PKAL » Recommendations on how to put dysfunctional or under-performing departments on the road to becoming a vital department

Volume IV: What works, what matters, what lasts, 2004- present » Postings in 2004 » Exploring promising practices at the departmental level to strengthen learning »

Volume IV: What works, what matters, what lasts

Recommendations on how to put dysfunctional or under-performing departments on the road to becoming a vital department

February 13, 2004

A PKAL essay: Building a vital department: Many times a voice from outside the department is necessary to evaluate what is not working. Consultants do not carry institutional baggage and their credibility might encourage all faculty to speak out and encourage openness to new ideas.
A synthesis of recommendations from Keck/PKAL Consultancies: Dealing with dysfunctional departments: Identifying what does not work is sometimes as important to efforts to build strong STEM departments and programs as knowing what works (see stories posted 02/06/04 from the undergraduate physics project SPIN-UP). Most problems facing departmental leaders have been identified and addressed in other settings: attrition after first-year courses; little or no administrative support; "ownership" of specific courses. Bringing an outside voice to the discussions is sometimes helpful, as illustrated by this report summarized from several Keck/PKAL consultancies.
A Chemistry Department's Desire to Increase Visibility The Keck/PKAL Consultation Program: The chemistry department at this liberal arts college in the southwest has been recognized for its continual pursuit of excellence. However, the department wants to increase the visibility of and enrollment in the department. Several steps were identified that will contribute to and add to the success of the department.
A Chemistry Department Confronting New Opportunities and Challenges The Keck/PKAL Consultation Program: The renowned chemistry department at this liberal arts college requested the advice of consultants in the context of confronting a major opportunity: the institutional move from the trimester to the semester system. Their concerns for curricular development in this time of change focused primarily on maintaining and enhancing the research-rich culture of the department for both majors and non-majors as they considered the allocation and reallocation of faculty time. The consultant recommendations and institutional responses follow.
Re-creating a Successful Biology Program The Keck/PKAL Consultation Program: Consultants were asked to evaluate the biology program at this private institution in the northeast. They evaluated core course requirements, upper-level courses, assessment tools for student learning, and the over-arching goals for biology majors in the program. The following recommendations will enable the institution to produce successful graduates that have many career options following graduation.
Linking departmental & institutional mission: The Morehouse experience: Building a strong department from the foundation of a solid vision that drives all planning and assessment is the key to the success of the biology department at Morehouse College.
Departmental matrix - Clarity about the scope and sequence of departmental offerings: Having departmental conversations about where students learn what, brings coherence to the academic program.
Bio2010: Transforming Undergraduate Education for Future Research Biologists: This National Research Council publication outlines the rationale for and approaches to transforming undergraduate biology departments to more directly reflect changes in how science is practiced.