The Department of Sociology acquires and disseminates knowledge about society and human behavior. The Department provides high quality teaching
Objective
Teaching And Dissemination Of Knowledge
The Department of Sociology provides high quality teaching that disseminates knowledge on social life, social change and the social causes and consequences of human behavior.
Indicator
Evaluation Of Faculty Teaching
Each Sociology faculty member prepares a Sociology Comprehensive Merit Award Form that contains his/her academic activities (Research, Teaching and Service). This form will be used to evaluate faculty teaching.
Criterion
Evaluation Teaching
score of 18 or more in the teaching section of the Sociology Comprehensive Merit Award Form is considered satisfactory. 100% of faculty will obtain a score of 18 or more on the Form.
Finding
Finding For Teachng
100% of faculty met the requirement. All the faculty members received students' evaluations above the University level. The departmental average for students' evaluations was 4.4 on a 5 point scale. The University average is 3.5. The lowest average score in the department was 3.8 while the highest was 4.7. Four faculty members out of ten received at least one 5.0 (perfect score) in one of the classes that they instructed.
Action
Actions For Teacching
The department Chair meets individually each faculty member to to discuss ways to improve teaching. The Chairs reviews syllabi, teaching portfolios, and student evaluations. The chair provides suggestions to the faculty member to improve teaching and is directed to areas that require improvement. Each faculty member develops in consultation with the chair an individualized plan of action that may include utilizing different teaching strategies, meeting with PACE (Professional and Academic Center for Excellence), attending workshops and conferences on teaching, having other faculty members or the chair observe the class and provide suggestions.
Goal
Research
SHSU Sociologists investigate the functioning of society. The faculty produce high quality research.
Objective
Research
The Faculty will produce high-quality research that investigates the structure of groups, organizations, and societies and how people interact within these contexts.
Indicator
Faculty Research Performance
Each Sociology faculty member prepares a Sociology Comprehensive Merit Award Form that contains his/her academic activities (Research, Teaching and Service). This form will be used to assess faculty production in research.
Criterion
Evaluation Research
A score of 18 or more in the research section of the Sociology Comprehensive Merit Award Form is considered satisfactory. 100% of faculty will receive a score of 18 or more on the research section of the merit form.
Finding
Finding For Reseach
100% of faculty met the requirement. On average each tenured and/or tenure track faculty member published 2.2 refereed publications this year. 80% of these publications were in tier one refereed journals while the others were published in tier two venues. Three faculty members published referred books in University Presses. The Department submitted three grant proposals and gained two awards from previously submitted proposals for a total of more than 1.0 million dollars. On average each faculty member attended four professional conferences and presented five papers. These activities well exceed the minimum required for promotion and tenure.
Action
Action For Research
The department Chair meets individually with each faculty member to suggest ways to improve research. The Chairs reviews the quality and quantity of publications and the overall research output. The chair in consultation with the faculty member develops a research plan. Although these actions are tailored to each individual member of the faculty, this year faculty received suggestions to take the lead on the next publications and to meet with the Office of Research and Special Programs to receive guidance on grant opportunities.
Goal
Service
The Department provides service to the University, scientific community, and society
Objective
Provide Quality Service
Faculty will provide service to the department, university, profession and community.
Indicator
Evaluation Of Faculty Service
Each Sociology faculty member prepares a Sociology Comprehensive Merit Award Form that contains his/her academic activities (Research, Teaching and Service). This form will be used to assess successful completion of service.
Criterion
Evaluation Service
A score of 14 or more in the service section of the Sociology Comprehensive Merit Award Form is considered satisfactory. 100% of faculty will receive a score of 14 or more in the service section of the merit form.
Finding
Finding For Service
100% of faculty met the requirements. All the faculty members were involved in service in a manner commensurate with their rank and experience. It is the Department's policy to limit the service activities of untenured faculty. Simultaneously senior faculty are encouraged to participate in service at various levels. All the members of the Faculty were engaged in service at the Departmental or College/University levels. 8 out of the 10 tenured and/or tenure track faculty were involved in Professional service. Two faculty members were editors of journal and one president of a professional organization. One was a candidate for the editorship of a major disciplinary journal.
Action
Action For Service
The Department Chair meets individually with each faculty member to discuss specific ways to improve service to the department, university, profession and community. The chair provides suggestions are ways to increase the quality and quantity of his/her service. Faculty this year received recommendations to become active in professional organizations and/or were placed on campus committees. The degree of involvement in service should be commensurate with the faculty member's seniority; thus, suggestions are tailored to meet the individual faculty members needs.