PROGRAM REVIEW, ALLOCATION, AND INSTITUTIONAL STRATEGIES FOR EXCELLENCE (P.R.A.I.S.E.) REPORT
PLANNING YEAR 2010-2011
INSTRUCTIONAL DEPARTMENTS
Program: Biology
Program Review
Department of Biology
2010-2011
DEPARTMENT FACULTY/STAFF INPUT
An important part of the Program Review process is the consultation and input of all members of the department. Please have each member of the department both full-time and part-time sign below to acknowledge that they were consulted with during the process and were able to provide input.
NOTE: This signature does not indicate necessary approval of the data or the analysis or evaluation of the information contained inside this document. It is an indication that you had an opportunity to provide input in the process.
Please make sure you send a copy of your program review to each of the following committees:
PRAISE_BIOLOGY_2011.docxPage 1 of 21
PROGRAM REVIEW, ALLOCATION, AND INSTITUTIONAL STRATEGIES FOR EXCELLENCE (P.R.A.I.S.E.) REPORT
PLANNING YEAR 2010-2011
INSTRUCTIONAL DEPARTMENTS
Program: Biology
Academic Senate – Lisa Harvey
Finance and Budget – Deedee Orta
Facilities – Dave Hollomon
Institutional Effectiveness–Marc Skuster
Vice President Instruction–Mark Zacovic
Your area Dean-Lori Kildal
PRAISE_BIOLOGY_2011.docxPage 1 of 21
PROGRAM REVIEW, ALLOCATION, AND INSTITUTIONAL STRATEGIES FOR EXCELLENCE (P.R.A.I.S.E.) REPORT
PLANNING YEAR 2010-2011
INSTRUCTIONAL DEPARTMENTS
Program: Biology
Name of Faculty or Staff Member / StatusPamela MacKay / Full Time Faculty
Hinrich Kaiser / Full Time Faculty
David Gibbs / Full Time Faculty
Jessica Gibbs / Full Time Faculty
Lisa Harvey / Full Time Faculty
Brandon King / Associate Faculty
John Anwar / Associate Faculty
Emma Castro / Associate Faculty
Oli Bachie / Associate Faculty
Kim Kato / Associate Faculty
Nathan Iverson / Associate Faculty
Gary Elder / Associate Faculty
Scott Shelton / Associate Faculty
Rob Byrne / Associate Faculty
Sid Kanrar / Associate Faculty
Archie Meyer / Associate Faculty
Naveen Jalota / Associate Faculty
Sanskruti Mehta / Associate Faculty
PART I. ABSTRACT (EXECUTIVE SUMMARY) In one page or less, include any pertinent information on your Department you find important for the reader to know. Highlight new achievements and accomplishments over the last year. Please also describe any goals you have for the department for the next 2 to 3 years.
I. Comprehensive Program Review of the Biology Department
Victor Valley College Mission Statement:
“We at Victor Valley College are committed to excellence in educational programs and services that are accessible to a diverse student population. We will continue to be an educational leader by striving for instructional excellence, being responsive to the needs of the community, and providing a nurturing learning environment.”
Biology Department Mission Statement:
“The Life Sciences Department is committed to excellence in education, while striving to serve the needs of a diverse population of students at Victor Valley College”.
The Department of Biology provides student education via the classroom setting, hands-on learning through laboratories, opportunities for pursuing basic and applied research, and prospects for interaction with other Biology students through various student academic clubs such as Biology Club
The Department offers courses in the life sciences for students seeking an Associates of Science or transfer degrees, which include the Bachelor of Arts or the Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences. For students planning to attend medical, dental, pharmacy, veterinary, nursing, optometry, physical therapy, physician assistant, clinical laboratory science, or podiatry schools, the department has a Pre-Health Professional curriculum.
The Department of Biological Sciences is part of the STEM division at Victor Valley College. The faculty consists of 5 tenure-track facultyand 13 adjunct faculty. The Department is housed in the Science Building occupying 5 teaching laboratories with an adjoining prep space, 14 faculty offices, an herbarium, a faculty library, scientific research room, a wet and dry specimen collection room and a greenhouse. Although these facilities serve double-duty for teaching and research, the department has no research-dedicated space per se.
In the process of addressing the teaching needs ofa diverse program, Biology offers instruction in the traditional lecture and laboratory and independent study. Students receive instruction in research techniques through individual faculty on a one-on-one basis. This allows the student to do a limited research project with a faculty member and write the results as a formal thesis. Many students have given presentations of their work at local and national conferences and symposia and some have been listed as co-authors on peer-reviewed publications.
An estimated 80-85% of the credit hours delivered by the Department of Biology are those that provide pre-requisite training for students in the health sciences. Human Anatomy (BIOL-211, 5 credits), Microbiology(BIOL- 221, 5 credits) and Human Physiology (BIOL- 231, 5 credits) enrollapproximately 300 - 350students in each course per year. The primary clientele consists of students seeking entry to nursing and a few other health programs. Lower division courses are also provided for a Biology transfer degree.
The Biology program is committed to experiential learning that involves students in meaningful activities. The majority of our classes have both a lecture and a laboratory component. The laboratory component is designed not only to complement and reinforce material covered in lecture but also to provide students with hands-on activities and opportunities to acquire job-related skills.
The small class sizes and hands-on learning that takes place within our biology courses allows for student-student and student-instructor interaction that is unique. These opportunities expose student to a diverse range of viewpoints and ideas, enhancing their academic development.
The Biology Department attempts to provide up-to-date equipment for student use. The Department has been able to purchase several pieces of new equipment, as well as computers and software programs that enable our students to learn modern laboratory techniques. These purchases were made possible by the Title V Grant, which runs out on Sept. 30, 2011. Lisa Harvey’s physiology research along with Hinrich Kaiser’s field biology research also provides students with a myriad of research experiences.
The Biology Department provides a program of support for personal and professional development within the constraints of the mandate we face to teach a large and diverse student body. This support is, in practice, difficult to extend to adjunct faculty due to time constraints on full-time faculty. Faculty are encouraged to teach in their areas of expertise and to develop new course offerings that benefit both the faculty member and the student. Recently we have attempted to strengthen ties to the Azusa Pacific University and Ross School of Medicine, to allow for even more diverse course offerings.
The Biology Department makes every effort to respond to the community’s needs in terms of courses that we offer and in terms of times that we offer courses. The Biology Department models “life-long learning” and fosters a culture of continuing education. We all attend seminars, workshops, and conferences in our areas of interest. Because scientific knowledge is constantly expanding, we constantly read and research to remain at the forefront of knowledge in our fields. We apply for and have received grants to engage in continuing research.
We model ethical behavior for our students, as we feel that “actions speak louder than words.” We do teach the ethical standards of the profession in every class and expect students to adhere to those standards in their dealings with one another, the faculty, and in the work that they perform.
Biology students at VVC come from a diverse and multicultural population located in the High Desert Region of California. The Biology Department offers a varied curriculum designed to educate students to succeed in complex and wide-ranging careers. The Department is committed to instructional excellence and offers a wide range of biology courses for majors and non-majors in biology. The following is a list of offered courses:
Marine Biology: Biol 51 (2 units)
International Natural History: Biol 98 A/B (2-4 units)
General Biology: Biol 100 (4 units)
General Botany: Biol 104 (4 units)
Introduction to Human Biology: Biol 107 (4 units)
Field Biology: Biol 109 (4 units)
Biology of Sexually Transmitted Diseases: Biol 113 (2 units)
Intro to Ecology: Biol 114 (3 units)
Principles of Heredity: Biol 118 (3 units)
Identification and Study of Wildflowers: Biol 120 (3 units)
Plants and Human Society: Biol 121 (3 units)
Natural History of the Mojave: Biol 126 (3 units)
Identification and Study of Birds of the Mojave Desert and Adjacent Mountains: Biol 127 (3 units)
Identification and Study of Amphibians and Reptiles of the Mojave Desert: Biol 128 (3 units)
Identification and Study of Mammals of the Mojave Desert and Adjacent Mountains: Biol 129 (3 units)
Cooperative Education: Biol 138 (1-8 units)
Independent Study: Biol 149 (1-3 units)
Biology of Cells: Biol 201 (5 units)
Biology of Organisms: Biol 202 (5 units)
Biology of Plants: Biol 210 (4 units)
Human Anatomy: Biol 211 (5 units)
Vertebrate Zoology: Biol 214 (4 units)
Gross Anatomy: Biol 215 (4 units)
General Microbiology: Biol 221 (5 units)
Human Physiology: Biol 231 (5 units)
Pathophysiology: Biol: 233 (3 units)
Ecosystem Field Biol: 250A (3 units)
Biological Science Research: Biol 295 (3 units)
At present, no associate degree with a major in biology or a certificate in biology is offered by the Department of Biology. Nevertheless biology courses may be used to fulfill degree/certificate requirement in other fields or for transfer.
A.S. degree in Math/Science: 70, 100, 104, 107, 109, 113, 114, 118, 120, 121, 126, 127, 128, 129, 149, 201, 202, 211, 212, 214, 215, 221, 231, 233, 250A, 295
A.A. degree in Liberal Arts: 70, 100, 104, 107, 109, 113, 114, 118, 120, 121, 126, 127, 128, 129, 149, 201, 202, 203, 211, 212, 214, 215, 221, 231, 233, 250A, 295
Category I Natural Science: 70, 100, 104, 107, 109, 114, 118, 120, 121, 126, 127, 128, 129, 201, 202, 203, 211, 214, 221, 231, 233, 250A, 295
Articulation: 201, 202, 221, 231
Transfer: 100 (CSU, UC-limited), 104 (CSU, UC), 107 (CSU), 109 (CSU), 113 (CSU), 114 (CSU, UC), 118 (CSU, UC), 120 (CSU), 121 (CSU, UC), 126 (CSU), 127 (CSU), 128 (CSU), 129 (SCU), 138 (CSU), 149 (CSU), 201 (CSU, UC), 202 (CSU, UC), 211 (CSU, UC-limited), 214 (CSU,UC-limited), 215A (CSU), 231 (CSU, UC-limited), 233(CSU, UC-limited), 250 (CSU, UC-limited), 295 (CSU, UC-limited)
A. A Demand for Graduates in Biology
Colleges and Universities throughout the United States are all indicating an increase demand for graduates in the Biological Sciences.
The University of North Dakota Biology website states (
The 21st century will be the age of biology, extending a century-long revolution in the biological sciences, with the future quality of human existence being strongly dependent on future advances in the life sciences. Key historic developments in agriculture, medicine, and technology have reduced human mortality rates, causing a human population explosion. This, in turn, has driven accelerating demands for basic and applied biological knowledge, particularly in cellular- molecular-and-developmental-biology with implications for medicine, agriculture, genetic engineering, and forensic science; and in evolution-and-ecology with implications for the conservation of natural resources and restoration of ecosystems severely disturbed by human activities.
Further, the demand for medical professionals continues to grow faster than the supply. Demand for pharmacists, physician assistants, and physical therapists is also high (
Information from the Occupational Outlook Handbook 2006-07 Edition ( shows that Biology and its various sub disciplines are poised for continued growth (Table 1).
Table 1:
BIOLOGICAL DISCIPLINE / 2004-2014 GROWTH PREDICTIONSBiological Science / As fast as average (Increase 9 to 17 percent)
Clinical Laboratory Technician / Faster than average (Increase 18 to 26 percent)
Dentist / As fast as average (Increase 9 to 17 percent)
Dental Hygiene / Much faster than average (Increase 27 percent or more)
Environmental Science / Much faster than average (Increase 27 percent or more)
Medical Doctor/Surgeon / Faster than average (Increase 18 to 26 percent)
Occupational Therapy / Much faster than average (Increase 27 percent or more)
Pharmacist / Faster than average (Increase 18 to 26 percent)
Physical Therapy / Much faster than average (Increase 27 percent or more)
Physician Assistant / Much faster than average (Increase 27 percent or more)
Respiratory Therapy / Faster than average (Increase 18 to 26 percent)
Science Technician / As fast as average (Increase 9 to 17 percent)
Teachers / As fast as average (Increase 9 to 17 percent
B. TEACHING, LEARNING, RESEARCH AND SCHOLARSHIP, AND SERVICE
B.1. Enrollment Trends
Enrollment in the Biology Department has stayed fairly consistent over the past five years with peak enrollment during the 2008-2009 school year (Figure 1). The Department services a large number of allied health students who will spend about two years with us before going on to one of a number of allied health programs. Enrollment within the Biology Department continues to outstrip enrollment overall within the institution. The growth within the Department not only corresponds to the community growth as a whole, but also the need for educated medical personnel within society. There is a tremendous shortage of doctors, nurses, respiratory technicians, etc in the United States and around the world. As this need becomes greater and greater the Biology Department here at Victor Valley College will continue to experience increased enrollment.
Figure 1
B. 2. FTES and Course Enrollments
Figures 2 and 3 demonstrate data for the number of courses and FTES for all courses within the biology department. The numbers of courses give trends for growth areas, however, caution should be used in interpreting the data since the number of courses are dictated by not only by maximum course caps, but even more so by the limitation of laboratory space within the science building. A verylarge problem in the Biology Department at this time is limitation of space. The lack of grow in enrollment, the number of courses offered and even FTES is directly related to a limited amount of laboratory space. All low enrollment classes have been deactivated in the department in order to maximize student success. The steady Biology FTES most likely results from the enrollment management within the college, as well as space difficulties. If the department were able to offer more lab courses the types of courses could be more diversified. The Biology Department will meet with some difficulties in this respect in the near future as it puts into effect the new C-ID classifications and Transfer Model Curriculum for a Biology major.
Figure 2
Figure 3
B. 3. Program Success
The program has been successful, but the exact extent is hard to determine. Quantitative data currently do not exist, but anecdotal evidence from alumni suggests that the department has been very successful in preparing students for professional programs.
As mentioned previously, the current assessment for the department is subjective in nature and as such tells little about how well the faculty are doing. An attempt to produce a direct form of assessment and to better follow alumni are underway and will hopefully provide for a more quantitative look at the programs success next program review.
The department has a set of learning goals for its undergraduate program. Listed below are the learning goals for undergraduates:
1. Cognitive skills: Graduates will demonstrate the ability to think critically, synthesize, rather than memorize information presented to them, and use this information to formulate scientific questions, design experiments to answer these questions, collect, analyze, interpret and report data.
2. Research skills: Students will demonstrate the ability to find, evaluate and integrate published information, and demonstrate computer literacy through the ability to use databases and information technology.
3. Communication skills: Students will demonstrate the ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing as professional scientists.
4. Biological knowledge: Graduates will demonstrate knowledge of the basic principles and unifying themes of biology.
5. Technical/Analytical skills: Graduates will demonstrate knowledge of and the ability to use mainstream laboratory/field procedures, methods and instrumentation to conduct biological investigations and safety issues associated with each.
6. Teamwork skills: Students will demonstrate the ability to work collaboratively and solve problems in a group.
Faculty in the Biology Department are dedicated to the highest levels of student success. In comparison to the previous program review overall success rates have increased. Success rates in the Biology Department were consistently higher than the overall success rates of the Institutions.
B.4. Student Success and Retention
Between the 2005-2006 and 2009-2010 school years the overall retention rate for the Biology Department has been consistently above the overall College retention rates. The retention rates for the Biology Department range from 84.8% at its lowest to 91.3% at its peak. These rates are very high.
Retention of students encompasses many different components. Students may leave classes because they have a family member sick or they may become sick themselves. There may be issues of transportation or even finances, which impede a student’s ability to attend school. These problems may not be able to be addressed, but other things such as student access to classes at various hours, as well as different modes of teaching such as on-line may improve retention. The Biology Department is striving to meet the needs of the students at VVC and thereby improve retention. One aspect of improving retention is to put lectures and lecture materials on-line. In doing so students who are not able to attend classes for a period of time feel less compelled to drop and more able to finish. Several Instructors have made podcasts of lectures.
All curriculum within the department has been rewritten and but into Curricunet. This new curriculum includes student learning outcomes and methods of assessment.