Departmental Periodic Program Review AY 2021-2022
Earth Science/Geology/Meteorology/Water Resources B.S. Program - Executive Summary
The Earth Science degree program sees students who are interested in teaching, as well as newer career fields, or into fields related to the discipline. With regard to teacher certification, we have worked with the Education and Human Development department to repackage the teacher certification program with the intent of making it somewhat more streamlined, and recognizable to prospective students. The end product was two majors: a general education major and one with training in inclusive education. With an impending upswing in high school populations and continued retirements, we anticipate some renewed interest in the certification program.
Overall, the program is healthy, and easily supported across all of the Earth Science disciplines due to the integrated nature of the department. This provides us with the ability to offer students a customizable curriculum that will best suit their career goals. Along those lines, a change in the curriculum expanded the options for students in the program to complete their capstone experience. Previously, they were required to complete the two-semester senior research-seminar sequence. Now, they have the option of completing this sequence, or a one-semester capstone that include a range of experiences, including internships.
The issues that face the department in supporting the program are common to all of our programs. Primarily, maintaining enrollments department wide during a time of lower high school graduation numbers. Secondarily, the issue of maintaining department infrastructure to ensure students the opportunity to gain valuable hands-on experience and engage in related high impact practices.
The geology program has seen steady enrollments over the last two decades with some minor variations. Program numbers climbed in the early to mid-2000s when College-wide enrollments grew, as did the overall quality of students. Although number in the geology major may seem small, this is a result of our breaking out students into different majors that might otherwise comprise a BS and BA in geology at other institutions.
The strength of the geology program, like our other programs, is largely due to the capstone senior research-seminar sequence, and the preparation of students to successfully complete it in prior coursework. The sequence, covering two semesters, pairs students with a faculty mentor to complete a research project of their own design. This has been shown to provide our graduates with an advantage in either the workforce or graduate school. We place students in some of the top graduate programs, and many excel, becoming top students at these institutions. Recent changes to the program will not only maintain the quality for those going on to graduate school, but will better prepare those seeking employment to pursue professional licensure after graduation.
Overall, the program is strong when measured by the success of our graduates. Maintenance of the program, however, is contingent on replacing the senior geologist positions that will be vacated by the retirement of Dr. Mark Noll.
The meteorology program has long been a standout program at the College. Many of our graduates have gone on to top-tier graduate programs including Penn State, Oklahoma, NC State and Illinois. Furthermore, the majority have gone on to productive careers in the diverse array of professions that deal with the atmosphere and meteorology. The strength of the meteorology program, like our other programs, is largely due to the capstone senior research-seminar sequence (see above), and the preparation of students to successfully complete it in prior coursework. Student and faculty research is supported by modern equipment and Mr. Tom McDermott, our systems administrator, who oversees much of the computational facilities and is the primary person responsible for the maintenance of our part of the NOAA datastream that allows us to access and archive data from around the U.S. Additionally, the program stresses internships, and we are supported in those efforts by alumni in the Rochester area and western NY. Many of the regional meteorologists are alumni and are very generous in providing opportunities to our students. Finally, students in the program have been providing a service to our athletics department for the past three years. Golden Eagle Forecasting is a service that produces game-time forecasts for all home and away athletic events, giving our students another opportunity for applied learning.
Overall, the program has a strong foundation as measured by the success of our graduates. Continuing efforts are needed to maintain enrollments, and to continue to build regional support for the program beyond alumni.
Historically, the water resources program, which has been around for over 30 years, has always had small numbers of majors. This raises two questions: why are enrollments low, and is it cost effective? Enrollments are low because water resources is not a program that many high school students think about when deciding on a college major. In fact, it is uncommon for us to have a first-time full-time student enroll directly into the major. Rather, students find the major once they are at Brockport, with many coming from other earth science or environmental science programs. With regard to cost effectiveness, the integrated nature of the department, where students bridge the traditional disciplines of geology and meteorology, and the offering of an integrated earth science major, allows for us to offer the water resources program at no added cost for instruction.
Overall, we see that the program is forward thinking, with the focus on water resources, either quality or quantity, growing, even in areas with abundant natural resources.