2010-11 Truckee Meadows Community College School of Liberal Arts [PHILOSOPHY, HUMANITIES & CORE HUMANITIES] PROGRAM UNIT REVIEW SELF STUDY
Philosophy, Humanities & Core Humanities INTRODUCTION TMCC offers an associate's degree with an emphasis in philosophy. The college offers a number of philosophy courses to serve the diverse needs of the community and the academic needs of students majoring in many fields. Several highly qualified and dedicated instructors offer survey courses in Western philosophy, Eastern philosophy, ethics, existentialism, critical thinking, logic, political philosophy, and the philosophy of science. The curriculum also includes several courses on religion, such as an introduction to the Old Testament, a study of the Judeo-Christian tradition, and an introduction to world religions. In addition to these offerings, instructors frequently design special topics such as the study of knowledge, the philosophy of the Middle East, and the philosophy of India. TMCC does not offer a degree in Humanities. The college offers a number of Humanities courses to serve the diverse needs of the community and the academic needs of students interested in many fields. Three unique areas that Humanities courses specialize in are diverse cultures; film, and literature. The curriculum also includes courses on the culture of China, Native American, and the Middle East, specialized literature such as Beowulf, Douglas Adams and Lord of the Rings, and film courses on the Humanities and Shakespeare, American Classics and varying themed topics. Mission Statement Philosophy & Humanities Mission Statement: The mission of the Philosophy & Humanities area is to provide students with the tools necessary for pondering the big questions about the nature of reality, time, being, causation, and human consciousness; to distinguish between facts supported by rigorous evidence and assumptions supported by hearsay or opinion; to provide students with skills that will promote their thinking becoming more reasonable and articulate allowing them to make more responsible career choices and to promote more fulfilled and meaningful lives. Humanities Department Mission: The mission of the Humanities Department at Truckee Meadows Community College (TMCC) is to bring the world to the community. The Philosophy area does this by welcoming a diverse community sharing multi-ethnic and multifaith experiences to participate in varied course offerings, community lectures, and student philosophy discussions. The Humanities Department provides a wide variety of courses in foreign languages, core humanities, philosophy, humanities, speech and communication. A program emphasis is offered in philosophy. The Humanities Department includes the study of languages and culture, film and philosophy, ethics and morality. The high quality of teaching and learning offered by the Humanities Department helps us in our search for answers to life s fundamental questions, including everything human. Truckee Meadows Community College: Truckee Meadows Community College promotes student success, academic excellence, and access to lifelong learning by delivering high quality education and services to our diverse community. The Philosophy and Humanities areas supports this mission through face to face student encouragement, stringent guidelines, and knowledge that provides the essential foundation to a well rounded education in the humanities. Degrees, Certificates, and/or Non-Credit Courses offered A.A. Emphasis in Philosophy Truckee Meadows Community College Introduction 1
2010-11 [PHILOSOPHY, HUMANITIES & CORE HUMANITIES] No degree emphasis in Humanities The course offerings at TMCC include the following: PHIL 101 Introduction to Philosophy PHIL 102 Critical Thinking PHIL 114 Introduction to Symbolic Logic PHIL 119 Introduction to the Old Testament PHIL 135 Introduction to Ethics PHIL 200 The Judeo-Christian Tradition PHIL 201 Philosophy Goes to the Movies PHIL 203 Introduction to Existentialism PHIL 204 Introduction to Contemporary Philosophy PHIL 207 Introduction to Social and Political Philosophy PHIL 210 World Religions PHIL 224 Introduction to the Philosophy of Science PHIL 225 Introduction to Indian Philosophy PHIL 244 Bioethics PHIL 295 Topical Issues in Philosophy HUM 101 Introduction to Humanities I HUM 102 Introduction to Humanities II HUM 105 Art of Film HUM 106 Intro to the American Motion Picture HUM 198 Special Topics in the Humanities HUM 201 History of the Built Environment HUM 211 Survey of Chinese Culture HUM 214 Survey of the Middle East Culture HUM 225 A Cultural Perspective: Spain.New Mexico HUM 260 American Indian Literature and Culture HUM 271 Film and Literature HUM 272 Shakespeare through Film HUM 295 Issues in Humanities Primary Goals and Objectives Students completing the Philosophy emphasis or will demonstrate strong skills and knowledge by taking courses that emphasis critical thinking, ethical awareness, logical analysis, and cultural awareness. TMCC's philosophy course offerings will allow students to gain skills essential to academic and professional success. The critical thinking and analytic skills nurtured through studying philosophy prepare students with the intellectual strength and problem solving acumen required for success in all academic and professional pursuits. By completing the course work in the Philosophy emphasis, the student will accomplish specific goals and objectives: 2 <Program Unit Reviewed: <Philosophy, Humanities & Core Humanities> > Truckee Meadows Community College
2010-11 [PHILOSOPHY, HUMANITIES & CORE HUMANITIES] -Gain knowledge of the major historical developments in Western philosophy -Understand the philosophical contributions of major philosophers -Recognize the relationships among philosophy, political theory, scientific thinking, religious movements, and social behavior -Develop comprehensive understanding of ethical theory and the ethical basis for human behavior -Strengthen critical thinking skills and analytical skills -Understand and appreciate the philosophical traditions and major figures of western and non- Western cultures Students completing courses in the Humanities emphasis will demonstrate strong skills and knowledge by taking courses that focus on cultural diversity, motion picture history and knowledge, and an analysis of rich pieces of literature. TMCC's humanities course offerings will allow students to gain skills essential to academic and professional success. Factors Expected to Affect Future In the Humanities department in the last five years, three full-time, tenured faculty members have left. One tenured faculty member is in phased-in retirement and will retire permanently in 2013, while another has just completed his phased in retirement.. The other tenured faculty member is half time with the Music program while another half time faculty member is no longer with us. We have hired two temporary, full-time faculty members to fulfill this deficiency. The Humanities department is deficient in full time faculty and, currently, have no full-time, tenure-track or tenured faculty members who solely teach philosophy or humanities. We have maintained the number of course offerings and we have consistently seen the FTE increase in the courses we have offered. Through a report from Admissions and Records the academic year 2009-2010 had 475 unduplicated attempts to enroll in Philosophy courses (Please see Appendix D). This represents students who attempted to take these courses at TMCC, but were unable to do so due to lack of course offerings. In addition to this, the number of students who have declared philosophy as a major has increased from 2 in Spring 2006 to 44 in fall 2009 and 35 in Spring 2010. The emphasis in Philosophy will meet the needs of a growing student population at TMCC as well as those wishing to pursue a baccalaureate degree in Philosophy. Adequate courses to support the emphasis area currently exist. While there are qualified part-time instructors, there is no tenure-track or tenured, full-time faculty member who solely teaches Philosophy. As recently as 2007, the Humanities Department consisted of three full-time faculty members who regularly taught philosophy courses as part of their teaching requirement. As a result of the buyouts and the recession, we now have no tenure-track or tenured, full-time faculty members specifically devoted to teaching philosophy while enrollment in philosophy classes continues to grow. We have one temporary, one-year hire faculty member to try and fulfill this growing discipline s needs. The courses in Humanities will continue to meet the growing student interest in a variety of classes offered at TMCC in such varied areas as film, literature, and cultural studies. While there are qualified part-time instructors, there are only three tenured, full-time faculty members who teach the Humanities courses. We have one temporary, one-year hire faculty members to try and fulfill the deficiency in the Humanities. 3 <Program Unit Reviewed: <Philosophy, Humanities & Core Humanities> > Truckee Meadows Community College
2010-11 [PHILOSOPHY, HUMANITIES & CORE HUMANITIES] DEMOGRAPHICS AND ENROLLMENT General Student Demographics Age Philosophy: 600 500 495 522 489 538 494 400 300 200 100 0 420 427 420 401 395 376 345 348 336 318 329 303 303 285 277 112 114 92 96 107 63 68 73 67 75 24 24 32 37 6 16 24 13 21 18 12 23 34 33 42 20 28 16 16 10 Fall 05 Spr 06 Fall 06 Spr 07 Fall 07 Spr 08 Fall 08 Spr 09 Fall 09 Spr 10 0-17 yrs 18-24 yrs 25-34 yrs 35-49 yrs 50+ yrs Grand tot Overall the enrollment in Philosophy has increased since 2005. The 18-24 year-old age group outnumbers all other groups by far due to the fact that courses in Philosophy can be very general and incorporate many areas of interest. The degree requirements provide a broad base of sub-fields within philosophy such as science, history, ethics, math, and law. Secondly, as an emphasis, philosophy is diverse enough that students can transfer to other disciplines with ease and incorporate the knowledge they have learned in different careers in life. Lastly, students who have declared a Philosophy emphasis tend to focus their studies as full time students in order to graduate rather than continue with their education in a part time capacity (See Appendix C). The 25-34 year-old age group was a distant second. This trend mirrors the college as a whole. The 25-34 year-old age group has shown the greatest steady increase since Fall 2005. All data is from Informational Resources and can be found in Appendix C. 4 Demographics and Enrollment Truckee Meadows Community College
2010-11 [PHILOSOPHY, HUMANITIES & CORE HUMANITIES] Humanities: 450 400 350 300 250 200 150 100 50 0 404 348 327 326 330 303 304 282 262 266 238 240 226 217 224 210 215 197 184 165 76 60 62 49 47 51 59 58 47 42 35 13 28 4 7 23 24 32 29 7 8 13 4 14 14 23 20 25 8 4 18 20 19 7 8 13 5 9 3 4 Fall 05 Spr 06 Fall 06 Spr 07 Fall 07 Spr 08 Fall 08 Spr 09 Fall 09 Spr 10 0-17 yrs 18-24 yrs 25-34 yrs 35-49 yrs 50+ yrs Grand tot Overall the enrollment in Humanities has decreased since 2005. The 18-24 year-old age group outnumbers all other groups by far due to the fact that courses in Humanities can be very general and incorporate many areas of interest. With the 25-34 year-old age group a distant second. This is largely due to the fact that with a loss of full time Faculty there has been a decrease in the diversity and number of course offerings. All data is from Informational Resources and can be found in Appendix C. 5 Demographics and Enrollment Truckee Meadows Community College
2010-11 [PHILOSOPHY, HUMANITIES & CORE HUMANITIES] Gender Philosophy: 600 500 400 300 200 100 538 522 495 489 494 401 420 427 395 420 257 290 262 266 254 218 221 217 211 216 182 199 178 238 216 204 232 227 271 240 Female Male Unreported Grand tot 0 Fall 05 Spring 06 Fall 06 Spring 07 Fall 07 Spring 08 Fall 08 Spring 09 Fall 09 Spring 10 Females outnumber males by 1-3%, though it appears that there has been a greater increase in the number of females than there has been among the males. This trend of more females mirrors the college as a whole and in part is a result of the increasing number of students in the humanities department and the increasing number of females in higher education. Historically, Philosophy has been a very male-dominated discipline throughout academics. This trend, therefore, demonstrates a significant change in the discipline with an increase in females interest in Philosophy. 6 Demographics and Enrollment Truckee Meadows Community College
2010-11 [PHILOSOPHY, HUMANITIES & CORE HUMANITIES] Humanities: 450 400 350 300 250 200 150 100 50 0 404 348 327 326 330 282 266 303 304 223 180 240 193 192 179 170 163 150 161 138 121 148 133 132 156 160 128 140 143 119 Fall 05 Spring 06 Fall 06 Spring 07 Fall 07 Spring 08 Fall 08 Spring 09 Fall 09 Spring 10 Female Male Unreported Grand tot Females outnumber males by 1-4%. This trend of more females mirrors the college as a whole. 7 Demographics and Enrollment Truckee Meadows Community College
2010-11 [PHILOSOPHY, HUMANITIES & CORE HUMANITIES] Ethnicity Philosophy: 600 500 African American Asian 400 Hawaiian/Pacific Islander 300 Hispanic International 200 Native American/Alaska Native Two or more races 100 Unreported 0 Fall 05 Spring 06 Fall 06 Spring 07 Fall 07 Spring 08 Fall 08 Spring 09 Fall 09 Spring 10 White Grand tot Whites outnumber all other ethnic groups by far, though Hispanics have been increasing in number more than any other group: there has been a 6% increase in Hispanic interest with the most recent semester having the largest increase. This mirrors the trend for Hispanic growth at TMCC as a whole. This trend also seems to be a reflection of TMCC as a whole. Asians and Native Americans take the third and fourth positions. This also is a reflection of the growth in diversity at TMCC as a whole. The number of Asian students has been increasing as well. These trends are a reflection of the trends that are occurring at TMCC as a whole. 8 Demographics and Enrollment Truckee Meadows Community College
2010-11 [PHILOSOPHY, HUMANITIES & CORE HUMANITIES] Humanities: 450 400 350 300 African American Asian Hawaiian/Pacific Islander 250 Hispanic 200 150 100 50 International Native American/Alaska Native Two or more races Unreported White 0 Grand tot Fall 05 Spring 06 Fall 06 Spring 07 Fall 07 Spring 08 Fall 08 Spring 09 Fall 09 Spring 10 Whites outnumber all other ethnic groups by far for the classes in the Humanities. There has been a slow decrease in diversity which is a reflection of the fact that we have been steadily offering less Humanities courses as a result of loss of full time faculty. The Hispanic population is increasingly interested in the Humanities courses, which parallels the college as a whole. This also is a reflection of the growth in diversity at TMCC as a whole. These trends are a reflection of the trends that are occurring at TMCC as a whole. 9 Demographics and Enrollment Truckee Meadows Community College
Student Status 2010-11 [PHILOSOPHY, HUMANITIES & CORE HUMANITIES] Educational Status Philosophy: 600 500 400 300 200 100 0 522 538 495 489 494 427 439 420 427 420 428 431 401 395 408 366 345 314 310 311 47 83 71 51 19 27 42 20 61 32 40 35 34 41 33 33 43 30 49 31 Fall 05 Spring 06 Fall 06 Spring 07 Fall 07 Spring 08 Fall 08 Spring 09 Fall 09 Spring 10 Continuing New New Transfer Grand Total Continuing students who declare Philosophy as their emphasis outnumber new transfer students consistently by a ratio of about seven to one (double that for new students), indicating a very healthy rate of returning students in the Philosophy emphasis. This number does not represent the overall number of students taking Philosophy courses. As the data demonstrate, there has been an increasing trend for transfer students interested in Philosophy: in Fall 2009, for example, the TMCC transfer rate is about 10% while in the area of Philosophy it is a bit higher, at 14%. This demonstrates that the Philosophy emphasis is comparable to the school as a whole (Factbook pg. OM-22). 10 Demographics and Enrollment Truckee Meadows Community College
2010-11 [PHILOSOPHY, HUMANITIES & CORE HUMANITIES] Humanities: 450 400 404 350 300 250 200 299 293 327 326 245 248 282 260 348 279 330 202 266 270 303 304 237 209 240 Continuing New New Transfer 150 Grand Total 100 50 0 65 64 53 40 20 19 45 49 30 22 19 14 28 15 24 21 19 11 18 12 Fall 05 Spring 06 Fall 06 Spring 07 Fall 07 Spring 08 Fall 08 Spring 09 Fall 09 Spring 10 Continuing students who take Humanities courses outnumber new transfer students consistently by a ratio of about seven to one (double that for new students), indicating a very healthy rate of returning students taking Humanities courses. As the data demonstrate, there has been a slight decreasing trend for transfer students interested in Humanities courses. One reason for this could be the dwindling number of diverse Humanities courses being offered, which is a direct result of the loss of full-time Faculty (Factbook pg. OM-22). 11 Demographics and Enrollment Truckee Meadows Community College
2010-11 [PHILOSOPHY, HUMANITIES & CORE HUMANITIES] Enrollment Status Philosophy: 600 500 400 300 200 100 <1/2 time (0-5) 1/2 time (6-8) 3/4 time (9-11) Full-time time (12+) Grand Total 0 Fall 05 Spring 06 Fall 06 Spring 07 Fall 07 Spring 08 Fall 08 Spring 09 Fall 09 Spring 10 The percentage of students taking less than 6 credits (1/2 time) in Philosophy courses reflects the same trend for students overall at TMCC. This graph also demonstrates a slight increasing trend in interest in Philosophy courses (See TMCC 2010 Factbook pg. SP-6). 12 Demographics and Enrollment Truckee Meadows Community College
2010-11 [PHILOSOPHY, HUMANITIES & CORE HUMANITIES] Humanities: 450 400 350 300 250 200 150 100 50 <1/2 time (0-5) 1/2 time (6-8) 3/4 time (9-11) Full-time time (12+) Grand Total 0 Fall 05 Spring 06 Fall 06 Spring 07 Fall 07 Spring 08 Fall 08 Spring 09 Fall 09 Spring 10 The percentage of students taking less than 6 credits (1/2 time) in Humanities courses reflects the same trend for students overall at TMCC. This graph also demonstrates a slight decreasing trend in interest in Humanities courses (See TMCC 2010 Factbook pg. SP-6). Student Recruitment Activities The Humanities department and the Philosophy emphasis have planned the following events for recruitment in the future for interest in courses in Humanities along with interest in the Philosophy emphasis: -Visit High Schools in the nearby community programs -Make announcements at TMCC High School -Create a Student Government Association (SGA) Philosophy Club (The Socrates Café) for regular meetings at TMCC The Humanities department and the Philosophy emphasis planned and implemented the following recruitment ideas for interest in courses in the Humanities and for the emphasis in Philosophy: -Advertised as a friendly presence at the Welcome Back Fair at TMCC -Had a representative for Philosophy in the area of student advisement -Had a representative for Humanities in the area of student advisement -Continued with TMCC Guest Lecture Series (each semester) as an effort to recruit those interested in philosophy. -Created a position in the Tutoring Learning Center for a Philosophy tutor (Fall 2010) -Provided philosophy discussions, flyers, and advertising at local coffee establishments (Spring 2011) 13 Demographics and Enrollment Truckee Meadows Community College
2010-11 [PHILOSOPHY, HUMANITIES & CORE HUMANITIES] -In addition, the humanities coordinator also acted as the emphasis director and encouraged students to make progress in their degree and to transfer to an accredited university. He did this by periodic meetings and phone calls to check up on the student and provide assistance should it be required. The coordinator made efforts to have as much personal interaction with the student so that the student feels supported in their college education. Underserved Student Populations There has been a 6% increase in Hispanic interest in Philosophy with the Spring 2010 semester having the largest increase. This trend mirrors the trend for Hispanic growth at TMCC as a whole. The lecture series is designed to create an arena whereby people of diverse backgrounds can gather and discuss a variety of issues. Certain classes such as Middle Eastern Studies, Chinese Culture, and World Religions offer an opportunity to serve those minority students who have diverse interests but have failed to find classes at other institutions that meet those needs. 14 Demographics and Enrollment Truckee Meadows Community College
Enrollment Patterns 2010-11 [PHILOSOPHY, HUMANITIES & CORE HUMANITIES] Number of Sections Philosophy: 1800 1600 1612 1573 1608 1609 1671 1630 1597 1624 1662 1681 1400 1200 1000 800 600 671 676 694 693 708 707 677 707 743 752 PHIL School of Liberal Arts Total College Total 400 200 0 16 16 14 21 15 14 16 15 17 16 Fall 05 Spr 06 Fall 06 Spr 07 Fall 07 Spr 08 Fall 08 Spr 09 Fall 09 Spr 10 Each semester the number of sections offered in the Philosophy program has remained consistent and enrollment continues to grow despite the loss of full-time, tenured and tenure-track faculty. We have maintained our course offerings and had consistent, steady growth of FTEs, as compared to departments offering similar numbers of sections who have more full-time, tenured, or tenure-track faculty. We have been able to meet the increasing demands of students. Rather than adding more sections we have instead seen a steady increase of FTE in the sections we have offered. By limiting the addition of more sections we have noticed several students not being able to enroll in certain philosophy classes (Please see Appendix D). 15 Demographics and Enrollment Truckee Meadows Community College
2010-11 [PHILOSOPHY, HUMANITIES & CORE HUMANITIES] Humanities: 1800 1600 1612 1573 1608 1609 1671 1630 1597 1624 1662 1681 1400 1200 1000 800 600 671 676 694 693 708 707 677 707 743 752 HUM School of Liberal Arts Total College Total 400 200 0 21 18 16 14 16 18 13 16 13 13 Fall 05 Spr 06 Fall 06 Spr 07 Fall 07 Spr 08 Fall 08 Spr 09 Fall 09 Spr 10 Each semester the number of sections offered in the areas of Humanities has remained consistent and enrollment continues to grow despite the loss of full-time, tenured and tenure-track faculty. We have maintained our course offerings and had consistent, steady growth of FTEs, as compared to departments offering similar numbers of sections who have more full-time, tenured, or tenure-track faculty. We have been able to meet the increasing demands of students. Rather than adding more sections we have instead seen a steady increase of FTE in the sections we have offered. By limiting the addition of more sections we have noticed several students not being able to enroll in certain philosophy classes (Please see Appendix D). 16 Demographics and Enrollment Truckee Meadows Community College
2010-11 [PHILOSOPHY, HUMANITIES & CORE HUMANITIES] Full Time Equivalent Enrollment Philosophy: 8000 7000 6000 6213 5000 4000 3000 2828 2673 2900 2742 3041 2960 3160 3136 3584 3476 PHIL School of Liberal Arts Total College Total 2000 1000 0 80 84 79 99 85 84 104 98 108 99 Fall 05 Spr 06 Fall 06 Spr 07 Fall 07 Spr 08 Fall 08 Spr 09 Fall 09 Spr 10 During the last ten semesters the FTE in Philosophy courses constitutes 1.4% of the total number of the FTE at TMCC, 3% percent of the FTE in the School of Liberal Arts, and 22% of the FTE in the Humanities Department. We have seen a steady growth in FTE s over the past 5 years since we have kept the number of sections we have offered consistent. Each semester Philosophy constitutes 1% of the total number of course sections offered at TMCC and about 2.28% of the total number of course sections offered in the School of Liberal Arts. 17 Demographics and Enrollment Truckee Meadows Community College
2010-11 [PHILOSOPHY, HUMANITIES & CORE HUMANITIES] Humanities: 8000 7000 6000 6213 6211 5798 6545 6061 6357 6840 6730 7295 7256 5000 4000 3000 HUM School of Liberal Arts Total College Total 2000 1000 0 81 65 65 70 56 66 53 61 61 48 Fall 05 Fall 06 Spr 06 Fall 07 Spr 07 Spr 08 Fall 08 Spr 09 Fall 09 Spr 10 During the last ten semesters the FTE in Humanities courses constitutes 1% of the total number of the FTE at TMCC, 2.04% percent of the FTE in the School of Liberal Arts, and 15.1% of the FTE in the Humanities Department. We have seen a steady growth in FTE s over the past 5 years while we have kept the number of sections we have offered consistent. Each semester Humanities constitutes 1% of the total number of course sections offered at TMCC and about 102.25 of the total number of course sections offered in the School of Liberal Arts. 18 Demographics and Enrollment Truckee Meadows Community College
Retention Rates Philosophy: 2010-11 [PHILOSOPHY, HUMANITIES & CORE HUMANITIES] 76% 74% 72% 70% 68% 66% 68% 69% 71% 74% 74% 74% 73% 73% 72% 72% 74% 70% 70% 70% 70% 71% 71% 71% 69% 70% 69% 70% 70% 71% 71% 73% 71% 68% 67% 67% PHIL School of Liberal Arts College-wide 64% 62% Fall 05 Spr 06 Fall 06 Spr 07 Fall 07 Spr 08 Fall 08 Spr 09 Fall 09 Spr 10 Philosophy s retention rates range from 67 74% which seems to be roughly the same as compared to the college retention benchmarks. The reason for this is that Philosophy courses are reading and writing intensive. Possible areas to explore in the future for the discipline would be creating paired classes, such as Philosophy 101 and English 102. Another possibility for the future is to implement pre-requisites for some of the specific core courses. Currently there are no full-time tenured faculty to manage this. 19 Demographics and Enrollment Truckee Meadows Community College
2010-11 [PHILOSOPHY, HUMANITIES & CORE HUMANITIES] Humanities: 76% 74% 75% 74% 74% 72% 73% 72% 71% 71% 74% 70% 70% 70% 73% 70% 69% 69% 71% 71% 72% 70% 68% 70% 70% 66% 68% 68% 68% 71% 70% 64% 68% 62% 60% 63% 65% 63% 64% 58% 56% Fall 05 Spr 06 Fall 06 Spr 07 Fall 07 Spr 08 Fall 08 Spr 09 Fall 09 Spr 10 HUM School of Liberal Arts College-wide Humanities retention rates range from 63 75% which seem to be a bit lowered as compared to the college benchmarks in general. In general, since the Spring of 2007, there has been an increasing trend for higher retention. As many faculty members have left the Humanities department, the diversity of class offerings has declined. Possible areas to explore in the future for the discipline would be creating paired classes as well as to implement pre-requisites for some of the specific core courses. Currently there are no full-time tenured faculty to manage this. 20 Demographics and Enrollment Truckee Meadows Community College
2010-11 [PHILOSOPHY, HUMANITIES & CORE HUMANITIES] Student to Faculty Ratios Philosophy: 35 30 25 20 30 28 28 26 25 24 22 22 22 22 21 20 19 19 19 19 19 19 33 33 24 23 22 21 32 31 25 24 22 22 PHIL 15 School of Liberal Arts College-wide 10 5 0 Fall 05 Spr 06 Fall 06 Spr 07 Fall 07 Spr 08 Fall 08 Spr 09 Fall 09 Spr 10 Philosophy has one of the best student-to-faculty ratios on campus. This means that we are offering these sections with higher FTEs, running more efficient classes than other areas and departments. This does mean, however, that the faculty are strained in trying to regulate their time with students as there is such a high ratio of students to each faculty member. There is no faculty member who solely teaches Philosophy at this time. 21 Demographics and Enrollment Truckee Meadows Community College
2010-11 [PHILOSOPHY, HUMANITIES & CORE HUMANITIES] Humanities: 30 25 20 19 22 22 21 20 20 19 19 20 24 23 22 22 22 21 22 19 19 22 19 25 23 24 22 22 18 15 19 18 19 19 HUM School of Liberal Arts 10 College-wide 5 0 Fall 05 Spr 06 Fall 06 Spr 07 Fall 07 Spr 08 Fall 08 Spr 09 Fall 09 Spr 10 In the beginning of 2007 Humanities had about the same student to faculty ratio as compared to the rest of the college. By Spring 2010 we have seen a decrease in that ratio. This means that we are offering these sections with lower FTE s in the classes. In years past with more faculty in the department we have offered more diverse humanities courses. 22 Demographics and Enrollment Truckee Meadows Community College
2010-11 [PHILOSOPHY, HUMANITIES & CORE HUMANITIES] Number of Declared Degree/Emphasis Seekers PHIL 50 45 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 Fall 05 Spr 06 Fall 06 Spr 07 Fall 07 Spr 08 Fall 08 Spr 09 Fall 09 Spr 10 PHIL Fall Terms Spring Terms Declared Fall Majors 05 Fall 06 Fall 07 Fall 08 Fall 09 Spr 06 Spr 07 Spr 08 Spr 09 Spr 10 PHIL 9 100% 27 100% 39 100% 44 100% 2 100% 8 100% 21 100% 33 100% 35 100% Philosophy Total 9 100% 27 100% 39 100% 44 100% 2 100% 8 100% 21 100% 33 100% 35 100% The Philosophy emphasis at TMCC has seen 400% growth in declared majors over the last 5 years and continues to attract a high number of declared majors. Student Success Rates Since 2005 there have been no Philosophy emphasis graduates. This is a result of several factors: 1. There are no full-time faculty members to advise or mentor students through an emphasis in philosophy. 2. The articulation between UNR and TMCC has never been consistent. 3. Of all the emphases and degrees on the TMCC campus, Philosophy has required the highest number of credits for completion (69-73 credits). No other emphasis or degree on campus had this high of a credit requirement (Early Childhood Education with 66 credits and Theatre with 69-72 credits were second and third). An academic proposal to reduce the number of credits to 60-62 credits went through cap committee in Fall 2010 and has been approved for the 2011/2012 catalog and articulate more closely with other TMCC programs has been submitted to take effect fall 2011. 23 Demographics and Enrollment Truckee Meadows Community College
2010-11 [PHILOSOPHY, HUMANITIES & CORE HUMANITIES] Enrollment Development Strategies Demographic Findings and Strategies The main group of students is white women from 18-24 years old. This same pattern is reflected by the college as a whole. In addition the Hispanic population has been growing. Welcome meetings and Philosophy discussions are held on campus to cater to the underserved population at TMCC in both disciplines of Humanities and Philosophy. As there is no Humanities major, no data could be concluded. Student Status Findings and Strategies Continuing students in Philosophy and Humanities outnumber new transfer students by a ratio of almost seven to one, which shows a steady rate of returning students. There has been an increasing trend for transfer students interested in Philosophy. We will continue our efforts to maintain this trend by way of Academic Advisement and new recruitment strategies such as community outreach at the high school and coffee house discussions. The percentage of students taking less than 6 credits (1/2 time) in Philosophy reflects the same trend for students overall at TMCC and may be an inherent quality of our students. As there is no Humanities major, no data could be concluded. Enrollment Patterns and Strategies Philosophy: The number of sections in the Philosophy program each semester has remained steady. During the last ten semesters the FTE in Philosophy courses constitutes 22% of the FTE in the Humanities Department and about 3% of the total number of course sections offered in the School of Liberal Arts. Philosophy s retention rates range from 67 74% which seems to be roughly the same as compared to the college in general. The Philosophy Program at TMCC has seen 400% growth in declared majors over the last 5 years and continues to attract a high number of declared majors. Philosophy has one of the best student-to-faculty ratios on campus as compared to other areas and departments, thereby using more part time professors. Thus, there is an unambiguous need for full-time, tenure-track faculty to meet these Philosophy needs. Humanities: The number of sections in the area of Humanities each semester has very steadily declined. During the last ten semesters the FTE in Humanities courses constitutes 15.1% of the FTE in the Humanities Department and about 2.04% of the total number of course sections offered in the School of Liberal Arts. Humanities retention rates range from 63 75% which seem to be a bit lower when compared to the college in general. Philosophy has one of the worst student-to-faculty ratios on campus as compared to other areas and departments. Thus, there is an unambiguous need for full-time, tenure-track faculty to meet these Humanities needs. Student Success Rates and Strategies In order to better serve our Philosophy and Humanities students and help them through the process of graduation we: 1. Planned to have a Humanities faculty advisor as of Spring 2011 and we now have one. 2. Planned to have a Philosophy faculty advisor as of Spring 2011 and we now have one. 24 Demographics and Enrollment Truckee Meadows Community College
2010-11 [PHILOSOPHY, HUMANITIES & CORE HUMANITIES] 3. Will establish an SGA Philosophy club 4. Had planned to reduce the number of credit to complete the emphasis in Philosophy and have completed this, such that Philosophy is now in similar compliance with the other departments on campus. 5. Will work to improve articulation between TMCC and UNR so that the TMCC philosophy emphasis is more specifically geared toward students wanting to transfer to UNR directly into the Philosophy major. Two ways this will be done will be to create two new philosophy classes that UNR has and TMCC does not and also to reduce the number of credits required for the emphasis at TMCC. We have had a greater diversity in the Humanities course offerings in the past and we will attempt to add more classes that meet a diverse range of interest in the future. 25 Demographics and Enrollment Truckee Meadows Community College
2010-11 [PHILOSOPHY, HUMANITIES & CORE HUMANITIES] CURRICULUM Degree/Emphasis Assessment Reports This PUR report initiates efforts to assess the emphasis in Philosophy. Students completing the degree program will demonstrate strong skills and knowledge in critical thinking, ethical awareness, logical analysis, and cultural consciousness. In the Philosophy program, we assess individual courses that comprise the program. Given the wide variety of courses in the Philosophy program, we have used different criteria based on the types of classes (epistemology, morality, religion, logic, etc.). The Philosophy program provides the students with the knowledge of major historical developments in Western Philosophy; gives the students the tools to identify major philosophical figures and define their contributions to the history and the development of philosophical thought; and provides a basis for the understanding of ethical theory. We currently have no Assessments for courses in the Humanities due to the fact that we have no full time faculty for the Humanities. Course Assessment Report Summaries The following is the list of completed Program/Discipline/Course Assessment Reports (PDCARs): PHIL 101 Spring 2009 PHIL 102 Spring 2010 There have been no records of PDCARs for any of the other Philosophy course offerings over the last five years. This is due to prior department chairs. For Spring 2011 the following classes have been scheduled for assessment: PHIL 207, PHIL 119, PHIL 135, PHIL 203. For Humanities course offerings the following classes are scheduled for assessment in Spring 11: HUM 101 and HUM 102. For Summer 2011 we will complete PHIL 210. Below are listed the three course outcomes that Philosophy uses for Philosophy 101 and Philosophy 102. Philosophy 101 Outcome #1: to demonstrate proper exegesis of a philosophical text or lines of text from a primary source. Measure: The questions will vary from the selected texts to incorporate a wider range of topics with varying degrees of difficulty to improve exegesis. Outcome #2: To be able to understand specific philosophical ideologies in context and explain how they relate to the philosophers greater theory about their work. Measure: The questions will be varied from the selected texts to incorporate a wider range of topics with differing degrees of difficulty to improve understanding of the topic. 26 Curriculum Truckee Meadows Community College
2010-11 [PHILOSOPHY, HUMANITIES & CORE HUMANITIES] Outcome #3: To relate philosophical ideologies to modern day examples and problems in philosophy. Measure: The questions will vary from the selected texts to incorporate a wider range of topics with degrees of difficulty to improve ability to relate ideologies to actual examples and problems. For Philosophy 101, we found that lecture devoted to critical explanation of the texts helped to solidify complicated exegetical questions and the annotation assignments based off the primary source reading also helped in the students understanding of the material. In the future, we will devote more class time to discussion groups that focus on the exegesis of the text along with directed lecture points. These activities directly reflected upon the quality of the research paper, which was based upon carefully analyzing specific lines of text from the primary source material. Philosophy 102 Critical Thinking Outcome #1: 3 essays are used to determine comprehension of material. Measure: Rubrics are regularly revised for efficiency and effectiveness. Outcome #2: 2 exams are used to test comprehension and synthesizing of information into a cohesive system. Measure: Exams are regularly revised to ensure fairness in grading. For Philosophy 102, we found that the essays improved in quality when the students were provided a variety of options for papers: analysis of case, analysis of faulty reasoning, and a persuasive essay. The lecture material, text explanation, and current examples that were used in class provided a context from which the students could better understand the material. In the future, we will use examples from the students culture to relate the more complicated text material that is difficult to grasp. Assessment Driven Improvements Currently, we do not have the faculty members required to be able to adequately facilitate and maintain this process. The Philosophy program is in the beginning stages of implementing assessment driven improvements. When PHIL 101 and PHIL 102 are taught again the results of the assessment reports will be taken into consideration to modify and adjust in order to achieve even better student outcomes. Part-time instructors will be incorporated in this process by assigning specific assignments in their classes, at the end of which the data will be compiled and then analyzed by the individual instructors. For Spring 2011 the following classes have been scheduled for assessment: PHIL 207, PHIL 119, PHIL 135, of which one, PHIL 135, will utilize the part time instructor teaching that class. For Summer 2011 we will complete PHIL 210. They will then report their findings to the coordinator or chair. Evaluating Relevancy of Curriculum Course Content Philosophy: Each course meets the quality and efficiency that is expected of the emphasis program. Courses are reviewed periodically to make sure they comply with current assessment and outcomes. Curriculum is updated by the individual instructors as the classes are offered. As the courses offered with a two year rotating plan, the chance 27 Curriculum Truckee Meadows Community College
2010-11 [PHILOSOPHY, HUMANITIES & CORE HUMANITIES] for revision and updates keeps these classes current. Further measures are implemented to ensure current standards of these courses such as open and frequent communication with UNR to ensure the Philosophy emphasis at TMCC is in compliance with the Philosophy department at UNR. Humanities: Each course meets the quality and efficiency that is expected of the course requiremnts. Courses are reviewed periodically to make sure they comply with current assessment and outcomes. Curriculum is updated by the individual instructors as the classes are offered. As the courses offered with a two year rotating plan, the chance for revision and updates keeps these classes current. Further measures are implemented to ensure current standards of these courses such as open and frequent communication with UNR to ensure Humanities courses at TMCC are in compliance with the transfer agreements at UNR. Degree/Certificate Requirements Philosophy: The emphasis requirements are currently being revised. The old credit requirement for the emphasis were too numerous (69-73) when compared to the other degrees and emphases (60-65) offered at TMCC. The revised program requirements more closely follow the rigor that other programs possess, thereby enabling students to graduate with an emphasis in the program. (See appendix B). As of the 2011-2012 TMCC catalogue, the Philosophy emphasis complies with the articulation agreements at UNR. The credits at TMCC for the philosophy emphasis have been lowered (60 62) to more closely match UNR. Methods of Instruction For both Philosophy and Humanities various methods of instruction are used in an effort to meet the needs of an expanding culture and an increasingly progressive technology base. In addition to traditional face-to-face teaching methods, the philosophy emphasis and humanities courses are offered in the online format in an attempt to meet current and future technological needs and ideas. In order to maintain a current disposition in philosophy teaching, we encourage full time faculty to attend conferences so that they may be up to date in the areas of philosophy and humanities. Faculty Qualifications In an effort to satisfy appropriate credentials, two types of information are required for instructors at TMCC. 1. Full-time faculty must have the equivalent of an M.A. in Philosophy or a related field of Humanities to be able to teach. 2. Part-time instructors must: a. Possess an M.A. in Philosophy or a related field in the area of Humanities b. Have completed at least 18 credits and be currently enrolled in an M.A. program in Philosophy or a related field in Humanities and must be on track to graduate from that program. If criterion 2b. is not fulfilled, the instructor will be terminated until completion of degree and subject to further review. 28 Curriculum Truckee Meadows Community College
2010-11 [PHILOSOPHY, HUMANITIES & CORE HUMANITIES] Post Completion Objectives (transfer, job placement, etc.) The directive of the philosophy program is to graduate students so that they have an associate s degree with an emphasis in Philosophy and that they may transfer to an accredited institution to complete a B.A. perhaps in philosophy. (Please see Appendix B for a UNR Major Requirements). The directive of the Humanities course offerings is to facilitate the student in transferring to another institution. Secondary Student Preparation Efforts Semester Philosophy meetings are held at the TMCC campus in the form of lectures in an effort to recruit new students and generate more interest in the Philosophy emphasis or general interest in Humanities course offerings. In the future, recruitment efforts will be made in the high schools in conjunction with Chris Dudash. External Review Not applicable. Non-credit Training Offered Not applicable. Curriculum Development Strategies Assessment Findings and Strategies We have completed assessments for Philosophy 101 and 102. Other Philosophy course assessments may or may not have been completed, but there is no record. As mentioned, Humanities courses do not have any assessments completed. As per the course offerings set out in the introduction, the department has issued its plan for completing assessments for the 2010-2011 year which involves: PHIL 119, 135, 207, and 210. For Humanities course the following will be assessed: HUM 101 and HUM 102. Part time instructors will be included in this process as they constitute a majority of the instructors teaching both Philosophy and Humanities courses. More full-time, tenure-track faculty is needed to carry out assessments (See appendix D for PDCARs). At this time we have not completed assessments for Humanities course offerings. External Resource Recommendations and Implementation Plans Not applicable. Anticipated Factors Affecting Curriculum and Strategies Due to the growing interest in Philosophy and in an effort to improve articulation with UNR, the Philosophy program will be developing three new courses (PHIL 131 Introduction to Metaphysics and PHIL 212 Introduction to Medieval Philosophy and PHIL 213 Modern Philosophy) in order to broaden and deepen the quantity and quality of course offerings. The Philosophy emphasis has been showing a growing interest and continues to thrive at the TMCC campus. With the increasing interest from students in lectures, special Philosophy meetings, and newly declared majors, it is important that we satisfy the needs of these students. We need full-time faculty devoted to this program. Humanities will continue to offer its diverse course offerings. In order to provide more opportunities for transfer, future classes will be inspected for possible cross-listings and pairings in order to generate interest in taking more classes in the Humanities. We need full-time faculty devoted to Humanities courses. 29 Curriculum Truckee Meadows Community College
2010-11 [PHILOSOPHY, HUMANITIES & CORE HUMANITIES] RESOURCES Faculty and Staff Required Faculty Credentials The Humanities Department recruits and selects full-time faculty with rich eclectic academic preparation and teaching experience in a variety of fields with degrees in: Philosophy, Humanities, History, Literature, English, Cultural Studies, and Art History. Those faculty teaching philosophy courses have master s degree credentials in philosophy or a closely related discipline; adjunct faculty must have earned a master s degree in philosophy or humanities related discipline. The essential considerations in selecting faculty to teach philosophy courses include demonstrated teaching effectiveness in diverse learning environments and strong commitment to the value of philosophy in nurturing individual potential. The Philosophy program at TMCC does not feature any full-time faculty dedicated solely to teaching philosophy courses. Several members of the Humanities Department faculty share teaching duties for the Philosophy program as follows: 2 tenured faculty each teach between 3 and 6 credits of Philosophy. 2 one year temporary hires teach between 3 and 9 units of Philosophy courses. For the Humanities course offerings, 1 Tenured faculty teaches between 6-9 credits. Each of these faculty members possess the academic credentials and experience to ensure a quality learning environment in classes offered throughout the curriculum. Faculty in the Humanities department which includes tenured and temporary 1 year hires are as follows: M.A. in U.S. History; PhD in European History; An M.A. in Philosophy; PhD in English, M.A. in Musicology; PhD in Philosophy. Increasing demand for philosophy classes accompanied by increasing enrollments over the years necessitates a growing reliance on adjunct faculty with the necessary academic qualifications and pedagogical skills to offer quality instruction. 30 Resources Truckee Meadows Community College
2010-11 [PHILOSOPHY, HUMANITIES & CORE HUMANITIES] Full-Time to Part-Time Faculty Ratio 45 40 39 39 35 33 30 30 27 27 30 27 27 30 25 20 15 18 15 12 21 21 21 24 15 15 PHIL # units PHIL % units 10 9 5 0 63% 38% 64% 36% 73% 27% 44% 56% 41% 59% 56% 44% 62% 38% 64% 36% 33% 67% 19% 81% FT PT FT PT FT PT FT PT FT PT FT PT FT PT FT PT FT PT FT PT Fall 05 Fall 06 Fall 07 Fall 08 Fall 09 Spr 06 Spr 07 Spr 08 Spr 09 Spr 10 Fall Terms Spring Terms The full-time to part-time faculty ratio in Philosophy is disproportionate to the rest of the departments on campus. Over the past 4 years the interest in Philosophy has increased almost 400% by the number of declared majors. The ratio of full-time to part-time instructors in 2005 was 38% to 63%. In 2010, even with the increase in Philosophy enrollments, it declined to a full-time to part-time instructor ratio of 19% to 81%. At the end of Summer 2010, the Humanities Department lost more full-time faculty, such that the full-time to part-time ratio is now 8% full-time to 92% part-time. The continuing strength and vitality of the Philosophy program would benefit significantly from the addition of a fulltime faculty member dedicated 100% to teaching philosophy courses. Data from Spring 2010 semester reveal a heavy reliance on adjunct faculty to meet student demand. Average class enrollment numbers have increased steadily over the years, reaching 31:1 in Spring 2010. Class size increases impose difficult demands on faculty trying to maintain the individual student focus so important in effective philosophy teaching and learning. Enrollment increases have exacerbated reliance on qualified adjunct faculty to staff the scheduled class sections. During Spring 2010, adjunct faculty taught approximately 80% of philosophy courses offered. 31 Resources Truckee Meadows Community College
2010-11 [PHILOSOPHY, HUMANITIES & CORE HUMANITIES] Required Classified Credentials Philosophy is part of the Humanities Department and requires at least an Administrative Assistant III position. Classified FTE The Philosophy program has no classified staff assigned directly to the program. The Philosophy program relies on support from classified staff assigned to the Humanities Department. Philosophy work is spread out between the administrative assistant who is spread over Humanities, Core Humanities, Communications, and Foreign Languages. Given the interest in the philosophy program the department needs 1 classified staff for the program. The Humanities courses have no specific classified staff assigned directly to the program Facilities Available facilities and infrastructure are more than adequate to support the Philosophy program and the Humanities courses and provide an effective and efficient learning environment and must be maintained. Technology The Philosophy program s and Humanities course s curriculum benefit from the sophisticated technological support offered by TMCC. Smart Classroom technology allows instructors to access and employ a variety of instructional modes and a rich variety of audio and visual resources available through immediate internet access. The TMCC library s online resources allow students and faculty to access an almost unlimited number of primary and secondary materials as well as a wealth of visual and audio sources. Access to resources through available technology strengthens both the quality of course content and the variety of pedagogical methods available to faculty. Available technology through the Angel learning platform and Web College enables the Philosophy program to schedule a variety of online courses, including Introduction to Philosophy, Introduction to Ethics, World Religions, and others. High enrollment numbers attest to the success of these programs in giving students flexible access to quality education. These online courses often enroll students from throughout the United States and throughout the world in locations such as Serbia and Iraq. Funding Sources The Philosophy program and Humanities courses are funded through the institutional budgeting process. The institutional administration allocates financial resources to the Humanities Department; the Department then funds adjunct faculty hiring and necessary supplies to the Philosophy program. The Philosophy program receives no support from external funding sources. Resource Development Strategies Staffing Issues and Strategies Resource Development Strategies The Student Full Time Enrollment (SFTE) growth over the years has increased the required resources to support a successful Philosophy program. The Philosophy program is dependent on resources available through the Humanities Department. The Philosophy program and the Humanities courses have not developed a strategic plan for long range development of fiscal and infrastructure resources as it is incorporated into the Humanities department budget. 32 Resources Truckee Meadows Community College