Proposed Changes in Offerings

College Executive Summary

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The College of Social & Behavioral Sciences (SBS) is a community of diverse learners seeking to understand and transform the social world through inquiry, inspiration, service, and innovation (SBS mission statement, adopted 2013). The following core values drive our words and actions: Diversity (our uniqueness as

individuals and as a collective is an asset and serves as a source of strength); Learning (the foundation of knowledge as both a valued end and a means to success); Engagement (passion, involvement, critical thinking, and collaboration are nurtured among all learners): Equity (the assurance of access, belonging, and opportunity shapes our approach and our actions); Innovation (creativity advances knowledge

through research and scholarship for improving lives); and Integrity (ethics and honesty guide our curriculum, values, words, and actions). SBS is a key contributor to the academic successes of Minnesota State

University, Mankato, and a key player in the state and region.

The following disciplines (and inter-disciplines) comprise the College: Anthropology & American Indigenous Studies, Economics, Ethnic Studies, Gender & Women’s Studies, Geography, History, International Relations, Law Enforcement, Political Science, Psychology, Sociology & Corrections, Social Work, and Urban &

Regional Studies. In addition, the College houses degree programs in Aging Studies, Applied Organizational Studies, Earth Science, Museum Studies, Nonprofit Leadership, Sexuality Studies, and Social Studies Teaching. The College offers 33 undergraduate majors, 19 master’s degree programs and one doctoral program (Psy.D.). SBS occupies a unique position in the academic landscape: on the one hand, many of our programs and departments have played a historic role in the development of the disciplines, such as the Sociology & Corrections Department’s recent celebration of its 100th _{anniversary; and the Gender &} Women’s Studies Department’s distinction as the first women’s studies master of science program in the United States. On the other hand, SBS is nimble and responsive, able to adapt to trends in both academe and workforce development, such as the fairly recent launch of programmatic offerings in Geographic Information Science, School Psychology, and Nonprofit Leadership. One of the College’s greatest strengths is our ability to unite stability and structure with responsiveness and innovation.

The degree program plans herein present an exciting range of ideas, some innovative, some responsive, and all reflective of the College mission to understand and transform the social world.

Academic Planning Process

The College of Social & Behavioral Sciences is no stranger to academic planning. In 2012-13, we underwent a thorough planning process that resulted in a Strategic Roadmap for 2013-16. The Integrated Academic Planning process this year was an opportunity to dive more deeply into program planning than we had done previously. Thus, our 2012-13 strategic plan dovetailed nicely with the 2014-15 Integrated Academic Planning process. In spring 2014, the SBS Leadership Council discussed and began work on the program planning tool adopted by Academic Affairs. All SBS departments submitted program plans during fall 2014. After one or more rounds of review and revision, the College held a half-day SBS Leadership Council meeting in early February 2015 to discuss the plans put forth by each department. Each department chair discussed their top points of pride, plans for program changes, challenges, and takeaways. The meeting resulted in a few departments revising their program plans yet again, in light of the exciting ideas presented in the extended meeting.

Proposed Changes in Offerings

The College of Social & Behavioral Sciences offers 33 baccalaureate degrees, 19 master’s degrees, and one doctorate. As the College looks toward the future, it plans to grow in the following directions.

During our extended meeting on Academic Master Planning, one department chair discussed a successful “3+2” accelerated master’s option between two SBS departments (Geography and Urban & Regional Studies). Following an engaging discussion on such offerings, several departments are now considering adding an accelerated option. These departments include Gender & Women’s Studies, Government, and Sociology & Corrections, but others may become interested in the coming months. The accelerated

offerings have great potential to enhance undergraduate student retention and completion by saving them money and time, while increasing student enrollment and completion in graduate programs. Even if just a few students opt for each of the accelerated master’s per year, the overall effect would be a great contribution toward university goals. Accelerated options are not new programs per se; instead, they give students more options within our existing offerings.

In addition, the College has other strong possibilities in the works. The Department of Government Law Enforcement program is looking to add a fire safety program to further serve their public safety mission. Government is also developing a Law Enforcement track within the Public Administration master’s program in response to police officers’ demand for higher degrees. Social Work is considering a new post-Master clinical training certificate program, which would meet state workforce demand. State workforce demand is also posing further developments in Child Welfare and Mental Health for both the Social Work and

Psychology Departments. Gender & Women’s Studies is working with Psychology and Sociology faculty on an interdisciplinary minor in Sexuality Studies in response to student interest. Geography has proposed the following new programs: a Professional Science Master’s in Geographic Information Science and certificates in Geomorphology, Water Resources, and Geoarcheology. PSM degrees respond to workforce demand and coincide with other university advancements toward developing PSM options. Finally, the History Department is developing a Global History certificate.

Several programs have plans for growing their offerings without new added resources, such as full-time faculty lines. Applied Organizational Studies is adding courses that will use only a nominal increase in salary spending—the modest investment promises to pay off with an increase in majors and graduates. The Department of Anthropology and American Indigenous Studies is trying various ways to increase

undergraduate enrollments. Their challenge is to figure out how all departmental programs fit together. While unified as one department, they are treated as different programs by different entities of the university. It is important that neither AIS nor Museum studies become invisible as compared to Anthropology programs. The Corrections program is planning a curriculum redesign after one or two faculty retire. They want to redesign for a more current, competitive, program. Gender & Women’s Studies would like to increase enrollment in their graduate program and are proposing an accelerated master’s option to increase graduation rates of undergraduates and grow the graduate program. Geography is strengthening GIScience offerings at the main campus by adding new applied courses in Crime Analysis, Historical Analysis, Socio-Economic Analysis, and Transportation Analysis.

The Department of Geography is also growing the physical and natural science portion of the Department by revitalizing the weather program after a retirement and adding new courses in water, fluvial

geomorphology, and earth surface processes. The Department of Government is investigating adding NASPAA accreditation for their MPA program. This poses duplication concerns (with URSI). Government is further developing outreach efforts in International Relations and Political Science. An International Relations study abroad requirement has been instituted, setting up new partnerships and expanding programs.

Political Science is improving outreach through internships. History would like their B.S. and M.S. programs to grow, but they recognize the need to look at how to attract students. They are planning to make the major more relevant through ongoing conversations on how to create an effective program that equips students with skills that translate beyond the classroom. Examples are to add 200-level seminar classes (e.g., History of Baseball, History of Civil Rights). Psychology plans to increase the number of majors who apply to and are

successfully admitted to graduate programs.

Some departments are proposing revisions to existing programs for greater student recruitment, retention, and completion. History would like to incorporate the Social Studies education program into their

department. Moving SOST into History would be a fairly seamless administrative revision.

Psychology plans to develop an introductory course to meet new testing requirements for the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT)(e.g., Introduction to Psychological Science for Health Fields).

In an exciting new prospect for College-wide retention and graduation, a plan is underway to revise the Social Studies non-teaching option by changing the name to Social Sciences or Interdisciplinary Social Science. This could serve as another SBS baccalaureate completion program and a choice for a major. Proposed Changes in Collaborations and Partnerships

In accordance with the College’s transformative mission, SBS departments are highly collaborative and involved in community engagement. To extend these relationships even further, Anthropology and AIS, and Museum Studies want to increase collaborations, participate in learning communities, and increase

partnerships and certificates.

This year, as Acting Dean I have explored the possibility of partnerships and collaborations between College departments and the new Children’s Museum of Southern Minnesota. I’ve worked closely with Peter Olson, Executive Director of the museum, to identify collaborations based on research (such as Psychology students administering evaluative tests to museum-goers) and content expertise (such as exhibit development by History, URSI, GWS, ANTH/AIS, Government, Ethnic Studies, and others). This opportunity for partnership only came to light in late fall 2014, so it may only have a passing mention in some of the academic plans that follow. However, the collaborations will bear fruit over the next three-plus years.

As Acting Dean of the College, I support these programmatic developments. These proposals are a great example of SBS’s characteristic fusion of stability and longevity with nimbleness and responsiveness. The various proposals use existing space and staffing resources, which is essential in the current fiscal

environment. I applaud the SBS faculty on these good ideas. If additional resources would become available, programs in Geography, Anthropology, and Museum Studies would be immensely improved by the addition of laboratory spaces.

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All departments in the College of Social & Behavioral Sciences wish to increase enrollments in their graduate and undergraduate programs. Overall, their goals are admirable and attainable. The total number of undergraduate and graduate majors in SBS increased in the past six years from 2,438 to 2,855. This bodes well for our prospects for reaching ever-more students in the next three years. For example, Economics majors have grown from 90 students 6 years ago to approximately 150-160 majors today. Psychology grew from 475 to 589 majors since 2011, and the department’s challenge is to keep class sizes manageable. With a few exceptions (Psychology, Social Work, Law Enforcement), SBS programs are majors of discovery. All departments are busily engaged in attracting students—publicizing their majors, improving advising, making course content relevant and exciting, and improving curriculum. Quite a few program plans include the development of marketing materials to invite student interest. Undergraduate students do not generally enter MSU with plans to major in many SBS fields; however, once they find us, typically by way of general education courses, we keep them and help them graduate.

SBS students and as teaching assistants in our departments. Graduate students can have a unique impact on the undergraduate students they come into contact with, advancing recruitment and retention. In addition, with the prospect of 3+2 options in several programs, the transition from undergraduate to graduate student becomes more seamless and more attractive.

All departments wish to attract more students of color and more international students. This is a realistic plan, given historical data. Between fall 2011 and fall 2014, the number of students of color in SBS majors (both graduate and undergraduate) increased from 390 to 438. In addition, several master’s programs are destination programs for international students—URSI, GWS, Public Administration, and Ethnic Studies, for example, tend to draw strong numbers. The number of international students with SBS majors (both graduate and undergraduate) increased from 67 to 118 between fall 2011 and fall 2014. With help from Institutional Diversity, International Affairs, and other campus resources, the College has every reason to expect to sustain these upward trends.

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Several departments indicated the need for additional personnel to assist with reaching their programmatic goals. Below is an overview of the personnel plans in SBS.

• Faculty

o Probationary

 The Aging Studies Program would like to increase from .5 faculty line.

 The Department of Anthropology/AIS wants to add one tenure-track faculty position in the AIS program.

 The Corrections Program wants to add one new faculty line.

 The Department of Economics wants to add three tenure-track and one fixed-term faculty positions.

 The Department of Ethnic Studies wants to add two tenure-track faculty positions.  The Department of Geography wants to add one tenure-track faculty position.  The Department of Government wants to add four tenure-track faculty positions.  The Department of History wants to add one tenure-track faculty position.

 The Nonprofit Leadership Program would like to increase from .75 to 1.5 faculty lines.  The Department of Psychology wants to add two tenure-track faculty positions.  The Department of Social Work wants to add one tenure-track faculty position.  The Department of Urban and Regional Studies wants to add four probationary

faculty members. • Administrative Services

 The Department of Social Work proposes one additional MSUAASF staff member. • Classified:

 The Aging Studies Program would like to increase administrative staff time.

 The Department of Anthropology/AIS proposes increasing their administrative staff from .75 to 1.

 The Department of History proposes increasing their administrative staff from .75 to 1.  The Department of Social Work proposes one additional classified staff member. • Graduate Assistants

All College of Social & Behavioral Sciences departments and programs propose to add permanent

graduate assistantship lines. Departments are currently limited to requesting assistantships through the UGA, Institutional Diversity, and SBS annual processes.

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• Specialized Technology

o The Departments of Anthropology and Geography have intensive need for advanced computers and ITS support.

o Anthropology needs for their programs (including AIS and Museum Studies) include 3D imaging software, computers and programs, float machine, Total Station, X-Ray equipment, museum collections software, photography equipment, and printing and scanning equipment. o Geography’s Geospatial technologies needs include

 Cartographic hardware and software

 Geographic Information System (GIS) hardware and software  Remote Sensing hardware and software

 Global Positioning System (GPS) hardware and software  Land Surveying hardware and software

 High speed uplink to institutional computer servers  30-plus Terabytes of server memory

 Ability to share Terabyte sized datasets with other institutions, i.e. SFTP (Secure File Transfer Protocol)

o Geography’s specialized technology needs also include meteorological

observation/instrumentation hardware and software, and soils analysis field and laboratory equipment

o Instructional Supplies/Laboratory Supplies/EquipmentGeography’s needs include  Topographic maps

 Surveyors’ compasses  Soil peds

 Mineral and other samples

 Basic meteorological observation equipment: thermometers (dial-stem, liquid filled, infrared, mercury filled), sling psychrometers

o To continue toward Psychology’s goals of high research productivity, they need continued investment in lab equipment and supplies. Such equipment might include lab computers, special software or hardware, and other devices.

o Psychology also continues to need updated assessment kits for clinical master’s students and doctoral students to conduct tests.

• Specialized Facilities/Equipment

o Anthropology needs a wet/flotation lab, expanded curation space for museum studies and archeological collections, museum studies teaching lab, and a true ethnology lab.

o Dedicated spaces are needed for AIS, including storage space and classroom spaces. o Museum Studies needs storage and display spaces.

o Anthropology, AIS and museum studies currently have collections stored in numerous places. They need a storage area that is accessible to faculty and students and is environmentally controlled to support conservation of the collections. They also need a space for displaying all of these collections. Without exhibition spaces, they are limited on what we can teach our students about collection use.

o Geography’s needs include

 Cartographic computer laboratory  GIS computer laboratory

 Weather Laboratory: assemble and test meteorological observation equipment  Weather computer laboratory: visualization and analysis of atmospheric phenomena

o The Department of Psychology would like additional laboratory spaces to improve their

research productivity.

o Space for the Psychology Assessment Clinic is needed. The clinic would require a total of four

rooms: three for interviewing/testing and one room for record keeping, storage and a computer. This will be necessary for maintaining the clinic and for potential growth. This requires a professional atmosphere to create a welcoming environment and maintain

privacy.

o Psychology also needs space for storage of clinical assessment data and tests, along with private rooms to administer tests.

o Specialized space is needed for the Organizational Effectiveness Research Group

(Psychology) work. Space for laboratories, student work space, space for student-faculty collaboration, dedicated classroom and conference room space.

o Specialized space is needed to meet the specific needs of the Psy.D. doctoral program. More specifically, dedicated space would include seminar rooms, conference rooms, and rooms for assessing clients.

o Psychology also needs additional room for large lecture spaces (150+ sections). More large lecture halls on campus could help meet the high demand for courses in their major. o It would be beneficial to have a classroom that is wired for web conferences. This would

allow all departments to have special speakers in classrooms without paying for travel expenses.

• Library Resources

o Geography requests continued funding for and use of the Dr. Mary T. Dooley Map Library, which houses extensive map and historical air photo collections, and continued book, reference and periodicals purchases

o The Department of History and all other SBS departments appreciate the excellent resources and services available through Memorial Library, and they look at the Library as a

collaborative partner. History in particular states a need for a dedicated library budget for the purchase of primary source materials. This is necessary for History to expand research opportunities for students. In essence, the library is the laboratory for history students.

o In addition to the dedicated budget for primary source materials, History believes the library needs funding for at least one additional digital microfilm reader. At present, it is challenging to offer research courses because of a shortage of digital microfilm readers. This prevents faculty from providing the kind of instruction that is crucial for many students to succeed in such classes.

• Other Non-Salary Resources

o Anthropology/AIS lacks space for research and graduate assistants. There are currently 10 graduate assistants but no GA offices.

o The Departments of Social Work and Anthropology are operating large governmental grants with inadequate student space.

o Most SBS departments’ space is inadequate—faculty offices so small that they do not meet current architectural standards, faculty offices that are a far distance from the departmental home office, insufficient office space for teaching assistants and adjunct instructors, and more. Small investment in the college’s overall space allocation would better enable departments to meet student needs.

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• Proposed New Programs

o The Law Enforcement program is partnering with the City of Mankato on a proposal to build a public safety training facility. This will enhance the program’s plan to add a fire safety

program and advance their public safety mission.

o Psychology proposes the creation of an Analytics Research Center. The center will leverage the department’s specialties in research design, data analysis/interpretation, and program evaluation to provide a service and educational resource for the campus and greater community. With the growing emphasis on assessment and evaluation, MavARC will be there to support individuals, institutions, and organizations to help them gather and leverage their data in order to achieve actionable insight to move forward with their goals. Psychology students will see the skills they are learning translated into meaningful and profitable work. • Existing

o Grow

 The Department of Gender & Women’s Studies plans to expand their role as the social conscience of the University as leaders and collaborators on issues of equality,

diversity, feminism, and social justice.

 GWS will also further develop their commitment as leaders in Gender & Women’s Studies in the MnSCU System, through

• Developing ties with faculty at MnSCU institutions that teach in the area. • Facilitating articulation agreements with regional community colleges. • Inviting faculty from other Minnesota institutions to participate in our GWS

development opportunities.

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• External Grant/Contract Proposals Submitted – Number/$$ funds

o In the previous 3 years (FY12 through FY14) SBS has submitted 59 grants and contract proposals for a total of $4,564,320 in requests.

• External Grants/Contracts Secured

o Anthropology and Geography faculty have collaborated on large contracts to serve the State of Minnesota (such as Minnesota Department of Transportation). MnDOT has expressed interest in continuing the contracts beyond the current period.

o In the previous 3 years (FY12 through FY14) SBS has been awarded 45 grants and contract for a total of $1,838,713 in award dollars. In FY15 SBS has $1,308,262 in active awards.

o Social Work has a large Child Welfare grant that has brought in over $3 million in the past 10 years in student stipends and reimbursements for BSSW and MSW students.

o A Social Work Health Resources and Services Administrative Grant was awarded for $309,150 over a three-year period. Both Social Work contracts/grants have a high potential for renewal and growth.

o Ethnic Studies faculty are keenly interested in writing grants to support their research and their ability to serve students.

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I have considered possible organizational redesigns to support future college directions. One question to consider was, does it make sense for the Department of Economics to be located in the College of Social & Behavioral Sciences, or would that department be a better fit with the College of Business? Nationally, economics departments are located in both settings, so there is no obvious trend to inform the local

practice. The Department has not thoroughly considered this question in their planning, but there exists little momentum to make such a change. Many or most of the Economics faculty identify as social scientists, so for them, SBS is a good fit. I recommend no change.

An issue for ongoing review is that of duplication of Public Administration offerings and accreditation. The Public Administration program within the Department of Government has for several years been interested in pursuing NASPAA accreditation; last year, the URSI Department began pursuing Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration (NASPAA) accreditation of their Master of Arts in Urban Studies program. There are differences between the two programs, yet the accrediting body is the same. I have serious concerns about SBS housing two competing programs and about this duplication of offerings. There must be further conversations between these two departments as they refine their goals and propose a resolution of this issue.

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The departments and programs of the College of Social & Behavioral Sciences have much to do in the next three years! Our modest proposals demonstrate that there is great energy to improve our offerings and serve more students. This may be done with no new resources or a modest investment of new resources. However,

greater things. There can be little doubt that we possess passion and talent to move ourselves forward as we “understand and transform the social world through inquiry, inspiration, service, and innovation.”