SOCIAL SCIENCE DEPARTMENT MEETING
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Aspen 145, 1:00-2:00
CSI Mission Statement: The College of Southern Idaho, a comprehensive community college, provides quality educational, social, cultural, economic, and workforce development opportunities that meet the diverse needs of the communities it serves. CSI prepares students to lead enriched, productive and responsible lives in a global society.
In Attendance: Kenn Burnham, Jamie Carter, Jim Gentry, Lee Ann Hagan, Susan McFarland, Chris Meyerhoeffer, Matt Reynolds, Brett Reid, Randy Simonson, Shilo Smith, Russ Tremayne, Lauri Watkins
- Jim Gentry asked department members to review course descriptions in CSI catalog; send any typos to him for change before March 1
- Lauri Watkins informed department members of our Social Science Department work study hours. Alena is here to assist us for 13 hours each week. She has a work station in Lee Ann’s office, with her office hours posted outside Lee Ann’s door as well as in the main office. If you need her assistance, you can speak with her during her office hours or bring the work to me when she’s not in. She’s really awesome, so please don’t hesitate to utilize her time.
- Jim-communication reminded the faculty to post their office hours outside their office doors and on the web directory. One office hour a day is required. Below you will find the campus policy regarding office hours/time on campus:
Instructors are expected to schedule office hours so that they may be available to confer with students. The teaching schedule, preparation time, and office hours must total at least 30 hours per week on campus. There shall be at least five office hours per week. Unless the instructional schedule conflicts, at least one office hour shall be kept each day. The office hour schedule should be observed as conscientiously as the class schedule. A copy of the scheduled office hours must be posted near each instructor's door and on the CSI Web site.
- Jim Gentry distributed a copy of the 8 year plan through the 2015-16 academic year. If there is anything to take action on, please meet with Jim for discussion.
- Jim Gentry distributed comparative student-enrollment data for the department and its programs. Spring 10 enrollments for department programs increased 30.6% over Spring 09 based on the 9 day count.
- Jim Gentry will be sending the first draft of the Social Science Department Unit Development Plan soon.
- Department members discussed thesixschedule optionsavailable for Summer 2010 courses. Let Jim know of your interests.
- The department discussed further methods to increase student completion of online evaluations. Each instructor can decide if he/she wants to provide bonus points to students.
- Other issues:
~Lee Ann will get the SIFE (Students in Free Enterprise) club going. This is a one credit SOCS 199 course as well as a CSI student organization.
~Randy is working with Dan Daggett to get a Chess Club going on campus.
~Russ Tremayne, along with Jim Woods and Cindy Bond will be traveling to Declo to receive an collection of art work to be displayed in the Herrett Center.
~Russ reported that the Civil Liberties Symposium is well under way. Updates next month.
- Jessica Winans sharedinformation and a handout on Quality Matters rubric for online courses. The rubric sets the standards for quality online course. It is meant as a self-assessment with a set of assigned point values that is easy for instructors to use to evaluate their own online courses. Please feel free to contact Jessica with any questions you might have. Her contact information is on the hand out.
The Social Science Department will meet on Tuesday, March 2, at 1:00 in Aspen 145.