The Department will attempt to maintain and improve the quality of its geology program in terms of curriculum offerings and methods of instruction.
Objective
G1 O1
The program will consistently strive to improve the quality of its program by making adjustments to its curriculum as needed.
Indicator
G1 O1 I1
The department will, as needed, seek input from a variety of sources, including Professional Advisory Councils and Student Advisory Councils, and will use that input as the basis for modifying the curriculum.
Criterion
G1 O1 I1 C1
Curriculum will be modified in response to input
Finding
GEL program Quality
Curriculum is too narrowly conceived. Major overhaul of curriculum required to more squarely face petroleum/energy industry foci.
Finding
GEL Curriculum Quality
Council (now disbanded) plus phone and e-mail inputs received. Curriculum to be reviewed.
Action
Program Quality
Poor responses for broad survey. This will be replaced by targeted surveys by phone and e-mail to specific constituencies
Objective
G1 O2
The Department will seek to ensure that the quality of our instruction is rated as satisfactory or better by our students.
Indicator
G1 O2 I1
The Department uses the IDEA evaluation system as well as peer-evaluation.
Criterion
G1 O2 I1 C1
The scores on the IDEA form (summary score) must be rated consistently as "average" or above, and the peer evaluations must be deemed acceptable by departmental peers.
Finding
Teaching Quality
All GEL faculty have at least one course per semester in the satisfactory gray band on the IDEA form.
Action
Teaching Quality
IDEA instrument mandated by University therefore we will continue to monitor our performance by this means. Exit data give more information about overall outputs of faculty and will be exploited more fully in the future.
Objective
G1 O3
The department will strive to enhance the quality of instruction through the use of appropriate technology in the classroom and during lab activities.
Indicator
G1 O3 I1
In the past 5 years, the department has spent about $100,000 on audiovisual teaching equipment for our classrooms, and more than $170,000 on field equipment. The remote sensing lab contains about 12 computers with monitors worth about $30,000. The GIS lab just received (2007) an upgrade in computers and software worth $30,000.
Criterion
Classroom Technology
All teaching, research and offices to be equipped with modern, effective technology
Finding
Classroom Technology
All classrooms, labs and offices fully equipped. Tech support no longer in-house and proposal for sharing at College level to be prepared.
Action
GEL classroom technology
All facilities fully equipped. Need for a College TECH already proposed to Dean Hebert. This is the only way to keep in front of specific needs.
Objective
G1 O4
The department will strive to enhance the quality of instruction through the use of field trips.
Indicator
G1 O4 I1
The Department will seek to increase the number of field trips offered to our students
Criterion
Field Teaching
Measurable increase in field components to all courses, including a newly developing capstone "Field Camp: course
Finding
GEL Field Work
All courses include a field element. Modular "Field Camp" to be discussed as a future expansion and changed timing of file training
Action
GEL Field Teaching
Field element already included in all upper level courses. Field camp course to form a central skeleton of field experience distributed throughout degree program. Proposal development underway for field camp courses.
Objective
G1 O5
The department will increase the availability of its courses and its visibility by offering web courses.
Indicator
G1 O5 I1
The Department will add to and/or maintain the number of its web-based courses
Criterion
GEL web courses
Addition of web-based lecture and lab courses beyond existing GEL133
Finding
GEL Web Courses
No increase in GEL web courses
Indicator
G2 O1 I1
Successful completion of major requirements and major electives
Criterion
G2 O1 I1 C2
Almost all majors in the geology program will complete their field camp with a grade of B or better. * This is an external validation given that our students take field camp through other universities.
Finding
Field Camp Success
ALL GEL majors have complete external field camps with a grade B or better.
Action
GEL web courses
Distance course offerings will be reassessed in the context of the impending major refocusing of the GEL curriculum.
Goal
Goal 2 - Understanding of Discipline
Provide students in our department with a comprehensive understanding of the range and depth of geology.
Objective
G2 O1
Geology students will successfully complete courses that encompass the breadth of the discipline.
Indicator
GEL Breadth Of Discipline
Consider requiring all GEL majors to pass Texas professional Geologists exam as an external verification process.
Criterion
Profession Geologist exam
majority of majors pass the professional geologists exam
Finding
GEL Discipline Breadth
Presentation from officer of the Texas Board of professional Geologists convinces us that their exam is not broadly enough relevant. This measure will be terminated.
Action
GEL Discipline breadth
Seems adequate given the narrow form of the major. However, will be drastically modified in the future given the proposed expansion and separation of Geology from Geography. Program revision has commenced.
Goal
Goal 3 - Professional and Technical Skills
The Department will seek to ensure that our geology students develop the professional and technical skills needed in order to be successful in their careers.
Objective
G3 O1
The Department will seek modify its curriculum as needed in order to meet this goal. Based on input from our advisory councils and other sources, the department determined that it needed to add the following courses to its curriculum: a) Added Remote Sensing - added 2005 b) Hired a new faculty line for purposes of teaching remote sensing c) Added course a Geochemistry course in 2006 d) Added course dealing with energy and the environment in 2006 e) Proposed a Forensic Geology course in 2007 f) Proposed a Basin Sea Level geology course in 2007 g) Proposed a Methods in Applied Geophysics course in 2007 h) Added new faculty line to teach geophysics
Indicator
G3 O1 I1
The success of our program, as defined in terms of the success of our graduates, is measured using an Alumni Survey that is given periodically.