Chapter 4 - Troy University

Chapter 4
EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM 4.1: GENERAL REQUIREMENTS OF THE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM 4.1.1 All aspects of the educational program must be clearly related
to the purpose of the institution. The Mission Statement and Purpose of the University are delineated on
page 5 of the 2001-2003 Troy State University Undergraduate Bulletin
(hereinafter cited as the Bulletin). The purposes of each college,
department, and degree program are published in the Bulletin at the
beginning of each unit's course offerings and are fully complementary to
and congruent with the University's purpose statement. In addition, each
educational program has outlined the relationship of its purpose to the
purpose (mission) of Troy State University in the Six Points of
Institutional Effectiveness (SPIE). At the close of each calendar year,
each unit of Troy State University updates its SPIE as part of the
Institutional Effectiveness Cycle which won a National Association of
College and University Business Management Achievement Award in 1996. One
of the Six Points addresses the purpose and how the purpose relates to the
University's purpose (mission). In the SPIE for the Marketing Program, for
example, the Program supports the purpose of the University by being
"dedicated to the preparation of students in a variety of fields
in...business..."; the purpose of the Marketing program relates
specifically to the University's objectives of providing "programs that
enable students to read, write, compute, speak effectively, and think
critically," and the program prepares "students to demonstrate competence
in their chosen field(s) of study at appropriate degree levels."
In another example relating to the University's purpose as "global in
perspective," the K-6 Collaborative Teacher Program reaches a diverse
population of "traditional and nontraditional students;" encourages
students "to realize their unique potential and to become productive
members of society," and in keeping with the institutional objectives, the
Program is committed to preparing students who "demonstrate competence in
their chosen field of study." Additionally, the Program encourages
"excellence in student learning."
Further evidence of the educational programs being related to the
University's purpose can be found in the copies of the SPIE which are
available in the Office of institutional Research, Planning, and
Effectiveness and on its website at http://spectrum.troyst.edu/~oirpe/.
4.1.2 The institution must provide a competent faculty, adequate
library/learning
resources, and appropriate computer resources, instructional
materials/ equipment and physical facilities.
Troy State University maintains a competent and qualified faculty,
adequate library and computer resources, and appropriate learning materials
and equipment. As evidence of faculty competency and qualification, the
following table provides students' ratings from surveys administered during
Academic Year (AY) 2000-2001.
Table 4.1.2A
Students' Ratings of Academic Areas
|Survey |Item |% Rating |
| | |Good, |
| | |Excellent |
|Graduating |Knowledge of subject |94% |
|Student Survey|matter and processes in | |
|(N=766) |their major | |
| |Knowledge of issues and |92% |
| |trends in their major | |
| |Knowledge of theories in |90% |
| |their major | |
| |Strategies for applying |90% |
| |skills in their field | |
| |Knowledge of management |89% |
| |and organizational skills| |
| |in their major | |
| |Instruction in their |89% |
| |major | |
| |Courses in their major |92% |
| |General education courses|80% |
| |Accessibility of |84% |
| |instructors in their | |
| |major | |
| |Attitude of faculty |82% |
| |towards students | |
|Graduate |Students' academic |88% |
|Student Survey|experience | |
|(N=166) | | |
| |Classes students have |89% |
| |taken | |
| |Quality of courses in |84% |
| |preparing students for | |
| |employment | |
| |Quality of instruction in|87% |
| |students' courses | |
| |Overall quality of |87% |
| |students' graduate | |
| |education | |
|Undergraduate |Students' academic |83% |
|Survey (N=584)|experience | |
| |Classes students have |83% |
| |taken | |
| |Students' professors |84% |
| |Quality of instruction in|84% |
| |courses in the major | |
| |Professional competence |85% |
| |of departmental faculty | |
| |in the major | |
Ninety percent (90%) of graduate students strongly agreed or agreed
that their respective programs of study were exposing them to the theories
most fundamental to their field; 90% strongly agreed or agreed that their
program was educating them in the current methodologies in their field; and
83% strongly agreed or agreed that their program was giving them the
practical training they needed in their field (Compendium of Survey and
Test Results for 2000-2001). The competency and qualifications of faculty
can be further determined from the annual evaluations and the faculty files
located in the Office of the Provost.
The adequacy of the Library/learning resources is substantiated by the
results of student surveys.
Table 4.1.2B
Students' Ratings of Library/Learning Resources 2000-2001
|Survey |Item |% Rating Good,|
| | |Excellent |
|Graduating Student |Students' education in |76% |
|Survey (N=766) |using the Library | |
| |Library Services |75% |
| |Library Facilities |75% |
| |Writing skills |82% |
| |improvement services of | |
| |the Writing Center | |
| |Science and math skills |79% |
| |improvement in the | |
| |Natural Science Center | |
|Graduate Student |Library |78% |
|Survey (N=166) | | |
| |Quality of library |76% |
| |holdings in students' | |
| |programs | |
| |Quality of library |75% |
| |holdings for students' | |
| |research | |
|Undergraduate |Natural Science Center |81% |
|Survey (N=584) | | |
| |Writing Center |79% |
All ratings were based on the opinions of students who actually used the
facilities (Compendium of Survey and Test Results 2000-2001).
Appropriate computer resources and instructional materials and
equipment are provided, and evidence may be found in the results of student
surveys.
Table 4.1.2C
Students' Ratings of Computer Resources
and Instructional Materials and Equipment |Survey |Item |% Good & |
| | |Excellent |
| | |00-01 |
|Graduating |Computer Facilities |73% |
|Student Survey | | |
|(N=766) | | |
| |Laboratory/instructiona|74% |
| |l equipment | |
| | Academic computer |75% |
| |services and labs | |
|Graduate Student |Quality of computer |81% |
|Survey (N=166) |support for students' | |
| |research & studies | |
| |Quality of lab |77% |
| |facilities for | |
| |students' research & | |
| |studies | |
| |Computer Center/ |76%