Department of Law and Justice Studies Action Plan for Next Ten Years Departmental Data Number of Majors: Number of Minors: Fall 2011: 643 Fall 2011: 43 Fall 2012: 670 (22% of CHSS) Fall 2012: 18 Fall 2013: 627 (23% of CHSS) Fall 2013: 25 Number of MA Students: Number of Liberal Studies Sequencers: Fall 2011: 12 Fall 2011: 40 Fall 2012: 13 Fall 2012: 43 Fall 2013: 23 Fall 2013: 31 Tenured/Tenure Track Faculty: 11 3/4 Faculty: 2 1/3 Number of Sections: Fall 2011: 56 Fall 2012: 60 Fall 2013: 68 Number of Sections Taught by TT Faculty: Fall 2011: 23 (41%) Fall 2012: 29 (48%) Fall 2013: 34 (50%) Number of Sections Taught by 3/4 Faculty: Fall 2011: 9 (16%) Fall 2012: 9 (15%) Fall 2013: 7 (10%) Number of Sections Taught by Adjuncts: Fall 2011: 24 (43%) Fall 2012: 22 (37%) Fall 2013: 27 (40%) Total Number of Adjuncts in 2013 2014: 25 1
Mission Statement: The purpose of the Department of Law and Justice Studies is to increase our students knowledge of crime and society s response to crime while enhancing their critical thinking, reasoning, writing, and logic skills. Through evaluation and analysis of criminal justice policies and programs, law, and correlates and causes of crime, students will gain a thorough understanding of the intended and unintended consequences of criminal justice decisionmaking on social and community justice, victims and offenders. Departmental Goals: Through superior and creative teaching and a student friendly approach, the Department of Law and Justice Studies seeks first and foremost to help students learn by developing the knowledge necessary to be conversant about important issues within our discipline, as well as by enhancing the critical thinking, reading and writing skills that will prepare our students for success throughout their lives. We aim to advise and mentor our students productively as they pursue their degrees at Rowan and put in order their post graduate plans. We wish to contribute to our discipline and the state of knowledge in our field by producing relevant and innovative scholarly research. Finally, we strive to be productive members of the university community by serving our department, college, university and the wider population, and by interacting and cooperating fruitfully with other academic units and administrators. Through all of these endeavors, individually and together, we aspire to make Rowan University a better place. Summary: Rigorous Academic Course of Study Commitment to Students through Teaching, Advising, Mentoring and Preparing for the Future Contributing to the State of Knowledge in our Discipline by Producing Scholarly Research Service to the Department, College, University and Wider Academic Community 2
University Goals ( Four Pillars ) Access Affordability Quality Economic Engine College Goals Facilitate Real World Connections for Our Students Raising Awareness of Student, Faculty and Departmental Accomplishments Enhance Revenue Stream Ongoing Academic Initiatives (To Continue ) BA in Law & Justice Studies BA in Law & Justice Studies in Camden Three Year Accelerated BA in Law & Justice Studies BCC BA Degree Completion Program (new) GCC BA Degree Completion Program GCC Liberal Studies Program Liberal Studies: Humanities and Social Sciences Sequence A Inter Disciplinary Focus: Courses Offered in External BA Degree Programs and Concentrations: o American Studies B.A. o Asian Studies Concentration o Women s Studies Concentration o Human Services B.A. (new) o Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management B.A. (new) MA in Criminal Justice: o Traditional in Person and Online o Senior Privilege o 4+1 Program o Thesis and Non Thesis Track 3
Online Course Development: o Undergraduate (4): Survey of Criminal Justice; Introduction to Corrections; Sentencing and the Rights of the Convicted (ready for Summer 14); Law and Justice Seminar (ready for Fall 14). o Graduate (7): Contemporary Issues in Criminal Justice; Management of Criminal Justice Organizations; Law and Society; Police and Society; Seminar in Criminal Justice Planning; Sentencing Philosophy and Policy (ready for Summer 14); Research Methods I (ready for Summer 14). Close Supervision of Adjuncts: o Adjunct Handbook: of departmental, college and university information and policies distributed. o Syllabus Review: Prior to each semester. o Course Grades Review: After each semester. o Annual Adjunct Retreat: To review existing departmental, college and university policies, introduce new policies, inculcate a sense of departmental community by introducing adjuncts to full time and ¾ faculty and each other, and conduct Q&A. Required Internship Course o Each Student Must Complete 3 Credits (and May Complete up to 6 Credits) in an Approved Law and Justice Internship Requirements: 150 Hours per 3 credits; Journal; Paper; End of Semester Internship Analysis; Mid and Final Semester Supervisor Reviews; Exit Letter. Rowan University Student Safety Patrol Internship Coordinated by Stan Yeldell. Planned Academic Initiatives Make the Case to Increase Number of Faculty o Reduce Faculty to Student Ratio Currently 57:1 (Number of TT Faculty to Majors). o Cover Needed Specialty Areas Including (But Not Limited to): Policing, Probation and Parole; Criminal Justice Ethics; Criminal Justice and Community Relations; Drugs and Crime; Cyber Crime; Organized Crime; Gangs; Juvenile Justice; Race, Ethnicity, Class and Crime; Gender and Crime; Criminal Justice Administration; Private Security; History of Crime. Submit Curricular Proposals for New Classes o Including (But Not Limited to): International Terrorism; Domestic Terrorism and Homeland Security; Media and Crime; Gangs, Organized Crime; Cyber Crime; Situational Crime Prevention; History of Crime. Explore New Inter Disciplinary Opportunities o Possible Cross Listing of Graduate Section of History of Crime 4
o Discuss with Other Departments the Possibility of Offering Outside Courses Geared to Law and Justice Majors: Examples might include: Foreign Languages: Section of Spanish I for Law Enforcement Professionals. Mathematics: Section of Elementary Statistics for Criminal Justice. Philosophy: Course geared toward LSAT preparation. Increase Online Course Offerings: o Complete Graduate Curriculum o Add 3 5 New Undergraduate Sections. Reinforce Writing as an Essential Course Component for all Law and Justice Classes o Establish Departmental Rule that Writing Assignments Must Constitute a Set Percentage of a Student s Final Course Grade. o Create a Law and Justice Paper Competition: Faculty will nominate outstanding papers for a student paper competition, an award for which will be given at the annual Criminal Justice Honor Society induction ceremony. Seek ACJS Certification Retool Major Requirements, Course Numbers and Course Descriptions Ongoing Extra Curricular Initiatives (To Continue ) Student Organizations Affiliated with Law & Justice Studies: o Criminal Justice Club Advised by Stan Yeldell o Victim Awareness Club Advised by Stan Yeldell o Alpha Phi Sigma (Criminal Justice Honor Society) Advised by Natalie Schell Busey and Joe Johnson o Pre Law Society Advised by Mike Weiss Annual Events: o Criminal Justice Career Fair (for approximately the last 25 years) o Law School Fair (for the last nine years) o Law and Law School Events and Guest Speakers Private Visits from Law School Professors, Deans, Admissions Officers and Recruiters. Mock Law School Class. LSAT Prep Events (e.g., presentations from LSAT prep courses, mock LSATs). o Law and Justice Day (for the last four years) o Criminal Justice Honor Society Induction and Awards Ceremony (for the last eight years) 5
Planned Extra Curricular Initiatives Create Law and Justice Student Mentoring Program: o Objectives: Build Network of Alumni, Adjunct and Professional Mentors: To help prepare Law and Justice students for professional world of criminal justice. Involve Alumni and Outside Professionals in Department Life: To enhance their connection to Rowan and perhaps encourage future philanthropy. Create Law and Justice Alumni Hall of Fame o First Class to be Inducted at Next Fall s Stan Yeldell 40 th Anniversary Celebration o Objectives: To honor Law and Justice alumni. To enhance alumni connections to Rowan for the benefit of the department s academic mission and student mentoring goals. To encourage future philanthropy. New Student Group and Event: Law and Justice Debate Team and First Annual South Jersey Criminal Justice Debate Invitational o Objectives: To cultivate knowledge of topical issues and enhance public speaking and debating skills. o Event: Attended by criminal justice debate teams from Rowan, Rutgers Camden, Stockton and Georgian Court, scheduled for April 12, 9:30 3:00. o Advised by Mike Vigorita o Possible Expansion to Other Majors. Promote In Class Guest Speakers to Entire University Community Reach Out to Other Departments and Student Groups to Promote and Co Sponsor Student Events to Increase Attendance o For Example: Last month s Panel Discussion on Jews in Law Enforcement, cosponsored by the Chabad Jewish Student Organization, the Criminal Justice Club and the Victim Awareness Club. 6