14 April 2016

PRAC April 2016 Report

Submitted by Mitchell Anderson, Chair

Committee Membership

Executive Committee

Mitchell Anderson, Chair, Seri Luangphinith, Doug Mikkleson

Full Committee

2014-15
Ag / Armando Ortega
Kevin Hopkins
CHEM / Norbert Furumo
AJ / Katherine Young
Poly Sci / Todd Belt
2015-16
Art / Jonathan Goebel
English / Kirsten Molligaard
MARE / Jason Adolf
Hist / Doug Mikkleson
2016-17
Econ / Keisuke Nakao
Physics & Astr / Marianne Takamiya
Sociology / Alton Okinaka
Kinesiology / Lincoln Gotshalk
Geology / Steve Lundblad
M.A. Education / Michele Ebersol
CS / Keith Edwards
2017-18
Jap Studies / Masa Honda
Geography / Jonathan Price
M. A. TCEBS / Don Price
Anth / Peter Mills
Math / Brian Wissman
Comm / Miike Yoshitaka

Programs Completed PR (2014 – 2015)

·  Chemistry Status: Complete

·  Administration of Justice Status: Complete

·  Political Science Status: Complete

·  Ph.D. Hawaiian Language Culture Revitalization (not sure about this one)

·  Ag Status: MOU negotiations suspended pending re-org

Programs Currently in PR (2015 – 2016)

·  Art Status: External reviewer visit scheduled for April 26-29

·  English Status: Will send draft MOU to Dean (April 2016)

·  History Status: external reviewer report is in and posted,

working on MOU

·  Marine Science Status: Awaiting word from the Dean on MOU

Programs Scheduled for PR Next Year (2016 – 2017)

·  Economics Attended PRAC training meeting

·  Physics Met with PRAC for PR overview (Feb 2016)

·  Sociology

·  Kinesiology Moved to 2019-2020

·  Geology Met with PRAC for PR overview (Feb 2016)

·  M.Ed. Education Met with PRAC exec (Fall 2015), attended PRAC training

·  CS Attended PRAC training

Programs Scheduled for PR the Following Year (2017 – 2018)

·  Japanese Studies

·  Geography

·  Natural Science

·  Environmental Studies

·  Biology

·  M.A. TCBES

·  Anthropology

·  M.A. Cultural Heritage

Activities this month (most activities are proceeding smoothly)

MOA Process 2014 - 15

1.  CHEM MOU is now complete and uploaded to the VCAA PR website. (hurrah!)

2.  POLS PR is complete (hurrah!).

3.  AJ PR is complete (hurrah!)

4.  CAFNRM has suspended MOU negotiations pending the outcome of the current reorganization discussions.

MOA Process 2015 - 16

5.  ART -- MOU process not yet begun. External reviewer visit April 26 - 29, 2016.

6.  ENG has developed a draft MOU and met with Dean Brown and VCAA Platz on April 13 for initial discussions. The PRAC Chair was in attendance. Admin will send a revised version back to the department shortly.

7.  History is developing a draft MOU.

8.  MARE has sent final MOA to Dean Brown (April 15, 2016) and will await a face-to-face meeting. Dean Brown has assured PRAC that they will be invited to all meetings.

Comments

English worked closely with PRAC to help develop their MOU. PRAC experience was useful in the MOU development and greatly appreciated; other departments should be encouraged to take advantage of this support. The goal is for faculty to come to rely on PRAC for its expertise in program review. Thus far PRAC help has been invaluable, but departments are not familiar with our services. It is imperative that future committees remain diligent in getting out the word and providing such support.

Observations during the English program's MOU discussions with the administration: the administration was consistent with previous MOU deliberations. They offered appropriate support in helping the English department market their strengths, and offered assurances that success would result in additional resources (e.g. TESOL is attempting to add additional sections to handle anticipated increased demand due to agreements with other universities to send students to the program). The admin will attempt to fill at least one of the department's request for new hires, and as in the past indicated that funding is tight and new hires would necessarily be contingent on available funds. The Dean is aware that UHH has a lot more to offer, of which the community is largely unaware, and marketing our strengths is a high priority.