemistry

education needs.

The proposed revisions respond to changes that have occurred in the world of higher education since the second edition of the guidelines was prepared in 1997. A growing number of people are enrolling in institutions of higher education. Increased knowledge on how people learn is resulting in a renewed focus on pedagogy. Advances in technology are leading to new and enhanced ways of engaging students and tracking progress. Demands for accountability from the public, governing bodies, accrediting agencies, and other stakeholders are generating increased interest in the identification and documentation of learning outcomes. 3/08 3 The roles that two-year college programs can and do play in providing access to and success in higher education are receiving more attention. With their diverse student bodies, community and junior colleges are seen as having a critical role in building the 21st century workforce. Associates programs offered by other colleges and universities enhance opportunities for students. Institutions and science departments at all levels of higher education are responding to trends showing increasing numbers of students and changing enrollment patterns. Several challenges must be overcome for two-year college programs to maximize their impact and realize their full potential. The most visible challenges center on resources. The image of two-year college programs must also be improved. The isolation of their faculty must be diminished. Addressing these challenges requires a concerted community

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effort, involving many partners. By revising the guidelines, ACS seeks to enhance the understanding of the many different two-year college environments, engage chemistry faculty and programs across higher education, and encourage the formation of partnerships that respond to the challenges and foster excellence. CHARACTERISTICS OF EXCELLENT PROGRAMS To maximize their impact and realize their full potential, two-year college chemistry programs must be supported in meaningful ways. This is true regardless of the institutional mission, range of chemistry courses offered, or student aspirations. Excellent two-year college chemistry programs are designed to provide students with the intellectual, experimental, and professional skills needed to be successful and scientifically-informed citizens and contributors to the scientific enterprise. They offer coherent and rigorous curricula that ground students in the molecular perspective of chemistry and encourage students to extend their understanding through the basic precepts of the scientific method. Curricula provide both a solid foundation in chemistry and opportunities for applications of chemistry in many fields. They include hands-on laboratory experiences that involve synthesis of molecules and measurement of chemical properties and phenomena with modern instrumentation. Ideally, students pursuing careers in science have opportunities to search and use the chemical literature and scientific databases and to employ computer modeling to further their understanding and to predict chemical phenomena. Opportunities for pursuing original research projects that result in comprehensive written reports are highly recommended as a means for students to apply and develop their chemistry knowledge and skills. In addition to educating and training students in chemical concepts and practice, excellent two-year college programs address the development of process skills in their students. Excellent programs produce students who work safely in the laboratory, demonstrate effective oral and written communication, and work effectively as a member of a team. Excellent programs encourage students to ask questions, design experiments, interpret results based on current scientific information, exhibit ethical scientific conduct, and develop behaviors and thought patterns leading to innovation and a capacity for lifelong learning. The pedagogical approaches of excellent two-year college programs generate an integrative experience in which students learn to apply their knowledge in new contexts and can transition seamlessly to other programs. Content is delivered in ways that are challenging, engaging, and 3/08 4 inclusive, and that accommodate a variety of learning styles. Curricula are designed to help students develop the ability to apply knowledge and skills to new situations and to transfer knowledge from one context to another. Faculty-student interactions excite students about chemistry while providing effective mentoring and feedback. The development of innovative and stimulating pedagogy enhances programs’ abilities to achieve excellence. An energetic and accomplished faculty is essential to excellent two-year college chemistry programs. Faculty members are responsible for definition of overall goals of the chemistry program within the context of the institutional mission and student body. They define the vision for student outcomes and are the facilitators for student learning of content knowledge and process skills that comprise a program in chemistry. As such, the

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faculty must be significantly engaged in the educational mission of the department. Faculty must maintain their professional competence at a level that reflects the current state of the discipline. Excellent programs have in place suitable mechanisms for providing feedback and support to faculty members regarding teaching, professional scholarship, and service as appropriate to the institutional mission. Excellent chemistry programs will also have in place sustainable mechanisms for faculty development, faculty mentoring, and development of faculty leadership. Excellent programs are performed in safe, well-designed facilities, equipped with current instrumentation, and supported by appropriate non-faculty staff. Since infrastructure is fundamental for the implementation of excellent programs, it should be the subject of on-going strategic planning to ensure the sustainability of high quality student experiences and accommodation of new program initiatives over time. Excellent two-year college programs regularly evaluate the effectiveness of their curricular and pedagogical efforts and use the evaluation results to further improve themselves. The result is vibrant, sustainable, and resilient programs that serve a steady stream of dedicated and accomplished students, support continual professional development and scholarly activities of faculty, and have strong infrastructures to support educational and scientific missions. GUIDELINES Institutional Environment. To be successful, a two-year college chemistry program requires a substantial institutional commitment to an environment that supports long-term excellence, consistent with the mission and purposes of the institution. The institution’s policies regarding salaries, teaching contact hours, overloads, promotions, tenure and/or continuing contracts, leave policies, and hiring practices should maintain good faculty morale and attract and retain quality chemistry faculty. Faculty and Staff. Faculty members are responsible for defining the overall goals of the program and ensuring those goals can be achieved through the curriculum and environment. The faculty facilitates student learning of content knowledge and development of professional skills. A quality program has mechanisms in place to maintain the professional competence of its faculty, to provide faculty development and mentoring opportunities, and to provide regular feedback regarding faculty performance. 3/08 5 Permanent/continuing/tenure-track faculty. Full-time, permanent faculty should be sufficient to teach the full range of courses on a regular basis, with the number of credit hours taught by permanent faculty exceeding 75% of the total chemistry offerings. Temporary/contingent/non-tenure-track faculty. Programs may occasionally engage highly qualified individuals outside the regular faculty to provide specific expertise and accommodate term-to-term fluctuations in enrollments. Excessive reliance on temporary/contingent/non-tenure-track faculty is strongly discouraged. Equivalent facilities and professional development opportunities should be provided to temporary/contingent/non-tenure-track faculty. Teaching contact hours. Contact hours are the actual time spent in the direct supervision of students in a classroom or laboratory. The institution’s policies about teaching contact hours should provide all faculty and instructional staff adequate time for professional development, regular curriculum assessment and improvement, contact with students outside of class, and scholarly activities. The number of contact hours in classroom and in

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laboratory instruction for faculty or instructional staff must not exceed 15 total hours or 450 student contact hours per week. Levels that exceed this standard risk lowering the quality of the chemistry program. Support staff. A sustainable and robust program requires an adequate number of administrative and support personnel, along with technical staff to maintain instrumentation, support laboratory functions, and assure regulatory and safety compliance. The number of support staff should be sufficient to allow faculty members to devote their time and effort to academic responsibilities and scholarly activities. At least one full-time laboratory technician for every four full-time or full-time-equivalent chemistry faculty is needed. Part-time and student help are not adequate substitutes for full-time laboratory technicians. Professional development. Sound policies regarding salaries, duties, promotions, sabbatical leaves, and tenure are essential. Institutional policies and practices should provide opportunities and resources for scholarly activities that allow faculty and instructional staff to stay current in both their specialties and modern pedagogy in order to teach effectively.

• The institution should provide opportunities for renewal and professional development through sabbaticals, participation in professional meetings, and other professional activities. Faculty and instructional staff should use these opportunities.

• The program should provide mechanisms by which senior faculty mentor junior faculty. Proper mentoring integrates all members of the instructional staff into the culture of their particular academic unit, institution, and the chemistry profession, ensuring the stability and vitality of the program.

Infrastructure. A modern and comprehensive infrastructure is essential to a vigorous two-year program in chemistry. Program infrastructure must receive strong institutional support in order to provide sustainability through inevitable changes in faculty, leadership, and funding levels. Office space. Faculty offices are readily available to students and located so as to encourage faculty–student contact. These offices must be equipped with a computer with Internet and electronic mail access, accessible to persons with disabilities, and sufficiently private to allow for intellectual pursuits, security of materials, and confidential discussions. 3/08 6 Laboratory space. Laboratories should be suitable for instruction in the chemical sciences and must meet applicable government regulations. Properly functioning fume hoods, safety showers, eyewashes, first aid kits, and fire extinguishers must be readily available. Construction or renovation of laboratory facilities must conform to the regulations of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and national norms. • The number of students supervised by a faculty member should not exceed 25, except

for organic laboratories, where 20 students is the maximum. • There is a minimum of 30 square feet of laboratory space per student for the

introductory courses, which includes a minimum of 3 lineal feet of working bench space per student. For the second-year courses, there is a minimum of 45 square feet

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per student, which includes a minimum of 4.5 lineal feet of working bench space per student.

Equipment and Instrumentation. Programs should have a suite of modern chemical instrumentation and specialized laboratory apparatus appropriate for the courses offered, providing hands-on laboratory experiences in characterization and analysis of chemical systems. • Programs must have certain essential equipment, such as electronic balances, volumetric

glassware, pH meters, colorimeters, thermometers or temperature probes, hot plates and/or Bunsen burners, and filtration equipment.

• Standard items, such as automated data collection devices with associated probes, centrifuges, melting point apparatus, microscale or full-scale organic kits, gas chromatographs, and UV-vis spectrometers, are highly recommended for programs serving students pursuing careers in science or health.

• Instrumentation such as FTIR, FT-NMR, and mass spectrometers should be available for students pursing chemistry careers.

Computational Capabilities. Students should have access to computing facilities and software that support computational chemistry, interactive simulations, and laboratory data acquisition and analysis. The available software should also include scientific word processing capabilities and illustration. Chemical Information Resources. Both faculty and students should have access to the chemical literature. Holdings should include current chemistry and related science periodicals, plus a range of other reference materials, commensurate with the size and nature of the chemistry offerings and the research activity of the students and staff. Important reference materials, or electronic access to these materials, should be within or near the science building. • The library should provide access to journal articles that are not readily available by a

mechanism such as interlibrary loan or document delivery services. If primary student access is electronic, cost or impractical times for access should not limit it unduly.

• As appropriate for the courses taught, the program includes training and experience in the use of information from the enormous and rapidly expanding chemical literature equivalent to that in the major transfer institutions.

Curriculum. ACS encourages diversity as well as quality in two-year college chemistry programs. The curriculum must reflect the mission of the institution and the diversity in the educational background, learning readiness, academic ability, and educational goals of students. 3/08 7 Since the responsibility for student learning should reside with those who can best implement and assess it, the chemistry faculty must be involved in the identification of learning outcomes and the design of a curriculum to achieve them. Because chemistry is an experimental science, substantial hands-on laboratory work must be part of the curriculum. The curriculum must also include experiences that develop student skills essential for their effective performance as professionals.

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Innovation and experimentation coupled with a strong assessment component preserve the vitality of chemistry education. Programs that are innovative in content and teaching methodology are strongly endorsed. Course Offerings. When designing and assessing curricula, two-year college programs should consider student needs, enrollment trends, and the expectations of programs which students are pursuing concurrently, such as those in allied health, or plan to pursue, such as those in science and engineering. Series of courses with learning outcomes appropriate to the level and goals of students should be developed. Despite the many variations, all good programs help students appreciate the contributions as well as the limitations of science and technology, and develop students’ scientific and logical reasoning skills. The prerequisites and learning outcomes of courses must be clearly communicated to students and to all those involved in admitting students to chemistry classes. Adherence to the established chemistry course prerequisites is necessary to maintain quality programs. Failure to do so increases student failure and dropout rates and lowers the quality of learning. Pedagogy. Programs should teach their courses in a challenging, engaging, and inclusive manner that accommodates a variety of learning styles. Additionally, programs should provide opportunities for faculty to maintain their knowledge of best practices in chemistry education and modern theories of learning and cognition in science. Programs should regularly review their pedagogical approaches to ensure that they provide excellent content and build skills that students need to be effective professionals. Faculty should incorporate pedagogies that have been shown to be effective in undergraduate chemistry education. Examples include problem or inquiry-based learning, peer-led instruction, group learning, learning communities or networks, writing throughout the curriculum, and technology-aided instruction. Laboratory work provides a particularly attractive opportunity for open-ended investigations that promote independent thinking, critical thinking and reasoning, and a perspective of chemistry as a scientific process of discovery. Laboratory experiences. Laboratory work in chemistry courses is designed to give students hands-on experience in synthesizing molecules, measuring chemical properties and phenomena, and using modern instrumentation. Laboratory experiences should also provide opportunities for group work and the use of problem-solving strategies. The outcomes of a laboratory course may include demonstrated abilities to • work in a team environment, • keep neat and complete experimental records, • anticipate, recognize, and respond properly to potential hazards in a chemical

laboratory, • plan and execute an experimental procedure for a specific purpose, 3/08 8 • take accurate quantitative measurements, • interpret experimental results and draw reasonable conclusions, • prepare oral and written scientific reports, • synthesize and characterize chemical compounds, and • assess the reliability of experimental results and discuss sources of error within an

experimental procedure.

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Undergraduate Research. Engaging two-year college students in original research and research-like activities has many benefits. It allows students to integrate and reinforce chemistry knowledge, develop their scientific and professional skills, and create new scientific knowledge. It fosters interactions with faculty and enhances student interest in science. Research activities are also an effective means of keeping faculty current in their fields and provide a basis for acquiring modern instrumentation. Research projects can be pursued independently or integrated into the curriculum. They can be conducted on campus, in the facilities of partnering institutions, or in the community. Developing group or interdisciplinary projects can help sustain momentum. Implementing a student research program requires resources, including faculty time, laboratory space, instrumentation, supplies, and student stipends. The investment should be leveraged by documenting and sharing the impact of undergraduate research activities. Development of Student Skills. Curricula should develop problem-solving, chemical literature, laboratory safety, communication, and team skills, as well as ethics, preparing students for future educational and professional endeavors. To assure that the level of skills developed in courses is comparable to expectations, faculty should regularly communicate with programs which students are pursuing concurrently, such as those in allied health, or plan to pursue, such as those in science and engineering. Student Mentoring and Advising. Effective advising and mentoring of students in two-year college programs are central to student achievement. Successful mentors provide guidance for a student’s development, networking, confidence building, and career planning. Informed advising and mentoring can ease the transition for students who transfer into chemistry or other science programs. Faculty, counselors, advisors, and other support staff should be in regular communication with each other. Counselors and advisors should advise students about the many career options available to chemistry graduates and should encourage those with a strong interest in teaching or research to pursue advanced study in chemistry or related sciences. Student placement. Each student’s preparation and readiness for coursework is determined by testing, transcript evaluation, and counseling. Students who do not meet the prerequisites for a given chemistry course are required to complete appropriate preparatory course(s) in chemistry, mathematics, and/or developmental skills. Counselors and advisors. All those involved in admitting students to chemistry classes understand the importance of stated prerequisite requirements and adhere to them when enrolling students in chemistry courses. Discipline-specific counselors and advisors who are familiar with the career opportunities for students in transfer programs, but are also familiar 3/08 9 with the academic preparation necessary for entry into the various chemistry courses, are highly recommended. When advising transfer students in their selection of chemistry and related courses, counselors and advisors should ensure that the courses will coordinate and articulate successfully with those institutions to which the students plan to transfer. Students anticipating transfer to a four-year institution are counseled to complete all terms of

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sequential courses (e.g., the general chemistry sequence and the organic chemistry sequence, as well as other science and mathematics sequences) before transfer. Connections between transferring and receiving institutions. With students increasingly transferring among institutions during their undergraduate education, two-year programs should be in regular communication with institutions to which a significant number of students transfer to ensure that the chemistry curricula of both institutions are appropriately coordinated. Transfer students should be given orientation and academic advising to assist with a successful transition to their new institution. Support services. Support structures, such as tutoring and supplemental instruction, are in place to ensure student success. Assessment and Program Self-Evaluation. Self-evaluation is an ongoing process for continual improvement of a program. The result of a transparent and reflective self-evaluation process is an ever-improving program that produces prepared students, supports continual professional development and scholarly activities of faculty, and has a strong infrastructure to support its educational mission. Two-year chemistry programs should have established procedures to regularly assess and evaluate their effectiveness with respect to curriculum and pedagogy, faculty development opportunities, and infrastructure needs relative to the programs’ goals and objectives. Assessment of student learning, which evaluates learning outcomes, is also a continuing process that ultimately leads to student learning improvement. This is accomplished by helping faculty adapt instruction to the needs of the students. Chemistry faculty should implement a variety of assessment techniques and tools that will provide the necessary data for making informed decisions at the classroom, course and program levels. Such ongoing assessment will not only improve student learning but also improve curriculum, materials, and teaching techniques. Partnerships. Two-year college programs can increase the impact and success of their activities via partnerships of many different types. Regardless of whether the goal is to increase matriculation from secondary schools, facilitate transfer to other postsecondary institutions, foster scholarly or undergraduate research activities, enhance student exploration of career opportunities, or advance other strategic objectives, partnerships should engage stakeholders in meaningful dialogue that develops trust and mutually beneficial relations. Having clear responsibilities and regular communications will help leverage resources and expertise, positioning two-year college programs to respond to the changes occurring in education and the workforce.

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3/08 10 CHEMISTRY COMMUNITY FEEDBACK Input from the chemistry community in response to workshops, surveys, and mailings has informed these proposed changes. Continued feedback on the proposed new guidelines is especially important. Please send comments by email to CommCollChem@acs.org with a subject of “ACS 2YC Guidelines Revision.” Response by May 15, 2008 would be appreciated. Also, please attend the SOCED open meeting at the Spring 2008 ACS National Meeting, as well as symposia on the guidelines at the 20th Biennial Conference on Chemical Education and at the Fall 2008 ACS National Meeting, at which these new proposed guidelines will be discussed. SOCED looks forward to the participation of the entire chemistry community in this revision of the ACS guidelines for chemistry in two-year college programs. An electronic version of this overview of proposed changes and updates on the guidelines revision process are available at www.acs.org by following the path: Education > Educational Resources > Undergraduate > Two-Year/Community Colleges.

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Appendix

Data will be provided by Institutional Research

All Courses Enrolled Spaces –For three years all 13 terms

Valid Grades1 Retention2 Success3

with WsSuccess without Ws

Faculty Load Distribution in the Unit

All courses Total Teaching Load for 2 fall terms

% of Total Teaching Load by Full-time Faculty

% of Total Teaching Load Taught by Part-Time Faculty

WSCH FTEF WSCH/FTEF Explanations and Additional Information (retirement, reassignment, etc.)

1 Valid grade notations: A, B, C, D, F, CR, NC, W, FW, I or IX (Incomplete).2 The Retention Rate is computed based upon the percent of students retained in courses out of the total enrolled in courses. The retention rate is calculated by dividing the numerator by the denominator and multiplying by 100:

Numerator: Number of students (duplicated) with A, B, C, D, CR, NC, I Denominator: Number of students (duplicated) with A, B, C, D, F, CR, NC, W, I

3 Success Rate: Percent of students successful in courses out of total enrolled in courses. The success rate is calculated by dividing the numerator by the denominator and multiplying by 100

Numerator: Number of students (duplicated) with A, B, C, CR Denominator: Number of students (duplicated) with A, B, C, D, F, CR, NC, W, I

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