Task Force on Academic Programs

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Task Force on Academic Programs

• Presented by Brenda Eatman Aghahowa
• Department of English and Speech
• and Paul Musial
• Department of Mathematics and Computer Sci.

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Task Force Members

• Brenda Eatman Aghahowa
• Department of English and Speech
• Khalid Alsamara
• Management Information Sciences
• Mellanie Ellexson
• Occupational Therapy

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Task Force Members

• Treadwell Merrill
• Library and Instruction Services
• Jean Murphy
• Early Childhood Education
• Paul Musial
• Mathematics and Computer Science

4
Task Force Members

• Patricia Sloan
• College of Health Sciences
• Victor Sorell
• College of Arts and Sciences

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Task Force Charge

• To conduct a program review of current academic
  offerings and to make assessments with
  recommendations for improvements.

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Process

• Dr. Daniel appointed members to the Task Force in
  Fall 2004.
• The co-chairs identified the directors of all
  academic departments and sent each one a request
  for a brief self-study.

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Process

• The Task Force reviewed the 1998 Task Force
  report, the Colleges annual reports from the
  past five years, as well as data relating to
  numbers of graduates, number of credit hours
  generated, etc.

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Process

• At its first meetings, the Task Force divided up
  the work among the members so that each member
  was responsible for contacting between 3 and 5
  program directors.

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Process

• At each meeting, members discussed contacts they
  had made with program directors.
• Meetings were well attended. Discussions were
  open and candid. We discussed initiatives, but
  remained rooted in the history of the university.

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Findings
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Non-Traditional Degree Programs
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Board of Governors

• 750 students, down from 850 in 2002
• 17 of student body
• 60 enter from off campus most of those are
  transfers

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Board of Governors

• Students are adults 25 or older
• 30 have minors
• Average GPA 3.3
• lt 1 on academic probation

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Board of Governors

• 34 of graduates begin graduate studies
• 80 of University Without Walls graduates begin
  graduate studies

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Board of Governors

• Nationwide and at Chicago State, 20 of college
  graduates are from nontraditional programs that
  number is rising.
• Roosevelt, DePaul, Northwestern, Governors
  State, North Park, University of Phoenix, UKs
  Open University, and many others have
  nontraditional programs.

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Recommendations

• Increased staffing of advisors
• Improved communication between Board of Governors
  program and rest of campus community

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African American Studies

• A university with a predominantly
• African-American student population should have
  a strong African-American Studies Department.
• Resources should be dedicated to the hiring of a
  high-profile director, additional dedicated
  faculty, and appropriate staff.

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Causes for Celebration!
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New Graduate Programs

• Master of Fine Arts in Writing
• Master of Science in Computer Science
• Master of Occupational Therapy

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New Graduate Programs

• Doctor of Educational Leadership Program has 250
  inquiries about applications for 15 spots.

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Accreditations

• Many departments and programs have received
  accreditations over the past five years.

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Multidisciplinary Efforts

• Health Science, Pre-Occupational Therapy
• Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation
• Mathematics - Biology Mathematics - Physics

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Multidisciplinary Efforts

• College of Arts and Sciences Research and
  Development Office
• College of Arts and Sciences Forum Series
• Research Cues

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Multidisciplinary Efforts

• Humanities / Sciences
• Honors College
• Center for Urban Mental Health Research
• HIV / AIDS Policy and Research Institute

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Grantsmanship

• The Department of Chemistry and Physics has won
  over 1 million in grants per year since 2000.
• Many departments accomplish significant
  grantsmanship.

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Service Learning/Community Outreach

• Occupational Therapy students interact with
  children with disabilities at Foster Park one day
  a week for 10 weeks.
• They also provide both individual and group
  activities for clients at LARC, a sheltered
  workshop for individuals with developmental
  disabilities.

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Service Learning/Community Outreach

• Mathematics graduate students now have the
  opportunity to tutor students and teach classes
  under the supervision of mentoring professors.

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Internships

• College of Busines

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Opportunities
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Opportunities

• Tempo, Writing Center, and Writing Across the
  Curriculum are potential venues for improved
  cooperation among disciplines

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Opportunities

• Grantsmanship could be enhanced through the
  hiring of a full-time grant writer.

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Opportunities

• Addressing the findings of the Task Force on
  Academic Programs can help aid in improving
  Retention, Academic Environment, and
  Communication.