The department chair and faculty will engage in strategic planning.
Objective
Strategic Planning
The department will maintain a strategic planning process identifying departmental strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats.
KPI
Annual Strategic Plan
Document generated by the department chair and presented to the department during the August department meeting.
Result
Strategic Planning
The department developed a strategic plan, identifying key rources required for both maintenance of existing operations and future development.
KPI
Department Meeting Minutes
Adequate distribution of faculty resources.
Result
Distribution Of Resources
At the beginning of the academic year faculty were requested to submit requests for travel, capital equipment requests and supplies. The department distributed $57,000 in travel funds, This represented 60% of the requested funding.
The department distributed $10,000 in capital equipment purchases. This provided for research oriented computer systems, Robotics kits, and additions to the department's Virtual Farm. This did not meet the requested items. However, this year's allocation was unusual in that the Chemistry department needed to make a large HEAF purchae and the department voluntarily gave up HEAF resourcces in order to accomoate the need.
The department provided all supplies requested at the beginning of the year together with supplemental supplies requests on an ad hoc basis.
In addition, through the allocation of Distance Learning funds, the department provided support services via the employment of students workers, the partial funding of the Director of the Center of Excellence in Digital Forensics to support the online and classroom infrastructure, and the employment of a Systems Administrator to manage departmental computing resources..
Result
Faculty Workload
The department maintained a balanced faculty workload with all faculty members contributing to meeting schedule demands as per contract. Faculty members were involved in the scheduling process to ensure compatibility with areas of expertise, appropriate course timing and porgrammatic coverage.
As a result of the department having an unfilled faculty line, the part-retirement of one existing faculty member and the growth, especially of graduate programs the department found it necessary to a) employ two adjunct faculty members (total 4 courses) in both the fall and spring semesters, and b) the department chair remains overloaded.
Action
Strategic Planning
The department maintains a strong strategic planning process that appears to be producing results in terms of the effective use of both fiscal and academic resources to meet the current needs of the department.
In addition the process at this point appears to have the additional effect of providing input to the College and University strategic planning process in order to more efficiently utilize resources at those levels.
Future iterations of the annual strategic plan should include external as well as internal review.
Goal
Faculty Teaching
Faculty will demonstrate quality teaching.
Objective
Faculty Evaluation
Faculty will demonstrate quality teaching.
KPI
Teaching Materials
Faculty documents and provides evidence of research, teaching and service activites together with formal end of cycle evaluations of teaching, service and research. This evidence and formal evaluation documents are reviewed by the DPTAC and department Chair. FES forms 1 and 8 are signed by both chair and faculty member and maintained as an historical record from the initial point of employment.
Satisfactory performance requires that the department complete the DPTAC and the department chair complete the faculty evaluation process in accordance with university and departmental policy and forward the required documentation the the Dean of the College of Sciences by the date specified by the Office of Academic Affairs.
The department uses four metrics to establish the quality of teaching, IDEA evaluation scores, classroom observation by the department chair each semester, self-reflection of teaching by individual faculty members and documentation of activities that improve the classroom experience for students. Successful performance in the assessment of teaching will be evidenced by overall departmental IDEA scores being above the Institutional and Discipline averages.
Result
IDEA Evaluations
IDEA evaluations indicate that in face-to-face classes the department significantly out performs both the IDEA database and the University in Progress on Relevant objectives, the Excellence of the Teacher, and the Excelence of the Course.
In online courses the department matches the the IDEA database and University scores on Progress on Relevant objectives, and the Excellence of the Teacher. The department outperforms the IDEA database and the University in the Excellence of the Course.
Result
Classroom Observation
The department conducts observation of class sessions by all faculty members each Semester. In the fall semester the observations are performed by faculty members. THe results are used for for developmental purposes. In the Spring semester the observations are performed by the department chair and are used for FES purposes.
The results indicate that the faculty are meeting the performance obligations as identified in Academic Policy 820317 "The Faculty Evaluation System". All faculty members obtained a Chair evaluation score in excess of 4.0. the average score was 4.66.
Action
Faculty Evalauation
The department is currently meeting the it's target of exceeding the IDEA and University IDEA scores. There is however, a perfornace difference between online and face-to-face classes. The Undergraduate and Graduate Curriculum committees wil identify strategies to close this gap.
Goal
Curriculum Planning And Evaluation
The department will maintain updated and quality curriculum at the undergraduate and graduate levels.
Objective
Curriculum Review
The department will conduct continuous curriculum review for each degree program.
KPI
Curriculum Committee Minutes
Minutes of the meetings of the undergraduate and graduate curriculum committees.
Result
Curriculum Committee Minutes
The Graduate and Undergraduate curriculum committees have axchieved the following Results:
The baccalaureate Degree in Computer Software Engineering Technology was approved at the University level and ratified by the THECB. The program begins operation in Fall 2015.
The Baccalureate degree in Digital Forensics Engineering Technology has was approved at the University Level and is now under review by the THECB. The projected program start date is fall 2016.
TheEdD in Educational Technology was approved by the THECB and begins operation in fall 2015.
The PhD in Digital and Cyber Forensic Science has been approved at the College Curriculum Committee level and is currently under review by the University Curriculum Committee.
KPI
Curriculum Committee Reviews
The curriculum committees will be asked to review the curricula for both the undergraduate and graduate programs. The committees will issue annual reports to be distributed at department meetings.
Result
Curriculum Reviews
The baccalaureate degree in Computing Science was reviewed by the Accreditation Board for Engineering Technology/ Computer Accreditation Commission. The site visit took place in fall 2013 with subsequent reprting and responses during the 2014/15 academic year. The Computing Science program was reaccredited through 2019.
The graduate programs in Computer Information Systems, Digital Forensics, and Information Assurance and Security were subjected to external review during the 2014/15 cycle. THe reviews were very positive with the following notes made:
As the department pursues a doctoral program, the existing program may benefit from a research-oriented rather than practitioner-oriented focus.
The department needs more faculty and more support staff in order to maintain the quality and integrity of the programs.
The department chair is ''seriously overloaded".
Action
Curriculum Planning And Evaluation
Both the ABET report and the external review of graduate program indicated the need for additional faculty and staff. This is being addressed at the college level over the 2015-17 cycles.
The processes in place for curriculum planning and review appear to be functional and effective.
No addition action needs to be taken at this time.