2019-20 Unit Plan
Sociology
Mission Statement
The mission of Sociology at Butte College is to apply scientific and critical thinking to study the dynamics of social systems and their influence on humanity and the environment.
Program Description
FA2016 Program Review data (1 semester, does not include summer or winter)
20 sections, 663 students, 66.3 FTES
The Sociology program fosters knowledge and critical analysis about how the societies humans create affect ourselves and the natural world. Students examine the social, political and economic institutions that humans build as well as the larger ecosystem in which we live. Courses examine topics that include the dynamics of power and inequality; gender ethnicity and resources; the growing influence of technology and mass media and need for environmental sustainability. Sociology is devoted to inspiring students to understand, appreciate and care for the world in which they live through creative, engaged citizenship.
- Sociology courses meet the Social and Behavioral Sciences AA as well as GE transfer requirements.
- Students can also obtain an AA-T in Sociology with over 60 graduates since the major was established in 2012.
- Sociology also established the interdisciplinary Certificate of Sustainability Studies, which is now being developed into an AA pathway.
Student Learning/Administrative Unit Outcomes (Optional)
Standards/Goals for Student Achievement (Instruction Departments) (Optional)
Standards/Goals for Student Achievement (All Other Departments) (Optional)
Strategic Direction (Optional)
Program Review (Optional)
Based upon the recommendation of the Program Review 2011
Completed
- Developed AA-T Major - Completed in 2012
- Reviewed and Updated curriculum - Completed
- Developed Sociology 10 Crime and Society and Sociology 20 Sociology of Inequality per AA-T guidelines – Soc20 is completed and is on the schedule, Soc10 is underway
- Recommended expansion of the Sustainability Certificate of Completion to become a Certificate of Achievement - Completed in 2012
STILL TO BE ADDRESSED
1. Hire a second Full Time faculty member to support program strength and student success. Urgently needed and requested annually since the retirement of Glenn Hoffman in 2012 but not yet funded
2. Recommended the creation of a Sustainability Studies degree program with multiple academic pathways to meet a variety of career pathways to be aligned with the trend in academia toward sustainability education - underway and scheduled for launch in SP 2012
Department Goals
Future Development Strategies
Strategy 1 - Increase enrollments and FTES in Sociology 4% and support student AA-T completion
- Develop and add two new ONLINE courses, Soc2 & Soc4 by FA19
- Consider optoin of a Social Justic program
- Connect with CSUC Sociology program
Initiatives
- Modeling Sustainability
- Enhancing a Culture of Completion and Goal Achievement
- Supporting Student, Faculty and Staff Success
- Using Data-Informed Processes for Continuous Improvement
- Maximizing Resources to Support Student Learning
- Enhancing a Culture of Equity and Inclusiveness
Supporting Rationale
Supports campus wide growth initiative
Supporting Rationale Alignment
Supports Previous Program Review Recommendations: Yes
Supports Changes from Student Learning Outcomes Assessment: Yes
Supports Meeting Standards and Goals for Student Achievement: Yes
Improving Student Achievement: Yes
Addressing Strategies Identified by the Department Learning Outcomes Reports: Yes
Addressing Outstanding Program Review Recommendations: Yes
Supporting the College's Strategic Direction and Priorities: Yes
Strategy 2 - Develop a Butte Sustainability AA Degree Pathway
- Butte College was awarded funding in 2016 from Strategic Energy Initiatives (SEI) to support sustainability education across campus for faculty and students and facilitate dialogues between ourselves and representatives from Chico State with the goal of developing a transferable AA in Sustainability at Butte College.
- The grant, which ends the end of this academic year, included funding for a paid, full-time professional intern at the Sustainability Resource Center who works full time to manage 10 Butte College student interns who each reach out and educate and at least 40 high schools students. Our partnership with them will end the end of SP18, goal is to request transition funds to help the program become established and self-sufficient.
- An interdisciplinary campus committee invested in the program meets regularly in support.
- Butte College has signed two agreements, including the United States University Presidents College Climate Agreement that articulate our college’s commitment to stand up a Sustainability degree program.
Initiatives
- Modeling Sustainability
- Enhancing a Culture of Completion and Goal Achievement
- Supporting Student, Faculty and Staff Success
- Using Data-Informed Processes for Continuous Improvement
- Maximizing Resources to Support Student Learning
- Enhancing a Culture of Equity and Inclusiveness
Supporting Rationale
- Develops an AA degree with the same title and mission of the Butte College Strategic Directive #5, Modeling Sustainaiblty by standing up the curriculum for a Sustainabilty Studies AA Degree with courses and career pathways for both transfer career focused students.
- The program includes clear career pathways with quick vocational outcomes (permafarming; solar panels) as well as transfer education in a field that students can both believe in and know there will be jobs.
- The Butte Certificate in Sustainability Studies was developed by Mimi Riley in 2007 and has been awarded to over 100 students. In 2010 Mimi Riley started working interdisciplinary teams of faculty from both Butte and CSUC to develop a Sustainabilty Studies AA Degree at Butte College. Curriculum spans both Career and Transfer with courses from Ethics to Agriculture.
- Follows through on two signed commmitments by Butte College, including the United States University Presidents College Climate Agreement, that articulate our college’s commitment to stand up a Sustainability degree program.
Supporting Rationale Alignment
Supports Previous Program Review Recommendations: Yes
Supports Changes from Student Learning Outcomes Assessment: Yes
Supports Meeting Standards and Goals for Student Achievement: Yes
Improving Student Achievement: Yes
Addressing Strategies Identified by the Department Learning Outcomes Reports: Yes
Addressing Outstanding Program Review Recommendations: Yes
Supporting the College's Strategic Direction and Priorities: Yes
Strategy 3 - Develop career/transfer pathways materials for students in both Sociology and Sustainability
Develop promotional materials for students that clearly identify the future of career paths in the fields of sociology and sustainabilty.
Initiatives
- Modeling Sustainability
- Enhancing a Culture of Completion and Goal Achievement
- Supporting Student, Faculty and Staff Success
- Using Data-Informed Processes for Continuous Improvement
- Maximizing Resources to Support Student Learning
- Enhancing a Culture of Equity and Inclusiveness
Supporting Rationale
Supports the college stategic direction to support completion and provide students with clear and easy to navigate inforamtion about transfer and career opportunities
Supporting Rationale Alignment
Supports Previous Program Review Recommendations: Yes
Supports Changes from Student Learning Outcomes Assessment: Yes
Supports Meeting Standards and Goals for Student Achievement: Yes
Improving Student Achievement: Yes
Addressing Strategies Identified by the Department Learning Outcomes Reports: Yes
Addressing Outstanding Program Review Recommendations: Yes
Supporting the College's Strategic Direction and Priorities: Yes
Strategy 4 - Hire one full-time faculty to with skills in Statics for the Social Sciences
Hire a full-time Sociology facult with expertise in Behavioral Statistic (meets math requirment) and support the programs consideration of a Social Justice pathway
Initiatives
- Modeling Sustainability
- Enhancing a Culture of Completion and Goal Achievement
- Supporting Student, Faculty and Staff Success
- Using Data-Informed Processes for Continuous Improvement
- Maximizing Resources to Support Student Learning
- Enhancing a Culture of Equity and Inclusiveness
Supporting Rationale
- The addition of a SBS statistics course is projected to be extremely popular as it meets the math requirement
- The Statistics course is the CID recommended course preparation for Social Science majors (Psy, Soc, SBS).
- Because Chico State does NOT offer a Masters Degree in Sociology, finding associate faculty with this expertise is an obstacle.
- Long time need for full time leadership in the program: There has only been one full time faculty in Sociology since 2012. The retirement of Glenn Hoffman has not yet been replaced.
Supporting Rationale Alignment
Supports Previous Program Review Recommendations: Yes
Supports Changes from Student Learning Outcomes Assessment: Yes
Supports Meeting Standards and Goals for Student Achievement: Yes
Improving Student Achievement: Yes
Addressing Strategies Identified by the Department Learning Outcomes Reports: Yes
Addressing Outstanding Program Review Recommendations: Yes
Supporting the College's Strategic Direction and Priorities: Yes
Strategy 5 - Develop Behavioral Sciences Statistics Class
Develop a CID aligned Social Science statistics course, which helps meet the math requirement
Initiatives
- Modeling Sustainability
- Enhancing a Culture of Completion and Goal Achievement
- Supporting Student, Faculty and Staff Success
- Using Data-Informed Processes for Continuous Improvement
- Maximizing Resources to Support Student Learning
- Enhancing a Culture of Equity and Inclusiveness
Supporting Rationale
- Meets a Math118 requirement
- Is listed as the preferred math equivalent for Social Science majors
- We have many SBS, Psychology and Sociology students who would benefit from this course
Supporting Rationale Alignment
Supports Previous Program Review Recommendations: Yes
Supports Changes from Student Learning Outcomes Assessment: Yes
Supports Meeting Standards and Goals for Student Achievement: Yes
Improving Student Achievement: Yes
Addressing Strategies Identified by the Department Learning Outcomes Reports: Yes
Addressing Outstanding Program Review Recommendations: Yes
Supporting the College's Strategic Direction and Priorities: Yes
Requested Non-Financial Resources
Current Financial Resources
Augmentation Requests
| Original Priority |
Program, Unit, Area |
Resource Type |
Account Number |
Object Code |
One Time Augment |
Ongoing Augment |
| Description |
Supporting Rationale |
Potential Alternative Funding Sources |
Prioritization Criteria |
| 1 |
Sociology |
Personnel |
|
51110 |
$0.00 |
$114,000.00 |
| Full time faculty Hire |
Statics for the Social Sciences would quickly become an extremely popular class and assist Butte in meeting the AB705 mandate. CID formally recommends that Social Science majors (PSY, SOC, SBS) take this statistics class to meet the math requirement. CSUC does not have a Sociology masters program so finding appropriately trained associate faculty is an obstacle. A full time faculty in Sociology who specializes in Social Sciences research and statistics is a core need. Many disciplines draw on social science research, but not necessarily the most updated research. Given that we have about 70 Psy and Soc major each year, and that SBS is the most awarded major at Butte, a specialist in this area would be extremely valuable. A second full-time faculty in the Sociology discipline would also enable the consideration of a Social Justic program. |
|
- Meeting Standards and Goals for Student Achievement
- Addressing Program Review Recommendations
- Implementing improvements identified during Outcomes Assessment
- Implementing AB 705
- Implementing Guided Pathways: a. Strategic Scheduling; b. Hobsons Starfish
- Closing Equity Gaps
- Meeting enrollment targets
- Meeting student achievement goals
- Fostering a Culture of Inclusiveness
- Improving Processes: a. Data and Reporting; b. Internal Communications
- Strengthening Professional Development
|
| 2 |
Sociology |
Equipment |
|
51240 |
$2,500.00 |
$0.00 |
| Sustainability Interactive Displays |
Sustainability is one of Butte College's Strategic Initiatives. Interactive sustainability displays are educational tools that teach about major topics in sustainability with hands-on activities that can be used both in the classroom and during high school and campus wide outreach activities. |
|
- Addressing Program Review Recommendations
- Meeting Standards and Goals for Student Achievement
- Implementing improvements identified during Outcomes Assessment
- Meeting enrollment targets
- Meeting student achievement goals
- Fostering a Culture of Inclusiveness
- Closing Equity Gaps
|