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Geographic Science Program Taskforce #2 Report Summary. Presentation to ISAT/GS Faculty August 23, 2006. Sharon Lovell, Facilitator Jack Gentile Maria Papadakis Mary Tacy Wayne Teel Johnathan Walker. Our Team. Our Primary Tasks.
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Geographic Science ProgramTaskforce #2 Report Summary Presentation to ISAT/GS Faculty August 23, 2006
Sharon Lovell, Facilitator Jack Gentile Maria Papadakis Mary Tacy Wayne Teel Johnathan Walker Our Team
Our Primary Tasks • Evaluate service classes and make any necessary recommendations • Generate program design ideas
What We Analyzed • Service courses and JMU demand • Scope and role of GS as a discipline • Trends in the discipline • Trends in careers/employment • Trends in societal needs for GS knowledge • JMU GS program compared to other Virginia GS programs
Service Courses • GS program serves Gen Ed, 4 majors, and 9 minors • Includes human, regional, environmental, and AGIS courses • About 1,300 students per year • 13 highly demanded or required courses for other degree/minor programs (8 are human and regional geography classes)
Service Courses, con’t • Demand > supply • We do not offer everything that is requested • Even so, staffing constraints chronic • No obvious potential for consolidation; courses are highly specialized • Recommendation: status quo scheduling for 2 years • Until GS program is clarified • Service needs are “a moving target” right now
Program Design Proposal Applied Geography for Science, Sustainability, and Society
Program Design Features • Core is 2 + 2 + 2 model • Capstone is sequence of 3 classes • Total credit hours same • Builds on existing courses, retires some, adds some. Net increase ~ 0 • Some packages built entirely around existing courses at JMU • Not enough faculty if we fully staff both service and GS program courses