1 9/2/05 ASSESSMENT REPORT 2004-2005 B.Sc. Degree in Natural Resources and Environmental Management Introduction This report follows the outline given in the attachment to a May 23, 2005 memo from R. Kelly Aune, Interim Assistant Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs. The numbered instructions in that document are repeated below in italics. Student Learning Outcomes 1. List in detail your Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) for each undergraduate degree/certificate offered. Student learning outcomes for the Bachelor=s of Science (B.Sc.) in Natural Resources and Environmental Management (NREM) include two goals (labeled A-B below) with a total five objectives (numbered 1-5). Goal A - NREM students will develop the abilities to contribute as responsible and productive professionals in natural resources and environmental management careers. Objective 1: Students will develop positive personal and work-related skills through contact and interaction with role models, class (individual and team) projects, and participation in extracurricular activities. Objective 2: Students will demonstrate effective written and oral communication skills through technical reports and class presentations in each of the 300-400 level core NREM courses. Objective 3: Students will broaden their social perspectives through exposure to diverse culture and thinking in course work, service projects, and departmental or college seminars. Goal B - NREM students will have a broad understanding of the environmental sciences and be able to apply scientific methods in managing natural resource systems and solving environmental problems. Objective 4: Students will be able to explain the ecological processes and relationships that determine given environmental conditions in core course assignments. Objective 5: Students will demonstrate technical competencies in natural resource management, develop and implement solutions to real-world problems in integrative core course projects and extracurricular/service-learning activities. 2. Where are these SLOs published (e.g., department web page)? A document describing the program=s SLOs, assessment instruments and indicators has been prepared and will be posted at the NREM departmental website.
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9/2/05 ASSESSMENT REPORT 2004-2005
B.Sc. Degree in Natural Resources and Environmental Management Introduction This report follows the outline given in the attachment to a May 23, 2005 memo from R. Kelly Aune, Interim Assistant Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs. The numbered instructions in that document are repeated below in italics. Student Learning Outcomes 1. List in detail your Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) for each undergraduate degree/certificate offered. Student learning outcomes for the Bachelor=s of Science (B.Sc.) in Natural Resources and Environmental Management (NREM) include two goals (labeled A-B below) with a total five objectives (numbered 1-5). Goal A - NREM students will develop the abilities to contribute as responsible and productive professionals in natural resources and environmental management careers. Objective 1: Students will develop positive personal and work-related skills through contact and interaction with role models, class (individual and team) projects, and participation in extracurricular activities. Objective 2: Students will demonstrate effective written and oral communication skills through technical reports and class presentations in each of the 300-400 level core NREM courses. Objective 3: Students will broaden their social perspectives through exposure to diverse culture and thinking in course work, service projects, and departmental or college seminars. Goal B - NREM students will have a broad understanding of the environmental sciences and be able to apply scientific methods in managing natural resource systems and solving environmental problems. Objective 4: Students will be able to explain the ecological processes and relationships that determine given environmental conditions in core course assignments. Objective 5: Students will demonstrate technical competencies in natural resource management, develop and implement solutions to real-world problems in integrative core course projects and extracurricular/service-learning activities. 2. Where are these SLOs published (e.g., department web page)? A document describing the program=s SLOs, assessment instruments and indicators has been prepared and will be posted at the NREM departmental website.
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3. Explain how your SLOs map onto your curriculum, i.e., how does your curriculum produce the specific SLOs in your students? The correspondence between each SLO objective and courses required for the NREM B.Sc. degree is shown below.
SLO Objectives NREM Major Courses1. Personal, work skills NREM 302, 492, 494 2. Communication skills NREM 210, 301L, 302, 492, 494 3. Social perspectives NREM 210, 220, 302 4. Knowledge of ecology GEOG 101, BIOL 171-172; NREM 210, 301;
5. Technical competencies NREM 301, 310, 492, 494; GEOG 370; Track I NREM 477; Track II NREM 351, FAMR 352
Data Collection and 2004-2005 Results 4. What specific methodologies were used to collect data? The attached Table 1 shows the instruments and methods used to gather assessment data. Table 2 presents the assessment results for academic year 2004-2005. Data tables and qualitative evaluations are given in the appendix. The population for assessment is all undergraduate students majoring in NREM. The intended sampling is 100% of the subjects for a given instrument. However, reporting for a given academic year may be incomplete for some items because data are not available before the administrative deadline to submit an annual report. In this case, data received later are carried over to the next year=s report. Program Assessment 5. How were the assessment data/results used to inform decisions concerning the curriculum and administration of the program? NREM assessment data are compiled and indicators computed during the summer. Then the NREM undergraduate adviser and chair of the departmental curriculum committee review the results and draft a preliminary report. The report is distributed to undergraduate instructors and discussed during a fall faculty meeting. Recommendations on program improvement are incorporated into a final assessment report. Grades in introductory science courses taken during the past year are shown in Table 1. These courses are considered to be essential knowledge for NREM students to master before they take more advanced courses in the major. Students having problems in these basic science courses are encouraged by their advisors to get extra help, such as tutoring. In some cases, students who have extreme difficulties with these courses are encouraged to reconsider majoring in NREM. In 2004-2005, student grades were relatively low, with a high percentage of students receiving less
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than a B in basic science courses. These students were encouraged to receive additional help and in one case a student is taking a year off and is reconsidering the major. To integrate basic science instruction and better prepare students for 400-level NREM courses, the NREM 301 and 301L syllabi are being revised to provide more practical, hands-on experience (e.g., instrument calibration, soil analyses) and quantitative skills (e.g., spreadsheet, GPS, GIS). NREM students completing their internship in Fall 2004 did very well, as evidenced by term paper and oral presentation scores as well as employer evaluations (Table 2, Appendix B). This indicates that student’s writing and oral presentation skills as well as their working skills and technical competence are meeting a high standard. Based on last year=s assessment results, NREM tested a new capstone course, NREM 491 Environmental Problem Solving, in Spring 2005. The course has been approved for the regular curriculum as NREM 494. In Summer 2005, NREM faculty approved substituting NREM 494 for the previous (NREM 458) major requirement. The table below compares average skill ratings (1=worst, 5=best) reported by capstone students in Fall 2003 vs. Spring 2005.
Skills Assessed
2003
2005
Problem solving Team work Work management sample size (N)
3.5 4.3 4.3 4
3.8 4.2 3.9 12
Problem solving ratings increased, validating the creation of a new capstone course on this topic. However, work management ratings fell. This could reflect composition of the 2005 class, which included many students who had not completed 300-level major courses and/or were not within a year of graduating. New prerequisites will be added to NREM 494 that will restrict enrollment to students who are ready for a capstone experience. Qualitative reviews of the capstone case study project (see appendix) also indicate that more class time should be devoted to primary data collection and preparation of final reports. The NREM 494 syllabus will be revised accordingly. UHM Requirements for Majors 6. Manoa=s General Education Program includes the following requirements of majors. All students who graduate with the major: 1) are proficient in the primary information-accessing and information-processing methods of the field; by either integrating such skills within courses or research projects or by recommending an appropriate course offered in another department (computer/info sciences, etc.); 2) are proficient in the problem-solving and oral communication methods of the field; 3) have had training and experience in the modes of inquiry and analysis appropriate to the field. The purpose is to have all students actively engaged in scholarship at a high level, and to avoid having students completing their degrees by means of passive learning alone. How have you met the above requirements in your degree program?
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The attached Table 3 shows how courses in NREM=s B.Sc. major meet these general education requirements.
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Table 1. NREM B.Sc. Assessment Data Collection Methodology Instrument
Type
Method
Agent
Subjects
2004-2005 Response (% subjects)
Grades in intro. science courses
PF
AS
S
NREM majors
15 students (100%)
Internship (NREM 492) term paper oral presentation employer evaluation
PF PF PF
ES ES CC
I I E
enrolled students, all NREM juniors or seniors
7 students (78%) 9 students (100%) 8 students (100%) from 2004 class
Capstone (NREM 494) student survey class project review
PA PF
ES ES
I E
enrolled students, mostly NREM seniors
12 NREM students (100%) one class section (100%)
College exit survey
PA
EY
S
NREM graduating seniors
data not available at this time
Type of data: PF=Performance, PA=Perceptual/Attitudinal. Method includes time and place of data collection: CC=class completion, ES=end of semester class, AS=annual during summer from online records, EY=end of academic year from online survey database. Agent of data collection: I=course instructor, S=dept./college staff, E=external evaluators.
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Table 2. NREM B.Sc. Assessment Indicators and 2004-2005 Results
SLO Objective
Instrument
1
2
3
4
5
Indicator (scale)
2004-2005 Results
intro. science grades
x
average grade points (A=4, F=0) and % grades B or higher
Quantitative: average rating (0=unsatisfactory, 4=excellent) or average letter grade (A-F)
personal, work skills 3.9 technical competence 3.8 overall performance A
internship employer evaluation
x
x
Qualitative: written responses
see appendix
capstone student survey
x
x
average rating (1=worst, 5=best)
problem solving 3.8 team work 4.2 work management 3.9
capstone project review
x
x
x
x
x
Qualitative written responses
see appendix
college exit survey
x
x
% positive responses
data not available at this time
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Table 3. NREM B.Sc. Instruction Meeting General Education Major Requirements Requirement Area
NREM Major
Specific Instruction
1) Primary info. & methods
NREM 301L NREM 302 GEOG 370 NREM 494 Tracks I-II
env. measurements & interpretation investigation at government agency map & aerial photo interpretation case study project analytical and field methods courses
class discussions discussions, report & presentation presentation class discussions, reports & presentation case studies field site assessment team case study GIS programming applications extended case studies
3) Research & analytical
methods
NREM 301, 301L NREM 310 GEOG 370 NREM 477 Tracks I-II Track I Track II
field & lab methods data description, statistical analyses map & aerial photo interpretation spatial analyses analytical and field methods courses natural resources specialization social science specialization
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Appendix A NREM Bachelor=s of Science Assessment Plan
Goals and Objectives
The goals and objectives for the NREM B.Sc. program are listed below.
Goal 1: NREM students will develop the abilities to contribute as responsible and productive professionals in natural resources and environmental management careers.
1.a Students will develop positive personal and work-related skills through contact and interaction with role models, class (individual and team) projects, and participation in extracurricular activities.
1.b Students will demonstrate effective written and oral communication skills through technical reports and class presentations in each of the 300-400 level core NREM courses.
1.c Students will broaden their social perspectives through exposure to diverse culture and thinking in course work, service projects, and departmental or college seminars. Goal 2: NREM students will have a broad understanding of the environmental sciences and be able to apply scientific methods in managing natural resource systems and solving environmental problems.
2.a Students will be able to explain the ecological processes and relationships that determine given environmental conditions in core course assignments.
2.b Students will demonstrate technical competencies in natural resource management, develop and implement solutions to real-world problems in integrative core course projects and extracurricular/service-learning activities. Assessment Instruments
The table on the next page summarizes the instruments now being used to assess different program objectives. The following subsections provide more details on each instrument. Grades in Basic Science Courses: The NREM core curriculum requires four introductory courses (including labs) in basic natural sciences that are taught by other, disciplinary departments: CHEM 161 General Chemistry I or CHEM 151 Elementary Survey of Chemistry (for Track II students only), GEOG 101 Natural Environment, and BIOL 171-172 Introductory Biology I-II. Student understanding of basic science is assessed by the percentage of NREM students receiving a grade of B or higher in the above courses.
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Assessment Instruments for NREM Objectives PROFESSIONAL SKILLS ENVIRON. SCIENCE Personal, Oral, Social Ecological Technical Instrument Work Written Perspective Relationships Managem=t Science grades X Internship course employer evaluation X X term paper X oral presentation X Capstone course student survey X X class project X X X X X Exit surveyX X Internship Employer Evaluation: The NREM core requires a student internship (NREM 492) including an evaluation form completed by employers. Personal and work-related skills are assessed by the ratings for the Work Performance and Personal Relationship. Technical competency is measured by the average rating for selected Work Performance items.1 Other, qualitative information is collected from the employer=s written comments (page 2 of form). Internship Term Paper and Oral Presentation: The NREM 492 Internship course requires a term project, which includes a paper and oral presentation. Rubrics have been developed to evaluate student performance. The course instructor will provide ratings of these assignments for all students taking the class. Skill development will be measured by the average ratings for the written paper and oral presentation. Capstone Student Survey: The capstone course (NREM 494) is intended for seniors nearing graduation. To complement the college=s exit survey of graduates (discussed below), NREM capstone students will be asked the following questions:
Considering your undergraduate experience as a NREM major, darken the circle that best describes your response to the statements below. RESPONSES: 1 Strongly Disagree, 2 Disagree, 3 Neutral, 4 Agree, 5 Strongly Agree.
Experience as NREM major
1
2
3
4
5 1. I developed the ability to solve real world problems in natural resources
management.
±
±
±
±
±
2. I learned how to work effectively within a team, to cooperate with and respect
other members of the team.
±
±
±
±
±
3. I developed the ability to manage my time and accomplish work goals.
±
±
±
±
±
1 Includes items 2. Ability to analyze problems, 3. Ability to organize and plan work, 4. Quality of work, 7. Initiative to identify needs and propose solutions, and 8. Ability to utilize and apply previously gained knowledge.
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The first question addresses an important aspect of NREM technical competency. The other two questions are work-related skills not covered in the CTAHR exit survey. Responses will be assessed by the average rating for each item. Capstone Class Project: The NREM 494 Environmental Problem Solving course includes a semester-long case study on a local issue conducted by the entire class. End-of-semester assignments are a written report and seminar presentation of project results. These outputs will be assessed against all program objectives through a qualitative evaluation by an external reviewer(s). The latter will be selected from Hawaii professionals in a NREM-related field. CTAHR Exit Survey: CTAHR conducts a written survey of all graduating students. Responses by NREM undergraduates to selected questions will be used to assess personal and work-related skills2 and expanded student social perspectives3. Program assessment will evaluate the percentage of students with a positive response.
2 Five indicators, taken from the question on Gains from CTAHR experience (items b. Preparation for a job, f. Increased self-confidence, g. Increased ability to be independent, self-reliant, adaptable, and i. Increased leadership skills) and question on Evaluation of dept. education, training for job in field.
3 Four indicators, from question on Gains from CTAHR experience (items h. Increased understanding of other people, point of view, j. Skills/attitudes that enrich life, and k. Increased awareness, involvement in community issues) and question on Overall quality of educational experienceBinstruction to (item g.) Increase knowledge about other cultures, world affairs.
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Appendix B Data Collected
Fall 2004 – Summer 2005 Quantitative Data Note: Student observation numbers in the tables below do not correspond to the same individual for different assessment indicators. Basic Science Course Grades Student
Obs.
GEOG
101
GEOG 101L
CHEM 151/161
CHEM
151/161L
BIOL 171
BIOL 171L
BIOL 172
BIOL 172L
1 C B
2
C- D
3 B+ B+ C
4 C+ A
5 F C
6 F F
7 C B+
8 A A A A+
9 C+ C C-
10 C A-
11 F C
12 F
13 B A
14 C- B C D+
average C- B+ D+ B- C B- C+ B+ > B 50 % 100 % 13 % 57 % 33 % 50 % 20 % 67 %
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Internship Term Paper and Presentation Student
Obs.
Written Paper
Oral
Presentation
1
84
Scale 0-100%.
2
85
90
3
83
92
4
88
5
87
94
6
93
96
7
84
88
8
80
86
9
85
90
average
85%
90%
Internship Employer Evaluation Student
Obs.
Personal &
Work Skills*
Technical
Competency*
Overall
Performance**
1
4.0
3.6
A
* Scale 0=unsatisfactory, 1=fair, 2=average,
2
3.1
3.6
A
3=very good, 4=excellent.
3
4.0
3.7
A
4
4.0
3.5
A
** Letter grade scale.
5
4.0
3.7
A
6 4.0 4.0 A+
7
4.0
4.0
A
8
3.8
3.9
A
average
3.9
3.8
A
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Capstone Student Survey Student
Obs.
Problem Solving
Team Work
Work
Management
1
4
4
4
Scale: 1-5 ratings (worst-best).
2
3
3
3
3
3
4
4
4
5
5
5
5
3
4
4
6
4
4
4
7
5
5
5
8
3
3
2
9
4
5
4
10
4
4
4
11
3
4
3
12
5
5
5
average
3.8
4.2
3.9
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Appendix C Capstone Class Project Evaluations Two Hawaii professionals working on invasive species management were asked to review the 2005 capstone case study project, The Invasion of Apple Snails into Hawaii. These, anonymous reviewers attended the end-of-semester student oral presentation and/or read the final written report. The evaluation was with respect to all five SLO objectives for the NREM B.Sc. degree. Reviewers written evaluations are printed below. REVIEW #1 The NREM 491 Capstone Project appears to be a valuable tool in helping students work as a team; communicate with each other and with resources outside their classroom; use critical thinking skills; problem solve; and produce a timely project. This comprehensive learning experience will help these students as they continue on their paths, either to further schooling, or to their new jobs and careers. It was particularly interesting to hear the future plans of students, and I am pleased that some would like to continue in the environmental/conservation field. StrengthsThe report, brochure and presentation incorporated a lot of information gathered from various sources. There is no website, book or journal article that provides this information, and the students were able to use a variety of sources to provide a cohesive project. Both the oral and written report show that the NREM 491 students have good communication skills. Students participated in a field trip to a lo`I to see the snails and the damage to taro. Analysis of control options (in particular) relayed an appropriate level of understanding of ecological processes. Opportunities for ImprovementIn reviewing the resources, it appears that students may have relied too heavily on information collected from websites. For example, only one taro farmer was cited, and no one from the Hawaii Department of Agriculture was contacted for information on their activities or on the administrative rules regarding apple snails or bird import regulations. Statements made by oral presenters were at odds with statements on written products (particularly the brochure). Examples include the reference to the Hawaii Department of Agriculture activities/inactivity, and the policy in the brochure that selling, trading and raising snails is illegal. It is difficult for groups containing more than 6 members to maintain effective communication (which could result in conflicting information as above). Larger groups also enable participants to Adisappear@. REVIEW #2 StrengthsThe class appears to be appropriate and offers students an opportunity to apply skills gained in the classroom to actual research and field analysis. It is clear that the class spoke with/interviewed professionals working on the apple snail problem. The visit to a taro farm and actual observance of apple snails demonstrates the understanding of the importance of field research.
They have demonstrated a clear understanding of ecological processes and the relationships that determine environmental conditions.
WeaknessesWhile the students interviewed people working on the apple snail problem, I believe they could have benefited (sic) from additional interviews with a wider range of taro farmers and professionals (staff of HDOA and Sea grant extension staff). There are inconsistencies in the pamphlet, where they state there are no regulation on the importation of snails and they state selling, trading and raising snails is illegal. I believe the paper exhibits a heavy reliance on secondary sources. They could have relied more on first hand interviews. The paper refers a few times to the Waiahole cooperative as an example to be copied by others but the paper does not elaborate on this. There is no description of what control the Waiahole cooperative is using or why their control method is successful and why it should be an example to others. The evaluation matrix was unclear. The system of +/- is not necessarily a bad strategy. I think for this topic it was appropriate, however, the matrix lacks clarity of explanation. Either a better format or clear wording of headings and entries would have assisted in understanding the matrix at a glance. The paper had numerous grammatical errors and many examples of poor sentence structure that detracts from their content, which was basically clear and well thought out.
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Employer Evaluations of Student Interns - 2004 Note: Pages 16-19 contain employer written comments for individual students from the internship course. Paper copies are on file in the NREM main office.
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Program Assessment Report 2004-2005
M.S. and Ph.D. Degree Programs in Natural Resources & Environmental Management
Introduction This report discusses the assessment of graduate (M.S. and Ph.D.) degree programs in the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Management (NREM). These programs were initiated in fall 2001. Both M.S. and Ph.D. degree programs originally had two areas of specialization (tracks) a physical science track and a social science track. Subsequent to internal evaluation, these were replaced by integrated (trackless) M.S. and Ph.D. programs which took effect in fall 2005. This report will follow the “Graduate Assessment” guidelines from the Office of Vice-Chancellor for Academic Affairs. Responses will be based on the original graduate programs which were in effect prior to fall 2005. Graduate Assessment 1. The Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) for the M.S. and Ph.D. degrees are as follows (see the University of Hawaii at Manoa 2004-2005 Catalog, page 335).: (i) Students are expected to acquire quantitative reasoning, critical thinking and other advanced skills. (ii) Students are expected to utilize these skills to solve resource use problems and assist in developing sound resource policies. These outcomes, by necessity, required that the Natural Resources and Environmental Management program emphasize/focus on the multidisciplinary needs of problem solving. As such, it provided students with scientific knowledge of the physical, chemical, biological, economic, social, and policy elements of natural resources management and so allows them to understand the principles that underpin productive, sustainable land use, and enhanced environmental quality. We prepare graduating students to solve contemporary resource use problems and assist in sound decision making for optimizing land use; managing agricultural and forestry systems, watersheds, and landscapes in an ecologically sound manner; and addressing resource policy issues and the needs of diverse clientele and communities including policy makers and planners. Scientific objectivity is emphasized as an important element of environmental planning. Thus, students are trained in the use of quantitative models and such tools as decision aids for optimizing natural resource management and ecosystem stewardship.
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2. These SLOs are listed in previous university catalogs and the NREM website (http://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/nrem/) 3. The SLOs are incorporated in the M.S. and Ph.D. core requirements and, elective courses curriculum and research selection and implementation processes. Preparatory for the M.S. and Ph.D. degrees include courses in applied calculus and statistics. These courses provide the graduate student with a strong foundation to study various quantitative research models. Critical thinking skills are emphasized throughout the course work and early research/project implementation stages. Application of learned skills occurs primarily during the research/project completion stages. 4. The following table illustrates the growth in graduate student population from 2001 – present Table 1: Total Number of Applicants, Number of Students Admitted and Number of Students Enrolled Total Number of Number of Students Number of Students Enrolled Term Applicants Admitted M.S. Ph.D. Fall 2002 36 24 4 2 Spring 2003 7 2 0 1 Fall 2003 43 31 8 4 Spring 2004 17 6 3 2 Fall 2004 72 44 10 6 Spring 2005 16 5 1 0 Fall 2005* 88 40 16 1 * Estimates only. (See the attached Chart for annual trends during the period 2002 – 2005.)
5. For the M.S. degree, Plans A, B, and C are offered. Plan A is the thesis option. Plan B is primarily course-driven. Plan C is available to selected student based on their prior academic record and experience. Written course examinations are used to monitor student progress for required and elective courses. Often students who encountered difficulties with course examinations have difficulties with the comprehensive examination and their thesis/dissertation research. A comprehensive examination is required for all Ph.D. students. Students must pass the comprehensive examination before being admitted to candidacy. There is no comprehensive examination for the M.S. degree. Oral presentations are required in the seminar course (NREM 701) and are often required in other courses. For NREM 701, students have the option of satisfying one of the two credits required by presenting a paper at a conference. Students have frequently presented papers at the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (CTAHR) Student Research Symposium and the annual East-West Center Graduate Student Research Conference. 6. Graduate student contributions to NREM disciplines include: (i) Intra-UH Forums—Presentations at the Annual CTAHR Research Symposium which is held every spring semester; approximately 20% of the students participate through oral and poster presentations. CTAHR and NREM provide awards to encourage excellence in these presentations. To a lesser extent some students participate in the East-West Center International Graduate Student Conference and other campus events such as the Albert-Tester symposium coordinated by the Department of Zoology. (ii) National and International Conferences and Workshops—Student participation in these events is primarily dependent on their academic supervisors, the projects within which their research is carried out, and the extent of available financial support some of which is available through the Graduate Student Organization (GSO) at the University of Hawaii. We estimate an average of 3 such student involvements per year. (iii) Published work from theses and dissertations—Students often take the initiate to publish their work with the strong encouragement and guidance from their faculty supervisors. Because costs are normally incurred in submitting papers and ordering reprints, their ability to proceed depends on the budgets of projects within which their research is carried out. These factors, and others, result in a highly variable degree of theses and dissertation publication. 7. Monitoring professional activities of graduating students. NREM’s efforts in this area are almost all informal and based on individual efforts of faculty and initiatives by graduating students. However, the CTAHR Office of Academic Affairs and Student Services is well organized to handle alumni affairs, with direct participation from the CTAHR Alumni Association. On the annual occasions of the CTAHR Research Symposium; NREM competes well in nominations for the Distinguished Alumni.
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8. In Spring 2004, a Graduate Programs Review Committee (GPRC) was formed to evaluate NREM’s current graduate programs. The committee was comprised of 5 NREM faculty members and 4 NREM graduate students. After extensive evaluation and analyses, it was decided by the GPRC to develop new M.S. and Ph.D. programs. The committee’s assessment indicated that current programs were inflexible in terms of having too many required courses and too few electives. Given the wide array of researchable areas in NREM, the structure of current programs limited research choices for students. In addition, it became evident, as the NREM graduate program matured, that bringing together natural and social scientists to offer a MULTIDISCIPLINAY program with separate specialization options and core requirements, is insufficient for addressing NR and E issues in a truly holistic and integrative manner. We felt a compelling need to move closer toward an INTERDISCIPLINARY focus with a single common core that uses a systems approach to understanding and managing tropical terrestrial ecosystems. In July, 2004, the GPRC submitted a draft proposal of the revised program to NREM faculty, staff and graduate students. In early fall 2004, meetings were held with faculty, staff and graduate students to gather input and concerns about the proposed graduate programs. Upon receiving endorsement for the new graduate programs, the department held follow-up meetings to develop the courses needed for implementing the new graduate programs. (See Table 2 below for descriptions of changes to the existing graduate programs.) Table 2: Summary of changes in graduate programs.
Changes Old Programs (2002-2005) New Programs (starting Fall 2005) 1. Specializations
/ Tracks 2 tracks (physical science track and social science track) None (trackless)
