Environmental Science/Environmental Technology Executive Summary
Program Description:
The Environmental Science Program serves a diverse group of students, mostly those seeking four-year Baccalaureate degrees. The majority of students enroll in environmental science classes to fulfill a distribution as a lab science, but a significant portion transfer to 4-year schools, majoring in environmental, or related natural science.
The Environmental Technology Program also serves a diverse group of students interested in obtaining jobs or promotions in the environmental field. Graduates of the program are employed by environmental consulting firms, government agencies and non-profit organizations. Areas of focus include water quality assessment and monitoring, habitat monitoring, fisheries, wildlife management, environmental planning. Students may enter the program for a second career, as part of a re-training program, or may choose this path soon after graduating from high school. The Program is responsive to the different needs and backgrounds of the student, using a flexible curriculum with evening offerings and distance learning. It incorporates a strong core in basic science and provides the student with opportunities to take advantage of their own experiences and specialize in specific areas.
Both the Environmental Technology and Environmental Science Programs strive to promote the principles and strategies of environmental science to help foster environmental responsibility. In addition, both programs work to forge cooperative partnerships and internships with industry, agencies and the community, enhancing the student experience, contributing to the community, and opening up alternative sources of funding.
Program Analysis:
The Environmental Science Program has seen significant increases in Annual FTES and S/F ratios over the past 5 years. The college offers between 6 and 7 sections of ENVSC 201 each year. The telecourse ENVSC 101 – Race To Save The Planet has been offered the last three years after a 3-year hiatus. This has helped with enrollment, since it clearly attracts the “non-traditional student”. The new course ENVSC 202 – Ecology of Natural Landscapes has met with mixed success, being first taught in Winter 2000, but cancelled in Winter 2001 and is being offered again this winter.
FTES have steadily declined for Environmental Technology over the past five years, with the exception of a slight increase in 1997-98. Those decreases can be attributed mainly to cancellations of ENVT 202 and ENVT 200, due to low enrollment, and generally low enrollment of new students into the program. Enrollment has strongly been affected by external factors such as the needs of industry, local, state and federal funding in the environmental field, and the availability of re-training programs. Another factor is the competitiveness of the job market in this field.
The strengths of the Environmental Science Program include its interdiscplinary curriculum, which appeals to students majoring in other fields, and its strong community involvement. The core course, ENVSC 201, can satisfy requirements as a lab science as well as a writing class. It also emphasizes appreciation of diversity and innovative approaches to problem-solving. It encourages involvement in the community through its Service Learning component, and the program in general contributes to the community through its Salmon Education Program, and partnerships with the City of Shoreline and other agencies.
The strengths of the Environmental Technology Program include a flexible curriculum, an active technical advisory committee (TAC), its emphasis of technology and writing skills, and a strong internship program. The Program’s flexible curriculum makes a two-year technical degree possible, but others may only enroll in classes to augment their job skills, or as a track to transfer to 4-year schools. Most of the courses have evening offerings, making them accessible to the non-traditional student. The Program’s active TAC, emphasis on technology and writing skills and internships increase the success of graduates in the workplace. The Program also provides a focus on natural resource assessment with an urban/suburban emphasis - the only one of its kind in the Seattle area. The recent purchases of a state-of-the-art Geographic Positioning System (GPS), and stream gauge have made great strides in keeping the Program technologically current.
The Environmental Science & Technology programs both need dedicated laboratory space. Space was temporarily lost during the Library Relocation. The current laboratory space behind the classrooms in 2953 and 2956 has poor ventilation, no proper lab sinks, and lacks the equipment required of a true “wet lab”. Lab equipment also needs to be repaired and updated.
Enrollment in the Environmental Technology Program and job placement are serious concerns. Only part of this can be solved through increased visibility through advertising. The changing job market has had a large impact on the Program. Strong consideration should be given to whether a two year Associates of Applied Arts & Sciences (A.A.A.S.) is still a viable degree.
In Spring 2001, the Environmental Technology Program underwent an External Review and a DACUM (Developing A Curriculum) process. These two studies provided a focus on the Program’s status, including the strengths and areas for improvement discussed above. These studies concluded that the Program was in need of revisions, possibly with more of a transfer focus, or as a device for augmenting skills of professionals already in the workplace. The DACUM provided some suggested course curricula, which apply to possible two-year technical degrees, transfer degrees, and professional enhancement courses or certifications, with an emphasis on the latter two. The External Review also emphasized the need for more advertising, job market analysis, updated equipment and reassigned time for the program coordinator.
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Program Changes/Future Directions:
Based on the recommendations of the DACUM and External Review Team the curricula for the Environmental Technology Program need to be revised to curricula that emphasize more transfer-oriented tracks and possible certification programs for post-baccalaureate and other professionals. The Environmental Science and Environmental Technology Programs would become more closely-allied towards this end. Advertising and marketing schemes could be developed for both programs, utilizing flyers, a web page and other resources. There is a need to continue to cultivate cooperative partnerships and internships with industry, agencies and the community.
We are very excited about the renovation of the 2900 Building. It could provide an excellent opportunity for creating a plan for dedicated environmental science & technology classroom and laboratory spaces that incorporate environmental concepts into their basic design. This would provide the student with working examples of those concepts (energy efficient lighting, heating, storm water management, etc.), and at the same time act as a showcase to the community. Partnerships could be developed with industries involved in such cutting-edge technologies and perhaps reduce costs to the college.
The Environmental Science & Technology programs still need a lab coordinator, who could be shared with other science programs using the 2900 building (biotechnology, geology, oceanography, etc.) to maintain & supervise the laboratories to increase efficiency and ensure safety for students, staff & faculty.