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WEST VIRGINIA WESLEYAN COLLEGE<br />

2000 – 2010<br />

SELF STUDY REPORT<br />

for the Higher Learning Commission


Notes concrening electronic document<br />

In order to navigate to a section quickly, just click on the section header in the<br />

Table of Contents.<br />

To open evidence in the form of an electronic document from this document,<br />

click on the evidence number in brackets ( [ ] ). This feature is only functional<br />

on the <strong>Wesleyan</strong> network.


Preface<br />

Table of Contents<br />

Preface:<br />

Preliminary Information about<br />

<strong>West</strong> <strong>Virginia</strong> <strong>Wesleyan</strong> <strong>College</strong><br />

0a. Introduction to <strong>West</strong> Viriginia <strong>Wesleyan</strong> <strong>College</strong><br />

0b. History of <strong>West</strong> <strong>Virginia</strong> <strong>Wesleyan</strong> <strong>College</strong><br />

0c. Response to the challenges identified by HLC in 2000<br />

0d. The self-study process at <strong>West</strong> <strong>Virginia</strong> <strong>Wesleyan</strong> <strong>College</strong><br />

Chapter One: Criterion One<br />

Mission and Integrity<br />

1a. The organization’s mission documents are clear and articulate the<br />

organization’s commitments<br />

1b. In its mission documents, the organization recognizes the diversity of its<br />

learners, other constituencies and the greater society it serves<br />

1c. Understanding of and support for the mission pervade the organization<br />

1d. The organization’s governance and administrative structures promote<br />

effective leadership and support collaborative processes that enable the<br />

organization to fulfill its mission<br />

1e. The organization upholds and protects its integrity<br />

Chapter Two: Criterion Two<br />

Preparing for the Future<br />

2a. The organization realistically prepares for a future shaped by multiple<br />

societal and economic trends<br />

2b. The organization’s resource base supports its educational programs and<br />

its plans for maintaining and strengthening their quality in the future<br />

2c. The organization’s ongoing evaluation and assessment processes<br />

provide reliable evidence of institutional effectiveness that clearly informs<br />

strategies for continuous improvement<br />

2d. All levels of planning align with the organization’s mission, thereby<br />

enhancing its capacity to fulfill that mission<br />

1


Preface<br />

Table of Contents<br />

Chapter Three: Criterion Three<br />

Student Learning and<br />

Effective Teaching<br />

3a. The organization’s goal of student learning outcomes are clearly stated<br />

for each educational program and make effective assessment possible<br />

3b. The organization values and supports effective teaching<br />

3c. The organization creates effective learning environments<br />

3d. The organization’s learning resources support student learning and<br />

effective teaching<br />

Chapter Four: Criterion Four<br />

Acquisition, Discovery and<br />

Application of Knowledge<br />

4a. The organization demonstrates, through the actions of its board,<br />

administrators, students, faculty and staff that it values a life of learning<br />

4b. The organization demonstrates that acquisition of a breadth of<br />

knowledge and skills and the exercise of intellectual inquiry are<br />

integral to its educational programs<br />

4c. The organization assesses the usefulness of its curricula to students<br />

who will live and work in a global, diverse and technological society<br />

4d. The organization provides support to ensure that faculty, students and<br />

staff acquire, discover and apply knowledge responsibly<br />

Chapter Five: Criterion Five<br />

Engagement and Service<br />

5a. The organization learns from the constituencies it serves and analyzes<br />

its capacity to serve their needs and expectations<br />

5b. The organization has the capacity and the commitment to engage with<br />

its identified constituencies and communities<br />

5c. The organization demonstrates its responsiveness to those<br />

constituencies that depend on it for service<br />

5d. Internal and external constituencies value the service the<br />

organization provides<br />

Endnotes<br />

7a. Electronically linked evidence documents<br />

7b. Evidence documents available in Resource Room<br />

3


0a. Introduction to <strong>West</strong> <strong>Virginia</strong> <strong>Wesleyan</strong> <strong>College</strong><br />

Preface<br />

<strong>West</strong> <strong>Virginia</strong> <strong>Wesleyan</strong> <strong>College</strong> (<strong>Wesleyan</strong>) is a private, liberal arts college that<br />

has grown from its founding as a seminary in 1890 to its 2009 position as a<br />

comprehensive institution of higher learning. <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s primary purpose is<br />

to conduct educational programs in the traditional arts and sciences and in<br />

other disciplines with the intent to prepare students for effective leadership and<br />

service in various vocations and life work.<br />

Outstanding teaching is a hallmark of the <strong>College</strong>. The ability of <strong>Wesleyan</strong><br />

to challenge its students to develop their intellectual, ethical, spiritual and<br />

leadership potential and to set and uphold standards of excellence has<br />

been strong throughout its history. From its earliest days, <strong>Wesleyan</strong> earned<br />

a reputation for academic excellence based on strong programs in sciences<br />

and humanities. Over the years, <strong>Wesleyan</strong> has produced successful teachers,<br />

clergy, civic leaders, and many more continued to graduate school while others<br />

have gone on to professional school to become lawyers and physicians.<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong> currently employs 76 full-time and 80 part-time faculty; seventy-two<br />

percent hold the terminal degree in their fields. In addition to the 45 undergraduate<br />

majors offered, <strong>Wesleyan</strong> offers four masters degree programs [18 &<br />

52]. In Fall 2009, <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s total combined student enrollment is 1416 with<br />

an FTE of 1392.<br />

Undergraduate faculty members deliver educational curricula to a largely<br />

traditional-aged and residential undergraduate population on the Buckhannon<br />

campus. <strong>Wesleyan</strong> maintains a 12.4:1 student-faculty ratio with an average<br />

class size of 15 students. The <strong>College</strong>’s programs in Graduate Studies and<br />

Extended Learning (GSEL) are offered through evening classes, blended<br />

classes, and online offerings.<br />

At present, the <strong>College</strong> confers the Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Music<br />

Education, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Master of<br />

Business Administration, Master’s in Education, Master of Science in Athletic<br />

Training, and Master of Science in Nursing degrees.<br />

4


Preface<br />

0b. History of <strong>West</strong> <strong>Virginia</strong> <strong>Wesleyan</strong> <strong>College</strong><br />

Early History<br />

In 1890, the <strong>West</strong> <strong>Virginia</strong> Annual Conference of the Methodist Episcopal<br />

Church founded an institution of higher learning that would reflect the values of<br />

the Methodist community, meet the church’s need for an educated leadership,<br />

and provide an educational resource for the general citizenry of the state and<br />

region. The <strong>West</strong> <strong>Virginia</strong> Conference Seminary opened on September 3 in a<br />

new three-story brick building located at the present site of the Lynch-Raine<br />

Administration Building. It offered pre-college coursework and teacher training<br />

to a charter class of 201 students. The first college-level coursework was offered<br />

in 1900, with the first baccalaureate degrees awarded in 1905. The Board of<br />

Trustees officially changed the school’s name to <strong>West</strong> <strong>Virginia</strong> <strong>Wesleyan</strong> <strong>College</strong><br />

on June 5, 1906, honoring Methodism’s founder, John Wesley.<br />

Pre-college work continued through 1922-1923, at which time it was deemed<br />

no longer necessary due to the growth of high schools in the state. Agnes<br />

Howard Hall, a dormitory built in 1895, and the Lynch-Raine Administration<br />

Building, rebuilt in 1906 after the original was destroyed by fire, are visible<br />

reminders of the early heritage of the <strong>College</strong>.<br />

From Left:<br />

Agnes Howard Hall;<br />

Lynch-Raine<br />

Administration Building<br />

A Challenging Vision<br />

The early beginnings of the <strong>College</strong> were modest, but the shortage of financial<br />

resources never dampened the vision of the <strong>College</strong> community and its<br />

supporters. By 1939, when the three major Methodist bodies united to become<br />

the Methodist Church, leaders of the <strong>College</strong> dreamed of making <strong>Wesleyan</strong> the<br />

outstanding liberal arts college in the state—a challenging vision for a financially<br />

struggling college of fewer than 500 students.<br />

Historians of the <strong>College</strong> credit Thomas W. Haught, an 1894 graduate of the<br />

Seminary, 20-year Dean of the <strong>College</strong> (1909-1929), long-time faculty member,<br />

and three-time acting president, as one of <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s most influential champions<br />

of academic excellence. In addition to strengthening the faculty and increasing<br />

the emphasis on academics, he led efforts to achieve initial accreditation by<br />

the North Central Association of <strong>College</strong>s and Secondary Schools in 1927.<br />

5


Preface<br />

Thomas Haught<br />

<strong>West</strong> <strong>Virginia</strong> <strong>Wesleyan</strong> experienced its most dramatic growth in student body,<br />

faculty, educational opportunities, physical plant, budget and long-range plans<br />

during the presidency of Dr. Stanley H. Martin (1957-1972). The <strong>College</strong> erected<br />

many of the current campus buildings under his direction, including Jenkins<br />

Hall (1959), Doney Hall (1962), Holloway Hall (1963), Benedum Campus Center<br />

(1963), Benedum Hall (originally known as New Hall) (1966), Wesley Chapel<br />

(1967), Christopher Hall of Science (1969), Middleton Hall (1970), and an<br />

addition to the Annie Merner Pfeiffer Library (1972).<br />

Expansion and Growth<br />

From left:<br />

Rendering of Holloway Hall;<br />

Benedum Campus Center,<br />

circa 1963<br />

Wesley Chapel, circa 1969<br />

6


Preface<br />

From left:<br />

Christopher Hallof Science,<br />

circa 1969;<br />

Annie Merner Pfeiffer Library<br />

Enrollments increased from 789 in 1957 students to 1500 full-time students by<br />

1965. At the October 1974 <strong>Wesleyan</strong> Board of Trustees meeting, a resolution<br />

was passed that the Administration explore the feasibility of designing and<br />

implementing academic programs on the master’s level, especially in education,<br />

to serve the needs of our community with instruction. The Report of the Trustee<br />

Council for Academic Affairs, October 17, 1975, shows that <strong>Wesleyan</strong> had<br />

instituted a Masters of Arts in Teaching and had 7 enrolled graduate students.<br />

The report also indicated that the program was being reviewed for accreditation<br />

by the North Central Association, and the low enrollment was not a concern as<br />

most of the MAT students were teachers that would enroll during the summer<br />

term. From this first graduate program in Education, <strong>Wesleyan</strong> added a MEd in<br />

the late 1970s and began the Master of Business Administration in 1986.<br />

Following Dr. Martin’s successful tenure, John D. Rockefeller IV served as<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s president from 1973 to 1975. The current gymnasium and athletic<br />

center was completed during his presidency and later named the John D.<br />

Rockefeller IV Physical Education Center. Enrollment continued to increase<br />

during and after his presidency to a historical high of 1800 students in 1976.<br />

John D. Rockefeller IV<br />

Physical Education Center,<br />

circa 1974<br />

7


Preface<br />

In the early 1980s, <strong>Wesleyan</strong> experienced a downturn in student enrollment,<br />

declining to 1200 full-time students in 1986. Under the direction of President<br />

Thomas B. Courtice (1986-1994), <strong>Wesleyan</strong> offered an additional graduate<br />

degree program in business administration, added a number of intercollegiate<br />

sports, expanded its Learning Center program to provide comprehensive<br />

services to students with diagnosed learning disabilities, and placed renewed<br />

emphasis on student recruitment. Enrollment increased to more than 1400<br />

students in 1990 and remained above that level for the next 14 years.<br />

Challenge and Recovery<br />

In 1995, William R. Haden was named President of the <strong>College</strong> and served as<br />

the chief executive officer until 2006—the second longest serving president<br />

in the institution’s history. During his tenure, <strong>Wesleyan</strong> completed the most<br />

successful capital campaign in its history with $46.4 million in pledged gifts.<br />

The French A. See Dining Center was completed and opened in the Fall 1996.<br />

The <strong>College</strong> also significantly upgraded its information technology network<br />

and, along with four other private colleges, formed the Independent <strong>College</strong><br />

Enterprise (ICE) to share a common administrative computing system. However,<br />

the final years of Haden’s presidency were a challenging time at <strong>Wesleyan</strong>.<br />

Achievement and Storm Clouds<br />

As illustrated above, <strong>Wesleyan</strong> made strong progress between the years of<br />

1995 and 2002. A successful Capital Campaign, new construction projects,<br />

strong effort in the area of technology, and an overall feeling of progress rang<br />

throughout <strong>Wesleyan</strong>, but these feelings quickly diminished. September 11,<br />

2001’s effect on the stock market financially impacted the <strong>College</strong>. Other<br />

external factors including a decline in the <strong>College</strong>’s primary recruiting markets<br />

and the new in-state PROMISE scholarship program [243] created more<br />

competition for students. Initially, PROMISE helped <strong>Wesleyan</strong> to recruit more<br />

students leading to a strong entering class in 2001, but, unfortunately, this<br />

trend did not last. In Fall 2006, the entering class of first-year students was<br />

fewer than 300 and, subsequently, full-time undergraduate enrollment dropped<br />

to fewer than 1200 students. These external factors, coupled with institutional<br />

over-expenditures, resulted in stagnant faculty salaries, budget reductions,<br />

halted construction projects, and the elimination of some academic programs.<br />

At this point, <strong>Wesleyan</strong> was in financial peril. In sum, understanding the recent<br />

history of <strong>Wesleyan</strong> is essential when gauging the progress made over the<br />

past decade, as development was stagnant or in sharp decline between<br />

2000-2006.<br />

Prior to <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s dip in enrollment, the <strong>College</strong> was already experiencing<br />

budget cuts in every aspect of its operation. In 2002, the Faculty Assembly<br />

began taking steps to push the Administration on several areas of concern.<br />

Faculty Assembly passed a resolution [299] that asked the Administration to<br />

set goals to increase faculty salaries, enact cuts using proper consultation<br />

through the governing bodies, provide details about the budget and agree to<br />

Trying Times<br />

8


Preface<br />

present a report on the Administration’s progress in these areas at the end of<br />

the 2002-2003 academic year. At the end of the academic year, the Faculty<br />

entered discussions about the future of academic programs at the <strong>College</strong>. In<br />

Spring 2003 the Faculty submitted a vote of no confidence in the Administration<br />

[299A] to the Board of Trustees. The resolution passed by 84 percent of the<br />

Faculty and led to a presentation by a select group of faculty to the Executive<br />

Committee of the Board of Trustees that focused on communication, recurring<br />

unexpected budget crises, and damage to academic programs.<br />

On August 20, 2003, the Board of Trustees commissioned a Strategic Planning<br />

Steering Committee (SPSC) in recognition of the <strong>College</strong>’s severe financial<br />

challenges. In a letter to President Haden [2] and Professor Parsons (then<br />

Chair of the Faculty) the Board commissioned a strategic planning process<br />

that called on a team of faculty, staff and students to create a long-term plan<br />

for the <strong>College</strong>, as well as to develop a vision statement. The letter asked for<br />

a prioritization process to take place for academic programs and specifically<br />

stated that work on the General Education program was to be suspended for<br />

a one-year period. The reasons for creating this process are best stated using<br />

the words directly from the letter:<br />

Over the past several years, nearly five million dollars has<br />

been cut from the budget, largely in non-academic areas.<br />

While significant, these cuts alone have not been sufficient<br />

to overcome the challenges before us. It is now critical that<br />

we commit to a thorough self-examination of the campus<br />

as a whole, analyzing all areas—both academic and<br />

non-academic—in order to determine how they contribute to<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s mission, to the new vision statement, and to our<br />

common purpose of achieving excellence in student learning.<br />

To accomplish our common goals, we direct President<br />

Haden, using the Strategic Planning Committee as a steering<br />

committee, to engage the campus community in a year-long<br />

self-examination of all areas of the campus. The goal of<br />

this work will be to prioritize academic and non-academic<br />

programs and make recommendations for the long-term<br />

health of the <strong>College</strong>. Since there is no provision within<br />

the normal governance structure of the <strong>College</strong> for such<br />

a process, the Strategic Planning Committee and any<br />

necessary subcommittees will act outside that structure for<br />

the period of the study only. (p.13)<br />

9


Preface<br />

After a yearlong college-wide process, the resulting report, “Setting Priorities<br />

for <strong>West</strong> <strong>Virginia</strong> <strong>Wesleyan</strong> <strong>College</strong>” (aka Prioritization Plan), was presented<br />

to the Board of Trustees on April 30, 2004. The report included a letter from<br />

President Haden with specific recommendations for how the <strong>College</strong> should<br />

move forward. In addition, the report emphasized that most of the year was<br />

spent gathering data to make recommendations, therefore planning committees<br />

needed to be created to enact the recommendations in future years. While the<br />

year was spent in good conversation, gathering data and creating a long-term<br />

plan for the <strong>College</strong>, low faculty and staff morale and deep budget cuts characterized<br />

this trying time. In their Introduction, the SPSC best describes the<br />

atmosphere at the <strong>College</strong>:<br />

As the Strategic Planning Steering Committee completes the<br />

work with which it was charged by the Board of Trustees,<br />

we recognize that the greatest number of our colleagues are<br />

prepared for a strong recommendation on the part of this<br />

committee. Our colleagues believe that the <strong>College</strong> has too<br />

often promised excellence but failed to provide resources to<br />

achieve it. They are weary of budget cuts that have come with<br />

regularity in recent years, and they fear the departure of young<br />

colleagues for other liberal arts colleges across the country. It<br />

is true as well that our colleagues have too often seen plans<br />

that do not achieve what we have envisioned in them. They<br />

are not prepared for strong action on the part of the Board at<br />

this challenging time in the college’s history. As a campus, we<br />

believe that we can no longer turn away from hard decisions<br />

that can assure our success in years to come. (p. 29)<br />

The 2004 Prioritization Plan recommended changes in the following academic<br />

programs: 1) alter the Art program to eliminate 1 faculty FTE and the ceramics<br />

specialty; 2) develop a 3-2 Engineering program which would eliminate the<br />

need for <strong>Wesleyan</strong> to maintain a 4-year engineering program and would reduce<br />

physics faculty to 2 FTEs; 3) phase out the Finance major; 4) eliminate the<br />

Nursing major; 5) eliminate 1 faculty FTE in physical education and place the<br />

program within the Exercise Science program; and 6) reduce the Theatre faculty<br />

by 1 FTE and consider eliminating the BFA program. The report also considered<br />

moving the athletic program from NCAA Division II to Division III. The report<br />

also looked at the Bonner Scholars program, Chapel program, college communication,<br />

and discount rate with ideas on how to better support each of these<br />

programs. At its April 22, 2004 meeting, the Faculty Assembly passed a motion<br />

to urge the Board of Trustees to carefully consider all the options and seek<br />

more information before making final decisions according to the timeline in the<br />

2004 Prioritization Plan [304].<br />

10


Preface<br />

Approved by the Board of Trustees in May 2004, the planning process for the<br />

phase outs recommended in the 2004 Prioritization Plan began immediately.<br />

Teams to help with the phase out of programs and other priorities were<br />

established. At that time, letters were sent to the nursing students [3], as<br />

well as all students and parents [4]. In May 2005, nursing students received a<br />

follow-up email from Dean Parsons [5].<br />

In May 2004, the Faculty met to discuss their dissatisfaction with the recommendation<br />

of the 2004 Prioritization Plan [300], just approved by the Board<br />

of Trustees. A letter was written to the Board of Trustees highlighting two<br />

resolutions passed by the Faculty Assembly. The first resolution spoke to<br />

the termination of tenured faculty, which the Faculty regarded as “extremely<br />

serious” and “completely unnecessary at this time”. The second resolution<br />

addressed the Faculty’s rejection of “the SPSC [Prioritization Plan] report, the<br />

strategic planning process and the report’s subsequent use by the President<br />

for recommending and implementing program cuts.” This resolution was based<br />

on the lack of financial analyses in the proposed cuts as well as its impact<br />

on organizational morale, recruitment, retention (of faculty and students), and<br />

course offerings. At that time, the Faculty insisted that the President rely on<br />

the faculty governance system for decision-making and that the President<br />

withdraw his recommendations and take no further action. Also, the Faculty<br />

stated they would remove themselves from <strong>College</strong> committee assignments<br />

falling outside the faculty governance structure. Then the Board responded<br />

by stating that the decision had been made to accept the plan and that the<br />

President had been directed to use his best judgment in implementing the<br />

recommendations. [305]<br />

In 2005, the admission and financial aid functions were split, with the new<br />

Director of Financial Aid reporting to the Vice President for Finance. That same<br />

year, the Director of Admission was reassigned as the Director of Marketing<br />

and Communication to focus on marketing and communication for the <strong>College</strong>.<br />

This left the Director of Admission position vacant. Performa, an external higher<br />

education consulting firm, was contracted to manage <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s admission<br />

function during the 2005-2006 year to recruit the entering class for Fall 2006.<br />

This was an extremely challenging year and culminated in <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s large dip<br />

in enrollment with only 291 entering freshmen students. The long-term financial<br />

implication of the 2006-2007 small class enrollment continues to financially<br />

challenge the <strong>College</strong>.<br />

In 2006 the <strong>College</strong>’s low enrollment and financial situation had reached<br />

emergency status. In January 2006, the “President’s Institutional Plan for<br />

Financial and Enrollment Emergency” [6] was presented to the Faculty<br />

Senate and the Faculty Assembly. The President’s Plan was written under the<br />

assumption that an enrollment and financial emergency existed, as had been<br />

11


Preface<br />

declared by the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees on November<br />

18, 2005. Recommendations focused on cuts in academic programs as the<br />

Administration felt that non-academic and athletic programs already had been<br />

cut in prior cycles. This action automatically triggered the process prescribed<br />

by the Faculty Constitution (p. 22) that demanded the creation of an expanded<br />

Professional Affairs Council (PAC) for the purpose of developing a response to<br />

the financial emergency within 10 working days. Specific recommendations of<br />

the President’s Plan included:<br />

1) reducing athletic program costs by 10%; 2) using a<br />

blend of Composition I and II with the Freshman Seminar;<br />

3) merging Christian Education course credit for General<br />

Education with Religion and Philosophy offerings; 4) having<br />

one laboratory science class requirement for a BA degree and<br />

two courses for a BS degree; 5) eliminating the engineering/<br />

physics program and physics major; 6) eliminating the<br />

math major and allowing statistics courses to count for<br />

the math General Education requirement; 7) offering fewer<br />

courses every semester, every other semester, or every<br />

other year, except for demonstrated demand; 8) dropping<br />

the Philosophy, Religion, Environmental Science majors<br />

to minors; 9) reorganizing the Academic Dean’s office; 10)<br />

restructuring academic leadership, to focus on divisions,<br />

instead of departments; 11) arranging with Alderson-<br />

Broaddus <strong>College</strong> to finish jointly the <strong>College</strong>’s Nursing<br />

education offerings; 12) integrating the marketing and<br />

admission functions in the MBA program with their <strong>College</strong><br />

counterparts; 13) replacing only one of the five retiring staff<br />

members, and moving one staff member to the Sodexho<br />

program, at no cost to the <strong>College</strong>; 14) eliminating eight<br />

other faculty positions, six of which were tenured and two<br />

untenured, with three resulting in the acceleration of the<br />

previously announced phase-out of the Nursing program; and<br />

15) eliminating five full or part-time staff positions. [6]<br />

The expanded PAC submitted its response [7] to the President’s Plan on January<br />

24, 2006. The PAC Response included recommendations to shift budget cuts<br />

to institutional support, student services, fundraising, and academic support,<br />

and make a larger draw from the endowment. A comparison between the PAC<br />

Response and the President’s Plan can be found in Table 0.1.<br />

12


Preface<br />

Table 0.1:<br />

Comparison of President’s Plan<br />

and PAC Response Across<br />

Budget Categories<br />

Budget<br />

Category<br />

Outsourcing<br />

(Aladdin)<br />

President’s<br />

Proposed<br />

Cuts<br />

$300,000<br />

% Reduction<br />

from<br />

Operations<br />

25%<br />

PAC’s<br />

Proposed<br />

Cuts<br />

$300,000<br />

% Reduction<br />

from<br />

Operations<br />

20%<br />

Athletics: 10%<br />

across the board<br />

$120,000<br />

10%<br />

$120,000<br />

8%<br />

Instruction<br />

$735,000<br />

61%<br />

$504,532<br />

33%<br />

Institutional<br />

Support<br />

$0<br />

0%<br />

$191,783<br />

13%<br />

Student Services<br />

$0<br />

0%<br />

$197,657<br />

13%<br />

Fundraising/<br />

Development<br />

$0<br />

0%<br />

$64,585<br />

4%<br />

Academic Support<br />

$45,000<br />

4%<br />

$136,429<br />

9%<br />

Total Reductions<br />

from Operations<br />

$1,200,000<br />

100%<br />

$1,514,986<br />

100%<br />

Board of Trustees<br />

Commitment<br />

$385,803<br />

$30,014 –<br />

215,014<br />

Additional 1-1.5%<br />

draw from endowment<br />

interest (1 year only)<br />

$370,000 –<br />

555,000<br />

Total Deficit<br />

Reductions<br />

$1,585,803<br />

$2,100,000<br />

Deficit Remaining<br />

($514,197)<br />

$0<br />

The expanded PAC also summarized their position on the academic program<br />

alterations proposed by the President’s Plan in Table 0.2.<br />

Table 0.2:<br />

Comparison of President’s Plan<br />

and PAC Response Across<br />

Academic Programs<br />

Instructional Area<br />

President’s Plan<br />

Proposal<br />

Estimated<br />

Savings<br />

PAC’s Response<br />

Response<br />

Estimated<br />

Savings<br />

Composition<br />

Eliminate one<br />

Comp. course<br />

No savings<br />

estimated<br />

OK<br />

$22,000<br />

Science<br />

One Lab Sci. for<br />

BA, two for BS<br />

No data<br />

given<br />

OK<br />

$20,000<br />

Engineering<br />

Physics/Physics<br />

Elimate both<br />

majors<br />

$176,000<br />

Keep major;<br />

Cut 1 adjunct<br />

$5,000<br />

13


Preface<br />

Math<br />

Eliminate major<br />

$103,000<br />

Keep major;<br />

Cut 1 FTE<br />

$51,500<br />

Table 0.2, continued<br />

Nursing<br />

AB/<strong>Wesleyan</strong><br />

Nursing<br />

Arrangement<br />

No data<br />

given<br />

See page 3<br />

Unable to<br />

estimate<br />

4 faculty and<br />

2 staff without<br />

Introduction Retirements to <strong>West</strong> <strong>Virginia</strong> replacement <strong>Wesleyan</strong> $380,000 <strong>College</strong><br />

OK<br />

$380,000<br />

Business<br />

(given change in<br />

Finance major)<br />

Eliminate one<br />

full-time faculty<br />

$76,000<br />

No – Retain<br />

the position<br />

$0<br />

Departments<br />

with negative<br />

contributionto-overhead<br />

(CTO)<br />

No proposal<br />

Not<br />

discussed<br />

Eliminate<br />

the negative<br />

CTOs<br />

$26,032<br />

Estimated<br />

Savings from<br />

Instructional<br />

Area<br />

$735,000<br />

$504,532<br />

The President then responded to the PAC Response, which was discussed<br />

at the January 26, 2006 [8] Faculty Assembly meeting. In his response, he<br />

expressed his disappointment with the PAC Response for five reasons:<br />

1) Faculty chose not to propose actual alternative strategies<br />

for addressing academic reductions; 2) The tone of the<br />

document; 3) The inappropriate student/faculty ratio;<br />

4) The data or the process by which the Benchmark data<br />

was utilized; and 5) It is his belief that non-academics<br />

have been cut to the bone at WVWC.<br />

The Faculty Assembly discussed and voted that “on Monday, January 30th,<br />

Senate would reiterate and argue for the points in the [PAC Response] and<br />

would not negotiate with Cabinet.” With the Faculty still strongly opposed to his<br />

Plan, the President met with the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees<br />

(January 28 meeting minutes) [9]. During that meeting, aspects of the proposed<br />

cuts were discussed but no action was taken.<br />

At this time, the <strong>College</strong> was well into the search for a new president. The<br />

<strong>College</strong> had moved from strategically planning to an inability to enact any<br />

recommendations. Over the next few months, morale remained low and little<br />

action was taken as the <strong>College</strong> prepared itself for a new president.<br />

14


Preface<br />

A Plan for Success<br />

Pamela Jubin Balch, EdD, a 1971 alumna, became <strong>West</strong> <strong>Virginia</strong> <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s<br />

18th and first female president in July 2006. She faced a number of major<br />

challenges including poor faculty and staff morale, the lowest enrollment since<br />

the late 1950s, two delayed construction projects, and fractured relationships<br />

with a number of key stakeholders. In her first year, President Balch<br />

reversed decisions to eliminate the nursing program, invested resources<br />

in enrollment management, and worked to restore relationships with the<br />

greater Buckhannon community and the United Methodist Church. She also<br />

initiated a series of “think-tanks”, which provided members of the campus<br />

community opportunities to offer ideas and suggestions regarding <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s<br />

future. The think-tanks ultimately led to the addition of graduate programs in<br />

athletic training and education, as well as the establishment of the <strong>College</strong>’s<br />

Strategic Planning Committee. The new strategic planning process allowed for<br />

a broader conversation throughout campus, which opened lines of communication,<br />

allowed for campus-wide priority setting, and open dialogue between<br />

the Board of Trustees and the campus community. This allowed more focused<br />

discussions about specific goals.<br />

After shifting to new architects for the delayed construction projects, the Board<br />

of Trustees voted to move forward with the construction of the long-anticipated<br />

<strong>Virginia</strong> Thomas Law Center for the Performing Arts using the funds raised<br />

for the project from the completed Capital Campaign. The remaining funds<br />

were to be raised under President Balch. The David E. Reemsnyder Research<br />

Center project was begun with funds from several federal grants. Additional<br />

funds had been raised during the Capital Campaign. However, because the<br />

grants were nearing expiration, the decision was made to move this project<br />

forward with remaining funds being raised under President Balch. The $7.2<br />

million Performing Arts Center opened April 2009 and the $8 million Research<br />

Center is scheduled to open January 2010.<br />

In 2007, a recommendation to allow a 15 percent draw from the endowment<br />

allowed <strong>Wesleyan</strong> to support and move forward with priority projects. This<br />

action, along with hiring freezes in faculty and staff positions and curtailing other<br />

expenses allowed the <strong>College</strong> to move forward with initiatives that served as<br />

morale builders while still balancing operating budgets and reducing deficits.<br />

Through the Strategic Planning Committee’s efforts, <strong>Wesleyan</strong> added two more<br />

graduate specializations in education and a graduate program in nursing during<br />

2008-2009. The <strong>College</strong> also initiated a community engagement program.<br />

By Fall 2008, enrollment had increased to 1233 full-time students. In August<br />

2009, the <strong>College</strong> re-opened Fleming Hall as a suite-style centrally heated<br />

and air-conditioned residence hall. This $5 million project is the first of several<br />

expected residence hall renovation or construction projects. The combined<br />

enrollment for Fall 2009 is 1392 full-time students.<br />

15


Preface<br />

While energy and morale on <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s campus have improved with the new<br />

administration, completing this self-study process provides an opportunity<br />

to reflect on the last 10 years in relation to current circumstances. Signs of<br />

recovery include balanced budgets since 2007, enrollment growth due to larger<br />

first-year classes, new buildings and renovated living and learning space, and<br />

a continuous strategic planning process. These improvements have allowed<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong> to, once again, strategically focus on its mission. Some of the<br />

challenges cited in the 2004 Prioritization Plan, including updating campus<br />

space, endowment draw, General Education assessment, refreshing and<br />

upgrading technology, making decisions about discount rate, and creating<br />

sound financial aid policies and procedures that leverage institutional aid,<br />

still linger. The <strong>College</strong> acknowledges these challenges, yet celebrates that<br />

it is poised to address them through the strategic planning process. Work on<br />

these challenges has begun with some efforts in beginning planning stages<br />

and others with clear plans for action in place.<br />

16


Preface 0c. Response to Challenges Identified by HLC in 2000<br />

Based on the Higher Learning Commission’s visit in 2000, the review team put<br />

forth five challenges that <strong>Wesleyan</strong> needed to address. The challenges were:<br />

1) needing to balance the <strong>College</strong>’s operating budget; 2) ensuring that the print<br />

and electronic resources at the Library adequately support student learning; 3)<br />

developing a general education assessment plan; 4) maximizing planning by<br />

creating a more integrated process; and 5) addressing lower than expected<br />

graduation and retention rates.<br />

After the 2000 visit, the <strong>College</strong> was required to submit a report on the<br />

assessment [116] of student learning in the <strong>College</strong>’s General Education<br />

program. The report was submitted to and approved by the HLC in 2002,<br />

including a full endorsement of the Connections Curriculum. <strong>Wesleyan</strong> also<br />

had a focused visit about finances [203] in 2004 and has submitted financial<br />

progress reports each year.<br />

This section is a response to the original five challenges, reporting <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s<br />

progress during the past decade within the context of its recent history.<br />

17


Challenge 1: Balancing the <strong>College</strong>’s Operating Budget<br />

Preface<br />

Since the focused visit about finances in 2004, the <strong>College</strong> has been required<br />

to submit financial monitoring reports as a condition of its ongoing accreditation<br />

through the Higher Learning Commission when external audits are<br />

complete each November. <strong>Wesleyan</strong> is proud that the HLC has responded very<br />

favorably to these reports and commended the <strong>College</strong> for the progress relative<br />

to its financial condition. Dr. Mary Breslin, in her official HLC response letter<br />

[211] stated, “<strong>West</strong> <strong>Virginia</strong> <strong>Wesleyan</strong> <strong>College</strong> is in a much stronger position<br />

as it anticipates its comprehensive visit in November 2009. The <strong>College</strong> is<br />

commended for its progress.” This response is a testimony to the commitment<br />

of the <strong>College</strong>’s faculty and staff to working together to move the institution<br />

forward.<br />

The <strong>College</strong>’s fiscal condition continues to improve, despite recent economic<br />

downturns. The FY 2007 audit, including the unqualified opinion statement,<br />

showed that <strong>Wesleyan</strong> completed a very positive fiscal year, setting the stage<br />

for continued fiscal stability and growth. The <strong>College</strong>’s external audits for FY<br />

2007 [10] and FY 2008 [11] show a small surplus in the unrestricted fund. The<br />

audit for FY 2009 budget is in process and indicates another balanced budget<br />

(The FY 2009 audit report will be available in the Resource Room). The <strong>College</strong><br />

has made significant progress in its efforts to ensure financial stability and<br />

recognizes the importance of operating within the <strong>College</strong>’s means in regard to<br />

the unrestricted fund. Committed to a balanced operating budget each year,<br />

the Administration is submitting a balanced operating budget for FY 2010 to<br />

the Board of Trustees in October 2009 (available in the Resource Room).<br />

A serious operating fund deficit has been accumulating for many years. The<br />

<strong>College</strong> is pleased to report that this situation is improving. Prior to the external<br />

economic downturn in October 2008, the <strong>College</strong> had a plan to eliminate the entire<br />

accumulated deficit. However, due to the unpredictable nature of the current<br />

economic conditions, the <strong>College</strong> continues to focus on the goal of eliminating<br />

the deficit, while placing a priority on balancing the operating budget.<br />

The current balance sheet shows a decrease in net assets as a result of the<br />

turmoil within the world financial markets. However, the <strong>College</strong>’s balance<br />

sheet reflects continued strength. The investment allocation model that the<br />

Investment Committee employs has consistently protected investments<br />

during market downturns while ensuring good returns under normal market<br />

conditions. As a result, while many colleges were severely affected, <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s<br />

investments fared comparatively well. <strong>Wesleyan</strong> is fortunate to have an active<br />

and involved Investment Committee that works closely with a group of professional<br />

investment managers, employing diversified and multiple investment<br />

strategies that have been successful in not only posting strong growth, but<br />

also minimizing risk and exposure.<br />

18


Preface<br />

Challenge 2: Ensuring That the Print and Electronic<br />

Resources at the Library Adequately Support Student Learning<br />

The Annie Merner Pfeiffer Library supports and affirms the mission of <strong>Wesleyan</strong>,<br />

by committing to providing high quality resources and services that empower<br />

students for advanced learning. In helping the <strong>College</strong> meet its educational<br />

purposes, the Library focuses on four core values: information, instruction,<br />

service, and cooperation. By providing instruction in acquiring and managing<br />

information, by offering accurate timely information and by providing excellent<br />

service in cooperation with students, faculty, staff, and the library community,<br />

the Library is a critical component of student learning at <strong>Wesleyan</strong>.<br />

The Library provides digital, multimedia, and print information sources to<br />

support teaching and learning at the <strong>College</strong>. Resources, including the<br />

catalog, electronic books and journals, reserve readings, digital collections,<br />

and reference tools are available on the campus network twenty-four hours<br />

per day. The Library has nearly 120,000 volumes, more than 125,000 electronic<br />

books, 390 serials in print format, more than 24,000 serials in electronic format,<br />

and 120 databases which provide the most current information available in<br />

support of the curriculum of the <strong>College</strong>. The <strong>College</strong> community believes that<br />

the Library is one of the <strong>College</strong>’s best assets in both the obtaining and sharing<br />

of information, but also in its contribution to learning on campus.<br />

The Library is used for many reasons and purposes. Table 0.3 shows gate<br />

counts for 2005-2009.<br />

Table 0.3:<br />

Library Gate Counts by Year<br />

Academic Year<br />

2005 – 2006<br />

2006 – 2007<br />

2007 – 2008<br />

2008 – 2009<br />

Gate Count<br />

154,738<br />

140,794<br />

147,194<br />

144,726<br />

In addition to the physical building, the Library is also an online destination.<br />

The web page [12] links to the catalog for print and electronic collections and<br />

databases. The usage statistics, as collected by StatCounter (Table 0.4), show<br />

that nearly 50,000 users access the library website each year.<br />

Table 0.4:<br />

Library Web Usage by Year<br />

Academic Year<br />

Hits<br />

Users<br />

2007 – 2008<br />

93,705<br />

47,789<br />

2008 – 2009<br />

80,692<br />

47,189<br />

19


Preface<br />

The Library is currently embarking on a new project. The WorldCat Local project<br />

will result in a new look for the web page, and a very different and updated<br />

manner of searching the catalog online. This change will allow faculty and<br />

students to locate and use Library resources more efficiently and achieve greater<br />

effectiveness in their searches. WorldCat is a powerful tool that is included at<br />

no extra cost with <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s subscription to Online Computer Library Center<br />

(OCLC) FirstSearch. According to OCLC, benefits of WorldCat will include:<br />

• Patrons use a single interface—they don’t jump between<br />

multiple systems to search different kinds of materials.<br />

• Fast, seamless access to the most appropriate delivery<br />

options means users link directly to electronic content,<br />

circulation activities and resource sharing without having<br />

to know their library’s workflows.<br />

• Simple, network-level implementation means no local<br />

installation of hardware or software.<br />

• Library users see the easiest-to-get items first, and have<br />

access to WorldCat libraries worldwide.<br />

• The Library’s search box can be placed on any Web page<br />

or Web-enabled workspaces, such as eLearning courses.<br />

• Meet users’ Web-influenced expectations with simple<br />

keyword search and global social-networking tools, such<br />

as list sharing, reviews, ratings and personal profiles.<br />

• Social Web activities at a global level, in addition to local<br />

and regional interaction.<br />

• Increased Web visibility for the library because users can<br />

reach the library from Google, Yahoo! and other partner<br />

Web sites via the WorldCat.org platform.<br />

While the Library building may be traditional and largely unchanged, the<br />

electronic face of the Library has continued to evolve to meet the needs<br />

and expectations of faculty, staff, and students. The Library staff work with<br />

technology to bring resources from far-reaching places to <strong>Wesleyan</strong> and the<br />

collection at the Library continues to grow (Table 0.5).<br />

20


Preface<br />

Table 0.5:<br />

Library Collections by Year<br />

Academic Year<br />

Total<br />

Cataloged<br />

Items<br />

Electronic<br />

Books<br />

Serial<br />

Titles –<br />

Print<br />

Serial<br />

Titles –<br />

Electronic<br />

Electronic<br />

Databases<br />

Microforms<br />

Media<br />

(VHS,<br />

DVD, CD,<br />

Audio<br />

Tapes)<br />

2004 – 2005<br />

117,838<br />

87,705<br />

482<br />

13,644<br />

Titles:<br />

64<br />

Units:<br />

39,119<br />

7161<br />

2005 – 2006<br />

137,720<br />

65,400<br />

406<br />

10,276<br />

Titles:<br />

19<br />

Units:<br />

39,994<br />

7295<br />

2006 – 2007<br />

127,479<br />

100,000<br />

390<br />

12,000<br />

80<br />

Units:<br />

41,065<br />

6889<br />

2007 – 2008<br />

126,706<br />

120,000<br />

390<br />

14,473<br />

117<br />

Units:<br />

41,193<br />

6617<br />

2008 – 2009<br />

119,027<br />

>125,000<br />

390<br />

>24,000<br />

120<br />

Units:<br />

41,208<br />

6512<br />

Classroom Space<br />

and Meeting Rooms<br />

There are many requests by faculty, staff, and student groups to use library<br />

spaces for meetings. In 2006-2007, 200 rooms were booked through the<br />

Library’s reservation system, 210 in 2007-2008, and 335 in 2008-2009. These<br />

numbers do not reflect all uses, as many groups use these spaces without<br />

booking through the front desk.<br />

Reserve Materials<br />

Because reserve materials are increasingly being delivered electronically<br />

through the Angel course management system by the instructors themselves,<br />

the number of reserves has decreased. However, some instructors still require<br />

assistance in scanning and posting items. Copyright law must be considered<br />

when putting published materials on reserve. To help with this issue, the Library<br />

offered a workshop [242] funded by a Faculty Enrichment in Library Resources<br />

(FELR) grant from the Appalachian <strong>College</strong> Association on copyright responsibilities<br />

in Summer 2008. This Library continues to educate faculty on a caseby-case<br />

basis. Table 0.6 reports the number of reserve items per academic<br />

year since 2005.<br />

21


Preface<br />

Academic Year<br />

Fall Semester<br />

Fall Semester<br />

Fall Semester<br />

Table 0.6:<br />

Reserve Items Per Year<br />

2005 – 2006<br />

Items: 199<br />

Photocopies: 35<br />

Electronic: 81<br />

Items: 101<br />

Photocopies: 17<br />

Electronic: 38<br />

Items: 300<br />

Photocopies: 52<br />

Electronic: 119<br />

2006 – 2007<br />

Items: 223<br />

Photocopies: 14<br />

Electronic: 132<br />

Items: 313<br />

Photocopies: 1<br />

Electronic: 63<br />

Items: 535<br />

Photocopies: 15<br />

Electronic: 195<br />

2007 – 2008<br />

2008 – 2009<br />

Items: 242<br />

Photocopies: 34<br />

Electronic: 78<br />

Items: 227<br />

Photocopies: 25<br />

Electronic: 120<br />

Items: 136<br />

Photocopies: 34<br />

Electronic: 74<br />

Items: 140<br />

Photocopies: 1<br />

Electronic: 51<br />

Items: 378<br />

Photocopies: 68<br />

Electronic: 152<br />

Items: 367<br />

Photocopies: 26<br />

Electronic: 171<br />

Table 0.8:<br />

Formal Library Training by Year<br />

For many years, libraries purchased resources with the thought that they would<br />

have items “just in case” someone might need it, and every effort was made<br />

to predict what the needs would be. In the world today, information is being<br />

produced at an alarming rate. Libraries and their users must now rely more<br />

on “just in time” access to materials and expanding Interlibrary Loan services<br />

have provided the necessary service to connect users with their needs. As<br />

Table 0.7 indicates below, the Library’s lending and borrowing transactions<br />

have increased.<br />

Interlibrary Loan<br />

Academic Year<br />

Lender<br />

Borrower<br />

Total Transactions<br />

Table 0.7:<br />

Interlibrary Loan Services by Year<br />

2006 – 2007<br />

1804<br />

856<br />

2660<br />

2007 – 2008<br />

2587<br />

742<br />

3599<br />

2008 – 2009<br />

3655<br />

2924<br />

6579<br />

Reference requests have gone up significantly, even though the library no longer<br />

maintains a traditional Reference Desk. Students prefer to communicate with<br />

reference staff electronically for questions. When the question is complex, the<br />

staff member makes an appointment for the student to come to the Library for<br />

further assistance. Requests for reference assistance totaled 74 in 2006-2007,<br />

100 in 2007-2008, and 153 in 2008-2009.<br />

Reference<br />

Many faculty members include library training as part of their course curriculum,<br />

especially in the first-year seminars, but also in major classes that are focused<br />

on research. Table 0.8 details the number of classes and students reached<br />

through formal library training.<br />

Training<br />

22


Preface<br />

Table 0.8:<br />

Formal Library Training by Year<br />

Academic Year<br />

First-Year Seminar<br />

Groups / Number of<br />

Students Reached<br />

Other Classes /<br />

Number of<br />

Students Reached<br />

Total Sections<br />

Total<br />

Students<br />

Reached<br />

2007 – 2008<br />

15 / 313<br />

52 / 670<br />

67<br />

983<br />

2008 – 2009<br />

17 / 263<br />

39 / 527<br />

56<br />

790<br />

Preserving the History<br />

of the <strong>College</strong><br />

Since 1965, no systematic archive of <strong>Wesleyan</strong> has been maintained. The<br />

recorded history of the institution is at risk unless the college community<br />

undertakes a significant effort to preserve its history for current and future<br />

generations. The Pages In Time [13] project seeks to do just that. With the help<br />

and support of the Friends of the Library and countless volunteer hours, the<br />

library staff is finding and researching artifacts, photographs, and documents<br />

related to three unique groups which share a common history: <strong>West</strong> <strong>Virginia</strong><br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong> <strong>College</strong>, <strong>West</strong> <strong>Virginia</strong> Annual Conference of the United Methodist<br />

Church, and Upshur County. Grant funding and donations from alumni and<br />

friends help to fund this project.<br />

23


Challenge 3: Development of a General Education Assessment Plan<br />

Preface<br />

General Education has been, and continues to be, a topic of much discussion and<br />

study at <strong>West</strong> <strong>Virginia</strong> <strong>Wesleyan</strong>. After the 2000 HLC visit, the <strong>College</strong> focused on<br />

creating a comprehensive program to assess and reform the General Education<br />

program with regard to HLC’s request for a written report within two years (by<br />

2002) that addressed three areas: 1) At least one year of General Education<br />

student learning assessment results, including a description of changes that<br />

were or were in the process of being made in the General Education program<br />

and in the process of assessing of student learning; 2) A detailed description of<br />

how assessment results have been incorporated into college planning decisions;<br />

and 3) A description of the assessment-related changes made and or initiatives<br />

taken since the visit of the Evaluation Team in April 2000.<br />

After the Spring 2000 HLC visit, Associate Professor of Communication Danette<br />

Ifert Johnson, PhD, was appointed Coordinator of General Education and<br />

Assessment with a partial load reassignment. The General Education Steering<br />

Committee (GESC), guided by Ifert Johnson, worked to create a system for<br />

general education assessment as well as reforming program offerings. In<br />

addition, during Fall 2000, the role of the Committee on Assessment was revised<br />

to become more active in developing and promoting a General Education<br />

assessment plan. In January 2002, the General Education Steering Committee<br />

proposed to the Curriculum Council the Connections Curriculum [14] to reform<br />

the former General Education program. The Connections Curriculum included<br />

courses designed around the four broad areas of inquiry (critical, quantitative,<br />

empirical, moral/ethical), expression (written, oral, aesthetic), foundations<br />

(humanities, social sciences, science and technology) and self-discovery<br />

(grounding, values, physical/mental well-being, cultural studies). The proposal<br />

included the appointment of a General Education Course Review Committee<br />

(six faculty members). This committee would develop the General Education<br />

course standards and approve individual courses proposed to be included in<br />

the Connections Curriculum. Additionally, the proposal described a schedule of<br />

program review and assessment of the Connections Curriculum.<br />

After passing through the Curriculum Council and Faculty Senate, the<br />

Connections Curriculum was presented to and narrowly approved by Faculty<br />

Assembly in April 2002 with implementation to begin in Fall 2004. With the new<br />

General Education program developed and approved, <strong>Wesleyan</strong> then began<br />

work on implementing the program and reported to the HLC in October 2002<br />

about the progress made. The Progress Report included the following updates: 1)<br />

Creation of measurable objectives and criteria; 2) Development of a system and<br />

timeline for ongoing collection and review of assessment data; 3) Explanation of<br />

the role of General Education Coordinator and Committee on Assessment; and<br />

4) Development of a budget for General Education program development and<br />

assessment. This report was received and approved by the HLC in November<br />

2002 and work to implement the Connections Curriculum commenced.<br />

24


Preface<br />

However, approximately ten months later, as reported in the history section of the<br />

Preface (0a.), the Board of Trustees commissioned a strategic planning steering<br />

committee and ordered the work on the General Education implementation to<br />

halt for one year. The history section also describes the years following 2003 in<br />

which the <strong>College</strong> faced continued financial turmoil and when proposed program<br />

and budget cuts paralyzed the entire academic program, including the process<br />

to reform General Education. During this time, Ifert Johnson moved to another<br />

institution, leaving the program without a leader. After the one year hiatus, Fall<br />

2004 was spent determining the impact of the Prioritization Plan on all academic<br />

programs including the General Education Connections Curriculum. All of these<br />

factors led to a standstill in program development until Spring 2005.<br />

In Spring 2005, Faculty Assembly voted to accept an assessment-based plan<br />

for reforming General Education. An overview of the plan, as recorded in the<br />

Report on Assessment of General Education 2005-2006 [15], states, “Each<br />

year, the <strong>College</strong> will assess specific areas of general [education] to determine<br />

the quality of current course offerings and explore whether new courses should<br />

be piloted and implemented.” During this vote the Faculty decided not to<br />

implement the Connections Curriculum in favor of keeping the existing courses.<br />

In 2005-2006 academic year, Professor of English Boyd Creasman, PhD, was<br />

appointed Coordinator of General Education. Data were collected and analyzed<br />

to evaluate three areas of General Education. First, in the area of physical and<br />

mental well-being, data from the ACA Alumni Survey [16] and Graduating Student<br />

Surveys [17] led to the recommendation to discontinue the one-hour activity<br />

courses in Physical Education and to develop three credit hour courses focusing<br />

on wellness. Second, the quantitative inquiry requirement was examined. Data<br />

from Graduating Student Surveys revealed that “ability to apply mathematics<br />

and statistics” repeatedly received the second or third lowest ratings. There<br />

was agreement among the mathematics faculty that they would revise courses<br />

to focus more on increasing students’ abilities to use math to solve problems<br />

in everyday life and that these courses would be regularly assessed. Third,<br />

the utility of the Introduction to Humanities course was explored. Students’<br />

course evaluations revealed low marks on “learned a great deal” as compared<br />

to other <strong>Wesleyan</strong> courses. At a meeting of interested faculty in April 2006<br />

and in a follow-up questionnaire, faculty expressed interest in developing new<br />

courses to fulfill the Humanities requirement that would allow more flexibility<br />

to utilize the strengths of the particular faculty member teaching the course.<br />

The 2006-2007 academic year brought reviews in two areas of General<br />

Education. The first, International Cultural Studies, sparked debate among<br />

faculty as to whether the courses should provide students with exposure to<br />

culture or force them to engage with geo-political issues in these cultures. This<br />

debate resulted in no changes in the curriculum. The second area, Religious and<br />

25


Preface<br />

Philosophical Inquiry, led to discussions with the one full-time religion faculty<br />

member regarding whether courses in this General Education area should<br />

enable students to reflect upon religious issues, to study the phenomenon of<br />

religion, or to gain exposure to religious rituals and practices. Illness of the<br />

faculty member prevented any final decisions, thus no changes occurred.<br />

To build on this progress, Director of the Master’s in Education Program and<br />

Assistant Professor of Education Susan Aloi, EdD, and Reference Librarian and<br />

Associate Professor of Library Science Paula McGrew, MALS, were appointed<br />

as Co-Directors of the General Education Program in the 2007-2008 academic<br />

year. Their charge was to set up the General Education unit in TracDat (the<br />

campus-wide assessment portal) and begin to enter existing assessment data.<br />

The Co-Directors spent the following academic year, 2008-2009, consulting<br />

with faculty about definitions and assessable outcomes for each of the areas<br />

of General Education and encouraging a campus-wide conversation about<br />

assessment of General Education. In September 2008, a Faculty Colloquium<br />

was held to discuss the ways that critical thinking is embedded in each and<br />

every discipline. A survey was taken before the Colloquium [19], which provided<br />

data as to what faculty believed to be the definition of critical thinking.<br />

In order to implement course-embedded assessment, the Proposal for Course-<br />

Embedded Assessment of General Education Outcomes [20] was presented to<br />

Curriculum Council in February 2009. The proposal emphasized moving from an<br />

over-reliance on student self-reported assessment to more direct assessment<br />

of learning by embedding assessment into the courses. The proposal required<br />

faculty teaching General Education courses to submit a report with accompanying<br />

assessment data at the end of each semester. Three appendices were<br />

included: (A) General Education Outcomes [21]; (B) Submission form [22] for<br />

existing courses currently identified in the General Education curriculum; and<br />

(C) Guidelines for new course proposals or existing courses not currently part of<br />

the identified General Education curriculum [23]. Appendices B and C passed<br />

Curriculum Council “with the hope that General Education Co-Directors will<br />

continue to develop the proposal and meet with each Department on ways<br />

to implement the strategy without adding extra work to the load of General<br />

Education instructors”. Appendix A was not approved because Curriculum<br />

Council determined that more discussion needed to occur on specific learning<br />

outcomes for each General Education area.<br />

In the spirit of that recommendation, the Co-Directors began conversations<br />

with the science faculty about developing student learning outcomes for the<br />

General Education Experimental Inquiry requirements. They met with science<br />

faculty twice and developed student learning outcomes that would be common<br />

across all General Education lab science courses and would be assessed each<br />

time the course is offered. These learning outcomes are: 1) Apply the basic<br />

26


Preface<br />

concepts and/or theories of a field of science; 2) Use the scientific method to<br />

formulate a hypothesis, and given a simple problem or question, design a valid<br />

experiment; interpret and communicate the outcome; 3) Demonstrate the use<br />

of the basic tools and techniques of the scientific discipline; and 4) Examine the<br />

role of science in personal and societal decisions.<br />

To assist the faculty with understanding the new process, the Co-Directors<br />

created a General Education web page [24] in March 2009 to explain the General<br />

Education program and to make information available to faculty, students,<br />

and other interested people. This was presented along with the new General<br />

Education Assessment reporting process to Faculty Assembly in March 2009.<br />

In Spring 2009, the Co-Directors began to meet with Introduction to Humanities<br />

faculty to develop student learning outcomes for this course. While the science<br />

courses were quick to build consensus, the nature of the Humanities course,<br />

as well as the surrounding debate from past years, made identifying learning<br />

outcomes more of a challenge. In response to this challenge, a team was sent<br />

to the Appalachian <strong>College</strong> Association’s Teaching and Learning Institute at<br />

Brevard <strong>College</strong> in June 2009 to consider directions for this course and to<br />

develop common student learning outcomes for the Introduction to Humanities<br />

course in the General Education Program.<br />

Establishing a consistent and coherent assessment program for the General<br />

Education program has been a challenge over the past decade. Progress at<br />

the beginning of the decade was thwarted by budget concerns, a Board of<br />

Trustee hold on program development, and leadership changes. When efforts<br />

were revived in 2005, they focused on assessing several areas of the General<br />

Education curriculum, discussed above. The current Co-Directors of General<br />

Education are committed to developing a workable program of assessment<br />

for General Education. Further information about the implementation of this<br />

program of assessment is found in Chapter 4b.<br />

27


Challenge 4: Maximizing Planning by Creating a More Integrated Process<br />

Preface<br />

The history section of the Preface (0a) provides a thorough overview of strategic<br />

planning during the past decade. Beginning in 2003 with a Board-mandated<br />

team, strategic planning from for the next three years was based on financial<br />

emergencies and focused on prioritizing academic programs and cost-cutting<br />

measures. The <strong>College</strong> feels that the best approach to demonstrate to the HLC<br />

how <strong>Wesleyan</strong> is currently meeting this challenge is by explaining the strategic<br />

planning process begun in 2007.<br />

In February 2007, the <strong>College</strong> was charged by the Board of Trustees with<br />

formulating a formal three-year plan for 2008 through 2011. The <strong>College</strong><br />

embarked on a major comprehensive long-range planning effort beginning<br />

in April 2007. The process utilized a formal structure comprised of a central<br />

Strategic Planning Committee (SPC) and seven functional Task Forces that<br />

employ subcommittees as necessary to focus on specific priorities [25].<br />

Figure 0.A shows the structure of the Strategic Planning Committee and Task<br />

Forces.<br />

Board of Trustees<br />

President<br />

Figure 0.A<br />

Strategic Planning<br />

Committee Structure<br />

Executive Assistant<br />

to Vice-President<br />

Strategic<br />

Planning<br />

Committee<br />

Office of<br />

Institutional Research<br />

Academic<br />

Affairs Plan<br />

Task Force<br />

Student Life/<br />

Enrollment<br />

Mgmt. Plan<br />

Task Force<br />

Technology<br />

Plan<br />

Task Force<br />

Facilities and<br />

Equipment<br />

Plan<br />

Task Force<br />

Human<br />

Resources<br />

Plan<br />

Task Force<br />

Institutional<br />

Advancement<br />

Plan<br />

Task Force<br />

Financial<br />

Plan<br />

Task Force<br />

Accreditation<br />

Steering<br />

Committee<br />

Assessment<br />

Council<br />

The planning process chosen by <strong>Wesleyan</strong> envisions the plan as a “living”<br />

document with a rolling three-year cycle where, as the plan is implemented<br />

each year, one year is removed and another added. The first of the three-year<br />

plans was presented to the Board of Trustees in February 2008 with subsequent<br />

plans slated for presentation in the May Board meetings in order to coincide<br />

with planning for the fiscal year timeframe. The actual planning process<br />

involves meetings of each Task Force and its subcommittees with priorities,<br />

strategies, objectives, and recommendations rising to the SPC for discussion<br />

and consideration. The SPC determined that everything that the <strong>College</strong> does<br />

and every dollar that is spent must tie to the mission and have clear, specific,<br />

28


Preface<br />

and measurable strategic objectives. These objectives are developed within the<br />

strategic planning process and progress towards each objective’s attainment<br />

must be measured and assessed.<br />

The <strong>College</strong>’s existing Assessment Council and Accreditation Steering<br />

Committee were incorporated as critical components of the evaluation<br />

feedback loop for measuring institutional effectiveness in the strategic planning<br />

process. A structure and process have been developed to interweave planning,<br />

assessment, and institutional self-study through the use of a common data set<br />

using the software program TracDat, already implemented at the institution.<br />

This entire process creates a large conversation involving a great number of<br />

internal constituents.<br />

When beginning the new formal planning process in 2007, it was not impossible to<br />

stop everything that was already in progress until a final plan could be developed.<br />

For instance, as a result of an Advancement audit that was conducted in 2007,<br />

three short-term fundraising priorities were articulated and moved forward—<br />

funding for the <strong>Virginia</strong> Thomas Law Center for Performing Arts, funding for<br />

the David E. Reemsnyder Research Center, and increasing unrestricted giving.<br />

Also, the implementation of the planning process brought with it an added<br />

benefit of a tool for identifying administrative policy and procedural issues and<br />

weaknesses. In anticipation of the delivery of the Strategic Plan recommendations,<br />

two Board-level task forces were initiated and began researching and<br />

studying the topics of residence hall renovations and construction and faculty<br />

and staff compensation. The Board-level task forces were expected to make<br />

recommendations that would have strategic planning implications that would<br />

be woven into the Strategic Plan.<br />

After nine months of planning meetings at the subcommittee, Task Force, and<br />

SPC levels, the 2008-2011 Plan [32 & 34] was presented to the Board at its<br />

February 2008 meeting and accepted. The Plan included recommendations<br />

and clear, specific, and measurable objectives and strategies for achieving five<br />

major institutional priorities with seven process goals related to the Task Force<br />

areas. This three-year plan was used to focus efforts on major goals by setting<br />

budget priorities during the 2009 fiscal year and to monitor progress in order to<br />

update the plan for the 2009-2012 cycle of the Strategic Plan.<br />

Some of the outcomes of the implementation of the first year of the 2008-2011<br />

Strategic Plan include: instituting the Community Engagement program with a<br />

Center and hiring the first Dean of Community Engagement; hiring the first Dean<br />

of Graduate Studies and Extended Learning, increasing graduate programs,<br />

and initiating extended learning programs; completing the revision of the Staff<br />

29


Preface<br />

Handbook; expanding efforts to increase external funding by researching and<br />

pursuing grant opportunities; and making progress in achieving a culture of<br />

planning and assessment at the <strong>College</strong>.<br />

Over the course of the 2008-2009 planning cycle, the SPC considered<br />

a multitude of issues and ideas for the next academic year and beyond. In<br />

November 2008, over 50 possible priorities were generated across the<br />

seven Task Forces. In March 2009, the SPC condensed the priorities to 25<br />

by eliminating duplications, redundancies, and issues that were no longer top<br />

priorities given the external economic climate. The SPC discussed what key<br />

considerations should guide the decision-making for the 2009-2012 Strategic<br />

Plan. The following three considerations were used to determine the priorities<br />

for the 2009-2012 plan, which were submitted to and accepted by the Board<br />

of Trustees in April 2009—mission, revenue opportunities, and recruitment and<br />

retention of students. The four priorities below, reached by consensus, were<br />

set for the 2009-2012 Strategic Plan [30]: growing quality academic programs,<br />

refreshing technology, addressing deferred maintenance and safety concerns,<br />

and campus facilities master planning.<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s strategic planning effort is an ongoing process where, as the years<br />

pass, new years are added to the plan. <strong>Wesleyan</strong> has developed a conceptual<br />

framework where planning, self-study, and assessment processes are closely<br />

interwoven and utilize a common information database. As the processes<br />

become more institutionalized and the <strong>College</strong> is more experienced and sophisticated<br />

with its planning model, the resulting plans will get better by being more<br />

specific and strategic.<br />

For an extensive explication on <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s planning efforts, as well as to view<br />

the current Strategic planning documents, please refer to Chapter 2 of this<br />

self-study report.<br />

30


Preface<br />

Challenge 5: Address Lower Than Expected Graduation and Retention Rates<br />

The <strong>Wesleyan</strong> Fact Book [1] contains comparison data each year on graduation<br />

and retention rate benchmarks. <strong>Wesleyan</strong> compares itself against an Integrated<br />

Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) Peer Analysis system that picks<br />

peer schools based on the criteria of states (WV, OH, KY, VA, TN); basic programs<br />

(small masters, baccalaureate arts and sciences, baccalaureate diverse fields),<br />

undergraduate profile (full-time four-year selective, full-time four-year more<br />

selective, medium full-time four-year selective); enrollment profile (exclusively<br />

or majority undergraduate); size and setting (very small, small primarily, and<br />

highly residential); FTE enrollment (500-1500); and endowment ($15 million to<br />

$65 million). Based on those criteria, <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s 10 peer comparison schools<br />

are Asbury <strong>College</strong> (KY), Kentucky <strong>Wesleyan</strong> <strong>College</strong> (KY), Heidelberg <strong>College</strong><br />

(OH), Wilmington <strong>College</strong> (OH), King <strong>College</strong> (TN), Maryville <strong>College</strong> (TN), Mary<br />

Baldwin <strong>College</strong> (VA), <strong>Virginia</strong> <strong>Wesleyan</strong> <strong>College</strong> (VA), Bethany <strong>College</strong> (WV),<br />

and the University of Charleston (WV). Figure 0.B shows <strong>Wesleyan</strong> has met or<br />

exceeded its peer schools in 2007 and 2008. Based on these comparisons,<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s graduation and retention rates compare favorably to the <strong>College</strong>’s<br />

peers.<br />

Figure 0.B:<br />

Retention and Graduation Rates<br />

WVWC 2008 WVWC 2007 Peer Group Median 2007<br />

6-Year Grad Rate<br />

5-Year Grad Rate<br />

59%<br />

55%<br />

53%<br />

58%<br />

54%<br />

52%<br />

4-Year Grad Rate<br />

45%<br />

44%<br />

44%<br />

First-Year Retention<br />

74%<br />

75%<br />

71%<br />

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%<br />

31


0d. The <strong>Self</strong>-<strong>Study</strong> Process<br />

Preface<br />

The fundamental goal of this self-study report is to show how <strong>Wesleyan</strong> fulfills<br />

its broad general mission and to explore how the <strong>College</strong> may do this more<br />

effectively in the future. The five criteria emphasized in the Higher Learning<br />

Commission’s Handbook of Accreditation [244] provide the basic framework<br />

for the report.<br />

The 2007-2009 self-study period was a significant opportunity for <strong>Wesleyan</strong><br />

to assess how well it fulfills its mission “to graduate broadly educated men<br />

and women who think critically and creatively, communicate effectively, act<br />

responsibly, and demonstrate their local and world citizenship through service.”<br />

[27]<br />

In April 2007, the co-chairs of the Accreditation Steering Committee were<br />

appointed. In Summer 2007, the Accreditation Steering Committee identified its<br />

primary task as the compilation of an inclusive self-study review that maintains<br />

institutional accreditation, builds on the 2000 self-study with attention to the<br />

review team’s recommendations, narrates recent important events, addresses<br />

continuing challenges, and explores <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s strengths.<br />

In all parts of the self-study process, these goals framed the ongoing discussion<br />

and analyses of collected evidence. Members of the Accreditation Steering<br />

Committee agreed that the final document should provide an evaluation that<br />

the <strong>Wesleyan</strong> community can use in the future, in whole or in part, to address<br />

specific needs, capitalize on <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s strengths, and plan for the future.<br />

The academic year 2007-2008 began the institutional work of focused self-study<br />

and analysis. Accreditation Steering Committee members were appointed as<br />

chairs of each subcommittee. These subcommittees were comprised of diverse<br />

representation from the <strong>College</strong> community, including administrators, faculty,<br />

staff, and students. Chairs of each subcommittee were briefed on the self-study<br />

process and the findings of the 2000 site team, the 2002 focus report on the<br />

assessment of General Education, and the 2004 focus visit for finances.<br />

32


Preface<br />

Below are the lists of the Accreditation Steering Committee and Criterion<br />

Sub-Committees’ Chairs and Members:<br />

Accreditation Steering Committee<br />

Larry Parsons, Co-Chair<br />

Judith McKinney, Co-Chair<br />

Boyd Creasman<br />

Tammy Crites<br />

Katharine Gregg<br />

Michael Kuba<br />

Paula McGrew<br />

Barry Pritts<br />

Kimberly Elsener<br />

Vice President for Academic Affairs<br />

and Dean of the <strong>College</strong><br />

and Professor of Music<br />

Professor of Nursing<br />

Professor of English<br />

Director of Institutional Research<br />

Professor of Biology<br />

Director of Counseling and<br />

Health Center<br />

Director of Library Services and<br />

Associate Professor of Library Science<br />

Vice President for Administration and<br />

Finance<br />

Dean of Community Engagement<br />

Criterion One: Mission and Integrity<br />

Tammy Crites, Chair<br />

LeeAnn Brown<br />

Stephen Cresswell<br />

Shirley Fortney<br />

Rochelle Long<br />

Director of Institutional Research<br />

Director of Leadership Development<br />

and Community Engagement<br />

Professor of History<br />

Associate Professor of Education<br />

Director of <strong>College</strong> Communication<br />

Criterion Two: Preparing for the Future<br />

Barry Pritts, Chair<br />

Michael Choban<br />

Vickie Crowder<br />

Kathleen Long<br />

Duwane Squires<br />

Meghan Frum<br />

Vice President for Administration<br />

and Finance<br />

Professor of Psychology, Emeritus<br />

Director of Human Resources<br />

Dean of Graduate Studies and<br />

Extended Learning and<br />

Professor of Communication<br />

Vice President for Information<br />

Technology<br />

Student<br />

33


Preface<br />

Criterion Three: Student Learning and Effective Teaching<br />

Boyd Creasman, Chair<br />

Susan Aloi<br />

Tammy Frederick<br />

Bernard Keating<br />

Professor of English<br />

Director of the Master’s in Education<br />

Program and Assistant Professor of<br />

Education<br />

Assistant Director of Academic<br />

Services<br />

Professor of Philosophy<br />

Criterion Four: Acquisition, Discovery and Application of Knowledge<br />

Paula McGrew, Chair<br />

Erin Bentley<br />

Susan Marshall<br />

Karl Paoletti<br />

Shauna Popson<br />

Richard Weeks<br />

Jillian Moga<br />

Director of Library Services and<br />

Associate Professor of Library Science<br />

Visiting Instructor of Communication<br />

Student Academic Support Services<br />

Comprehensive Advisor<br />

Associate Professor of Music<br />

Associate Professor of Nursing<br />

Professor of History<br />

Student<br />

Criterion Five: Engagement and Service<br />

Lynn Rupp, Chair<br />

(2007-2008)<br />

Kimberly Elsener, Chair<br />

(2008-2009)<br />

Erin Bentley<br />

Jason Bentley<br />

LeeAnn Brown<br />

Angela Gay Kinkead<br />

Kimberly Bjorgo-Thorne<br />

Joshua Rider<br />

Associate Professor of Education<br />

Dean of Community Engagement<br />

Visiting Instructor of Communication<br />

Major Gifts Officer<br />

Director of Leadership Development<br />

and Community Engagement<br />

Dean of the Chapel<br />

Assistant Professor of Biology<br />

Student<br />

Each criterion subcommittee was charged with gathering evidence and<br />

developing supporting narratives in regard to its assigned criterion. These<br />

subcommittees studied their respective criterion and its core components<br />

and met with individuals across campus to review <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s programs and<br />

activities. Through this process the subcommittees collected evidence to<br />

34


Preface<br />

show how <strong>Wesleyan</strong> meets the accreditation criteria, identified institutional<br />

strengths and challenges, and reported these results to the Accreditation<br />

Steering Committee. The Accreditation Steering Committee met monthly and<br />

examined the numerous drafts of the criterion narratives. Minutes and notes of<br />

the committee’s work were posted on Angel for campus access.<br />

In April 2008, <strong>Wesleyan</strong> sent a member of the Steering Committee to the<br />

American Association for Higher Education/Higher Learning Commission<br />

conference in Chicago. The conference was designed to foster networking and<br />

to discuss the accreditation process. Upon return, the delegate shared insights<br />

from the conference with the Accreditation Steering Committee.<br />

In 2008-2009, year two of the self-study process, the Accreditation Steering<br />

Committee presented a detailed timeline for the continued self-study<br />

process, expectations of institutional involvement, and a planned schedule of<br />

colloquia to seek and gain input from faculty and staff. That year also included<br />

continuing data collection, as well as review and completion of the first drafts<br />

of each criterion chapter. Each subcommittee chair regularly reported to the<br />

Accreditation Steering Committee progress in collecting data. The Accreditation<br />

Steering Committee responded often with input regarding possible sources of<br />

information. Comments and suggestions were recorded and incorporated into<br />

the self-study and subsequent iterations of the narratives were added to Angel<br />

for wider dissemination. The Accreditation Steering Committee met twice<br />

monthly to accomplish this work.<br />

In January 2009, the Board of Trustees was provided with executive summaries<br />

of the criterion drafts and an opportunity to ask questions or seek clarification<br />

concerning the self-study information. Beginning in March, the Accreditation<br />

Steering Committee also organized faculty and staff colloquia devoted to<br />

reviewing the HLC criteria. These colloquia, attended by approximately 75-80<br />

faculty and staff, presented the initial findings of the subcommittees and<br />

solicited input. In addition to the opportunity for campus dialogue and input,<br />

another outcome of the colloquia was the identification of volunteer faculty and<br />

staff readers to critique and offer recommendations for further refinement of the<br />

self-study document. In May 2009, the Accreditation Steering Committee held<br />

a workshop for an additional editing and review of the document in preparation<br />

for submission to the appointed editor and graphic designer.<br />

As final preparation for the November 2009 visit continues, the Accreditation<br />

Steering Committee will conduct a campus-wide open forum to review the final<br />

document and to maintain campus awareness of the mid-November HLC team<br />

visit. The self-study document will be made available to the campus community<br />

via electronic access. In October, public notice of the HLC team visit and the<br />

availability for third-party comment at time of the visit will be published. Finally,<br />

35


Preface<br />

the Resource Room of evidence supporting the self-study process will be<br />

prepared for the use by HLC team. Table 0.9 follows and provides an overview<br />

and timeline of the <strong>Self</strong>-<strong>Study</strong> Process:<br />

April 2007<br />

July 2007<br />

Fall 2007<br />

Spring 2008<br />

Summer 2008<br />

Fall 2008<br />

Spring 2009<br />

Summer 2009<br />

Fall 2009<br />

Initiated self-study process and appointed Accreditation<br />

Steering Committee co-chairs.<br />

Accreditation Steering Committee organizational<br />

meeting. Subcommittee chairs appointed.<br />

Formed subcommittees for campus-wide discussion<br />

and data collection related to the five accreditation<br />

criteria.<br />

Subcommittees drafted report segments. <strong>Wesleyan</strong><br />

delegate attended accreditation workshop in Chicago.<br />

May and June—Criterion 3, 4 and 5 evidence collection<br />

and drafts disseminated to Accreditation Steering<br />

Committee, subcommittees, and department chairs for<br />

input and or comment.<br />

July and August—One-day workshops for Accreditation<br />

Steering Committee and invited guests held.<br />

Drafted self-study criteria with gaps/deficits identified<br />

and methods for resolution of gaps and deficits<br />

developed. If gaps/deficits could not be resolved, the<br />

narrative of plans for future resolution was written.<br />

Writers edited drafts and disseminated newest versions<br />

to Accreditation Steering Committee, faculty, and staff<br />

for comment.<br />

Writers finalized criterion self-study narratives.<br />

<strong>Self</strong>-study report printed and disseminated to constituencies<br />

in print and via website and submitted to HLC.<br />

HLC re-accreditation visit November 2009<br />

Table 0.9:<br />

<strong>Self</strong>-<strong>Study</strong> Process<br />

Timeline and Overview<br />

Preparation for this self-study report presented the opportunity for reflection on<br />

the strengths and challenges as <strong>Wesleyan</strong> strives to fulfill its mission, collaborate<br />

with various constituencies, and define and refine plans for the future. Each of<br />

the five criteria chapters of this self-study report details how <strong>Wesleyan</strong> meets the<br />

expectations established by the Higher Learning Commission. In conclusion,<br />

the Accreditation Steering Committee considers this self-study report to be<br />

persuasive evidence showing that <strong>West</strong> <strong>Virginia</strong> <strong>Wesleyan</strong> <strong>College</strong> meets all<br />

criteria of the Higher Learning Commission and respectfully requests that the<br />

Higher Learning Commission grant the renewal of accreditation.<br />

36


Criterion One:<br />

Mission and Integrity<br />

The organization operates with integrity to ensure the fulfillment of its mission through<br />

structures and processes that involve the board, administration, faculty, staff, and students.<br />

In carrying out its mission, <strong>Wesleyan</strong> recognizes, welcomes, and actively<br />

pursues its distinct responsibility as an institution of higher learning in central<br />

<strong>West</strong> <strong>Virginia</strong>. Dedicated to its role in higher education, <strong>Wesleyan</strong> is committed<br />

to excellence in teaching and student learning. The campus student body<br />

is diverse in age, ethnicity, and economic background. Curricular offerings<br />

are comprehensive for the liberal arts, the social and natural sciences, and<br />

professional programs in athletic training, business, nursing, and education<br />

for bachelors and masters degrees. The chapter that follows shows how the<br />

mission and integrity of the <strong>College</strong> are realized.<br />

37


1a. The organization’s mission documents are clear<br />

and articulate publicly the organization’s commitments.<br />

Criterion One:<br />

Mission and Integrity<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s current Statement of Mission was a result of the work of the Board of<br />

Trustees, faculty, staff and students through the President’s Commission of the<br />

Future of the <strong>College</strong> [26], which was commissioned on August 19, 1995. The<br />

Board of Trustees adopted the final report of the President’s Commission on the<br />

Future of the <strong>College</strong> on October 17, 1997. Since that time, the Statement of<br />

Mission has been routinely published in the Undergraduate Catalog (p. 7) [18],<br />

the <strong>College</strong> website [27], employee handbook (p. 6) [28], Fact Books [29], and<br />

planning documents [30]. The current Statement of Mission, as adopted by the<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong> Board of Trustees in 1996, is shown below. The body of the Statement<br />

of Mission represents <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s covenant with its key constituents and its<br />

commitment to developing the whole person in order to prepare graduates to<br />

be contributors to the world around them. The four bullets represent the goals<br />

of the <strong>Wesleyan</strong> experience.<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong> challenges its students to a life-long commitment<br />

to develop their intellectual, ethical, spiritual, and leadership<br />

potential and to set and uphold standards of excellence.<br />

Firmly rooted in the liberal arts tradition and closely related<br />

to The United Methodist Church, the <strong>College</strong> is a community<br />

of learning based on fundamental principles formed at the<br />

intersection of Christian faith and liberal education: intellectual<br />

rigor, self-discovery, human dignity, mutual support,<br />

social justice, self-discipline, mental and physical wellness,<br />

the appreciation of diversity and the natural world, and the<br />

judicious use of resources. The <strong>College</strong> recognizes and<br />

affirms its interdependence with the external communities—<br />

local, regional, national, and global—and its covenant with<br />

the people of <strong>West</strong> <strong>Virginia</strong> to share its educational and<br />

cultural resources.<br />

Statement of Mission<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong> prepares its students through its curriculum of<br />

arts and science, pre-professional and professional studies,<br />

and its rich campus life program. As a residential, undergraduate<br />

institution of higher education, the <strong>College</strong> aspires<br />

to graduate broadly educated men and women who:<br />

• Think critically and creatively,<br />

• Communicate effectively,<br />

• Act responsibly, and<br />

• Demonstrate their local and world citizenship<br />

through service.<br />

38


Criterion One:<br />

Mission and Integrity<br />

This statement has undergone some review since its adoption. Reviewed<br />

in the 2003-2004 academic year as a part of the “Setting Priorities for <strong>West</strong><br />

<strong>Virginia</strong> <strong>Wesleyan</strong> <strong>College</strong>” [2] prioritization plan, the Statement of Mission was<br />

affirmed. The Strategic Planning Committee reviewed it in 2007-2008. One<br />

result from the 2007-2008 review, as documented in the minutes [31] from the<br />

Accreditation Steering Committee meetings, was the restructuring of the Goals<br />

of the <strong>Wesleyan</strong> Experience. The original Fourteen Goals of the <strong>Wesleyan</strong>,<br />

initially adopted by the Curriculum Council in April 1999, were replaced by the<br />

four broader bulleted goals included in the Statement of Mission. The Strategic<br />

Planning 2008-2011 [32] executive summary indicates that further discussion<br />

is warranted with regard to the Statement of Mission’s need to address both<br />

undergraduate and graduation education and such conversations are likely in<br />

the <strong>College</strong>’s next planning cycle.<br />

The Statement of Mission has provided core guidance for strategic planning<br />

from 1996 through the present and is included in all of the written strategic<br />

plans. In addition to the Undergraduate Catalog (p. 7) [18], Graduate Catalog<br />

(p. 6) [52] and Student Handbook (p. 4) [50], students are regularly exposed<br />

to the Statement of Mission through memberships on student government,<br />

strategic planning, and subcommittees. <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s Center for Community<br />

Engagement and, more specifically, the Bonner Scholars program include the<br />

<strong>College</strong>’s Statement of Mission in the Bonner Handbook [33] each year.<br />

39


1b. In its mission documents, the organization recognizes the diversity<br />

of its learners, other constituencies, and the greater society it serves.<br />

Criterion One:<br />

Mission and Integrity<br />

The covenant section of the Statement of Mission, shown earlier, addresses the<br />

<strong>College</strong>’s commitment to instilling in its students an appreciation for diversity<br />

in many forms. <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s strategy to address diversity is one of the seven<br />

process goals listed in the Strategic Plan 2008-2011 [34] (“Growing Enrollment<br />

and Improving Diversity”). While race and ethnic origin are often included in a<br />

definition of diversity, <strong>West</strong> <strong>Virginia</strong> <strong>Wesleyan</strong> expands this definition to include<br />

socioeconomic status, age, gender, and geographic variables in discussions<br />

of diversity.<br />

One unique aspect of <strong>Wesleyan</strong> is that it is located in the heart of the<br />

Appalachian Region. Approximately 59 percent of <strong>Wesleyan</strong> students are from<br />

<strong>West</strong> <strong>Virginia</strong> and approximately 68 percent of <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s total students are<br />

from the Appalachian Region as defined by Appalachian Regional Commission.<br />

According to the Appalachian Regional Commission (2009), Appalachia is<br />

described as the region running along the spine of the Appalachian Mountains<br />

from southern New York to northern Mississippi (Figure 1.A). As defined by the<br />

Commission, it has an area of 200,000 square miles (518,000 square km) and<br />

includes all of <strong>West</strong> <strong>Virginia</strong> and parts of 12 other states—Alabama, Georgia,<br />

Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania,<br />

South Carolina, Tennessee, and <strong>Virginia</strong>. In parts of the region rugged terrain<br />

makes access difficult. The economy has historically been based on the<br />

extraction of natural resources, including coal and timber, and on manufacturing.<br />

More than 40 percent of the population is rural, twice the U.S. average,<br />

and poverty rates are high.<br />

New York<br />

Figure 1.A:<br />

The Appalachian Region<br />

Pennsylvania<br />

Ohio<br />

Kentucky<br />

Tennessee<br />

<strong>West</strong><br />

<strong>Virginia</strong><br />

<strong>Virginia</strong><br />

South<br />

Carolina<br />

North<br />

Carolina<br />

Mississippi<br />

Alabama<br />

Georgia<br />

40


Criterion One:<br />

Mission and Integrity<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong> Diversity<br />

Geographic Diversity<br />

Over the last ten years, <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s undergraduate student body’s geographic<br />

distribution has shifted from approximately equal proportions of students<br />

from within <strong>West</strong> <strong>Virginia</strong> and out-of-state, to a greater proportion of students<br />

from <strong>West</strong> <strong>Virginia</strong> (Table 1.1). For example, in Fall 2008, the geographic<br />

breakdown of the undergraduate student body at <strong>Wesleyan</strong> was 59 percent<br />

from <strong>West</strong> <strong>Virginia</strong>, 36 percent from other states, and 5 percent international.<br />

While Pennsylvania and Maryland represent more than one-third of the out-ofstate<br />

undergraduates, 39 states are represented in all. The <strong>College</strong> believes<br />

that it is important to maintain a student body that is geographically diverse<br />

for economic reasons as well as to help enhance diversity within the learning<br />

environment.<br />

Table 1.1:<br />

Geographic Distribution<br />

Summary 2000-2008<br />

<strong>West</strong> <strong>Virginia</strong><br />

2000<br />

48%<br />

2001<br />

50%<br />

2002<br />

51%<br />

2003<br />

52%<br />

2004<br />

52%<br />

2005<br />

53%<br />

2005<br />

54%<br />

2007<br />

57%<br />

2008<br />

59%<br />

Out of State<br />

48%<br />

47%<br />

46%<br />

45%<br />

45%<br />

44%<br />

43%<br />

39%<br />

36%<br />

International<br />

4%<br />

3%<br />

3%<br />

3%<br />

3%<br />

3%<br />

3%<br />

4%<br />

5%<br />

Total Head Count<br />

1539<br />

1507<br />

1558<br />

1582<br />

1486<br />

1297<br />

1177<br />

1235<br />

1275<br />

Racial and Ethnic Diversity<br />

Analysis of the extent to which racial and ethnic diversity is present has been<br />

a growing challenge, particularly over the past five years, due to a growing<br />

number of students choosing not to disclose their race and ethnic origins on<br />

college applications. This is evidenced by the growing percentage of students<br />

represented in the category “Unknown” in Table 1.2. With the new Federal<br />

Race and Ethnicity Categories [37] that go into effect in Fall 2010, the <strong>College</strong><br />

hopes to improve the percentage of students providing this information. In<br />

Fall 2008, <strong>Wesleyan</strong> undergraduate students reported ethnicity of 85 percent<br />

white/non-Hispanic, 7 percent international, and 7 percent traditional minority<br />

groups. However, according to the 2000 United States Census, (Figure 1.B)<br />

only one-fourth of the counties in the Appalachian region had more than a<br />

10 percent minority population. Therefore, while <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s ethnic diversity is<br />

limited, <strong>Wesleyan</strong> is more ethnically diverse than 75 percent of the surrounding<br />

Appalachian region. This is particularly notable given that more than half of<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong> students come from <strong>West</strong> <strong>Virginia</strong> and the surrounding Appalachian<br />

region. On the other hand, developing a faculty and staff that is racially and<br />

ethnically diverse is a challenge. In Fall 2007, 96 percent of full-time faculty<br />

and 97 percent of full-time staff were reported to be white non-Hispanic in race<br />

and ethnicity.<br />

41


Criterion One:<br />

Mission and Integrity<br />

Table 1.2:<br />

<strong>Full</strong>-time Undergraduate<br />

Racial and Ethnic Distribution<br />

Summary 1999-2008<br />

1999<br />

2000<br />

2001<br />

2002<br />

2003<br />

2004<br />

2005<br />

2006<br />

2007<br />

2008<br />

Minority*<br />

7.7%<br />

7.3%<br />

8.0%<br />

7.3%<br />

7.1%<br />

7.9%<br />

7.6%<br />

7.2%<br />

5.0%<br />

4.8%<br />

International**<br />

4.3%<br />

4.0%<br />

3.8%<br />

3.1%<br />

3.0%<br />

3.0%<br />

3.2%<br />

3.6%<br />

3.3%<br />

3.2%<br />

White/Non-Hispanic<br />

87.4%<br />

88.7%<br />

87.9%<br />

89.5%<br />

81.5%<br />

79.5%<br />

79.5%<br />

72.5%<br />

62.9%<br />

60.3%<br />

Unknown<br />

0.6%<br />

0.0%<br />

0.3%<br />

0.0%<br />

8.4%<br />

9.6%<br />

9.7%<br />

16.8%<br />

27.7%<br />

29.8%<br />

* Minority students include: Black non-Hispanic, American Indian, Alaskan, Asian, Pacific Islander, and Hispanic.<br />

** International students include students with an ethnic code of Nonresident Alien<br />

Figure 1.B:<br />

Diversity in Appalachian<br />

Counties-2000. Graphic used<br />

with permission from Appalachian<br />

Regional Commission.<br />

42


Criterion One:<br />

Mission and Integrity<br />

Gender Diversity<br />

Table 1.3:<br />

<strong>Full</strong>-time Undergraduates Gender<br />

Distribution Summary 1999-2008<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong> has been fortunate to maintain a consistent mix of roughly 45<br />

percent men and 55 percent women in its undergraduate student body. Table<br />

1.3 summarizes the gender distributions at <strong>Wesleyan</strong> over the past ten years.<br />

1999<br />

2000<br />

2001<br />

2002<br />

2003<br />

2004<br />

2005<br />

2006<br />

2007<br />

2008<br />

Male<br />

44.1%<br />

43.9%<br />

46.3%<br />

45.3%<br />

44.8%<br />

46.8%<br />

44.6%<br />

45.8%<br />

46.2%<br />

44.8%<br />

Female<br />

55.9%<br />

56.1%<br />

53.7%<br />

54.7%<br />

55.2%<br />

53.2%<br />

55.4%<br />

54.2%<br />

53.8%<br />

55.2%<br />

Socioeconomic Diversity<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s Statement of Mission refers to “a covenant with the people of<br />

<strong>West</strong> <strong>Virginia</strong> to share its educational and cultural resources.” As part of that<br />

covenant, the accessibility of a <strong>Wesleyan</strong> education for students from all socioeconomic<br />

backgrounds is an important part of the mission. One way this aspect<br />

of diversity can be described is <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s number of first generation college<br />

students. In Fall 2008, thirty-two percent of <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s full-time undergraduate<br />

students are first generation college students as reported by students on their<br />

FAFSA.<br />

Figure 1.C:<br />

<strong>Full</strong>-Time Undergraduate<br />

Students by Family Adjusted<br />

Gross Income<br />

Fall 2005 – Fall 2008<br />

Another way this diversity can be described is in the economic status of<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s students. Figure 1.C indicates the economic diversity of <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s<br />

students through the adjusted gross income (AGI) reported on the Free<br />

Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). This economic diversity is possible<br />

in large part due to an aggressive merit and need based scholarship program<br />

by which more than 95 percent of full-time undergraduates receive financial aid<br />

and 26 percent were Federal Pell Grant eligible.<br />

250<br />

200<br />

# FTUG<br />

150<br />

100<br />

50<br />

0<br />

0 -<br />

19,999<br />

20,000 -<br />

39,999<br />

40,000 -<br />

59,999<br />

60,000 -<br />

79,999<br />

80,000 -<br />

99,999<br />

100,000 -<br />

119,999<br />

120,000<br />

and over<br />

No FAFSA<br />

Filed<br />

2005<br />

132<br />

159<br />

185<br />

196<br />

174<br />

93<br />

139<br />

219<br />

2006<br />

121<br />

131<br />

148<br />

171<br />

160<br />

83<br />

138<br />

188<br />

2007<br />

144<br />

128<br />

156<br />

172<br />

151<br />

102<br />

150<br />

199<br />

2008<br />

139<br />

131<br />

148<br />

171<br />

160<br />

108<br />

192<br />

188<br />

Family Adjusted Gross Income<br />

43


Criterion One:<br />

Mission and Integrity<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s commitment to providing an environment where diversity is<br />

appreciated and explored is evident in student surveys. <strong>Wesleyan</strong> participated<br />

in the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) in spring semesters of<br />

2003, 2004, and 2008. The NSSE is a national study of first-year and senior<br />

students about the nature and quality of their undergraduate experience.<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong> chose to use the web-based version of the NSSE for administration<br />

in all three years. <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s response rates were comparable to national<br />

responses with freshmen response rates of 53 percent, 31 percent, and 37<br />

percent for the three years, and senior response rates of 57 percent, 44 percent,<br />

and 53 percent, for each of the three years, respectively. Figures 1.D and 1.E<br />

show the NSSE results of the students’ self-assessment of their growth and<br />

engagement in the area of diversity while enrolled at <strong>Wesleyan</strong>. These results<br />

illustrate that, while the <strong>College</strong> is always striving to improve, its students’<br />

results do not significantly differ (p > .05) from the national average.<br />

Had serious conversations with students who are<br />

very different from you in terms of their religious<br />

beliefs, political opinions, or personal values<br />

2008 National Average<br />

56%<br />

2008 WVWC<br />

65%<br />

Figure 1.D:<br />

2008 NSSE Results:<br />

Percentage of senior students<br />

who report growth and<br />

engagement in diversity<br />

Had serious conversations with students of<br />

a different race or ethnicity than your own<br />

46%<br />

54%<br />

Included diverse perspectives (different races,<br />

religions, genders, political beliefs, etc.)<br />

in class discussions or writing assignments<br />

62%<br />

68%<br />

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%<br />

2 tailed t-test<br />

2008 National Average<br />

2008 WVWC<br />

Figure 1.E:<br />

2008 NSSE Results:<br />

Percent of senior students who<br />

report experiences in diversity<br />

Understanding people of other<br />

racial and ethnic backgrounds<br />

55%<br />

54%<br />

Encouraging contact among students<br />

from different economic, social, and<br />

racial or ethnic backgrounds<br />

42%<br />

49%<br />

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%<br />

2 tailed t-test<br />

44


Criterion One:<br />

Mission and Integrity<br />

1c. Understanding of and support for the mission pervade the organization.<br />

The Strategic Plan 2008-2011 [34] begins with <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s mission and uses<br />

the four <strong>Wesleyan</strong> goals as a basis for each planning decision. The planning<br />

process is structured so that priority decisions and planning are focused on<br />

accomplishing the four <strong>Wesleyan</strong> goals. For example, in 2007, it was recognized<br />

that the fourth goal of demonstrating local and global citizenship through<br />

service needed to have stronger results. The result of that discussion was the<br />

new priority focus on community engagement and the subsequent funding<br />

for a Center for Community Engagement as well as the Dean of Community<br />

Engagement position. This ongoing planning process involves over 50 faculty,<br />

staff, and students each year through the Strategic Planning Committee and<br />

its Task Forces’ work. Those involved in strategic planning include a working<br />

understanding of the Statement of Mission in their efforts. Chapter 2 provides<br />

a more detailed description of the strategic planning process, while Chapter<br />

3 expands on the evidence of student growth in areas directly related to the<br />

mission.<br />

A program review process for assessing academic departments [38] and<br />

student development functions [39] in relation to the mission as well as<br />

program specific goals was instituted in 2001, and reinstated and revised by the<br />

Assessment Council in 2007-2008. Departments will be reviewed on a rolling<br />

basis. Academic department review began again in the 2008-2009 academic<br />

year with the Nursing [245], English [246], and History [247] departments, and<br />

will continue in the following cycle:<br />

2009 Education; Languages; Christian Education, Philosophy, & Religion;<br />

Exercise Science & Athletic Training<br />

2010 Communication; Theater Arts & Musical Theater; Art & Art<br />

Administration; Sociology, Criminal Justice, & Political Science<br />

2011 Biology & Environmental Studies; Chemistry; Mathematics &<br />

Computer Science; Business & Economics<br />

2012 Physics & Engineering; Physical Education; Psychology; Music<br />

2013 History; Nursing; International Studies; English<br />

The Student Development area will begin its program review cycle in Fall 2009<br />

with Greek Life and the Learning Center. Identification of departments to be<br />

reviewed in the next cycle is currently under discussion and a list will be made<br />

available in the Resource Room if known by the time of the visit.<br />

The Graduating Student Survey [17] has been administered to senior students<br />

every spring from 2001 through 2008. This survey measures the students’<br />

awareness of the importance of the four mission goals and their perceived<br />

growth in those areas. The results of the Graduating Student Survey as it relates<br />

to the four mission goals are discussed in Chapter 3.<br />

45


1d. The organization’s governance and administrative structures promote effective leadership<br />

and support collaborative processes that enable the organization to fulfill its mission<br />

Criterion One:<br />

Mission and Integrity<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong> has a long tradition of shared governance. The Board of Trustees,<br />

the Administration, the Faculty Assembly, the Staff Assembly, and the Student<br />

Senate all have roles in determining the policies and procedures by which the<br />

<strong>College</strong> conducts its business.<br />

The Board of Trustee Bylaws [40], which were revised and adopted<br />

in 2008, clearly outline the roles and responsibilities of the Board of<br />

Trustees of <strong>West</strong> <strong>Virginia</strong> <strong>Wesleyan</strong> <strong>College</strong>. These Bylaws also further<br />

illustrate the <strong>College</strong>’s relationship to the United Methodist Church. In<br />

Article IV Section 1 the membership of the Board of Trustees is described.<br />

The Board of Trustees<br />

The Board of Trustees shall have no less than twenty-seven<br />

(27) and no more than forty-three (43) members, as follows<br />

a) The President of the <strong>College</strong>;<br />

b) The Bishop of the <strong>West</strong> <strong>Virginia</strong> Area of The United<br />

Methodist Church;<br />

c) The President of the Alumni Association;<br />

d) The Chair of the Faculty Assembly;<br />

e) The President of the Student Senate;<br />

f) The Chair of the Staff Assembly;<br />

g) The Bishop of the Pittsburgh Area of The United<br />

Methodist Church, who may become a member of<br />

the Board on a year-to-year basis if said Bishop<br />

acknowledges annually in writing a willingness to<br />

accept such membership on the Board of Trustees; and<br />

h) No less than twenty (20) and no more than thirty-six (36)<br />

Trustees selected pursuant to the provisions of the<br />

Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws, hereinafter referred<br />

to as “Elected Trustees.” (p. 1-2)<br />

This split between trustees by appointment and elected trustees ensures that<br />

the primary stakeholders in the <strong>College</strong>’s mission are represented for important<br />

insights in deliberations.<br />

Article V Section 3 of this same document enumerates the Powers and<br />

Responsibilities of a trustee. The first two responsibilities listed are directly<br />

related to the mission of the <strong>College</strong>:<br />

a) Determine and periodically review the purposes and<br />

mission of the <strong>College</strong>.<br />

46


Criterion One:<br />

Mission and Integrity<br />

b) Establish, review and approve changes in the educational<br />

programs of the <strong>College</strong>, consistent with its mission. (p. 3)<br />

Administration<br />

The President is the chief executive officer of <strong>West</strong> <strong>Virginia</strong> <strong>Wesleyan</strong>. <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s<br />

current president, Pamela Balch, EdD, began her term on campus in July<br />

2006. She provides the link between the <strong>College</strong> and the Trustees, reporting<br />

to them on policy issues and carrying out the actions of the Board and its<br />

Executive Committee. The President is aided by the Cabinet, which consists<br />

of Vice-President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the <strong>College</strong> Larry Parsons,<br />

DMA; Vice-President for Student Development and Enrollment Management<br />

Julia Keehner, MS; Vice-President for Administration and Finance Barry Pritts,<br />

PhD; and Vice-President for Institutional Advancement Brent Bush, JD. The<br />

Cabinet meets weekly to report on specific issues and to discuss ongoing<br />

needs of the <strong>College</strong>.<br />

In addition, an extended President’s Council includes wider representation: the<br />

Cabinet listed above, Dean of the Chapel Angela Gay Kinkead, MDiv; Dean<br />

of Community Engagement Kimberly Elsener, PhD; Dean of Graduate Studies<br />

and Extended Learning Kathleen Long, PhD; Vice President for Information<br />

Technology Duwane Squires, MS; Director of Marketing Robert Skinner,<br />

MA; Director of Athletics Ken Tyler, MAEd; Director of Human Resources<br />

Vicki Crowder, MBA; Director of Admission John Waltz, MA; and Director of<br />

Institutional Research Tammy Crites, MBA. The President’s Council meets once<br />

a month to deliberate about current issues and to discuss anticipated changes<br />

needed in policy and procedures as <strong>Wesleyan</strong> strives to fulfill its mission. The<br />

minutes [248] from these monthly meeting are available to the campus through<br />

the <strong>Wesleyan</strong> Intranet. Figure 1.F diagrams the 2009-2010 Administrative<br />

organization of <strong>Wesleyan</strong>.<br />

47


Criterion One:<br />

Mission and Integrity<br />

Figure 1.F:<br />

Administrative Organizational Chart<br />

Board of Trustees<br />

President<br />

VP Academic<br />

Affairs<br />

VP Student<br />

Dev/Enrollment<br />

Management<br />

VP Finance<br />

VP<br />

Institutional<br />

Advancement<br />

Dean of<br />

the Chapel<br />

Director<br />

of Athletics<br />

Director of<br />

Institutional<br />

Research<br />

Dean of<br />

Graduate<br />

Programs &<br />

Ext Learning<br />

Campus<br />

Life<br />

Accounting<br />

Office<br />

Alumni<br />

Relations<br />

Chapel<br />

Programs<br />

Athletic<br />

Training<br />

Service<br />

Dean of<br />

Community<br />

Engagement<br />

Career<br />

Center<br />

Bookstore-<br />

Contracted<br />

with Barnes<br />

and Noble<br />

Annual<br />

Giving<br />

Program<br />

Church<br />

Relations<br />

18 NCAA Div<br />

II Athletic<br />

Programs &<br />

Facilities<br />

Faculty<br />

(Departments<br />

and<br />

Curriculum)<br />

Admission<br />

Information<br />

Technology<br />

Church<br />

Relations<br />

Pastoral<br />

Care<br />

Sports<br />

Information<br />

Academic<br />

Planning<br />

and<br />

Assessment<br />

Campus<br />

Safety<br />

Food Service-<br />

Contracted w/<br />

Aladdin Food<br />

Service<br />

Corporation,<br />

Foundation &<br />

Government<br />

Relations<br />

Spiritual<br />

Life<br />

Library<br />

Counseling<br />

and Wellness<br />

and Health<br />

Center<br />

Human<br />

Resources<br />

Gift Planning<br />

& Major Gifts<br />

Solicitation<br />

Registrar<br />

and<br />

Academic<br />

Services<br />

Financial<br />

Aid<br />

Physical<br />

Plant<br />

Marketing<br />

& Communication<br />

Testing<br />

Program<br />

Greek<br />

Life<br />

Student<br />

Accounts &<br />

Administrative<br />

Services<br />

External<br />

Relations<br />

Intramural<br />

Programs<br />

& Outdoor<br />

Recreation<br />

Intercultural<br />

Relations<br />

Leadership<br />

Programs<br />

Learning<br />

Center<br />

New Student<br />

& Retention<br />

Programs<br />

48


Criterion One:<br />

Mission and Integrity<br />

Faculty Governance<br />

The Faculty Constitution (Appendix A in the Faculty Handbook [49]) outlines<br />

the faculty governance structure. The preamble to the Faculty Constitution<br />

states, “The purpose of this Constitution shall be to give voice to the faculty of<br />

<strong>West</strong> <strong>Virginia</strong> <strong>Wesleyan</strong> <strong>College</strong> in shaping, implementing and monitoring the<br />

mission of the <strong>College</strong>, in particular its academic mission” (Faculty Handbook,<br />

Appendix A, p. 1).<br />

The Faculty Assembly, Faculty Senate, Admission and Academic Standing<br />

Council, Assessment Council, Curriculum Council, Professional Affairs<br />

Council, and other faculty committees, as provided for in Article VI (Faculty<br />

Handbook, Appendix A, p. 4) of the Constitution [49], are governed by the<br />

<strong>West</strong> <strong>Virginia</strong> <strong>Wesleyan</strong> <strong>College</strong> Faculty Constitution. The Faculty Assembly,<br />

composed of all faculty who serve full-time or pro rata, the Dean of the <strong>College</strong>,<br />

and the President, is the chief deliberative and legislative body of the Faculty.<br />

The Faculty Assembly retains the right of review of all actions of the Faculty<br />

Senate, councils and committees. The Faculty Senate serves as the executive<br />

committee of Faculty Assembly. The <strong>Wesleyan</strong> Faculty and Committee<br />

Structure [114] document that has been distributed to each faculty member<br />

at the annual Faculty Retreat summarizes the membership and responsibilities<br />

of each council as provided for in the Faculty Constitution. This document is<br />

now distributed and available on the <strong>College</strong> website under the Faculty & Staff<br />

link [35]. As noted above, the Faculty Chair is also a member of the Board of<br />

Trustees. Faculty Senators serve as representatives to the Board of Trustee<br />

Councils.<br />

Figure 1.G:<br />

Faculty<br />

Governance Structure<br />

FACULTY ASSEMBLY<br />

Faculty<br />

Senate<br />

Grievance<br />

Committee<br />

Professional<br />

Affairs<br />

Council<br />

Faculty<br />

Senate<br />

Curriculum<br />

Council<br />

Admission &<br />

Academic<br />

Standing Council<br />

Special<br />

Hearings<br />

Committee<br />

Honors<br />

Committee<br />

Library<br />

Committee<br />

International<br />

Programs<br />

Committee<br />

49


Criterion One:<br />

Mission and Integrity<br />

The Staff Assembly was established in 2006. The initial bylaws [41] were written<br />

at that time and were revised in March 2009. As is written in these bylaws, there<br />

are four purposes of Staff Assembly:<br />

Staff Assembly<br />

1. To support the mission of <strong>West</strong> <strong>Virginia</strong> <strong>Wesleyan</strong><br />

<strong>College</strong> through committed and conscientious<br />

involvement in maintaining or improving the quality<br />

of services and programs to students.<br />

2. To provide input and resources for administrative<br />

decision making within the span of control of managers<br />

and supervisors (curricular or other strictly academic<br />

concerns excluded).<br />

3. To work constructively and collaboratively with Executive<br />

Officers and Faculty members to improve the quality of<br />

the workplace and foster a sense of community.<br />

4. To function as a network to solicit and discuss ideas<br />

and concerns of the staff and then provide a method for<br />

communicating information/ideas or resolving concerns<br />

to the appropriate supervisor or Vice President.<br />

All full-time and part-time employees that are not primarily classified as a<br />

member of the Faculty or the President’s Cabinet are eligible to become “active”<br />

members of the Staff Assembly. The Staff Coordinating Committee is the representative<br />

body nominated and elected by members of the Staff Assembly to<br />

be the leadership group. The Coordinating Committee is composed of seven<br />

members. The Chair of the Coordinating Committee is also the Chair of the<br />

Staff Assembly and has membership on the Board of Trustees during his or her<br />

term. Other members of the Coordinating Committee serve as representatives<br />

to the Board of Trustee Councils.<br />

Since its inception, this group has been very active in several initiatives<br />

on campus. In addition to its monthly meetings that provide professional<br />

development opportunities, it has sponsored several wellness activities in<br />

association with the Wellness Council. It has organized ice cream socials<br />

and other events for community-building efforts, and most importantly it has<br />

provided an organized voice for staff on such issues as compensation and<br />

benefits.<br />

Student Senate [42] is the student governance body at <strong>West</strong> <strong>Virginia</strong> <strong>Wesleyan</strong>.<br />

This group, formerly known as Community Council, changed its name to Student<br />

Senate in December 2008 when it adopted a new constitution and bylaws.<br />

Student Senate<br />

50


Criterion One:<br />

Mission and Integrity<br />

The Student Senate’s executive council is comprised of the elected President,<br />

Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer as well as the class presidents from<br />

each class year. At the time of election, each person seeking membership must<br />

be a full-time student, must not be on disciplinary probation, and must have<br />

at least a 2.0 overall cumulative grade point average. Student Senate governs<br />

and supports all campus student organizations. In order to be a recognized<br />

student organization on campus, the organization must have one representative<br />

that attends the Student Senate meetings. The Student Senate has seven<br />

standing committees that meet regularly: Academic Affairs Committee, Awards<br />

and Elections Committee, Community Relations Committee, Special Activities<br />

Committee, Student Life Committee, Technology Committee, and Alumni<br />

Relations Committee. The Student Senate President has membership on the<br />

Board of Trustees and executive officers are representatives to the Board of<br />

Trustees Councils.<br />

Campus Communication<br />

There are many opportunities at <strong>Wesleyan</strong> for faculty, staff, students, and administration<br />

to communicate. The <strong>College</strong>’s governance and committee structures<br />

were designed with communication within and among different areas of the<br />

college in mind.<br />

Below are some examples of routinely scheduled opportunities for the campus<br />

community to gather and discuss issues and concerns.<br />

• There are three regular meetings of the Board of<br />

Trustees annually. Except as determined by the Chair<br />

of the Board of Trustees, in consultation with the<br />

President of the <strong>College</strong>, generally one meeting is held<br />

in the fall, one in the winter, and one in the spring.<br />

The meeting conducted in the winter is considered to<br />

be the Annual Meeting of the Board. Representatives<br />

from faculty, staff, and students are members of Trustee<br />

Councils and participate in their meetings.<br />

• President Balch presides over a faculty and staff meeting<br />

after each Board of Trustees meeting to communicate<br />

information from the meeting and give the campus<br />

members an opportunity to ask questions.<br />

• The Faculty, Staff, Student, and Alumni Council<br />

Representatives from the Board of Trustee Councils<br />

meetings report back to their respective larger groups<br />

after each Board meeting.<br />

51


Criterion One:<br />

Mission and Integrity<br />

• The Strategic Planning Committee has a broad<br />

membership and meets regularly with minutes from<br />

those meetings available through the <strong>Wesleyan</strong> Intranet.<br />

• A monthly electronic newsletter [43] is sent to all<br />

faculty and staff.<br />

• A monthly electronic faculty bulletin [44] is sent<br />

to all faculty.<br />

• Both Faculty and Staff Assemblies meet monthly during<br />

the academic year and each is attended by the Student<br />

Senate President.<br />

Recognizing that effective communication among the administration, faculty<br />

and students is an area that requires continuous effort, the <strong>College</strong> attempts to<br />

evaluate progress in this area for faculty through the periodic Faculty Satisfaction<br />

Survey [45]. Average faculty satisfaction ratings in the area of communication<br />

in 2009 were 4.1 or (somewhat satisfied) on a scale of 1(very dissatisfied) to 6<br />

(very satisfied). This is an improvement from the 3.5 rating in 1999. By administering<br />

and showing evidence of use of the data collected through surveys like<br />

this one, the <strong>College</strong> strives to continue in a positive direction in this area. In<br />

addition, the results of the 2008 NSSE survey of first-year and senior students<br />

reported significantly higher responses by <strong>Wesleyan</strong> students than the 2008<br />

national average on questions related to the quality of their relationships on<br />

campus to other students (p < .001), faculty (p < .001), and administrative<br />

personnel and offices (p < .001). Figure 1.H illustrates some of these data.<br />

Percentage (%)<br />

100<br />

90<br />

80<br />

70<br />

60<br />

50<br />

40<br />

30<br />

20<br />

10<br />

0<br />

76%<br />

Administrative<br />

Personnel and<br />

Offices are helpful,<br />

considerate<br />

and flexible<br />

(Freshmen)<br />

70%<br />

54% 52%<br />

Administrative<br />

Personnel and<br />

Offices are helpful,<br />

considerate<br />

and flexible<br />

(Seniors)<br />

2008 WVWC 2008 National Average<br />

82%<br />

71%<br />

Faculty are<br />

available,<br />

helpful and<br />

sympathetic<br />

(Freshmen)<br />

90%<br />

77%<br />

Faculty are<br />

available,<br />

helpful and<br />

sympathetic<br />

(Seniors)<br />

2 tailed t-test<br />

Figure 1.H:<br />

NSSE 2008 Results<br />

Student interactions<br />

with students, faculty,<br />

administration, and staff<br />

52


Criterion One:<br />

Mission and Integrity<br />

1e. The organization upholds and protects its integrity.<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong> strives to conduct its business with honor and honesty. The Statement<br />

of Mission of the <strong>College</strong> clearly articulates <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s commitment to<br />

fundamental principles of intellectual rigor, self-discovery, human dignity, mutual<br />

support, social justice, self-discipline, wellness, appreciation of diversity, and<br />

judicious use of resources. Those principles are evident in the ethical policies<br />

and practices of the <strong>College</strong>, which strive to create a campus environment that<br />

reflects <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s United Methodist affiliation and is characterized by honest<br />

communication, free inquiry, respect for diversity, appreciation of individual<br />

dignity, trustworthy relationships, and regard for the natural world.<br />

United Methodist Affiliation<br />

The University Senate of The United Methodist Church [46] adopted a statement<br />

on characteristics of higher education institutions related to the Church. The<br />

statement, approved June 21, 1996, includes a listing of Marks of a United<br />

Methodist Church-Related Academic Institution:<br />

• A Church-related institution identifies itself as such in<br />

printed materials, official listings, and other statements<br />

of self-description.<br />

• A Church-related institution respects, honors and<br />

provides the teaching of religion, and specifically,<br />

appropriate scholarly theological teaching in the<br />

Christian tradition within the curriculum. In the case<br />

of professional institutions and programs, the curriculum<br />

includes opportunity for faculty and student reflection on<br />

the ethical dimensions of professional practice.<br />

• A Church-related institution willingly allows faculty and<br />

students to explore the place of religious belief and<br />

practice in the larger society and advocates appropriate<br />

recognition of the contributions of religion to public life.<br />

• A Church-related institution recognizes the Social<br />

Principles of The United Methodist Church and seeks<br />

to create a community of scholarship and learning<br />

which facilitates social justice.<br />

• A Church-related institution includes in its faculty,<br />

administrative officers, and Board of Trustees persons<br />

who understand and respect the relationship with The<br />

United Methodist Church.<br />

53


Criterion One:<br />

Mission and Integrity<br />

Using these marks of church relationship as a benchmark, the <strong>College</strong> maintains<br />

a strong relationship with its founding denomination. <strong>Wesleyan</strong> identifies itself<br />

as a church-related institution in printed material, official listings, promotional<br />

videos, and other statements of self-description. Furthermore, <strong>Wesleyan</strong><br />

recognizes the role that the Social Principles [47] have within the life of The<br />

United Methodist Church. The Dean of the Chapel is vigilant in reminding<br />

her colleagues of the Church’s social principles. The <strong>College</strong> considers the<br />

Church’s stand on a variety of issues such as such as gambling, race, gender,<br />

and alcohol use when adopting policies that affect the life of the institution.<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong> not only provides the teaching of religion, but as an institution,<br />

the <strong>College</strong> honors and respects religious activity as essential to the life of<br />

the campus. There is scholarly teaching [18] of the theology, tradition, and<br />

practice of Christianity, as well as courses in world religions. <strong>Wesleyan</strong> also<br />

honors the religious practices of students, staff and faculty and tries to provide<br />

vehicles for such practices. This includes the spiritual practices of many within<br />

the college community who come from ecclesiastical backgrounds other than<br />

United Methodism, and of those who represent world religions other than<br />

Christianity. The <strong>College</strong> provides in each academic week an ecumenical<br />

service of Christian worship open to all students, staff and faculty. The Dean<br />

of the Chapel attempts to provide within the chapel service opportunities for<br />

those gathered to consider both the spiritual and the intellectual dimensions<br />

of Christian faith. The Dean of the Chapel, as well as faculty, also offer other<br />

opportunities for such exploration beyond the classroom setting. Among these<br />

are Bible studies, worship planning groups, and opportunities to explore the<br />

connections between spiritual life and other aspects of one’s life. Services are<br />

also offered on campus for Catholic masses and Quaker Meetings. In addition,<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong> encourages the exploration of religious belief and practices in the<br />

larger society through the many and varied opportunities it offers students to<br />

actively participate in community service and public life beyond the college<br />

campus (see Chapter 5).<br />

In 2007, Stephen McGrew, BA, joined the <strong>Wesleyan</strong> staff as Coordinator of<br />

Church Relations. He works closely with the recruitment and retention of United<br />

Methodist students but also promotes <strong>Wesleyan</strong> through the United Methodist<br />

Church.<br />

The physical presence of the Chapel provides a visible reminder of <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s<br />

commitment to the integration of intellectual, spiritual, and social concerns.<br />

Much of what happens at <strong>Wesleyan</strong> supports this commitment to United<br />

Methodist principles. However, the difficulty remains of how to integrate<br />

spiritual life into the mainstream of the <strong>Wesleyan</strong> experience without being or<br />

becoming invasive.<br />

54


Criterion One:<br />

Mission and Integrity<br />

Environmental Stewardship<br />

Environmental stewardship is lifted up in the Statement of Mission as a<br />

commitment to “appreciation for the natural world and the judicious use of<br />

resources.” The institution demonstrates its commitment to environmental<br />

stewardship in the classroom, through student organizations, and through<br />

campus planning. <strong>Wesleyan</strong> offers courses in environmental studies [18] as<br />

well as offering a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science and a Bachelor<br />

of Arts degree in Environmental Studies. Chapter 5 provides more detail on<br />

specific activities of student organizations with regard to environmental<br />

stewardship, such as the Sierra Student Coalition (Green Club).<br />

The Sustainability Task Force [48] is the most recent venue for environmental<br />

stewardship. This task force is a subcommittee of the Strategic Planning<br />

Committee. The task force is co-chaired by Assistant Professor of Biology Kim<br />

Bjorgo-Thorne, PhD, and Director of Leadership Development and Community<br />

Engagement LeeAnn Brown, MA, and has a membership body that includes<br />

representatives from faculty, staff, students, physical plant, and Aladdin Food<br />

Service, as well as student representatives from the Students in Free Enterprise<br />

(SIFE) and the Green Club. As seen on their Wiki page [48], the mission of this<br />

task force is “to create a culture of efficient resource use within our campus<br />

community and beyond without compromising the needs of our future. Through<br />

both curricular and co-curricular settings, the Task Force will engage faculty,<br />

staff, students, and community partners in this initiative to instill an appreciation<br />

of the natural world through personal responsibility.”<br />

Communication of Clear and Fair Policies<br />

The <strong>College</strong> Catalog<br />

The Vice-President for Academic Affairs is responsible for maintaining the<br />

accuracy of the annual <strong>College</strong> Catalog. Academic departments review their<br />

respective sections, adding, deleting, and updating courses, course descriptions,<br />

and curricular requirements as they have been approved by the Curriculum<br />

Council and Faculty Assembly. As a major document of the <strong>College</strong>, the Catalog<br />

includes significant policy statements including the Statement of Mission, the<br />

policy on academic integrity, and the non-discrimination policy. The 2008-2009<br />

<strong>College</strong> Catalog [249] was expanded to include a special section for Graduate<br />

Programs (p. 141-155). As of Fall 2009, <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s graduate programs and<br />

policies are described in a separate catalog [52].<br />

Academic Integrity<br />

Freedom of inquiry is affirmed in the Faculty Handbook [49], Section X. A.,<br />

describing Academic Freedom (p. 32). The <strong>College</strong>’s policy on academic freedom<br />

for faculty, affirmed by the Board of Trustees in 1952, is based on the 1940<br />

Statement of Principles on Academic Freedom and Tenure formulated by the<br />

55


Criterion One:<br />

Mission and Integrity<br />

Association of American <strong>College</strong>s and the American Association of University<br />

Professors. The Faculty Handbook also contains a Code of Professional<br />

Ethics (p. 32) that reminds faculty that all members of the academic profession<br />

“practice intellectual honesty” and that “professors encourage the free pursuit<br />

of learning in their students…. They protect the students’ academic freedom.”<br />

The Student Handbook [50] addresses students’ academic integrity (p. 9-11).<br />

The Handbook emphasizes the importance of integrity in contrast with academic<br />

dishonesty. It outlines procedures for dealing with instances of cheating,<br />

plagiarism, and other violations. It also publishes procedures students should<br />

follow in the event of arbitrary, inconsistent, or discriminatory grading. These<br />

policies are also summarized in the Undergraduate Catalog (p. 163) [18]. The<br />

2009-2010 Graduate Catalog (p. 34-36) [52] emphasizes academic integrity<br />

and fully explains plagiarism and the consequences for violations of academic<br />

integrity.<br />

Students who are dissatisfied with a final decision by the <strong>College</strong>’s review<br />

process file their written complaints to the President, Vice-President for<br />

Academic Affairs, Dean of Graduate Studies, or Vice-President for Student<br />

Development and Enrollment Management, depending upon the nature of<br />

the complaint. Copies of student complaints will be available in the Resource<br />

Room.<br />

Student Complaints<br />

In order to ensure policies are readily available to all members of the campus<br />

community, policies are documented in one or more of three handbooks—the<br />

Faculty Handbook [49], the Employee Handbook [28], or the Student Handbook<br />

[50]—one of which is issued to every new member of the <strong>College</strong> upon their<br />

arrival. Some policies have even more public posting, as identified below.<br />

<strong>West</strong> <strong>Virginia</strong> <strong>Wesleyan</strong> <strong>College</strong><br />

Policies on Equity, Fairness,<br />

and Integrity<br />

1) Discrimination/Affirmative Action<br />

a) Undergraduate Catalog 2009-2010 (p. 1 & 167)<br />

b) Admission Viewbook 2008 (p. 2)<br />

c) Faculty Handbook 1994 (revised 2006) (p. 28)<br />

d) Employee Handbook 2009 (p. 3 & 11)<br />

e) Student Handbook 2009-2010 (p. 13 & 39)<br />

f) Fact Book 2008-09 (p. 2)<br />

g) Graduate Catalog 2009-2010 (p. 1)<br />

2) Harassment Policies<br />

a) Faculty Handbook 1994 (revised 2006) (p. 26)<br />

b) Employee Handbook 2009 (p. 34)<br />

c) Student Handbook 2009-2010 (p. 22-23 & 31)<br />

d) Graduate Catalog 2009-2010 (p. 39-40)<br />

3) Conflict of Interest<br />

a) Faculty Handbook 1994 (revised 2006) (p. 31)<br />

56


Criterion One:<br />

Mission and Integrity<br />

4) Grievance Procedures<br />

a) Faculty Handbook 1994 (revised 2006) (p. 27 & 46)<br />

b) Employee Handbook 2009 (p. 35-36)<br />

5) Statement of Mission<br />

a) Undergraduate Catalog 2009-10 (p. 7)<br />

b) Graduate Catalog 2009-10 (p. 6)<br />

c) Student Handbook 2009-2010 (p. 4)<br />

d) Employee Handbook 2009 (p. 2)<br />

e) “About Us”, <strong>Wesleyan</strong> website<br />

f) Fact Book 2008-2009 (p. 5)<br />

6) Academic Freedom<br />

a) Faculty Handbook 1994 (revised 2006) (p. 25)<br />

7) Code of Professional Ethics<br />

a) Faculty Handbook 1994 (revised 2006) (p. 25)<br />

8) Student Code of Conduct<br />

a) Student Handbook 2009-2010 (p. 33)<br />

b) Graduate Catalog 2009-2010 (p. 39)<br />

9) Alcohol and Drug Abuse Policy<br />

a) Student Handbook 2009-10 (p. 28)<br />

b) Faculty Handbook 1994 (revised 2006) (p. 28)<br />

c) Employee Handbook 2009 (p. 9)<br />

d) Graduate Catalog 2009-2010 (p. 41-44)<br />

10) Grade Appeal Process<br />

a) Faculty Handbook 1994 (revised 2006) (p. 30)<br />

b) Student Handbook 2009-2010 (p. 12)<br />

c) Graduate Catalog 2009-2010 (p. 36)<br />

11) Statement of Academic Integrity<br />

a) Undergraduate Catalog 2009-2010 (p. 163)<br />

b) Graduate Catalog 2009-2010 (p. 36)<br />

c) Student Handbook 2009-2010 (p. 11)<br />

12) Judicial Procedures<br />

a) Undergraduate Catalog 2009-2010 (p. 164)<br />

b) Student Handbook 2009-2010 (p. 37)<br />

13) Use of Copyrighted Materials<br />

a) Faculty Handbook 1994 (revised 2006) (p. 39)<br />

b) Student Handbook 2009-2010 (p. 10)<br />

c) WVWC Library website<br />

14) <strong>College</strong> Computing Guidelines<br />

a) Student Handbook 2009-2010 (p. 16)<br />

b) <strong>College</strong> Technology website<br />

15) Student Complaints<br />

a) Student Handbook 2009-2010 (p. 10-12)<br />

b) Graduate Catalog 2009-2010 (p. 36)<br />

57


Criterion One:<br />

Mission and Integrity<br />

Campus Publications for Internal and External Constituencies<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong> produces several publications to keep students, prospective<br />

students, parents, alumni, donors, and the community informed about campus<br />

developments. These include the Viewbook [51], Undergraduate Catalog [18],<br />

Graduate Catalog [52], the Orange Line Online [53], a Parents’ Newsletter [55],<br />

the monthly Faculty Bulletin [44], and monthly staff E-News [43] employee<br />

letter.<br />

The <strong>College</strong> website is the most visible and utilized resource provided by the<br />

<strong>College</strong> to communicate internally and externally. The <strong>Wesleyan</strong> website [56]<br />

provides a means for the <strong>College</strong> to communicate with its campus constituencies<br />

and beyond. Table 1.4 summarizes website usage for 2008 and the first<br />

eight months of 2009.<br />

Academic Year 2008 Calendar Year 2009 through August 18<br />

Visits<br />

1,253,773<br />

716,797<br />

Table 1.4:<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong> Website<br />

Usage by Year<br />

Absolute Unique Visitors<br />

Page Views<br />

Average Page Views<br />

New Visits<br />

161,003<br />

2,574,812<br />

2.05<br />

12.78%<br />

114,355<br />

1,588,771<br />

2.22<br />

14.76%<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong> publishes annual crime statistics on its website [58] as well as sends<br />

the information to the campus community via an annual email.<br />

Campus Crime Statistics<br />

Changes have been made in recent years to strengthen the <strong>College</strong>’s ability<br />

to communicate with its external publics. In 2005, the position of Director of<br />

Marketing and Communication was reorganized to provide a stronger and more<br />

strategic presence for <strong>Wesleyan</strong> with external constituencies. Furthermore,<br />

in 2008-2009 the Office of Sports Information was also reorganized with a<br />

full-time director.<br />

Admission, Credits, Program Length, and Tuition<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong> complies with the requirements of the Higher Education Opportunity<br />

Act 2008 in regard to credits (<strong>College</strong> Catalog [18],p. 149), program length<br />

(<strong>College</strong> Catalog [18]), and tuition (Undergraduate Catalog 2009-2010 [18]<br />

p.171-174; Graduate Catalog 2009-2010 [52], p. 10-11). All courses offered<br />

by the <strong>College</strong> are recorded in standard semester credit hours. For lecture and<br />

seminar classes, one credit hour is granted for every 50-minute class session<br />

58


Criterion One:<br />

Mission and Integrity<br />

in the course of a week during a 15-week semester. Laboratory, studio art,<br />

music performance, travel, and internship courses all require additional time,<br />

but some laboratories do not earn credit. Academic departments monitor<br />

semester credit hour equivalencies, with review by the Dean of the <strong>College</strong>.<br />

All programs have semester credit hour requirements typical for undergraduate<br />

and graduate institutions. The <strong>College</strong> requires a minimum of 120 semester<br />

hours for a bachelors degree. Students taking developmental coursework<br />

[59] through the Learning Center earn credits that do not apply to graduation<br />

requirements, and thus, may need extra time to complete a degree program.<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong> has expanded its graduate program offerings in recent years.<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s traditional Master of Business Administration program [52] (p.<br />

12-15) is a 42 credit hour program. The Five-Year Undergraduate/Master of<br />

Business Administration Program [18] (p. 42) is open to all undergraduates who<br />

elect to complete an undergraduate major within the business and economics<br />

department or an expanded business minor. The program articulates undergraduate<br />

and graduate study so that students can graduate after five years<br />

with a bachelors degree in their chosen major plus a Master of Business<br />

Administration degree. The program requires 120-141 hours of undergraduate<br />

work and 30-39 hours of graduate work.<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s Master’s in Education Program [52] (p. 23-30) began offering<br />

the MEd in multi-categorical special education in 2007. In 2008, the <strong>College</strong><br />

added a reading specialization program. Finally, in Fall 2009, the MEd<br />

Post-Baccalaureate Accelerated Initial Teaching Certification program began.<br />

Each of the three MEd programs requires 36 credit hours, including 18<br />

concentrated graduate credit hours in the student’s selected program. The<br />

Five-Year Undergraduate/Master’s in Education Program [18] (p. 78) is open<br />

to candidates for teacher certification. Five-year Master’s candidates typically<br />

begin their master’s program during their fourth year at <strong>Wesleyan</strong>. While they<br />

complete their undergraduate requirements, candidates also enroll in evening<br />

and weekend graduate courses during the fourth and fifth years.<br />

The Master of Science in Athletic Training [52] (p. 16-18) program began in<br />

Fall 2008. The program is a 12-month 36 credit hour curriculum that blends<br />

classroom instruction and real clinical experiences. This graduate program<br />

is designed for time efficiency so that graduates from any Commission on<br />

Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE) accredited curriculum can<br />

obtain an advanced degree in one calendar year. In addition, graduates can<br />

earn nationally recognized certifications as a Certified Athletic Trainer (ATC),<br />

Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS), and National Registry<br />

Emergency Medical Technician-Basic (NREMT-B) through respective optional<br />

courses.<br />

59


Criterion One:<br />

Mission and Integrity<br />

The newest graduate degree to be offered by <strong>Wesleyan</strong> is the Master of Science<br />

in Nursing [52] (p. 19-22) with a concentration in Nursing Education. The MSN<br />

program’s purpose is to develop well-prepared graduates for nursing teaching<br />

roles. This program enrolled its first class of students in Fall 2009 and is a<br />

37-credit hour program.<br />

The Undergraduate Catalog clearly states policies on academic progress and<br />

attendance [18] (p. 149-152). Students remain in good academic standing with<br />

a GPA of 2.0 or above. Those who do not meet this requirement are placed on<br />

academic probation. Graduate program academic policies [52] (p. 32) state<br />

that all graduate students must maintain a grade point average of at least 3.0<br />

to graduate and remain in good standing. Students who fail to attain a 3.0 are<br />

subject to probation and or dismissal.<br />

The <strong>College</strong> undergraduate [18] (p. 171-174) and graduate [52] (p. 10-11)<br />

tuition applies to all programs as listed in their respective catalogs. <strong>Full</strong>-time<br />

undergraduate students pay a single tuition rate for 12-17 hours per semester;<br />

part-time undergraduate students and all graduate level students pay per credit<br />

hour.<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong> distributes federal funds to students through the Pell Grant program,<br />

the SMART Grant Program, the Family Education Loan program, and federal<br />

campus-based programs. Administration of these funds is in full compliance<br />

with the requirements of the Higher Education Reauthorization Act. <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s<br />

Cohort Default rates for the three most recent years are 1.9 percent in FY2004,<br />

2.4 percent in FY2005, and 3.7 percent in FY2006. According to the United<br />

States Department of Education the FY2006 national cohort default rate<br />

is 5.2 percent and FY 2006 <strong>West</strong> <strong>Virginia</strong> cohort default rate is 8.7 percent.<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s default rates are well within the acceptable range for Title IV institutions.<br />

Supporting documentation is available in the Resource Room.<br />

Title IV funds<br />

The <strong>College</strong> has clear admissions policies for all students in the Undergraduate<br />

Catalog [18] (p. 167-170) and the Graduate Catalog [52] (p. 9-10) as well as on<br />

the Admissions website [70] and Graduate Programs web page [250]. Transfer<br />

policies are also described in both the Undergraduate Catalog [18] (p. 168) and<br />

Graduate Catalog [52] (p. 31).<br />

Admissions and Transfer Policies<br />

As <strong>Wesleyan</strong> begins to use more online tools for delivering course material, a<br />

conversation has begun regarding standards for verification of student identity.<br />

Currently, all undergraduate and graduate students taking online courses at<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong> use the Angel course system. Students using this system are required<br />

to log-on using their <strong>Wesleyan</strong> username and provide a password which is<br />

verified by Computing Services in order to gain access to the class site.<br />

Verification of Student Identity<br />

60


Criterion One:<br />

Mission and Integrity<br />

Contractual Relationships and Institutional Memberships<br />

As part of ensuring high quality service to its constituencies, <strong>Wesleyan</strong> strives<br />

for integrity in its partnerships and contractual arrangements.<br />

3-2 Engineering Program<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s 3-2 Engineering program has contractual agreements with <strong>West</strong><br />

<strong>Virginia</strong> University and the University of <strong>Virginia</strong>. The 3-2 program is described<br />

in the <strong>College</strong> Catalog [18] (p. 128). Students who enroll in this program attend<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong> for three years and then spend two years at the University of <strong>Virginia</strong><br />

to earn a MS in Engineering and a BS in Physics from <strong>Wesleyan</strong> or two years at<br />

<strong>West</strong> <strong>Virginia</strong> University to earn a BS in Engineering.<br />

Institutional Memberships<br />

The <strong>College</strong> holds memberships in the Appalachian <strong>College</strong> Association [62],<br />

The National Association of Independent <strong>College</strong>s and Universities [63], <strong>West</strong><br />

<strong>Virginia</strong> Independent <strong>College</strong>s and Universities, the American Association<br />

of <strong>College</strong>s for Teacher Education [64], the National Association of Schools<br />

and <strong>College</strong>s of The United Methodist Church [65], Campus Compact [66],<br />

the Council of Independent <strong>College</strong>s [67] and is an associate member of the<br />

Council on Graduate Schools [68].<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s athletic programs are affiliated with the <strong>West</strong> <strong>Virginia</strong> Intercollegiate<br />

Athletic Conference (WVIAC) and the National Collegiate Athletic Association,<br />

Division II. In 2008, there were 440 (37%) student athletes at the <strong>College</strong>.<br />

Table 1.5 shows a breakdown of student athletes by team and scholarships<br />

for 2006-2008. <strong>Wesleyan</strong> student athletes are highly successful on the field<br />

capturing seven WVIAC championships—men’s and women’s cross country,<br />

women’s soccer, softball, men’s tennis, men’s and women’s track and field—<br />

during the 2008-2009 year. In addition, in 2009, <strong>Wesleyan</strong> received the WVIAC<br />

President’s Cup and Commissioner’s Cup [69].<br />

61


Criterion One:<br />

Mission and Integrity<br />

Table 1.5: <strong>Wesleyan</strong> Student Athletes by Sport and Scholarship<br />

All Students Fall 2008 All Students Fall 2007 All Students Fall 2006<br />

Sports<br />

Number<br />

of<br />

Student<br />

Athletes<br />

Scholarship<br />

Student<br />

Athletes<br />

Walk On<br />

Student<br />

Athletes<br />

Number<br />

of<br />

Student<br />

Athletes<br />

Scholarship<br />

Student<br />

Athletes<br />

Walk On<br />

Student<br />

Athletes<br />

Number<br />

of<br />

Student<br />

Athletes<br />

Scholarship<br />

Student<br />

Athletes<br />

Walk On<br />

Student<br />

Athletes<br />

Percentage<br />

Scholarship<br />

Percentage<br />

Scholarship<br />

Percentage<br />

Scholarship<br />

Men’s Programs<br />

Baseball<br />

48<br />

28<br />

20<br />

58%<br />

53<br />

29<br />

24<br />

55%<br />

27<br />

15<br />

12<br />

56%<br />

Men’s Basketball<br />

20<br />

8<br />

12<br />

40%<br />

26<br />

15<br />

11<br />

58%<br />

14<br />

12<br />

2<br />

86%<br />

Men’s Cross Country<br />

and Track*<br />

35<br />

26<br />

9<br />

74%<br />

38<br />

22<br />

16<br />

58%<br />

44<br />

18<br />

26<br />

41%<br />

Football<br />

96<br />

59<br />

37<br />

61%<br />

107<br />

66<br />

41<br />

62%<br />

78<br />

56<br />

22<br />

72%<br />

Men’s Golf<br />

13<br />

7<br />

5<br />

54%<br />

14<br />

4<br />

10<br />

29%<br />

16<br />

5<br />

11<br />

31%<br />

Men’s Soccer<br />

31<br />

20<br />

11<br />

65%<br />

39<br />

22<br />

17<br />

56%<br />

28<br />

18<br />

10<br />

64%<br />

Men’s Swimming<br />

9<br />

8<br />

1<br />

89%<br />

12<br />

10<br />

2<br />

83%<br />

10<br />

9<br />

1<br />

90%<br />

Men’s Tennis<br />

17<br />

12<br />

5<br />

71%<br />

16<br />

5<br />

11<br />

31%<br />

10<br />

3<br />

7<br />

30%<br />

Totals<br />

269<br />

168<br />

100<br />

62%<br />

305<br />

173<br />

132<br />

57%<br />

227<br />

136<br />

91<br />

60%<br />

Percentage of <strong>Full</strong>-Time<br />

Undergraduate Men<br />

48.3%<br />

30.2%<br />

18.0%<br />

55.0%<br />

31.2%<br />

23.8%<br />

43.6%<br />

26.1%<br />

17.5%<br />

Number of <strong>Full</strong>-Time<br />

Undergraduate Men<br />

557<br />

555<br />

521<br />

Women’s Programs<br />

Women’s Basketball<br />

18<br />

15<br />

3<br />

83%<br />

21<br />

16<br />

5<br />

76%<br />

12<br />

12<br />

0<br />

100%<br />

Women’s Cross Country<br />

and Track*<br />

47<br />

37<br />

10<br />

79%<br />

37<br />

25<br />

12<br />

68%<br />

38<br />

23<br />

15<br />

61%<br />

Women’s Golf<br />

9<br />

6<br />

3<br />

67%<br />

8<br />

4<br />

4<br />

50%<br />

8<br />

0<br />

8<br />

0%<br />

Women’s Soccer<br />

32<br />

22<br />

10<br />

69%<br />

27<br />

20<br />

7<br />

74%<br />

24<br />

14<br />

10<br />

58%<br />

Softball<br />

25<br />

16<br />

9<br />

64%<br />

30<br />

19<br />

11<br />

63%<br />

20<br />

12<br />

8<br />

60%<br />

Women’s Swimming<br />

14<br />

12<br />

2<br />

86%<br />

6<br />

5<br />

1<br />

83%<br />

9<br />

6<br />

3<br />

67%<br />

Women’s Tennis<br />

11<br />

11<br />

0<br />

100%<br />

11<br />

6<br />

5<br />

55%<br />

11<br />

6<br />

5<br />

55%<br />

Volleyball<br />

15<br />

15<br />

0<br />

100%<br />

19<br />

11<br />

8<br />

58%<br />

10<br />

9<br />

1<br />

90%<br />

Totals<br />

171<br />

134<br />

37<br />

78%<br />

159<br />

106<br />

53<br />

67%<br />

132<br />

82<br />

50<br />

62%<br />

Percentage of <strong>Full</strong>-Time<br />

Undergraduate Women<br />

25.3%<br />

19.8%<br />

5.5%<br />

24.6%<br />

16.4%<br />

8.2%<br />

21.3%<br />

13.2%<br />

8.1%<br />

Number of <strong>Full</strong>-Time<br />

Undergraduate Women<br />

676<br />

647<br />

619<br />

All Student Athletes Totals<br />

440<br />

302<br />

137<br />

69%<br />

464<br />

279<br />

185<br />

60%<br />

359<br />

218<br />

141<br />

61%<br />

Percentage of<br />

Total Students<br />

36.6%<br />

25.1%<br />

11.4%<br />

38.6%<br />

23.2%<br />

15.4%<br />

31.5%<br />

19.1%<br />

1.3%<br />

Number of<br />

Total Students<br />

1233<br />

1202<br />

1140<br />

62<br />

* This number does not include those athletes who also participated in another sport during the year.


Criterion One:<br />

Mission and Integrity<br />

Audit and Financial Services<br />

The accounting firm of Gibbons and Kawash provides yearly auditing services<br />

to the <strong>College</strong>. Each year the <strong>College</strong> requests via letter an audit of the<br />

<strong>College</strong>’s financial statements for the year that ended in order to obtain an<br />

opinion as to whether the financial statements present <strong>College</strong>’s financial<br />

position and cash flows fairly . This audit report [11] submitted is reviewed by<br />

the Audit Committee, a subcommittee of the Finance Council of the Board of<br />

Trustees, and then submitted for approval to the Finance Council. <strong>Wesleyan</strong><br />

has continually received an unqualified opinion. The <strong>College</strong> provides a review<br />

of composite ratios and audits to the Higher Learning Commission each year.<br />

Reports from 2008 [60] and 2009 [61] are linked to this document.<br />

In addition, the <strong>College</strong>’s investment managers are required to sign an institutional<br />

investment policy that provides guidelines on what types of investments<br />

are allowed including a social choice clause. Investment managers are also<br />

monitored to ensure they follow the guidelines. Finally, members of the Board<br />

of Trustees, President’s Cabinet, President’s Council, and all budget managers<br />

sign a conflict of interest agreement [241]. In the agreement they agree to<br />

disclose any potential conflict of interest.<br />

Outsourced Services<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong> has two primary outsourced services, Aladdin Food Services and<br />

the Barnes and Noble bookstore. Both of these contracts are written to give<br />

the <strong>College</strong> shared decision-making powers in order to set the direction of<br />

business according to the <strong>College</strong>’s mission. Shared decision-making topics<br />

include pricing, customer relations, and expectations.<br />

In August 2007, the Physical Plant staff was restored as <strong>Wesleyan</strong> employees<br />

after being outsourced for several years to Sodexho-Marriott. A union contract<br />

is negotiated with Physical Plant staff until a plan is mutually agreed and voted<br />

upon. During negotiations the <strong>College</strong> requires that the contract be faithful to<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s mission, and employees follow rules of the <strong>College</strong> as it pertains to<br />

non-discrimination and behavioral expectations of employees.<br />

Construction Contracts<br />

The <strong>College</strong> has recently opened one newly constructed building and is in the<br />

process of opening a second newly constructed building. The <strong>Virginia</strong> Thomas<br />

Law Center for the Performing Arts opened in April 2009 and the David E.<br />

Reemsnyder Research Center is expected to open January 2010. Both<br />

construction contracts were negotiated with outside contractors within the<br />

mission of the <strong>College</strong>. Transparency clauses ensure that outside contractors<br />

pay bills and maintain employee rights as well as are fully insured and licensed.<br />

Protocol requirements, such as acceptable behavior on a <strong>College</strong> campus and<br />

maintaining an environment safe for students and workers, are included in the<br />

contract. Also included in the contracts are equal opportunity and non-discriminatory<br />

clauses.<br />

63


Criterion One:<br />

Mission and Integrity<br />

Several small agreements have been made through resolutions with the City<br />

of Buckhannon mainly for use of land. Two examples include a Community<br />

Garden [289] used by the Upshur County Parish House to grow produce for<br />

low-income families and the Buckhannon River Walk [239].<br />

City of Buckhannon<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong> also participates in two consortia. The first, Educational Institutional<br />

Insurance Administrators [240], serves as the <strong>College</strong>’s sole insurance group.<br />

This group is a co-operative among several church-related colleges and allows<br />

the <strong>College</strong> to pool resources with similar organizations for all insurance<br />

including health, property/casualty, life, athletics, etc.<br />

Consortia<br />

Second, the Institutional Cooperative Enterprises (ICE) is a consortium of<br />

seven colleges. The goal of this consortium is the standardization of Internet<br />

technology systems such as Datatel, payroll digital imaging, etc. The president<br />

of each college, along with chief financial officers and Internet technology<br />

directors, sit on the ICE board. Guidelines from this consortium are set by their<br />

bylaws.<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong> holds no other institutional accreditation other than its accreditation<br />

by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of<br />

<strong>College</strong>s and Schools. Information about its accreditation status is included in<br />

the Undergraduate Catalog [18] (p. 10-11), Graduate Catalog [52] (p. 8), <strong>College</strong><br />

website [71], and Viewbook [51] as quoted here.<br />

Accreditation<br />

<strong>West</strong> <strong>Virginia</strong> <strong>Wesleyan</strong> is accredited by The Higher Learning<br />

Commission, A Commission of the North Central Association<br />

of <strong>College</strong>s and Schools (30 North LaSalle Street, Suite 2400,<br />

Chicago, IL 60602-2504; telephone 1-800-621-7440) and<br />

approved by the University Senate of The United Methodist<br />

Church. It is a member of the National Association of Schools<br />

of Music and is approved by the <strong>West</strong> <strong>Virginia</strong> Department of<br />

Education and the National Council for the Accreditation of<br />

Teacher Education (2010 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Suite<br />

500, Washington, DC 20036; telephone 1-202-466-7496).<br />

The <strong>College</strong> participates in the Interstate Certification Project,<br />

whereby a number of states certify teachers graduating from<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s Department of Education. The nursing program<br />

is accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting<br />

Commission (3343 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 500, Atlanta, GA<br />

30326, telephone 404.975.5000) and approved by the State of<br />

<strong>West</strong> <strong>Virginia</strong> Board of Examiners for Registered Nurses. The<br />

athletic training program is accredited by the Commission on<br />

64


Criterion One:<br />

Mission and Integrity<br />

Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE). Degree<br />

programs offered in business and economics, including the<br />

Master of Business Administration program, are accredited by<br />

the International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education.<br />

Summary of Criterion One<br />

The strengths of the <strong>College</strong> based on the review of this criterion are as follows:<br />

• A Statement of Mission is widely disseminated and<br />

understood by faculty and staff and students.<br />

• A living strategic planning process that adapts to<br />

the changing needs of current and future students while<br />

balancing the long-term commitment to the overriding<br />

values of the Statement of Mission.<br />

• A strong relationship with the United Methodist Church.<br />

• A faculty governance and institutional committee<br />

structure that invites collaboration among faculty, staff,<br />

students, trustees, and alumni.<br />

• An established process to insure the accuracy and<br />

consistency of campus publications.<br />

• Policies that promote academic freedom while upholding<br />

academic integrity.<br />

The challenges of the <strong>College</strong> based on the review of this criterion are as follows:<br />

• Continue to improve the appreciation of diversity in many<br />

forms among students, faculty, and staff.<br />

• Continue to improve communication among faculty, staff,<br />

administration, trustees, and alumni.<br />

• Continue to meet the challenges of the changing face of<br />

higher education, especially the traditional liberal arts<br />

college as it lives its Mission.<br />

65


Criterion Two:<br />

Preparing for the Future<br />

The organization’s allocation of resources and its processes for evaluation and planning demonstrate its capacity<br />

to fulfill its mission, improve the quality of its education, and respond to future challenges and opportunities.<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong> strengths are in its teaching and its programs that span degree<br />

offerings from the baccalaureate to the masters. Nevertheless, the <strong>College</strong>’s<br />

strengths, like those of many other colleges and universities, are currently<br />

being tested by many internal and external forces. Recognizing and successfully<br />

meeting today’s challenges in higher education requires reflection on<br />

the past and planning for the future so that <strong>Wesleyan</strong> can move beyond its<br />

present accomplishments. This chapter of the self-study explains <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s<br />

processes for looking forward and planning for the future. Because the power<br />

of planning is inextricably linked to financial resources and effective budgeting,<br />

a large portion of this chapter is devoted to <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s resource base and its<br />

management.<br />

67


2a. The organization realistically prepares for a<br />

future shaped by multiple societal and economic trends.<br />

Criterion Two:<br />

Preparing for the Future<br />

The <strong>College</strong> has been engaged in planning in one form or another over the past<br />

decade. Between 2000 and 2003, the Committee on Plans was functioning<br />

as the planning body for <strong>Wesleyan</strong>. Chaired by the President, its membership<br />

consisted of the President’s Cabinet, six elected faculty, and several staff. This<br />

planning group recommended the priorities for the Capital Campaign as well<br />

as other initiatives being considered at that time. Beginning in Fall 2003 with<br />

a Board-mandated team, strategic planning from 2003-2006 was based on<br />

financial emergencies and focused on prioritizing academic programs and<br />

cost-cutting measures. The Prioritization <strong>Study</strong> of 2003-2004 [2] resulted in<br />

an indepth analysis of academic program strengths and weaknesses. Specific<br />

recommendations were based on an analysis of need, budget requirements,<br />

and strengths for each program. This information was used later in the decision<br />

to grow some programs while scaling others back as well as eliminating the<br />

physics and nursing programs. Both nursing and physics were reinstated in<br />

2006-2007. Building upon this effort, <strong>Wesleyan</strong> began a continuous planning<br />

cycle in 2007 that is updated and reviewed each year to adjust priorities, adapt<br />

to environmental changes, create a sound understanding of the <strong>College</strong>’s<br />

capacity, and establish an on-going review of progress for priority projects.<br />

Strategic Planning<br />

The strategic planning document is presented to the Board of Trustees [72]<br />

each year. The 2008-2011 strategic planning process began in Spring 2007.<br />

After taking the summer and fall of 2007 to gather data and form a planning<br />

structure, the 2008-2011 Plan [34] was developed and presented to the Board<br />

at its February meeting. The 2008-2011 Executive Summary [32] describes<br />

plans focused on seven institutional priorities: (1) Enrollment - admission and<br />

retention; (2) Protecting and enhancing the endowment; (3) Improving facilities,<br />

especially student housing and recreational facilities; (4) Improving faculty<br />

and staff compensation; (5) Service learning and community engagement; (6)<br />

Funding for the <strong>Virginia</strong> Thomas Law Center for Performing Arts and David E.<br />

Reemsnyder Research Center; and (7) Increased unrestricted giving during the<br />

2008-2009 academic year.<br />

The next planning cycle began with reviewing, revising, and updating the<br />

2008-2011 Plan with the intention of moving forward on institutional priorities<br />

while also adjusting to the changing external economic climate. The 2009-2012<br />

Plan [73] focuses on making progress on the previously established goals<br />

while prioritizing [30]: (1) Growing quality academic programs; (2) Refreshing<br />

technology; (3) Addressing deferred maintenance and safety concerns; and<br />

(4) Campus facilities master planning. While it may appear that the planning<br />

process is adding priorities each year, the 2009-2012 priorities are seen as<br />

more specific targets of the 2008-2011 goals. For example, addressing deferred<br />

maintenance and the campus facilities master plan is part of the overall priority<br />

of improving facilities (priority #3 in 2008). Technology refresh is an important<br />

aspect of both student and faculty recruitment and retention (priority #1) and<br />

68


Criterion Two:<br />

Preparing for the Future<br />

improving faculty and staff compensation (priority #4) is seen as a benefit and a<br />

contributing factor in faculty and staff morale. Finally, growing quality academic<br />

programs is essential to accomplish the priority of improving enrollment and<br />

retention (priority #1) as well as being a strong aspect of the community<br />

engagement effort (priority #5).<br />

The structure of the current strategic planning process was created to purposefully<br />

involve members from all levels and contexts throughout the organization<br />

and to establish feedback loops that always lead back into the strategic planning<br />

process. Figure 0.A in the Preface chapter shows the structure as established in<br />

Spring 2007. It is important to note that the Accreditation Steering Committee<br />

as well as the Assessment Council feed into the planning process to help ensure<br />

that assessment provides a strong basis for the <strong>College</strong>’s planning efforts.<br />

Throughout the planning process, the <strong>College</strong> continuously collects headcount<br />

and full-time enrollment (FTE) [1] data and information regarding space<br />

utilization of classrooms, labs, and other facilities. A major priority of the<br />

2008-2011 Strategic Plan [34] was to conduct a Space Utilization <strong>Study</strong> [74],<br />

in preparation for the development of a Campus Facilities Master Plan [75],<br />

utilizing the expertise of outside consultants in Summer 2009. The results of this<br />

study will provide recommendations and actions for the allocation and reallocation<br />

of space according to <strong>College</strong> priorities. The consultants will present<br />

their recommendations to the Board of Trustees in October 2009; reports and<br />

recommendations will be available in the Resource Room.<br />

One example of the use of data collected from the planning process was the<br />

<strong>College</strong>’s decision to move forward with the renovation of Fleming Hall, one of<br />

the <strong>College</strong>’s oldest residence halls. Comments and direction from the Board<br />

of Trustees led to an analysis of the current housing capacity in comparison to<br />

projected enrollment. This information was combined with feedback gleaned<br />

from enrolled and prospective student surveys and the results indicated a clear<br />

need to address quality of housing in order to remain competitive, increase<br />

student satisfaction, and also ensure an adequate number of living spaces on<br />

campus. As a result, the renovation project [76] began in November of 2008<br />

and was completed in time for students to move in for the Fall 2009 semester.<br />

Perhaps the largest factor in current <strong>College</strong> planning is economic trends. In<br />

2007, prior to the current economic downturn, the <strong>College</strong> put into place a<br />

new budgeting cycle that aids in financial planning and maintaining a balanced<br />

budget. The <strong>College</strong> adapted its standard practices by changing the cycle so<br />

that the final budget for each year is presented and approved by the Board<br />

of Trustees in October rather than in the spring. This alteration allows the<br />

<strong>College</strong> to compare and analyze enrollment and other statistics, as well as to<br />

base the <strong>College</strong>’s budget on actual revenue rather than projections. These<br />

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changes provide financial flexibility as actual data become available. Much of<br />

the discussion and the final decision of the Board of Trustee’s Finance Council<br />

centered on the implementation of a new three-year planning cycle designed<br />

to (1) reduce the <strong>College</strong>’s reliance on endowment earnings, (2) avoid invading<br />

corpus, and (3) re-design the structure of the budget under the leadership of<br />

a new CFO. The minutes (May 4, 2007 [77] and October 18, 2007 [78]) of the<br />

Finance Council provide evidence of the process in which this change occurred.<br />

The minutes state that even while the budget development is underway during<br />

the spring and summer, a serious examination needs to occur relative to the<br />

assumptions upon which the budget is to be based. There has been a shift<br />

away from a budget based on expenses that usually required gap-filling, toward<br />

the development of a budget based on actual revenue.<br />

Throughout the past decade, <strong>Wesleyan</strong> also has changed its Financial Aid<br />

and Admission strategies, ultimately creating financial aid packaging that is<br />

focused on first-year students. The first change came in 2005. Prior to 2005,<br />

Admission and Financial Aid had one director. In 2005, the two areas split with<br />

Financial Aid moving to report to the Vice President for Finance. In Fall 2005<br />

the Director of Admission was reassigned as the Director of Marketing and<br />

Communication, leaving the Director of Admission position unfilled. Performa<br />

[79], an outside consulting group, was contracted to manage <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s<br />

Admission function for the 2005-2006 year, which recruited the class entering<br />

in Fall 2006. The <strong>College</strong> also considered, with Performa’s help, changes in<br />

pricing and scholarship strategies during that year. After extensive investigation<br />

the <strong>College</strong> decided not to reduce tuition, but to freeze it for 2006-2007. This<br />

was an extremely challenging year with a first-year class of only 291 students.<br />

Despite this small incoming class size, Performa’s help did improve the tools<br />

that the Admission and Financial Aid offices use for predictive modeling and<br />

financial leveraging.<br />

Financial Aid and Admissions<br />

In Fall 2007, in order to remain competitive, <strong>Wesleyan</strong> increased the dollar<br />

amounts of academic scholarship awards. These scholarship awards were<br />

increased again for the Fall 2009 semester in anticipation of a tuition and fee<br />

rate increase, which, instead, became a tuition freeze due to the economic<br />

downturn. Through the use of the <strong>College</strong>’s leveraging system, <strong>Wesleyan</strong> was<br />

able to increase enrollment while only slightly increasing financial aid exposure<br />

for new students in Fall 2009.<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s financial aid packaging essentially falls into two categories.<br />

1. Students who are packaged based on high school<br />

academic credentials and financial need (Matrix<br />

Packaging) possibly with small talent (performing arts)<br />

scholarships as a part of their awards. Bonner Scholars<br />

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are a part of the matrix group because there is a need<br />

component to those awards.<br />

2. Students who fall into special categories and areas<br />

awarded outside of the regular parameters. The main<br />

groups of students that fall into this category are athletes<br />

with scholarships and those with domestic and<br />

international tuition exchange.<br />

The Director of Institutional Research has developed monitoring reports and<br />

predictive analyses to assist in goal setting for each of the groups.<br />

The <strong>College</strong> has made the most progress in maximizing tuition and fee net<br />

revenue for those with packaging based on high school academic credentials<br />

and financial need, as shown in Table 2.1. One tool used in the predictive<br />

and monitoring process is LogicAID, suggested by Performa. LogicAID uses<br />

a regression analysis to estimate changes in yield rates dependent upon<br />

the amount of financial aid awarded for those students packaged based on<br />

academic merit and need. The Institutional Research office has also used<br />

more detailed breakdowns to fine-tune this process. Each year the Director<br />

of Admission, Director of Financial Aid, Director of Institutional Research,<br />

Vice-President for Enrollment Management, and Vice-President for Finance<br />

review historical data and environmental factors and develop a strategy for the<br />

next year. For this group of students the improvement in number of students<br />

and net revenue has been evident.<br />

Table 2.1:<br />

Tuition and Fee Net Revenue for<br />

First-time <strong>Full</strong>-time Students<br />

with Financial Aid Packages<br />

Based on Academic Credentials<br />

and Financial Need<br />

(Matrix Packaging)<br />

Academic Year<br />

2006<br />

2007<br />

2008<br />

2009<br />

(Estimated as of<br />

August 8, 2009)<br />

Number<br />

Students<br />

218<br />

298<br />

286<br />

323<br />

Tuition and Fee Net<br />

Revenue Per Student<br />

$9267<br />

$8118<br />

$9273<br />

$9031<br />

Total Tuition<br />

and Fees<br />

$2,020,400<br />

$2,419,165<br />

$2,652,140<br />

$2,916,948<br />

The second group, primarily students with athletic scholarships, is differentiated<br />

from walk-on student athletes, who are included in the Matrix Packaging above.<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong> is a NCAA Division II institution and, as such, awards athletic scholarships<br />

according to the guidelines provided by the NCAA. The financial aid<br />

regulations associated with Division II athletics have been a financial challenge<br />

for the institution since moving to NCAA Division II from the NAIA in 1994. In<br />

2006, <strong>Wesleyan</strong> awarded scholarships well below the NCAA Division II average<br />

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in an effort to limit financial aid exposure. In 2007, in an effort to increase overall<br />

enrollment, <strong>Wesleyan</strong> increased athletic scholarships to very close to the NCAA<br />

Division II maximum and increased the squad size requirement for each team.<br />

The financial success of the athletic scholarship program is currently being<br />

evaluated. Table 2.2 shows the net revenue from students in this category<br />

during the past four years.<br />

Academic Year<br />

2006<br />

Number<br />

Students<br />

63<br />

Tuition and Fee Net<br />

Revenue Per Student<br />

$ 4950<br />

Total Tuition<br />

and Fees<br />

$ 311,850<br />

Table 2.2:<br />

Tuition and Fee Net Revenue for<br />

First-time <strong>Full</strong>-time Students with<br />

Athletic Scholarships<br />

2007<br />

98<br />

$ 1660<br />

$ 162,680<br />

2008<br />

90<br />

$ 1540<br />

$ 138,600<br />

2009<br />

(Estimated as of<br />

August 8, 2009)<br />

88<br />

$ 122<br />

$ 10,736<br />

Table 2.3 shows the average net revenue for all students during the past four<br />

years.<br />

Academic Year<br />

2006<br />

Number<br />

Students<br />

292<br />

Tuition and Fee Net<br />

Revenue Per Student<br />

$ 8320<br />

Total Tuition<br />

and Fees<br />

$ 2,429,500<br />

Table 2.3:<br />

Tuition and Fee Net Revenue for<br />

All First-time <strong>Full</strong>-time Students<br />

2007<br />

403<br />

$ 6686<br />

$ 2,694,357<br />

2008<br />

382<br />

$ 7539<br />

$ 2,879,960<br />

2009<br />

(Estimated as of<br />

August 8, 2009)<br />

414<br />

$ 7144<br />

$ 2,957,504<br />

Data collection and monitoring of practices allowed the Admission office to<br />

create a comprehensive Enrollment Management Plan [80] that was presented<br />

to the Board of Trustees during the January 2008 plenary session [81] and put<br />

into practice for the 2009-2010 first-year class. Recognizing that evaluating<br />

the effectiveness of the athletic scholarship program without the context of the<br />

overall financial aid program leaves out key pieces to the puzzle, a Presidentappointed<br />

committee was formed in August 2009 to review financial aid policies<br />

and practices in order to better leverage institutional aid.<br />

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Technology<br />

Planning documents also address the need for updating technology through<br />

the Technology Task Force of the Strategic Planning Committee. Each year the<br />

Technology Task Force updates a technology plan [72] for implementing new<br />

technology and upgrading current technology. Due to hard-pressed financial<br />

times over the past year, addressing the need for technology refresh has<br />

become increasingly difficult. The Technology Task Force keeps up-to-date<br />

information on needs so that the <strong>College</strong> may continue to consider technology<br />

in budgeting while at the same time seeking appropriate grant funding to meet<br />

some of the needs. The 2009-2012 Strategic Plan [73] identified technology<br />

refresh and bandwidth upgrades as a priority for the 2009-2010 academic year.<br />

As a result, the 2010 budget has reallocated funds to upgrade bandwidth and<br />

buy some new computers.<br />

Globalization<br />

Keeping pace with trends in globalization has always been a challenge for<br />

an institution somewhat isolated in the hills of <strong>West</strong> <strong>Virginia</strong>. The <strong>College</strong> is<br />

focused on improving programs and efforts in this area and has launched<br />

several initiatives to this end.<br />

First, a group of three faculty submitted a successful Mellon Foundation<br />

grant proposal in Fall 2007 to the Appalachian <strong>College</strong> Association (ACA)<br />

for assistance in determining how to address globalization issues. As part of<br />

the grant, three faculty from <strong>Wesleyan</strong> joined two to three faculty from each<br />

of 15 other ACA and Historically Black <strong>College</strong>s and Universities who also<br />

received grants. Together they participated in two globalization conferences<br />

at the Salzburg Global Seminar [85]. These seminars, in January 2008 and<br />

2009, focused on the development of a plan and program for deeper global<br />

opportunities for students and faculty. Vice-President of Academic Affairs Larry<br />

Parsons, DMA, Professor of Communication and Dean of Graduate Studies<br />

and Extended Learning Kathleen Long, PhD, and Professor of History Robert<br />

Rupp, PhD, attended the January 2008 seminar. The second seminar in January<br />

2009 was attended by Chair of the Music Department and Professor of Music<br />

Melody Meadows, DMA, Dean of Community Engagement Kimberly Elsener,<br />

PhD, and Kathleen Long. As a result of attending these sessions, the Global<br />

Awareness Infusing Networks of Service [86] (GAINS) project was created and<br />

is being implemented on campus.<br />

Second, a special partnership now exists with the Belize Foundation for<br />

Research for Environmental Education (BFREE) [82]). This partnership allows<br />

for short-term study travel courses for <strong>Wesleyan</strong> students during May Term<br />

where students experience cultural immersion, perform service projects with<br />

BFREE staff, and learn about Belizean culture. The first of these courses was<br />

conducted in May 2009 [83]. In addition, the experience has led to a research<br />

partnership [84] with the University of Belize through which two of their students<br />

conducted research on <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s campus during Summer 2009. Through the<br />

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GAINS Project, the <strong>College</strong> is also exploring establishing relationships leading<br />

to short-term travel study sites in South Africa, the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico,<br />

and Nicaragua. Each of these opportunities will focus on <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s mission of<br />

global citizenship through service by featuring service-learning as the primary<br />

teaching method. (More information on GAINS can be found in Chapter 4.)<br />

Third, the conversation concerning the need for enrichment of international<br />

and U.S. student experiences at <strong>Wesleyan</strong> has been renewed and is being<br />

discussed with the Academic Affairs Task Force of the Strategic Planning<br />

Committee. These discussions include the need for development of the<br />

culture and an infrastructure to support globalization on campus with regard to<br />

community service, civic engagement, and foreign language courses. In Spring<br />

2008, <strong>Wesleyan</strong> submitted an unsuccessful proposal [87 & 88] to the United<br />

States Department of Education for Title III funds that included several elements<br />

related to globalization. A committee continues to use readers’ comments from<br />

the Title III competition in order to improve its resubmission, tying each element<br />

to the Strategic Plan.<br />

Fourth, the goal of recruiting a more diverse and global student body is included<br />

in the 2009-2012 Strategic Plan [73]. Included under Goal One (Enrollment/<br />

Diversity) objective three states: “Increase diversity within the student body<br />

by 2 percent per year for the next three years to provide a ‘global’ learning<br />

experience for our students and our goal of helping students develop a greater<br />

appreciation and understanding of diverse others.” This objective is being<br />

addressed through the Enrollment Management Plan [80].<br />

As the <strong>College</strong> is located in the heart of Appalachia, enrolling students and<br />

employing faculty from many different backgrounds is a challenge. <strong>Wesleyan</strong> is<br />

an inclusive community, proud to welcome anyone regardless of cultural, political,<br />

religious, geographical, socioeconomic, or ethnic background. <strong>Wesleyan</strong> also has<br />

a large number of first-generation college students (Chapter 1). The <strong>College</strong> is<br />

constantly exploring ways to be more diverse and recognizes the value of this<br />

inclusiveness.<br />

In order to recognize trends and set appropriate priorities, the <strong>College</strong> engages in<br />

environmental scanning. The <strong>College</strong> constantly benchmarks itself against other<br />

institutions using data from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System<br />

(IPEDS). This information is provided in summary form in the <strong>College</strong>’s 2008-2009<br />

Fact Book [1].<br />

Environmental Scanning<br />

Building upon prior efforts to track key performance indicators across several<br />

institutional dimensions, benchmarking also occurs to determine higher<br />

education best practices. This scanning is focused on areas important in<br />

keeping the <strong>College</strong> competitive in attracting, retaining, and developing faculty,<br />

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staff, and students. For example, benchmarking in the area of faculty compensation<br />

[89] shows that the <strong>College</strong> continues to lag behind averages in the<br />

region and the comparison group (Lenoir-Rhyne <strong>College</strong>, Heidelberg <strong>College</strong>,<br />

Marietta <strong>College</strong>, Mount Union <strong>College</strong>, Muskingum <strong>College</strong>, Washington<br />

and Jefferson <strong>College</strong>, Waynesburg University, <strong>West</strong>minster <strong>College</strong>, Carson-<br />

Newman <strong>College</strong>, Lynchburg <strong>College</strong>, <strong>Virginia</strong> <strong>Wesleyan</strong> <strong>College</strong>, Bethany<br />

<strong>College</strong>, University of Charleston, and Wheeling Jesuit University).<br />

A 2002 survey [90] conducted by The Gallup Organization is further evidence of<br />

the <strong>College</strong>’s attention to what is happening within the marketplace, particularly<br />

in regard to price and the perception of the <strong>College</strong> by outside constituents.<br />

Based on this survey, the <strong>College</strong> decided not to follow the recommendation<br />

by a former Treasurer to lower tuition because <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s tuition already was<br />

perceived to be a bargain by those in the northeastern United States and some<br />

of the states surrounding <strong>West</strong> <strong>Virginia</strong>. These results were used to develop<br />

strategies for leveraging financial aid and tweaking individual matrix cell award<br />

targets.<br />

Environmental scanning has also played a key role in <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s effort for<br />

graduate and continuing education. A Fall 2007 survey [91] conducted by the<br />

Office of Institutional Research determined local need and interest in different<br />

types of continuing education and special interest programs. Four pilot courses<br />

or programs were offered in late Fall 2007 and Winter 2008, but enrollments<br />

were so low that they were removed from the schedule. This effort has now<br />

moved to the new Office of Graduate Studies and Extended Learning for further<br />

development. As new graduate programs are added, marketing research is<br />

conducted to ensure there is a need for a program. An example can be seen in<br />

the Master of Science in Nursing program proposal (p. 2-5) [92].<br />

The <strong>College</strong> does demonstrate innovation in several academic areas. One<br />

example is the Faculty Innovation Grant (FIG) [93] that encourages developing<br />

and revising curriculum delivery systems, as well as curricular redesign.<br />

Another example of innovation and change was the introduction of May Term<br />

in 2002. At that time, the <strong>College</strong> moved from what was known as January<br />

Term to May Term, which resulted in more flexible travel arrangements for the<br />

many travel courses typically offered in this term, as well as significant revenue<br />

enhancement and institutional cost savings, especially relative to faculty load<br />

and tuition income. The flexibility in May Term allows the <strong>College</strong> to offer<br />

traditional courses on campus and online, as well as study-travel courses both<br />

domestically and abroad, such as those described in the GAINS project.<br />

While keeping an eye on innovation and change, the <strong>College</strong> also holds dear<br />

those traditions and foundations on which the institution was built. The <strong>College</strong><br />

continues its commitment to the state of <strong>West</strong> <strong>Virginia</strong>, the United Methodist<br />

Church, and the “intersection of Christian faith and liberal education”. With only<br />

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minor changes over the years, the Articles of Incorporation [94], the Bylaws [40],<br />

the Board of Trustees council structure [40], and the faculty governance system<br />

[49] remain intact. There is always a need to refine and improve with regard to<br />

policies and procedures, but the critical aspects of the <strong>College</strong>’s mission and<br />

commitments remain constant.<br />

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2b. The organization’s resource base supports its educational programs<br />

and its plans for maintaining and strengthening their quality in the future.<br />

Endowment and Investments<br />

Table 2.4:<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong> Debt to Equity Ratio<br />

The <strong>College</strong>’s endowment and investment portfolio includes a large number<br />

of funded scholarships and other “rainy day” funds. The <strong>College</strong>’s debt-toequity<br />

ratios have been very favorable between 2003 and 2008 and the <strong>College</strong><br />

is deemed credit worthy, as evidenced by recently being able to secure bond<br />

funding to renovate Fleming Hall despite the market at the end of 2008. Table 2.4<br />

shows <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s fiscal strength relative to debt and equity. Due to the external<br />

economic environment the numbers in 2008-2009 are less favorable. <strong>Wesleyan</strong><br />

recognizes that this is a trend in the wrong direction, but believes that the<br />

<strong>College</strong>’s advancement opportunities, enrollment, and operations are expanding<br />

and getting stronger, which will help in bringing the ratios back down.<br />

2003 – 2004<br />

2004 – 2005<br />

2005 – 2006<br />

2006 – 2007<br />

2007 – 2008<br />

2008 – 2009**<br />

Total Net Assets<br />

$43,459,169<br />

$46,557,431<br />

$52,759,405<br />

$57,769,739<br />

$56,468,054<br />

$44,518,614<br />

Long Term Debt<br />

$10,992,888<br />

$9,504,369<br />

$10,027,262<br />

$9,764,409<br />

$10,569,863<br />

$15,592,764<br />

Ratio of Long Term<br />

Debt to Total Assest<br />

0.25<br />

0.20<br />

0.19<br />

0.17<br />

0.19<br />

0.35<br />

Line of<br />

Credit Balance<br />

$6,280,182<br />

$7,500,000<br />

$7,368,153<br />

$7,233,787<br />

$6,488,184<br />

$6,374,067<br />

Ratio of Combined<br />

Long Term Debt<br />

Plus Line of Credit<br />

As a Percentage of<br />

Total Net Assets<br />

0.40<br />

0.37<br />

0.33<br />

0.29<br />

0.30<br />

0.49<br />

** 2008-2009 financial numbers are based on the FY 2009 audit,<br />

which has not been approved by the Board at the time of this writing<br />

The <strong>College</strong>’s financial situation has improved during the past two years,<br />

as can be seen in its audited financial statements [10 & 11]. Financial audit<br />

statements from more than two years ago will be available in the Resource<br />

Room. In addition, several benchmarking scenarios related to financial aid,<br />

enrollment, and retention are found in the <strong>Wesleyan</strong> 2008-2009 Fact Book<br />

[1]. A Composite Financial Index (CFI) (available in the Resource Room) ratio<br />

analysis is conducted each fall and shows progress and movement toward<br />

better fiscal strength and stability. Although the <strong>College</strong>’s budget remains quite<br />

lean and much attention is paid to balancing the operating budget, the <strong>College</strong><br />

is gradually erasing cumulative deficits and trying to expand the physical plant<br />

through existing means while avoiding incurring additional long-term debt, as<br />

is the case with the new Performing Arts Center and Research Center. Table 2.5<br />

shows projections of major deficit reduction or elimination over the next several<br />

years. Note that these projections were prepared prior to the recent economic<br />

downturn; the projections may change as the current economic impact is felt<br />

by the <strong>College</strong>.<br />

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Beginning<br />

Unrestricted Assets<br />

2008<br />

(Actual)<br />

($12,956,982)<br />

2009<br />

(Budgeted)<br />

($12,782,628)<br />

2010<br />

(Projected)<br />

($7,182,628)<br />

2011<br />

(Projected)<br />

$317,372<br />

Table 2.5:<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong> Forecast of<br />

Unrestricted Net Assets<br />

Net Change in<br />

Assets P & L Effect<br />

$174,354<br />

$0<br />

$0<br />

$ 0<br />

Release from<br />

restrictions PAC<br />

$0<br />

$5,600,000<br />

$600,000<br />

$600,000<br />

Release from<br />

restrictions<br />

Reemsnyder<br />

$0<br />

$0<br />

$6,900,000<br />

$850,000<br />

Ending<br />

Unrestricted Assets<br />

($12,782,628)<br />

($7,182,628)<br />

$317,372<br />

$1,767,372<br />

The Dashboard [251] is an annual report created by the Office of Institutional<br />

Research to capture key financial and enrollment facts into a quick reference<br />

for administrative decision-making. Dashboard data and comparisons to<br />

benchmark schools allow <strong>Wesleyan</strong> to create a picture of its strengths and<br />

weaknesses. Below are some of the charts compiled for the Dashboard each<br />

year. Comparison data included after each chart are taken from the 2008-2009<br />

Fact Book [1]. <strong>Wesleyan</strong> uses these data to analyze information in order to ensure<br />

that education quality is met and supported by the allocation of its resources.<br />

Monitoring Trends<br />

Governing boards often track their institution’s selectivity according to the<br />

percentage of students that are accepted compared to those that apply. In<br />

2007-2008 <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s acceptance rate was 77 percent, compared to a 73<br />

percent comparison group median. The comparison group includes Asbury<br />

<strong>College</strong>, Kentucky <strong>Wesleyan</strong> <strong>College</strong>, Heidelberg <strong>College</strong>, Wilmington <strong>College</strong>,<br />

King <strong>College</strong>, Maryville <strong>College</strong>, Mary Baldwin <strong>College</strong>, <strong>Virginia</strong> <strong>Wesleyan</strong><br />

<strong>College</strong>, Bethany <strong>College</strong>, and University of Charleston. Other acceptance<br />

rates are in Figure 2.B.<br />

100%<br />

95%<br />

90%<br />

Figure 2.B:<br />

Applicants to Admit<br />

(selectivity and<br />

matriculation ratio)<br />

85%<br />

80%<br />

75%<br />

70%<br />

78.6%<br />

2005<br />

83.6%<br />

2006<br />

76.9%<br />

2007<br />

70.3%<br />

2008<br />

80.8%<br />

2009<br />

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Criterion Two:<br />

Preparing for the Future<br />

Significant tuition and fee increases every year may suggest financial instability.<br />

The national average in 2007-2008 was $32,326 and the average for comparison<br />

schools was $29,866. In an effort to maintain accessibility, <strong>Wesleyan</strong> maintained<br />

total costs below both of these averages with its tuition, room and board, and<br />

fees totaling $27,990. Comparison schools include Washington and Jefferson<br />

<strong>College</strong>, Albright <strong>College</strong>, Roanoke <strong>College</strong>, Lycoming <strong>College</strong>, Lynchburg<br />

<strong>College</strong>, <strong>West</strong>minster <strong>College</strong>, Duquesne University, Marietta <strong>College</strong>, Otterbein<br />

<strong>College</strong>, <strong>Virginia</strong> <strong>Wesleyan</strong> <strong>College</strong>, Wheeling Jesuit University, Elon University,<br />

University of Charleston, High Point University, Mount Union <strong>College</strong>, Wingate<br />

<strong>College</strong>, Bethany <strong>College</strong>, Davis and Elkins <strong>College</strong>, Muskingum <strong>College</strong>,<br />

Waynesburg University, and Grove City <strong>College</strong>. Figure 2.C shows tuition, fees,<br />

room, and board rates over the past five years.<br />

Figure 2.C:<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong> Tuition, Fees,<br />

Room and Board Rate<br />

(Tracked over 5 years)<br />

$30,000<br />

$28,000<br />

$26,000<br />

$24,000<br />

$22,000<br />

$20,000<br />

$18,000<br />

$16,000<br />

$14,000<br />

$12,000<br />

$10,000<br />

$8,000<br />

$6,000<br />

$29,350<br />

$26,880 $26,880 $27,990<br />

$25,733<br />

2004 – 2005 2005 – 2006 2006 – 2007 2007 – 2008 2008 – 2009<br />

Fiscal Year<br />

Figure 2.D shows Tuition, Fees, Room, and Board Net Revenue for several<br />

fiscal years. This is an area the <strong>College</strong> is working to improve by increasing<br />

enrollment and further analyzing financial aid policies.<br />

Fig 2.D:<br />

Net Tuition, Fees,<br />

Room and Board<br />

(Gross Tuition, Fees, Room<br />

and Board minus<br />

Institutional Gift Aid)<br />

$30.00<br />

$28.00<br />

$26.00<br />

$24.00<br />

$22.00<br />

$20.00<br />

$18.00<br />

$16.00<br />

$14.00<br />

$12.00<br />

$10.00<br />

$8.00<br />

$6.00<br />

Revenue in Millions<br />

$13.66 $13.15 $12.54<br />

$11.07 $10.80<br />

2004 2005 2006 2007 2008<br />

79


Criterion Two:<br />

Preparing for the Future<br />

As enrollment levels are the core of an institution’s health, changes in enrollment<br />

must be monitored closely. <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s Average FTE (undergraduate and<br />

graduate) in FY 2008 was 1203 compared to the comparison group’s 1165.<br />

See Figure 2.E for several years of tracking <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s freshmen to sophomore<br />

retention rates. The retention comparison group includes Asbury <strong>College</strong>,<br />

Kentucky <strong>Wesleyan</strong> <strong>College</strong>, Heidelberg <strong>College</strong>, Wilmington <strong>College</strong>, King<br />

<strong>College</strong>, Maryville <strong>College</strong>, Mary Baldwin <strong>College</strong>, <strong>Virginia</strong> <strong>Wesleyan</strong> <strong>College</strong>,<br />

Bethany <strong>College</strong>, and University of Charleston.<br />

1,600<br />

1,400<br />

1,200<br />

1,444<br />

1,301<br />

1,161 1,203<br />

1,251<br />

Figure 2.E:<br />

Average FTE Enrollment<br />

(Tracked over five years)<br />

1,000<br />

800<br />

600<br />

2005 2006 2007<br />

Fiscal Year<br />

2008 2009<br />

When a student does not return to college, this represents a loss both for<br />

the student and the institution. A low retention rate often reflects a mismatch<br />

between student needs and expectations and the institution’s culture and<br />

offerings. For the institution, low retention means bearing the cost of recruiting<br />

new students. As mentioned in Chapter 0b, <strong>Wesleyan</strong> is at or slightly above its<br />

peer group. See Figure 2.F for tracking of freshmen to sophomore retention over<br />

several years. The 2008-2009 Fact Book [1] has data for all student retention.<br />

with benchmark comparisons for enrollment and retention.<br />

85%<br />

80%<br />

Figure 2.F:<br />

Freshmen to<br />

Sophomore Retention<br />

(Tracked over five years)<br />

75%<br />

70%<br />

72%<br />

70%<br />

75%<br />

73%<br />

75%<br />

65%<br />

2005<br />

2006<br />

2007<br />

2008<br />

2009<br />

Fiscal Year<br />

80


Criterion Two:<br />

Preparing for the Future<br />

Graduation Rates are primarily extended retention rates and are strong indicators<br />

of institutional health. A high graduation rate implies that the institution is<br />

meeting the needs of its students. In 2007-2008 <strong>Wesleyan</strong> is at or above its<br />

peer group (Chapter 0b). Figure 2.G shows the four-, five-, and six-year rates<br />

from 1992 through 2005.<br />

Figure 2.G:<br />

Graduation Rates<br />

(Three-year, four-year,<br />

five-year, and six-year)<br />

Percentage of Entering Class Graduating<br />

60.0%<br />

55.0%<br />

50.0%<br />

45.0%<br />

40.0%<br />

35.0%<br />

30.0%<br />

25.0%<br />

20.0%<br />

15.0%<br />

10.0%<br />

5.0%<br />

0.0%<br />

3 Years Cum 4 Year Cum 5 Year Cum > 5 Year<br />

1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999<br />

Entering Year<br />

58.8%<br />

52.3%<br />

42.5%<br />

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005<br />

0.7%<br />

Instructional expenses per FTE student illustrates whether an institution is<br />

funding education at a consistent and comparable level with peer institutions.<br />

In 2007-2008 the comparison group median amount was $7387. This is an area<br />

where the <strong>College</strong> would like to improve, as Figure 2.H shows that <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s<br />

rate is below the peer group median for the past five years.<br />

Figure 2.H:<br />

Instruction Expense<br />

per FTE Student<br />

$10,000<br />

$8,000<br />

$6,000<br />

$4,543 $4,751 $4,969<br />

$6,125<br />

$5,831<br />

$4,000<br />

$2,000<br />

$0<br />

2004 2005 2006<br />

Fiscal Year<br />

2007 2008<br />

81


Criterion Two:<br />

Preparing for the Future<br />

The data presented indicate that <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s strengths lie in its selectivity, total<br />

tuition, fees, and room and board costs, average FTE enrollment, and retention<br />

and graduation rates. The <strong>College</strong> needs to seek improvement in net tuition<br />

and fee revenue and instructional expense per FTE.<br />

The availability of adequate financial resources is always an area of concern,<br />

especially as the <strong>College</strong> strives to attract and retain high quality faculty and<br />

staff, as well as to keep up with emerging trends in technology. <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s<br />

2008-2011 [34] and 2009-2012 [73] Strategic Plans identify these weaknesses<br />

and set strategies for overcoming them. In addition the 2008-2011 Plan [32]<br />

identified five priorities (see first page of this Chapter). These priorities led<br />

to resources being allocated to the Center for Community Engagement and<br />

funding a Dean of Community Engagement position during the 2008-2009<br />

academic year. Also during that year budgetary priority was given to an acrossthe-board<br />

3 percent increase in faculty and staff wages. The 2009-2012 Plan<br />

[73] focuses on making progress in the previously established priorities while<br />

prioritizing [30] four new areas. Similar to last year, budgeting decisions are<br />

being made to help address these priorities, particularly refreshing technology<br />

and addressing deferred maintenance.<br />

Strategic Planning and Resources<br />

As resources are used more strategically, the goal is that both enrollment and<br />

retention numbers increase. Over the past ten years <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s enrollment<br />

has ebbed and flowed. The 2008-2009 Fact Book [1] (p. 13) demonstrates this<br />

pattern but also shows steady increase in a total fall undergraduate enrollment<br />

(FTE) from 1140 in 2006-2007 to 1202 in 2007-2008 to 1233 in 2008-2009 to<br />

1321 in 2009-2010. <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s retention rate has also seen some ups and<br />

downs (p. 22), but the <strong>College</strong> believes it is in a strong position to improve<br />

retention in the future.<br />

The <strong>College</strong> considers its human resources to be a strong base for its<br />

educational programs. This can be demonstrated in recent decisions to hire a<br />

Dean of Graduate Studies and Extended Learning [95] and a Dean of Community<br />

Engagement [96] in Summer 2008 in order to better develop these programs.<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong> employs a full-time Director of Human Resources, networks with<br />

other administrators and organizations involved in similar work, and makes use<br />

of its membership in national, regional, and professional organizations, such<br />

as the <strong>College</strong> and University Professional Association for Human Resources<br />

(CUPA.HR), in order to maintain and update its benchmark information. A<br />

special Board-level Compensation Committee [89] studied the salaries and<br />

benefits of <strong>College</strong> employees and has concluded that benefits seem to be on<br />

par with benchmarked institutions, but salaries still need attention.<br />

Human Resources<br />

82


Criterion Two:<br />

Preparing for the Future<br />

Another important occurrence related to the effective use of human resources is<br />

the decision to end the outsourcing of the <strong>College</strong>’s maintenance and custodial<br />

staff. Since severing ties with an outside management group in August 2007,<br />

the <strong>College</strong> now has more flexibility in utilizing its employees, has an improved<br />

level of service, and is more cost effective. A new five-year contract has been<br />

negotiated with the Laborers’ International Union of North America, Local 814,<br />

and members ratified the contract in Fall 2008.<br />

Investment in the Future<br />

An area where the <strong>College</strong> is attempting to be forward-looking, but is<br />

struggling with financial resources, is technology. While technology upgrades<br />

and equipment refreshes have lagged in recent years, the Institutional<br />

Cooperative Enterprises [97] (ICE) consortium has been an innovative way<br />

to use a collaborative approach to administrative software implementation<br />

and support in a financially viable manner. Because administrative support,<br />

hardware, software, training, and other resources are shared, thus reducing<br />

costs to each institution, the program is cost effective for each institutional<br />

member. Each college’s portion of the shared costs is less than it would be if<br />

the services were procured outside the consortium. This consortium has the<br />

mission to “provide a basis for collaboration among its member schools, both<br />

in the sharing of information technology resources and in the consolidation<br />

of operating functions where practical.” There are currently seven member<br />

schools—University of Charleston, <strong>West</strong> <strong>Virginia</strong> <strong>Wesleyan</strong> <strong>College</strong>, Alderson-<br />

Broaddus <strong>College</strong>, Davis & Elkins <strong>College</strong>, Emory & Henry <strong>College</strong>, Nichols<br />

<strong>College</strong>, and Bethany <strong>College</strong>—seeking to realize efficiency and cost savings<br />

through innovation and collaboration.<br />

83


2c. The organization’s ongoing evaluation and assessment processes provide reliable evidence<br />

of institutional effectiveness that clearly informs strategies for continuous improvement.<br />

Criterion Two:<br />

Preparing for the Future<br />

At the institutional level, the success of an overall assessment system has not<br />

been consistent. Using the assessment matrix [98] designed by the Higher<br />

Learning Commission, the Accreditation Steering Committee rated <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s<br />

progress on assessment as of Spring 2009. Six of nine committee members<br />

returned surveys. The group determined that <strong>Wesleyan</strong> is in the “making<br />

progress” stage of the culture of assessment and recommended continued<br />

institutional progress toward the “maturing stage” of a culture of assessment<br />

at <strong>Wesleyan</strong>.<br />

One tool the <strong>College</strong> uses for assessment purposes is the TracDat program<br />

[99]. This is an assessment software program developed by Professor Emeritus<br />

Michael Choban, PhD, and is now being used by a number of other institutions<br />

[100]. The <strong>College</strong> uses TracDat as a common data system for storage<br />

and retrieval of information for analysis and assessment. The system permits<br />

the linkage of a wide array of evidence to specific goals and objectives within<br />

functional and organizational areas. The goals are tied to the organizational<br />

structure, strategic planning, and governance in support of achieving the<br />

<strong>College</strong>’s mission.<br />

TracDat<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s success in using TracDat across the curricular and co-curricular<br />

programs has been mixed. Several strategies have been employed to help<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong> embed assessment into all of the <strong>College</strong>’s efforts. For example,<br />

$1,000 was committed to every academic department to support a faculty<br />

member to learn and implement TracDat in 2005. The Executive Cabinet<br />

reaffirmed unanimous support of the TracDat program in 2008. The program<br />

allows departments and functional areas to tie their expected outcome goals and<br />

objectives to the institutional mission and goals, track progress, make observations,<br />

carry out analyses, and then tie results to improvement. Each academic<br />

program at <strong>Wesleyan</strong> uses TracDat to measure specific programs goals in<br />

relation to the four mission goals of <strong>Wesleyan</strong>. The Alignment of Assessment<br />

Unit Objectives Report [301] shows how each academic department’s objectives<br />

relate to the four mission goals. In addition, each Administrative Unit [302]<br />

has created goals that are assessed on an on-going basis. Recognizing that<br />

these essential support offices help facilitate the four <strong>Wesleyan</strong> mission goals,<br />

the assessable goals are often more process oriented than student learning<br />

orientated. Likewise, the Student Development area has also created goals<br />

[303] that support <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s mission. After goals and objectives have been<br />

set, TracDat allows each unit to enter a detailed assessment plan, results from<br />

assessment instruments, observations about those results, and action plans.<br />

Academic assessment summaries are discussed in Chapter 3; to view some<br />

assessment summaries in the Administrative and Student Development areas<br />

follow the links below in Table 2.6 and Table 2.7.<br />

84


Criterion Two:<br />

Preparing for the Future<br />

Table 2.6:<br />

Administrative<br />

Departments’ Assessments<br />

Administrative Departments’ Assessments<br />

Accounting<br />

Administrative Services<br />

Bookstore<br />

Food Services<br />

Human Resources<br />

Evidence List<br />

Number<br />

276<br />

253<br />

179<br />

292<br />

293<br />

Table 2.7:<br />

Student Development<br />

Departments’ Assessments<br />

Student Development Departments’ Assessments<br />

Academic and Career Counseling<br />

Campus Activities<br />

Health and Counseling Center<br />

Learning Center<br />

Residence Life<br />

Evidence List<br />

Number<br />

294<br />

295<br />

296<br />

297<br />

298<br />

The TracDat program and the assessment program in general have the potential<br />

to be highly effective. The <strong>College</strong> is investigating reasons that the program<br />

was not readily adopted throughout the entire campus, and seeking strategies<br />

to meet those challenges.<br />

Datatel<br />

The <strong>College</strong>’s institutional management information system is Datatel, which<br />

operates in cooperation with the ICE central support consortium arrangement.<br />

The <strong>College</strong> is highly invested in the maintenance and development of this<br />

system and the consortium arrangement while it continues to study its cost effectiveness<br />

and efficiency, especially in regard to report generation and customization<br />

of administrative modules to meet individualized institutional needs. The<br />

ICE organization has recently become committed to the development of its<br />

own strategic planning program aimed at revitalizing itself and assessing its<br />

own organizational effectiveness and <strong>Wesleyan</strong> looks forward to being a part<br />

of that process.<br />

85


Criterion Two:<br />

Preparing for the Future<br />

As mentioned in the beginning of this chapter, the <strong>College</strong>’s current, ongoing<br />

strategic planning program has been specifically designed to include a<br />

feedback loop and is tied to the Assessment Council and its efforts. In addition<br />

to receiving formal assessment feedback through the Assessment Council, the<br />

nature of the strategic planning process with its levels of involvement in task<br />

forces and subcommittees allows for informal feedback to rise up through the<br />

ongoing conversations.<br />

Strategic Planning<br />

Academic programs are assessed for their tie to the academic mission of the<br />

college through a cyclical program evaluation process. In 2001, three programs<br />

were reviewed: Psychology, Physics, and Christian Education. After that year,<br />

the program evaluation process was postponed and replaced with the prioritization<br />

study. After the Prioritization Plan [2] was published in 2004, there were<br />

several years of turmoil (as described in the history section of the Preface) when<br />

program reviews did not take place. Beginning in the 2008-2009 academic<br />

year, the program review process [38] was revived and the Assessment Council<br />

was charged with coordinating this effort. A program review process [39] for<br />

the departments in the Student Development area will be implemented during<br />

the 2009-2010 academic year.<br />

The Office of Institutional Research specializes in collecting and distributing institutional<br />

data to a wide variety of constituencies including the Board of Trustees,<br />

President’s Cabinet, President’s Council, Student Senate, Staff Assembly,<br />

and Faculty Assembly. Nationally-normed and institutional assessments are<br />

conducted on a cyclical basis with curricular and co-curricular modifications<br />

made as necessary. The schedule for major surveys is shown in Table 2.8.<br />

Institutional Research<br />

86


Criterion Two:<br />

Preparing for the Future<br />

Table 2.8:<br />

Schedule for Surveys<br />

Fall 2000 to Spring 2009<br />

Completed/<br />

Proposed Schedule<br />

for Surveys<br />

Fall 2009 to Spring 2014<br />

Academic<br />

Year<br />

In-House<br />

Housing<br />

Survey<br />

Technology<br />

Survey<br />

Graduating<br />

Student<br />

Survey<br />

CIRP<br />

Freshmen<br />

Survey<br />

SSI<br />

NSSE<br />

FSSE<br />

Alumni<br />

Survey<br />

CLA<br />

2000-2001<br />

Fall<br />

(All Students)<br />

Spring<br />

(Seniors/<br />

Random<br />

Others)<br />

Spring<br />

Fall ($800)<br />

2001-2002<br />

Fall<br />

(All Students)<br />

Spring<br />

(Seniors)<br />

Spring<br />

Fall ($800)<br />

Fall<br />

($2100)<br />

2002-2003<br />

Fall<br />

(All Students)<br />

Spring<br />

Fall ($800)<br />

Spring<br />

($2500)<br />

Spring<br />

($3500)<br />

2003-2004<br />

Fall<br />

(All Students)<br />

Spring<br />

(Seniors)<br />

Spring<br />

Fall<br />

($2100)<br />

Spring<br />

($3500)<br />

2004-2005<br />

Spring<br />

2005-2006<br />

Spring<br />

2006-2007<br />

Spring<br />

Fall<br />

In-House<br />

Student<br />

Satisfaction<br />

2007-2008<br />

Spring<br />

Fall<br />

($1525)<br />

Spring<br />

($3750)<br />

2008-2009<br />

Fall<br />

($1525)<br />

Spring<br />

Alumni<br />

Survey<br />

Fall (FR)<br />

Spring<br />

(SR)<br />

2009-2010<br />

Spring<br />

Fall<br />

($1525)<br />

Spring<br />

($2100)<br />

2010-2011<br />

Spring<br />

Fall<br />

($1525)<br />

Spring<br />

($3750)<br />

Spring<br />

($3750)<br />

2011-2012<br />

Spring<br />

Fall<br />

($1525)<br />

Fall (FR)<br />

Spring<br />

(SR)<br />

2012-2013<br />

Spring<br />

Fall<br />

($1525)<br />

Spring<br />

($2100)<br />

Spring<br />

- ACT<br />

Alumni<br />

($6,000)<br />

2013-2014<br />

Spring<br />

Fall<br />

($1525)<br />

Spring<br />

($3750)<br />

87


Criterion Two:<br />

Preparing for the Future<br />

The <strong>College</strong> supports these assessment efforts by providing resources for<br />

a Director of Institutional Research and the maintenance fee for the TracDat<br />

system. In addition funding is provided to support survey instrument costs<br />

through national services such as NSSE, CLA, and SurveyMonkey. Faculty<br />

Innovation Grants (FIGs) for assessment-based projects are available for<br />

individual faculty or academic departments, as shown in Table 2.9.<br />

Financial Support for Assessment<br />

Date Recepient FIG Subject<br />

2008<br />

2008<br />

Dr. Lynn Rupp<br />

Mr. Richard Schmitt<br />

Department of Education<br />

Assessment 2010<br />

Senior Creative Thesis Assessment<br />

Awards<br />

$2,100<br />

$2,100<br />

Table 2.9:<br />

Annual Assessment Faculty<br />

Innovation Grant Recipients<br />

2008 and 2009<br />

2008<br />

Dr. Jeanne Sullivan<br />

Alumni Survey for<br />

Departmental Assessment<br />

$2,100<br />

2008<br />

Dr. Pam Wovchko<br />

Assessment for Math Education<br />

Accreditation by NCATE<br />

$2,100<br />

2009<br />

Dr. Debbie Bush<br />

Preparation for WV Department of<br />

Education and NCATE Accreditation<br />

$2,100<br />

88


Criterion Two:<br />

Preparing for the Future<br />

2d. All levels of planning align with the organization’s mission,<br />

thereby enhancing its capacity to fulfill that mission.<br />

Through the planning process, the <strong>College</strong> looks specifically at its Statement of<br />

Mission for guidance. One example of this is the decision to focus on <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s<br />

Four mission goals as a basis for all assessment and planning efforts. As<br />

discussed in Chapter 1, the decision was made in 2007 to move away from the<br />

14 goals established for the institution in 1999 to focus solely on <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s four<br />

mission goals: thinking critically and creatively, communicating effectively, acting<br />

responsibly, and demonstrating local and world citizenship through service. This<br />

decision allows for a more cohesive planning and assessment throughout the<br />

campus.<br />

The planning process is directly aimed at gaining institutional consensus on the<br />

organizational priorities and then allocating resources toward achievement of<br />

those priorities. Linkage of planning and budgeting is an absolute must for the<br />

planning process to be successful and the structure for this is provided in the<br />

Prelude to Planning [101] document. Some examples of recent developments and<br />

projects that have become priorities for funding through the planning process are<br />

(1) the Fleming Hall renovation, (2) compensation increases, and (3) the Campus<br />

Facilities Master Plan project. Most recently, the Strategic Planning Committee<br />

[102] recommended bandwidth and computer refresh funding as priorities in the<br />

FY 2010 budget. This priority is being enacted during the 2009-2010 academic<br />

year.<br />

While the <strong>College</strong>’s mission remains constant, the world in which <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s<br />

students and faculty live and learn is constantly changing. In order to create<br />

effective learning environments consistent with <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s mission, the strategic<br />

planning process is a living and ongoing process and is not simply a document that<br />

rests on a shelf, but rather one that is actively referred to and used. The planning<br />

document is in no way intended to be permanent or unchanging. The <strong>College</strong><br />

must always maintain the ability to react to changes outside its control, as well as<br />

to take advantage of opportunities that might arise. The reprioritization of goals<br />

is likely as progress is made at the <strong>College</strong>. For example, the need to renovate<br />

residence halls became a priority based on feedback and input from Admission,<br />

the Faculty, the Board of Trustees, and students. In order to be adaptable to the<br />

ever-changing internal and external environment, the institution must also have<br />

a planning process that is flexible enough to respond to unexpected factors. As<br />

described in the first section of Chapter 2, the <strong>College</strong>’s current planning program<br />

is ongoing and continuous. The end of each yearly planning cycle is also the<br />

beginning of the next, thus allowing for adjustments in priorities as factors arise.<br />

While fulfilling its mission, <strong>Wesleyan</strong> has the duty to maintain good financial<br />

standing in order to sustain its mission. <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s financial resource development<br />

and investments are turning the corner away from a large deficit and hard<br />

economic past. In the past three years, the <strong>College</strong> has been able to show a<br />

forward-looking concern for ensuring educational quality through balancing<br />

89


Criterion Two:<br />

Preparing for the Future<br />

operating budgets and reducing deficits. One of the most obvious ways that<br />

the <strong>College</strong> has demonstrated its effective use of financial resources is the<br />

construction of the new <strong>Virginia</strong> Thomas Law Center for the Performing Arts [103]<br />

facility and the David E. Reemsnyder Research Center [104]. These educational<br />

facilities were designed in consultation with faculty to make sure that program<br />

needs were weighed with decisions about time and resources, in order to ensure<br />

maximum benefit to the students. A significant advancement effort combined<br />

with an excellent investment strategy enabled the <strong>College</strong> to engage in these<br />

forward-looking projects. When building these structures, an emphasis has been<br />

placed on not incurring new debt, while attempting to expand revenue streams.<br />

The <strong>College</strong>’s Board of Trustees, administration, faculty, and the community have<br />

come together to make these projects happen by devoting needed effort into<br />

making sure that the dollars were available for their completion. Other facilities<br />

have undergone significant renovations, including the Learning Center, which<br />

received a total renovation during the summer of 2007 at a cost of approximately<br />

$80,000.<br />

In addition to its internal planning process, <strong>Wesleyan</strong> calls on external constituencies<br />

when needed. Close to the <strong>College</strong>, but still external to its daily operations<br />

are groups such as the former Trustees [105] that have been brought to campus in<br />

each of the last three years to be informed, updated, and involved in discussions<br />

about how the <strong>College</strong> is progressing. On several occasions, community leaders<br />

and representatives have been invited to participate in planning, especially as<br />

it relates to development and implementation of the community engagement<br />

initiatives [106]. Alumni and friends of the <strong>College</strong>, such as The Alumni Council<br />

[107], have often been involved in discussions related to alumni and academic<br />

programs. One example is an ongoing gratis contribution by the spouse of a<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong> alumna. A licensed landscape architect, he is working closely with the<br />

Landscape Committee, a subgroup of the Facilities and Equipment Task Force,<br />

in efforts to create functionality and visual beauty for the campus. He designed<br />

the landscaping for the <strong>Virginia</strong> Law Performing Arts Center and is currently<br />

working on landscaping around the new David E. Reemsnyder Research Center.<br />

In addition, Buckhannon’s City Horticulturist, who also chairs the Upshur County<br />

Commission, is a member of the Landscape Committee. In addition to the<br />

City Horticulturist, the Landscape Committee, established in February 2008, is<br />

comprised of four faculty, four staff, and four students. The Committee developed<br />

a vision statement in Spring 2009 (available in Resource Room). These collaborations<br />

are all aimed at creating an overall landscaping plan and process for the<br />

campus.<br />

Other external constituencies are groups and people in the Buckhannon<br />

community. The <strong>College</strong> provides training spaces, community service, and other<br />

support to these groups and people. While these opportunities may be less formal<br />

than the planning process structure, every interaction with community members<br />

90


Criterion Two:<br />

Preparing for the Future<br />

All levels of planning align with the organization’s mission,<br />

thereby enhancing its capacity to fulfill that mission.<br />

provides the <strong>College</strong> an opportunity to have a two-way dialogue to obtain<br />

feedback and help inform decisions. For detailed information on <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s role<br />

in the community see Chapter 5.<br />

Summary of Criterion Two:<br />

The strengths of the <strong>College</strong> based on the review of this criterion are as follows:<br />

• The strategic planning process is inclusive,<br />

on-going and adaptable to both internal and<br />

external environments.<br />

• The existence of sufficient data from Institutional<br />

Research (IR) office to use in decision-making.<br />

• There are solid efforts by the Administration and<br />

Board of Trustees to engage in budget planning,<br />

resource allocation, and deficit reduction.<br />

• Resource decisions are based on strategic<br />

planning priorities.<br />

The challenges of the <strong>College</strong> based on the review of this criterion are as follows:<br />

• The technology refresh and updating to the<br />

infrastructure are an ongoing financial challenge.<br />

• Globalization efforts have a strong planning base but<br />

need to be better integrated into the <strong>College</strong>’s efforts.<br />

• The TracDat system is underutilized campus-wide.<br />

91


Criterion Three: Student<br />

Learning and Effective Teaching<br />

The organization provides evidence of student learning and teaching<br />

effectiveness that demonstrates it is fulfilling its educational mission.<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong> is committed to offering a high-quality educational experience for each<br />

student. The college’s size, range of degree offerings, and academic expertise,<br />

coupled with opportunities for students to engage in research, service, and<br />

community, situate <strong>Wesleyan</strong> as a highly visible institution of higher learning<br />

in central <strong>West</strong> <strong>Virginia</strong>. <strong>Wesleyan</strong> believes that effective teaching and student<br />

learning are essential components of its educational mission and seeks to<br />

provide an atmosphere that promotes both. To this end, the institution clearly<br />

states its goals for student learning as found in the Statement of Mission,<br />

provides stimulating learning environments, promotes effective teaching, and<br />

pursues an assessment program that, when fully implemented, will effectively<br />

measure student learning outcomes from the General Education and each<br />

academic program and will connect outcome assessments to curricular and<br />

administrative decision-making.<br />

93


3a. The organization’s goals for student learning outcomes are clearly stated<br />

for each educational program and make effective assessment possible.<br />

Criterion Three: Student<br />

Learning and Effective Teaching<br />

The Four <strong>Wesleyan</strong> Mission Goals<br />

As stated in Chapter One, the <strong>College</strong>’s desired student outcomes, reflected<br />

in the Statement of Mission, reveal <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s commitment to graduate men<br />

and women who:<br />

• Think critically and creatively<br />

• Communicate effectively<br />

• Act responsibly<br />

• Demonstrate their local and world citizenship<br />

through service.<br />

As part of this self-study, the <strong>College</strong> has assessed its progress in achieving<br />

these four goals primarily by utilizing results from three instruments—two<br />

in-house instruments entitled the Graduating Student Survey (GSS) and the<br />

2009 Alumni Survey, and one national instrument, the National Survey of Student<br />

Engagement (NSSE). These instruments provide the <strong>College</strong> with consistent<br />

overall measures for assessing the institution’s goals, with recognition of the<br />

inherent flaws associated with indirect self-reported data, which each of these<br />

instruments produces. As these are the <strong>College</strong>’s best measures at this time,<br />

steps have been taken to obtain both nationally-normed indirect measures and<br />

direct course-embedded assessment for General Education, as described in<br />

Chapter Four. For each mission goal, the <strong>College</strong> is constantly seeking to do<br />

a better job of gathering, storing, and utilizing assessment data at the institutional<br />

and programmatic level. The following sections will examine the <strong>College</strong>’s<br />

effectiveness in reaching the four mission goals at the institutional level.<br />

The Graduating Student Survey (GSS) [17] is given to graduating seniors at the<br />

end of their final semester. Administered each year from 2001 through 2008,<br />

graduating seniors are asked to rate the level in which <strong>Wesleyan</strong> contributed<br />

to their growth in specific areas using a 5-point scale: 5 = a great deal, 4 =<br />

very much, 3 = somewhat, 2 = very little, 1 = not at all. The survey also asks<br />

students to rate the importance of each item. Table 3.1 reports response rates<br />

for this survey from 2001 through 2008. In subsequent sections of this chapter,<br />

means are reported for each variable as rolling three-year averages, rather than<br />

by each graduating class.<br />

94


Criterion Three: Student<br />

Learning and Effective Teaching<br />

Table 3.1:<br />

Graduating Student Survey<br />

Response Rates<br />

Year<br />

2001<br />

Total Graduates<br />

Asked to Participate<br />

363<br />

Total Completions<br />

161<br />

Percent<br />

Completion<br />

44%<br />

2002<br />

335<br />

166<br />

50%<br />

2003<br />

375<br />

170<br />

45%<br />

2004<br />

292<br />

113<br />

39%<br />

2005<br />

345<br />

184<br />

53%<br />

2006<br />

361<br />

157<br />

43%<br />

2007<br />

338<br />

111<br />

33%<br />

2008<br />

202<br />

58<br />

29%<br />

The NSSE was administered in 2003, 2004, and 2008 [108]. Since the most<br />

changes occurred between 2004 and 2008 those years are reported in this<br />

section. Readers can refer to actual documents for the 2003 scores which will<br />

be available in the Resource Room. The survey is distributed to first-year and<br />

senior students and response rates for the NSSE are shown in Table 3.2.<br />

Table 3.2:<br />

NSSE Response Rates<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong><br />

2004<br />

National<br />

2004<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong><br />

2008<br />

National<br />

2008<br />

Freshmen<br />

125 (31%)<br />

37%<br />

149 (37%)<br />

31%<br />

Seniors<br />

88 (44%)<br />

40%<br />

117 (53%)<br />

35%<br />

The Alumni Survey [290] was administered to Alumni from the 1993-1995,<br />

1998-2000, and 2003-2005 graduating classes in Spring 2009. Surveys were<br />

administered electronically to 997 alumni within the class years specified for<br />

whom the <strong>College</strong> had email addresses. Two hundred eighty surveys were<br />

completed for a response rate of 28 percent. The response rate was best<br />

for the 2003-2005 classes (41% of respondents), followed by the 1998-2000<br />

classes (33% of the respondents), and finally the 1993-1995 classes (26% of<br />

the respondents).<br />

95


Criterion Three: Student<br />

Learning and Effective Teaching<br />

Goal One: <strong>Wesleyan</strong> graduates will think critically and creatively<br />

In the area of critical thinking, graduating seniors rate <strong>Wesleyan</strong> very highly in<br />

terms of the <strong>College</strong>’s contribution to their growth in “improving thinking and<br />

reasoning skills” as detailed in Table 3.3. Given that this is the survey’s most<br />

direct question relating to the students’ thinking skills, it is encouraging to see<br />

scores consistently above 4.00 (“very much”) in this area. Similarly, the seniors<br />

say the <strong>College</strong> made a positive contribution in the area of “developing problemsolving<br />

skills.” In contrast, the responses to the question regarding <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s<br />

contribution to their growth in “applying mathematics and statistics” could be<br />

stronger, which will be discussed later in this section.<br />

Graduating Student Survey<br />

5-point scale: 5 = a great deal, 4 = very much, 3 = somewhat, 2 = very little, 1 = not at all<br />

Improving thinking<br />

and reasoning skills<br />

2001 –<br />

2003<br />

4.19<br />

2002 –<br />

2004<br />

4.12<br />

2003 –<br />

2005<br />

4.11<br />

2004 –<br />

2006<br />

4.05<br />

2005 –<br />

2007<br />

4.14<br />

2006 –<br />

2008<br />

4.19<br />

Table 3.3:<br />

GSS Results<br />

Goal: 1 Think Critically<br />

and Creatively<br />

Developingproblemsolving<br />

skills<br />

4.08<br />

4.05<br />

4.02<br />

4.05<br />

4.10<br />

4.15<br />

Developing original<br />

ideas or products<br />

3.89<br />

3.88<br />

3.89<br />

3.84<br />

3.87<br />

3.88<br />

Applying scientific<br />

knowledge and skills<br />

3.85<br />

3.78<br />

3.74<br />

3.73<br />

3.74<br />

3.80<br />

Appreciating literature<br />

and the fine arts<br />

3.89<br />

3.90<br />

3.89<br />

3.86<br />

3.77<br />

3.78<br />

Applying mathematics<br />

and statistics<br />

3.51<br />

3.47<br />

3.48<br />

3.49<br />

3.49<br />

3.38<br />

The NSSE has several questions that relate to thinking critically. Question 2B<br />

asks students to rate the emphasis their institution places on “analyzing the<br />

basic elements of an idea, experience, or theory, such as examining a particular<br />

case or situation in depth and considering its components.” In 2008, 82 percent<br />

of first-year students and 98 percent of seniors indicated “quite a bit” or “very<br />

much”. Both class groups showed significant differences (p < .001 and p < .05<br />

respectively) between <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s average and the national average in 2004,<br />

but only the seniors were significantly different than the national average (p <<br />

.01) in 2008.<br />

NSSE Results<br />

96


Criterion Three: Student<br />

Learning and Effective Teaching<br />

Table 3.4:<br />

NSSE Results<br />

Analyzing the Basic Elements<br />

of an Idea, Experience, or Theory<br />

Scale: 1 = very little, 2 = some, 3 = quite a bit, 4 = very much<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong><br />

2004<br />

National<br />

2004<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong><br />

2008<br />

National<br />

2008<br />

First-year<br />

Students<br />

3.18<br />

3.13***<br />

3.23<br />

3.10<br />

Seniors<br />

3.36<br />

3.30*<br />

3.43<br />

3.24**<br />

2-tailed t-test; * = p < .05; ** = p < .01; *** = p < .001<br />

Question 2d asks students to rate the emphasis the institution places on<br />

“making judgments about the value of information, arguments, or methods,<br />

such as examining how others gathered and interpreted data.” In 2008, 52<br />

percent of the first-year students and 84 percent of seniors indicated “quite a<br />

bit” or “very much”. The results (Table 3.5) also show a significant difference (p<br />

< .01) between <strong>Wesleyan</strong> seniors and the national average in 2008, a significant<br />

difference between <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s first-year students and the national average in<br />

2004, and no differences otherwise.<br />

Table 3.5:<br />

NSSE Results<br />

Emphasis on Making Judgments<br />

About the Value of Information,<br />

Arguments, or Methods<br />

First-year<br />

Students<br />

Scale: 1 = very little, 2 = some, 3 = quite a bit, 4 = very much<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong><br />

2004<br />

3.01<br />

National<br />

2004<br />

2.84*<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong><br />

2008<br />

2.99<br />

National<br />

2008<br />

2.90<br />

Seniors<br />

2.93<br />

2.99<br />

3.30<br />

3.01**<br />

2-tailed t-test; * = p < .05; ** = p < .01; *** = p < .001<br />

Question 11e asks students to rate “to what extent has their experience at<br />

this institution contributed to their knowledge, skills and personal development<br />

in the area of thinking critically and analytically.” In 2008, 90 percent of the<br />

first-year students and 91 percent of the seniors indicated “quite a bit” or<br />

“very much”. The results in Table 3.6 also show that there are no significant<br />

differences between <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s mean scores and the national scores.<br />

97


Criterion Three: Student<br />

Learning and Effective Teaching<br />

First-year<br />

Students<br />

Scale: 1 = very little, 2 = some, 3 = quite a bit, 4 = very much<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong><br />

2004<br />

3.12<br />

National<br />

2004<br />

3.17<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong><br />

2008<br />

3.30<br />

National<br />

2008<br />

3.21<br />

Table 3.6:<br />

To What Extent Has Their<br />

Experience Contributed to the<br />

Area of Thinking Critically<br />

and Analytically<br />

Seniors<br />

3.21<br />

3.37<br />

3.48<br />

3.36<br />

2-tailed t-test<br />

Question 11f asks students to rate “to what extent has their experience at this<br />

institution contributed to their knowledge, skills and personal development in<br />

the area of analyzing quantitative problems.” In 2008, 75 percent of the first-year<br />

students and 84 percent of the seniors indicated “quite a bit” or “very much”. In<br />

2004 seniors rated <strong>Wesleyan</strong> significantly below the national average (p < .01);<br />

however, by 2008, the <strong>College</strong> was rated on par with the national average as<br />

shown in Table 3.7.<br />

First-year<br />

Students<br />

Scale: 1 = very little, 2 = some, 3 = quite a bit, 4 = very much<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong><br />

2004<br />

2.53<br />

National<br />

2004<br />

2.64<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong><br />

2008<br />

3.06<br />

National<br />

2008<br />

2.96<br />

Table 3.7:<br />

NSSE Results<br />

To What Extent Has Their<br />

Experience Contributed to<br />

the Area of Analyzing<br />

Quantitative Problems<br />

Seniors<br />

2.58<br />

2.81**<br />

3.24<br />

3.08<br />

2-tailed t-test; ** = p < .01<br />

The Alumni Survey [291] asks respondents to indicate the “contribution that<br />

your experiences at <strong>Wesleyan</strong> made to your growth in...improving thinking and<br />

reasoning.” On a 5-point scale (1 = very great, 2 = great, 3 = moderate, 4 =<br />

little, 5 = none) the average was 1.93. When comparing the means over time,<br />

the average for respondents in the 1993-1995 group was 2.06, 1998-2000 was<br />

1.97, and 2003-2005 was 1.82. There were no significant differences between<br />

these groups.<br />

Alumni Survey<br />

In addition, the survey asks respondents to indicate the “contribution that your<br />

experience at <strong>Wesleyan</strong> made to your growth in…developing problem solving<br />

skills.” On a 5-point scale (1 = very great, 2 = great, 3 = moderate, 4 = little, 5 =<br />

none) the average was 2.05. When comparing the means over time, the average<br />

98


Criterion Three: Student<br />

Learning and Effective Teaching<br />

score for respondents in the 1993-1995 group was 2.18, 1998-2000 was 2.05,<br />

and 2003-2005 was 1.95. There were no significant differences between these<br />

groups.<br />

Overall the NSSE, Graduating Student Survey, and Alumni Survey results<br />

indicate that <strong>Wesleyan</strong> is meeting its goal of graduating students who “think<br />

critically and creatively”; however, there are still improvements to be made,<br />

especially in the area of analyzing quantitative problems.<br />

Additional Assessment<br />

of Critical Thinking<br />

During the 2008-2009 academic year, the Co-Directors of General Education<br />

Susan Aloi, EdD, and Paula McGrew, MALS, surveyed students and faculty in<br />

order to determine their perceptions of the instruction and practice of critical<br />

thinking in the General Education requirements. They used the results of the<br />

survey to establish critical thinking outcomes, which are listed in the <strong>College</strong>’s<br />

General Education outcomes document [21].<br />

In addition, the <strong>College</strong> administered the Collegiate Learning Assessment<br />

(CLA) [110] in 2008-2009 in order to acquire a national comparison regarding<br />

critical thinking. The <strong>College</strong> received the results in late August 2009. Because<br />

of sampling difficulties, <strong>Wesleyan</strong> did not receive a valid comparison between<br />

first-year students and seniors; however, there are valid data for each group<br />

separately. Results need to be analyzed by the Assessment Council during the<br />

Fall 2009 semester and will be made available in the Resource Room.<br />

99


Criterion Three: Student<br />

Learning and Effective Teaching<br />

Goal Two: <strong>Wesleyan</strong> graduates will communicate effectively<br />

In the area of communicating effectively, the averages from the GSS, reported<br />

in Table 3.8, are generally very positive. The <strong>College</strong> attributes some of this<br />

to a strong four-course General Education requirement intended to achieve<br />

the institutional goal of effective communication by specifically addressing the<br />

need for both written and oral expression skills. Upon entering the institution,<br />

students must first complete a three-course sequence. The first two courses<br />

(ENGL 101 Composition I and ENGL 102 Composition II) are oriented toward<br />

written expression. Upon earning a grade of “C” or better in these two courses,<br />

students then complete COMM 211 Fundamentals of Oral Communication.<br />

Students must also earn a “C” or better in this course in order to demonstrate<br />

oral communication proficiency. The fourth and final requirement of this<br />

portion of the General Education program is the completion of an advanced<br />

composition course. Students may fulfill this requirement by enrolling in ENGL<br />

319 Advanced Composition or completing an approved departmental senior<br />

seminar or writing course, with courses fulfilling this requirement designated<br />

as such in the Undergraduate Catalog [18]. Most majors require a capstone<br />

course or research project before graduation, with some of these courses or<br />

projects being in addition to those departmental courses that are designated<br />

as fulfilling the advanced composition requirement. Many of these capstone<br />

courses and projects also require significant written and or oral communication<br />

assignments. Overall scores in writing effectively and speaking effectively are<br />

strong, maintaining an average above “very much” (4.0) as shown below in<br />

Table 3.8.<br />

Graduating Student Survey<br />

5-point scale: 5 = a great deal, 4 = very much, 3 = somewhat, 2 = very little, 1 = not at all<br />

2001 –<br />

2003<br />

2002 –<br />

2004<br />

2003 –<br />

2005<br />

2004 –<br />

2006<br />

2005 –<br />

2007<br />

2006 –<br />

2008<br />

Table 3.8:<br />

GSS Results<br />

Goal 2: Communicate Effectively<br />

Writing effectively<br />

4.09<br />

4.10<br />

4.06<br />

4.00<br />

3.96<br />

4.04<br />

Speaking effectively<br />

4.15<br />

4.08<br />

4.06<br />

4.05<br />

4.08<br />

4.03<br />

The NSSE asks several questions that relate to communication. The 2008<br />

responses from the NSSE are particularly positive in regard to communication,<br />

especially on the questions involving the contribution <strong>Wesleyan</strong> has made<br />

to the students’ abilities to speak and write clearly and effectively, which are<br />

directly related to this mission goal. Furthermore, the percentage of students<br />

indicating that they frequently write papers and reports of 20 pages or more<br />

is attributed to the inclusion of many serious writing projects throughout<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s curricula.<br />

NSSE Results<br />

100


Criterion Three: Student<br />

Learning and Effective Teaching<br />

Question 1a asks students “in your experience at your institution during the<br />

current school year, about how often have you…asked questions in class or<br />

contributed to class discussions” In 2008, 68 percent of the first-year students<br />

and 78 percent of the seniors indicated “often” or “very often”. The results<br />

in Table 3.9 also show improvement for <strong>Wesleyan</strong> compared to the national<br />

average between 2004 and 2008. In 2008, both first-year students (p < .05)<br />

and seniors (p < .001) reported significantly more class participation than the<br />

national average.<br />

Table 3.9:<br />

NSSE Results<br />

How Often Have You Asked<br />

Questions in Class or<br />

Contributed To Class Discussions<br />

First-year<br />

Students<br />

Scale: 1 = never, 2 = sometimes, 3 = often, 4 = very often<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong><br />

2004<br />

2.09<br />

National<br />

2004<br />

2.84<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong><br />

2008<br />

2.94<br />

National<br />

2008<br />

2.78*<br />

Seniors<br />

3.26<br />

3.16<br />

3.35<br />

3.07***<br />

2-tailed t-test; * = p < .05; *** = p < .001<br />

Question 3c asks students to report how much writing they have done in the<br />

current school year by indicating how many written papers or reports 20 or<br />

more pages in length they have completed. In 2008, 15 percent of the first-year<br />

students and 82 percent of seniors had written at least one paper or project<br />

that was 20 pages or longer. There are significant differences from the national<br />

average for seniors in both 2004 (p < .01) and 2008 (p < .001). While number of<br />

papers does not directly indicate the quality of the written work, NSSE goes on<br />

to ask students how often they have written papers and reports between five<br />

and 19 pages and under five pages. In 2008, <strong>Wesleyan</strong> seniors were significantly<br />

more likely to have written papers compared to the national average for<br />

both questions (p < .001 and p < .05 respectively). First-year students were<br />

significantly more likely to have written papers (p < .001) than the national<br />

average for the five pages or below category. Following the adage “practice<br />

makes perfect”, a logical conclusion is that if <strong>Wesleyan</strong> students are writing<br />

significantly more often, then the quality of writing is more likely to improve<br />

over the course of four years.<br />

101


Criterion Three: Student<br />

Learning and Effective Teaching<br />

Scale: 1 = none, 2 = 1 – 4, 3 = 5 – 10, 4 = 11 – 20, 5 = more than 20<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong><br />

2004<br />

National<br />

2004<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong><br />

2008<br />

National<br />

2008<br />

Table 3.10:<br />

NSSE Results<br />

Number of Written Papers or<br />

Reports of 20 Pages or More<br />

First-year<br />

Students<br />

1.21<br />

1.25<br />

1.25<br />

1.28<br />

Seniors<br />

1.85<br />

1.66**<br />

1.92<br />

1.64***<br />

2-tailed t-test; ** = p < .01; *** = p < .001<br />

Question 11d asks students to rate “to what extent has their experience at this<br />

institution contributed to their knowledge, skills and personal development in<br />

the area of speaking clearly and effectively.” In 2008, 82 percent of first-year<br />

students and 79 percent of seniors said “quite a bit” or “very much”. The<br />

results in Table 3.11 also show that in 2008 both <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s first-year students<br />

(p < .001) and seniors (p < .05) were significantly different than the national<br />

average.<br />

Scale: 1 = very little, 2 = some, 3 = quite a bit, 4 = very much<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong><br />

2004<br />

National<br />

2004<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong><br />

2008<br />

National<br />

2008<br />

Table 3.11:<br />

NSSE Results<br />

Speaking Clearly and Effectively<br />

First-year<br />

Students<br />

2.88<br />

2.73<br />

3.13<br />

2.85***<br />

Seniors<br />

2.90<br />

3.01<br />

3.27<br />

3.00**<br />

2-tailed t-test; ** = p < .01; *** = p < .001<br />

Question 11c asks students to rate “to what extent has their experience at<br />

this institution contributed to their knowledge, skills and personal development<br />

in the area of writing clearly and effectively.” In 2008, 87 percent of first-year<br />

students and 83 percent of seniors said “quite a bit” or “very much”. The results<br />

in Table 3.12 show that both first-year (p < .001) and senior (p < .01) <strong>Wesleyan</strong><br />

students rate their institution significantly higher than the national average.<br />

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Criterion Three: Student<br />

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Table 3.12:<br />

NSSE Results<br />

Writing Clearly and Effectively<br />

Scale: 1 = very little, 2 = some, 3 = quite a bit, 4 = very much<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong><br />

2004<br />

National<br />

2004<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong><br />

2008<br />

National<br />

2008<br />

First-year<br />

Students<br />

3.09<br />

2.97<br />

3.27<br />

3.02***<br />

Seniors<br />

2.95<br />

3.12<br />

3.35<br />

3.11**<br />

2-tailed t-test; ** = p < .01; *** = p < .001<br />

Alumni Survey<br />

The Alumni Survey [291] asks respondents to indicate the “contribution that your<br />

experiences at <strong>Wesleyan</strong> made to your growth in…speaking effectively”. On a<br />

5-point scale (1 = very great, 2 = great, 3 = moderate, 4 = little, 5 = none) the average<br />

was 2.04. When comparing the means over time, the average for respondents in<br />

the 1993-1995 group was 2.10, 1998-2000 was 2.10, and 2003-2005 was 1.95.<br />

There were no significant differences between these groups.<br />

In addition, the survey asks respondents to indicate the “contribution that<br />

your experience at <strong>Wesleyan</strong> made to your growth in…writing effectively”. On<br />

a 5-point scale (1 = very great, 2 = great, 3 = moderate, 4 = little, 5 = none)<br />

the average was 1.98. When comparing the means over time, the average<br />

for respondents in the 1993-1995 group was 2.22, 1998-2000 was 1.89, and<br />

2003-2005 was 1.88. These scores showed significant differences (p < .01)<br />

between the five- and 15-year class groups indicating that <strong>Wesleyan</strong> has made<br />

significant improvement in this area.<br />

Overall the NSSE, GSS, and Alumni Survey indicate that <strong>Wesleyan</strong> addresses<br />

the goal of graduating students who communicate effectively.<br />

103


Criterion Three: Student<br />

Learning and Effective Teaching<br />

Goal Three: <strong>Wesleyan</strong> graduates will act responsibly<br />

The third mission goal is a challenge to measure as assessment centers around<br />

whether students value working with other people, living a healthy lifestyle,<br />

and have thought about their personal values and behaviors. As with the other<br />

goals, results from the Graduating Student Survey, the NSSE, and Alumni<br />

Survey, particularly those questions involving the students’ respect for diversity<br />

and their ability to collaborate with other students, are used as indicators of the<br />

<strong>College</strong>’s ability to achieve these outcomes in its graduates.<br />

The GSS asks graduating students to assess how they interact with individuals<br />

from backgrounds different than their own and how well they function as<br />

members of a team. The GSS also asks students to assess their development<br />

of a healthy lifestyle.<br />

Graduating Student Survey<br />

5-point scale: 5 = a great deal, 4 = very much, 3 = somewhat, 2 = very little, 1 = not at all<br />

2001 –<br />

2003<br />

2002 –<br />

2004<br />

2003 –<br />

2005<br />

2004 –<br />

2006<br />

2005 –<br />

2007<br />

2006 –<br />

2008<br />

Table 3.13:<br />

GSS Results<br />

Goal Three: Acting Responsibly<br />

Getting along with<br />

people with different<br />

attitudes & opinions<br />

4.14<br />

4.14<br />

4.09<br />

4.10<br />

4.06<br />

4.08<br />

Working as a<br />

team member<br />

4.23<br />

4.17<br />

4.13<br />

4.12<br />

4.12<br />

4.15<br />

Developing<br />

self-responsibility<br />

4.33<br />

4.29<br />

4.27<br />

4.30<br />

4.31<br />

4.35<br />

Developing a<br />

healthy lifestyle<br />

3.64<br />

3.55<br />

3.51<br />

3.58<br />

3.66<br />

3.78<br />

Interacting with<br />

people from different<br />

races or cultures<br />

3.83<br />

3.85<br />

3.84<br />

3.86<br />

3.78<br />

3.82<br />

As seen in Table 3.13, responses to the first three questions about getting<br />

along and working with others and being self-responsible receive a mean that<br />

is consistently higher than 4.00. However, the response involving developing<br />

a healthy lifestyle has consistently been lower than the responses to the other<br />

questions. As will be reported later in this section, the <strong>College</strong> reformed its<br />

physical education requirement in 2005, moving from primarily one credit hour<br />

activity courses to three credit hour healthy lifestyle courses. While the <strong>College</strong><br />

only has a few years of data after that change, it is hopeful that the upward<br />

trend since 2005 is an indication that the change has had a positive impact in<br />

meeting this outcome. Response means about interacting with people from<br />

different races and cultures are consistent. <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s programs related to<br />

NSSE Results<br />

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Criterion Three: Student<br />

Learning and Effective Teaching<br />

globalization described in Chapter Four and the General Education requirements<br />

in International Cultural Studies hope to increase students’ awareness<br />

of different cultures.<br />

As with the Graduating Student Survey, the NSSE includes questions related to<br />

this goal by asking students about working with others, developing a sense of<br />

self-responsibility, and pursuing a healthy lifestyle. Below are some key results<br />

from the NSSE.<br />

Question 11h asks students “to what extent has your experience at this institution<br />

contributed to your overall knowledge, skills and personal development in<br />

working effectively with others.” In 2008, 85 percent of first-year students and<br />

89 percent of seniors answered “quite a bit” or “very much”. The results in<br />

Table 3.14 show significant differences for <strong>Wesleyan</strong> compared to the national<br />

average for first-year students in both administrations and seniors in 2008.<br />

In 2008, both NSSE and the GSS results show that <strong>Wesleyan</strong> students feel<br />

confident in working effectively with others. Given that the ability to work<br />

effectively with others is a well-documented need in the workplace, these<br />

measures of this outcome are interpreted as positive.<br />

Table 3.14:<br />

NSSE Results<br />

Working Effectively With Others<br />

Scale: 1 = very little, 2 = some, 3 = quite a bit, 4 = very much<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong><br />

2004<br />

National<br />

2004<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong><br />

2008<br />

National<br />

2008<br />

First-year<br />

Students<br />

3.03<br />

2.85*<br />

3.28<br />

2.99***<br />

Seniors<br />

3.12<br />

3.14<br />

3.44<br />

3.17**<br />

2-tailed t-test; * = p < .05; ** = p < .01; *** = p < .001<br />

Question 6b asks “during the current school year, about how often have<br />

you done each of the following: exercised or participated in physical fitness<br />

activities.” In 2008, 53 percent of first-year students and 40 percent of seniors<br />

answered “often” or “very often”. However, the results in Table 3.15 show that<br />

even at these low percentages, <strong>Wesleyan</strong> students are still significantly more<br />

likely to exercise compared to the national average in both 2004 and 2008. High<br />

rates of physical activity at <strong>Wesleyan</strong> may be a result of the large proportion of<br />

its students who are athletes (32% in Fall 2007; 37% in Fall 2008; 35% in Fall<br />

2009).<br />

105


Criterion Three: Student<br />

Learning and Effective Teaching<br />

Scale: 1 = never, 2 = sometimes, 3 = often, 4 = very often<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong><br />

2004<br />

National<br />

2004<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong><br />

2008<br />

National<br />

2008<br />

Table 3.15:<br />

NSSE Results<br />

Exercised or Participated in<br />

Physical Fitness Activities<br />

First-year<br />

Students<br />

2.91<br />

2.72*<br />

3.02<br />

2.79*<br />

Seniors<br />

2.85<br />

2.57*<br />

3.06<br />

2.68***<br />

2-tailed t-test; * = p < .05; *** = p < .001<br />

The NSSE also asks students “to what extent has your experience at this<br />

institution contributed to your knowledge, skills and personal development in<br />

the area of developing a personal code of values and ethics” (Question 11n).<br />

In 2008, 65 percent of first-year students and 64 percent of seniors answered<br />

“quite a bit” or “very much” to this question. The mean results in Table 3.16<br />

show <strong>Wesleyan</strong> students near the mid-point of the scale; however, in 2008,<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong> seniors felt that the <strong>College</strong> contributed significantly more (p < .05) to<br />

their code of ethics and values than did students at other institutions.<br />

Scale: 1 = very little, 2 = some, 3 = quite a bit, 4 = very much<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong><br />

2004<br />

National<br />

2004<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong><br />

2008<br />

National<br />

2008<br />

Table 3.16:<br />

NSSE Results<br />

Developing a Personal Code<br />

of Values and Ethics<br />

First-year<br />

Students<br />

2.66<br />

2.60<br />

2.82<br />

2.70<br />

Seniors<br />

2.62<br />

2.72<br />

2.92<br />

2.71*<br />

2-tailed t-test; * = p < .05<br />

Acting responsibly in college also includes being prepared for class. NSSE<br />

asks students “in your experience at your institution during the current school<br />

year, about how often have you come to class without completing readings<br />

or assignments” (Question 1f). In 2008, 84 percent of first-year students and<br />

87 percent of seniors reported “sometimes” or “never” in their response. The<br />

mean results in Table 3.17 indicate that <strong>Wesleyan</strong> is at the national average in<br />

this area, because differences were not significant.<br />

106


Criterion Three: Student<br />

Learning and Effective Teaching<br />

Table 3.17:<br />

NSSE Results<br />

Come To Class Without<br />

Completing Readings<br />

or Assignments<br />

First-year<br />

Students<br />

Scale: 1 = never, 2 = sometimes, 3 = often, 4 = very often<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong><br />

2004<br />

2.01<br />

National<br />

2004<br />

2.01<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong><br />

2008<br />

1.90<br />

National<br />

2008<br />

2.01<br />

Seniors<br />

2.22<br />

2.07<br />

2.00<br />

2.10<br />

2-tailed t-test<br />

Finally, the NSSE asks students “about how many hours do you spend in a<br />

typical 7-day week…preparing for class.” In 2008, 65 percent of first-year<br />

students and 57 percent of seniors reported spending 10 or more hours per<br />

week studying. The mean results in Table 3.18 show there is a significant<br />

difference between <strong>Wesleyan</strong> seniors and the national average in 2004 (p <<br />

.05) and first-year students and the national average in 2008 (p < .05).<br />

Table 3.18:<br />

NSSE Results<br />

Preparing for Class<br />

Scale: 1= 0 hrs/wk., 2 = 1 – 5 hrs./wk., 3 = 6 – 10 hrs/wk., 4 = 11 – 15 hrs/wk.,<br />

5 = 16 – 20 hrs/wk., 6 = 21 – 25 hrs/wk., 7 = 26 – 30 hrs/wk., 8 = More than 30 hours<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong><br />

2004<br />

National<br />

2004<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong><br />

2008<br />

National<br />

2008<br />

First-year<br />

Students<br />

4.26<br />

4.00<br />

4.37<br />

4.04*<br />

Seniors<br />

4.49<br />

4.08*<br />

4.18<br />

4.14<br />

2-tailed t-test; * = p < .05<br />

In these latter categories of developing a personal sense of values and preparing<br />

and studying for class, students at <strong>Wesleyan</strong> are similar to the national average.<br />

Thus, these are areas <strong>Wesleyan</strong> recognizes can be improved. One area in which<br />

these issues are being addressed is in the First-Year Seminar [111].<br />

Alumni Survey<br />

The Alumni Survey [291] also asks respondents to indicate the “contribution<br />

that your experiences at <strong>Wesleyan</strong> made to your growth in…developing ethical<br />

standards and values.” On a 5-point scale (1 = very great, 2 = great, 3 = moderate,<br />

4 = little, 5 = none) the average was 2.22. When comparing the means over<br />

time, the average for respondents in the 1993-1995 group was 2.36, 1998-2000<br />

was 2.29, and 2003-2005 was 2.06. There was a significant difference (p < .05)<br />

between the five-year class group (2003-2005) and the 15-year class group<br />

(1993-1995), indicating that <strong>Wesleyan</strong> has made improvement in this area.<br />

107


Criterion Three: Student<br />

Learning and Effective Teaching<br />

In addition, the survey asks respondents to indicate the “contribution that your<br />

experience at <strong>Wesleyan</strong> made to your growth in…working as a team member.”<br />

On a 5-point scale (1 = very great, 2 = great, 3 = moderate, 4 = little, 5 = none)<br />

the average was 1.96. When comparing the means over time, the average<br />

for respondents in the 1993-1995 group was 2.21, 1998-2000 was 1.99,<br />

and 2003-2005 was 1.76. There was a significant difference (p < .001) found<br />

between the 2003-2005 classes and those more than 15 years out (1993-1995),<br />

indicating that <strong>Wesleyan</strong> has made improvement in this area.<br />

The Alumni Survey also asks respondents to indicate the “contribution that<br />

your experience at <strong>Wesleyan</strong> made to your growth in…developing a healthy<br />

lifestyle.” On a 5-point scale (1 = very great, 2 = great, 3 = moderate, 4 = little,<br />

5 = none) the average was 2.93. When comparing the means over time, the<br />

average for respondents in the 1993-1995 group was 3.01, 1998-2000 was<br />

3.05, and 2003-2005 was 2.78. There were no significant differences between<br />

the years in this area.<br />

Finally, the Alumni Survey asks respondents to indicate the “contribution that<br />

your experience at <strong>Wesleyan</strong> made to your growth in…learning how to be a<br />

more responsible family member.” On a 5-point scale (1 = very great, 2 = great,<br />

3 = moderate, 4 = little, 5 = none) the average was 2.95. When comparing<br />

the means over time, the average response in the 1993-1995 group was 2.97,<br />

1998-2000 was 3.14, and 2003-2005 was 2.79. There were no significant<br />

differences between the years in this area.<br />

While it can be considered an indirect measure, the loan default rate for <strong>Wesleyan</strong><br />

students is often much lower than the national average (Chapter One). This<br />

may be attributed to <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s required and strongly enforced senior exit<br />

survey with a financial aid counselor who explains the student’s responsibility<br />

to pay back loans and provides pointers on how to budget. However, this also<br />

could be a result of the overall <strong>Wesleyan</strong> experience that works to achieve the<br />

third goal of the mission—act responsibly.<br />

Other Assessment Efforts<br />

108


Criterion Three: Student<br />

Learning and Effective Teaching<br />

Goal Four: <strong>Wesleyan</strong> graduates will demonstrate their local and world<br />

citizenship through service<br />

Over the past few years, the <strong>College</strong> has steadily increased its commitment to<br />

community engagement. A 2007 survey of <strong>Wesleyan</strong> students was included in<br />

the “Mapping <strong>Wesleyan</strong>” project conducted by Assistant Professor of Education<br />

Deborah Bush, EdD, and Assistant Professor of Sociology, Don Levy, PhD. The<br />

results showed that even if service is minimally defined as bringing a can of<br />

beans to a food drive, 70 percent of <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s students participated in a<br />

service activity while at <strong>Wesleyan</strong>. Furthermore, the bulk of that service (59%)<br />

was simple direct service without any significant learning. More information on<br />

the Mapping <strong>Wesleyan</strong> project can be found in Chapter Five.<br />

The results of this survey sparked a renewed imperative in the ongoing discussion<br />

among those at <strong>Wesleyan</strong> interested in community engagement. Given that<br />

service is central to the <strong>College</strong>’s mission, many felt that the <strong>College</strong> must do<br />

more to ensure meaningful community engagement. The new administration<br />

and the new Chair of the Board of Trustees agreed, and, as a result, community<br />

engagement became part of the <strong>College</strong>’s strategic planning discussion and<br />

more focus was placed on <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s fourth mission goal. Although there are<br />

recent efforts to integrate service into <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s culture, the program is still<br />

too new to have a fully implemented assessment plan with longitudinal data<br />

related to service and direct student learning outcomes. Thus, the GSS and<br />

NSSE were used to assess this area. The Center for Community Engagement<br />

is currently in the process of creating an assessment plan to further explore<br />

student learning around this goal.<br />

Graduating Student Survey<br />

In regard to demonstrating citizenship through service, the GSS addresses<br />

this area with questions focusing on participation in volunteer work, exercising<br />

rights as a citizen, understanding international issues, appreciating contemporary<br />

culture, and awareness of environmental issues. Table 3.19 shows mean<br />

responses for these five questions.<br />

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Criterion Three: Student<br />

Learning and Effective Teaching<br />

5-point scale: 5 = a great deal, 4 = very much, 3 = somewhat, 2 = very little, 1 = not at all<br />

2001 –<br />

2003<br />

2002 –<br />

2004<br />

2003 –<br />

2005<br />

2004 –<br />

2006<br />

2005 –<br />

2007<br />

2006 –<br />

2008<br />

Table 3.19:<br />

GSS Results<br />

Goal 4: Demonstrate Local and<br />

World Citizenship Through Service<br />

Actively participating<br />

in volunteer work<br />

3.84<br />

3.81<br />

3.80<br />

3.82<br />

3.82<br />

3.81<br />

Exercising rights,<br />

responsibilities<br />

as a citizen<br />

3.70<br />

3.71<br />

3.71<br />

3.80<br />

3.76<br />

3.78<br />

Understanding<br />

international issues<br />

3.66<br />

3.68<br />

3.65<br />

3.63<br />

3.59<br />

3.62<br />

Appreciating contemporary<br />

culture as a part<br />

of an ongoing process<br />

3.73<br />

3.74<br />

3.73<br />

3.74<br />

3.58<br />

3.60<br />

Awareness of<br />

environmental issues<br />

3.43<br />

3.39<br />

3.44<br />

3.51<br />

3.53<br />

3.58<br />

Given the <strong>College</strong>’s increased focus on community engagement, the <strong>College</strong> is<br />

hopeful that the mean response for these questions will reach 4.00 in the near<br />

future.<br />

The NSSE asks students “in your experience at your institution during the<br />

current school year, about how often have you participated in a communitybased<br />

project (e.g. service learning) as part of a regular course” (Question 1k).<br />

In 2008, 23 percent of first-year students and 30 percent of seniors said they<br />

participated “often” or “very often” in these types of courses. The comparison<br />

of means, shown in Table 3.20, reveal that both <strong>Wesleyan</strong> first-year students<br />

and seniors are significantly (p < .001 in 2008) more likely to participate in these<br />

types of courses when compared to the national average.<br />

NSSE Results<br />

First-year<br />

Students<br />

Scale: 1 = never, 2 = sometimes, 3 = often, 4 = very often<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong><br />

2004<br />

1.95<br />

National<br />

2004<br />

1.56***<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong><br />

2008<br />

1.92<br />

National<br />

2008<br />

1.60***<br />

Table 3.20:<br />

NSSE Results<br />

Participated in a<br />

Community-based Project<br />

As Part of a Regular Course<br />

Seniors<br />

2.01<br />

1.74**<br />

2.12<br />

1.74***<br />

2-tailed t-test; ** = p < .01; *** = p < .001<br />

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Criterion Three: Student<br />

Learning and Effective Teaching<br />

Students are also asked, “To what extent has your experience at this institution<br />

contributed to your knowledge, skills and personal development in contributing<br />

to the welfare of your community” (Question 11o). In 2008, 60 percent<br />

of first-year students and 71 percent of seniors answered “quite a bit” or<br />

“very much” to this question. Mean results in Table 3.21 show that <strong>Wesleyan</strong><br />

students contribute to the community more than the national norm. In 2008,<br />

both first-year (p < .01) and senior (p < .001) results were statistically different<br />

than the national average.<br />

Table 3.21:<br />

NSSE Results<br />

Contributing to the Welfare<br />

of Your Community<br />

Scale: 1 = very little, 2 = some, 3 = quite a bit, 4 = very much<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong><br />

2004<br />

National<br />

2004<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong><br />

2008<br />

National<br />

2008<br />

First-year<br />

Students<br />

2.53<br />

2.32*<br />

2.75<br />

2.47**<br />

Seniors<br />

2.52<br />

2.42<br />

2.98<br />

2.48***<br />

2-tailed t-test; * = p < .05; ** = p < .01; *** = p < .001<br />

The results in this section shows that <strong>Wesleyan</strong> is better than the national<br />

average in community engagement. The <strong>College</strong> believes that this is a<br />

testament to <strong>Wesleyan</strong> faculty who utilize the community as a learning and<br />

teaching tool. However, <strong>Wesleyan</strong> still has a long way to go to reach its goal to<br />

have every student involved in meaningful community service throughout their<br />

time at <strong>Wesleyan</strong>. One way that <strong>Wesleyan</strong> is working to accomplish this goal<br />

is through a community engagement graduation requirement [112] integrating<br />

a direct service opportunity into the First-Year Seminar and a communityengagement-designated<br />

course after the first-year. This graduation requirement<br />

will go into effect for the Fall 2010 entering class. First-year Service Days, part<br />

of this requirement, are being piloted in Fall 2009 in all of the first-year seminar<br />

courses.<br />

Alumni Survey<br />

The Alumni Survey [291] asks respondents to indicate the “contribution that<br />

your experience at <strong>Wesleyan</strong> made to your growth in…exercising my rights,<br />

responsibilities and privileges as a citizen.” On a 5-point scale (1 = very great,<br />

2 = great, 3 = moderate, 4 = little, 5 = none) the average was 2.54. When<br />

comparing the means over time, the average for respondents in the 1993-1995<br />

group was 2.67, 1998-2000 was 2.66, and 2003-2005 was 2.36. There was a<br />

significant difference (p < .05) found between five years out (2003-2005) and<br />

15 years out (1993-1995), showing that <strong>Wesleyan</strong> has made improvement in<br />

this area.<br />

111


Criterion Three: Student<br />

Learning and Effective Teaching<br />

The Alumni Survey also asks respondents to indicate the “contribution that<br />

your experience at <strong>Wesleyan</strong> made to your growth in…actively participating<br />

in volunteer work to support worthwhile causes”. On a 5-point scale (1 = very<br />

great, 2 = great, 3 = moderate, 4 = little, 5 = none) the average was 2.41. When<br />

comparing the means over time, the average for respondents in the 1993-1995<br />

group was 2.76, 1998-2000 was 2.33, and 2003-2005 was 2.23. There was a<br />

significant difference (p < .01) found between 5 years out (2003-2005) and 15<br />

years out (1993-1995), showing that <strong>Wesleyan</strong> has made improvement in this<br />

area.<br />

112


Criterion Three: Student<br />

Learning and Effective Teaching<br />

Assessing the Four Goals at the Program Level<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s academic programs and majors are described in the Undergraduate<br />

Catalog [18]. <strong>Wesleyan</strong> requires each academic department to record its<br />

assessment results by its programs in TracDat by, the college-wide assessment<br />

system described in Chapter Two. The General Education program is presently<br />

coordinated by two faculty, and, although coursework is distributed among<br />

many departments, the assessment is centralized.<br />

A review of all departments’ TracDat information in Summer 2008 revealed that<br />

while some departments have used assessment to shape their curricula, other<br />

departments have not yet entered all of their assessment results in TracDat,<br />

and a few have not been consistently engaged in program assessment. During<br />

Fall 2008, the Dean of the <strong>College</strong> met with department chairs and assessment<br />

coordinators in small group sessions to review the assessment using TracDat<br />

and to have departments with exemplary assessment programs, including<br />

comparisons with national norms, present their methods to those department<br />

chairs whose departmental assessment efforts were lagging. The Dean then<br />

challenged all departments to enter their most current assessment data in<br />

TracDat. A selected review in Summer 2009 shows that many programs have<br />

updated their TracDat data to show progress in assessment (e.g. nursing),<br />

while others still need improvement. To follow up on this effort, the Dean plans<br />

to meet with the departments in this manner each fall semester until all have a<br />

consistent and continuous assessment program entered into TracDat. A report<br />

on each program’s assessment data that is in TracDat is linked below in Table<br />

3.22 and Table 3.23.<br />

Table 3.22:<br />

Strong TracDat Summary<br />

Reports by Academic Programs<br />

Academic Program Assessments<br />

Biology<br />

Chemistry<br />

Computer Science<br />

Education (Undergraduate)<br />

English<br />

History<br />

Mathematics<br />

Nursing (undergraduate)<br />

Psychology<br />

Theatre Arts<br />

Evidence List<br />

Number<br />

255<br />

257<br />

260<br />

263<br />

264<br />

266<br />

268<br />

271<br />

275<br />

279<br />

113


Criterion Three: Student<br />

Learning and Effective Teaching<br />

Academic Program Assessments<br />

Art<br />

Exercise Science (Undergraduate)<br />

Business and Economics<br />

Christian Education and Church Leadership<br />

Communication Studies<br />

Community Engagement<br />

Criminal Justice<br />

Environmental Studies<br />

General Education<br />

International Studies<br />

Music<br />

Philosophy<br />

Physics & Engineering<br />

Political Science<br />

Religion<br />

Sociology<br />

Evidence List<br />

Number<br />

252<br />

254<br />

256<br />

258<br />

259<br />

262<br />

261<br />

265<br />

269<br />

267<br />

270<br />

272<br />

273<br />

274<br />

277<br />

278<br />

Table 3.23<br />

Other TracDat Summary Reports<br />

by Academic Programs<br />

At <strong>Wesleyan</strong>, each department creates learning outcomes for their academic<br />

programs that relate to mastery of subject matter and preparation for success<br />

after college. These goals are entered into TracDat as objectives and can be<br />

viewed in that system. Each program specific objective in TracDat is linked<br />

with one of the four <strong>Wesleyan</strong> mission goals [301], as are data collected by<br />

the program personnel, observations based on the data, and action plans.<br />

In addition, the <strong>College</strong> is now encouraging programs to include expected<br />

learning outcomes in the Undergraduate Catalog. Currently, some programs,<br />

such as Biology, have their outcomes included in the Undergraduate Catalog<br />

while others do not.<br />

In addition, data related to student success is also included in TracDat.<br />

Examples include:<br />

• From 1993-2004, 54.8% of Biology graduates entered<br />

graduate programs, most in fields related to biology:<br />

28.1% of all Biology graduates entered medical<br />

or osteopathic school, 12.9% entered other professional<br />

programs in the health sciences, and 8.1 percent entered<br />

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Criterion Three: Student<br />

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graduate programs related to biology. 5.7% entered law<br />

school or other unrelated graduate programs unrelated<br />

to Biology.<br />

• In 2005, the mean score of Biology seniors on the ETS<br />

subject test was at the national 85th percentile.<br />

• Business and Economics students have earned national<br />

and regional awards for several years in Students in Free<br />

Enterprise (SIFE) competitions. In 2008, <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s SIFE<br />

chapter was a national top 20 finalist.<br />

• In the Education Department, teacher candidates in 2007<br />

earned high scores on the Praxis 1 test, a pre-professional<br />

skills test written by ETS. Over 90 percent of the<br />

candidates (n = 21) passed the math section, 85.7%<br />

passed the reading section, and 80.9% passed the<br />

writing section of the test. These scores exceed the<br />

departmental goal of over 80% in each area, which is the<br />

<strong>West</strong> <strong>Virginia</strong> standard.<br />

• In a 2008 survey, Education Department alumni reported<br />

a 94% satisfaction rate with the preparation they received<br />

at <strong>Wesleyan</strong>.<br />

• A 2005 English department alumni survey indicates that<br />

82% of the English graduates who responded to the<br />

survey (n = 22) had earned graduate or advanced<br />

degrees.<br />

• History majors have presented fourteen papers over the<br />

last six years at the Mid-Atlantic Undergraduate Research<br />

Conference held at <strong>Wesleyan</strong>.<br />

• In 2007, 71% of Theatre students (5 of 7) passed a<br />

screening audition, which allows them to audition with<br />

professionals at the Southeastern Theater Conference.<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong> students secured 25% of the available slots for<br />

the state.<br />

• In 2006, 100% of graduates in Physics and Engineering<br />

seeking professional employment did so successfully<br />

within six months of graduation.<br />

115


Criterion Three: Student<br />

Learning and Effective Teaching<br />

• A five-year survey of Philosophy majors conducted in<br />

2004 found that 95% of them (n=20) had been accepted<br />

to graduate school or law school.<br />

• In 2001 and 2005 Psychology seniors took the ACAT<br />

standardized test of knowledge in major areas of<br />

psychology and scored in the 89th and 92nd percentile<br />

respectively.<br />

• Between 2000 and 2009, more than 50 students from<br />

the Communication Department have been competitively<br />

selected to present research proposals, research papers,<br />

rhetorical analyses, or participate in panel discussions<br />

at the Eastern Communication Association’s Annual<br />

Convention.<br />

In addition to recording student success, assessment also provides programs<br />

an opportunity to make data-driven decisions about changes in their teaching<br />

and curriculum. Meaningful assessment should spark changes in course<br />

offerings, so as to improve student learning. Here are some examples (found<br />

in TracDat) of academic departments that made changes in their courses in<br />

attempts to improve student learning. As most of these changes are recent, the<br />

<strong>College</strong> does not yet have data to indicate the success of these changes.<br />

• In 2005, the Art Department, upon determining that<br />

students in the upper-level Graphic Design major had<br />

not mastered principles taught in foundation courses,<br />

decided to place more emphasis on color theory,<br />

composition, and gestalt in Art 111 Drawing I and Art 112<br />

Drawing II courses as well as ART 123 Design<br />

Fundamentals.<br />

• In 2005, the Biology Department began strongly<br />

recommending that their students take MATH 115<br />

Elementary Statistics before taking BIOL 254<br />

Experimental Biology after discovering that some of<br />

the students expressed a desire for a stronger<br />

background in statistics. The department began<br />

requiring MATH 115 Elementary Statistics in 2007.<br />

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Criterion Three: Student<br />

Learning and Effective Teaching<br />

• Also in 2005, based on senior exit surveys, the Biology<br />

department decided to require either BIOL 379<br />

Experiential Learning in Biology, BIOL 398 Biology<br />

Research, or BIOL 498 Biology Research in order to<br />

better prepare students for work and graduate school.<br />

• After departmental alumni had rated job preparation<br />

lower than graduate school preparation and overall<br />

program quality, in 2008 the Psychology Department<br />

added a new one-hour course entitled PSYC 302 Careers<br />

and Graduate Preparation in Psychology.<br />

• After alumni reported that they wished they had been<br />

more familiar with literary theory in graduate school, the<br />

English Department added a major theory emphasis to<br />

ENGL 225 Introduction to Literary Studies.<br />

• In 2004, the History Department decided that HIST 497<br />

Senior Seminar students should be stronger in historical<br />

methodology. They addressed this perceived<br />

shortcoming by requiring a new course, HIST 201<br />

Historical Methods, of its majors.<br />

• In 2007 the Nursing Department changed undergraduate<br />

research from two to three credits based upon feedback<br />

from alumni who reported denial of admission to<br />

graduate nursing programs because the nursing research<br />

course was only two credit hours, rather than three,<br />

which is the common credit allocation for nursing<br />

research courses. The department also increased the<br />

cumulative GPA eligibility for admission into the<br />

professional clinical component of the program to reflect<br />

the increase in the national passing standard for the<br />

NCLEX examination, which went into effect in April 2007.<br />

While there is strong evidence that <strong>Wesleyan</strong> is using assessment to improve<br />

teaching and learning, there is no doubt that <strong>Wesleyan</strong> can improve the overall<br />

quality of its assessment. Some departments have not recorded observations<br />

for all objectives in their program, while others rely heavily upon past<br />

assessment data that are becoming outdated. Some do not state all of their<br />

goals in the form of student outcomes, while other departments have identified<br />

weaknesses in their student outcomes, but have not adequately explored<br />

remedies or recorded any improvements they may have achieved.<br />

117


Criterion Three: Student<br />

Learning and Effective Teaching<br />

An explanation for the shortcomings in some departments is that these shortcomings<br />

can somewhat be attributed to faculty turnover. In a few departments,<br />

there has been a pattern of new colleagues developing an assessment plan,<br />

but departing before assessment outcomes have been recorded. For example,<br />

the only full-time Criminal Justice faculty member left in 2008 after developing a<br />

plan for assessment, but without recording much useful data. In the Sociology<br />

Department, one professor retired, and three associate professors accepted<br />

positions at other institutions. The two new faculty members are working on<br />

assessment, but there is a sense that they are starting over. Thus, faculty attrition<br />

in a few departments accounts for a lack of comprehensive assessment data<br />

in these areas.<br />

As explained in the Preface section detailing <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s response to the<br />

last accreditation visit in 2000, <strong>Wesleyan</strong> was cited for shortcomings in its<br />

assessment of General Education. In 2005, changes to the General Education<br />

system created an opportunity to begin reforming programs through on-going<br />

assessment. The first area of General Education to be reformed under the new<br />

program was Physical and Mental Well-Being. As mentioned in Goal Four (“Act<br />

Responsibility”) section of this chapter, this area had received low marks in<br />

Graduating Student Surveys and the faculty in Exercise Science expressed<br />

their willingness to move from six-week one credit hour activity courses to<br />

full-semester three credit hour courses that teach students how to develop a<br />

healthy lifestyle. In some cases, the Exercise Science department revamped<br />

existing courses and offered more sections (e.g. PHED 110 Exercise and<br />

Weight Control). However, the department also added two new courses, PHED<br />

121 Wellness Across the Lifespan and EXSC 120 Women’s Wellness. Ratings<br />

have increased in Graduating Student Surveys since 2005 so there is some<br />

evidence that this change helped to reach this outcome.<br />

Other areas that have been under review by the Dean of the <strong>College</strong> and General<br />

Education Director(s) include Quantitative Inquiry, Religious and Philosophical<br />

Inquiry, International Cultural Studies, and Humanities. From 2005 through<br />

2007, colleagues who teach in each of these General Education categories<br />

met to discuss overarching goals for these areas, consider the assessment<br />

results, and explore curricular modifications. An example of such a curricular<br />

change was the one made in quantitative inquiry when Assistant Professor of<br />

Mathematics Pam Wovchko, PhD, implemented more real-life applications in<br />

the quantitative inquiry MATH 103 Mathematics for Liberal Arts course.<br />

Course-level assessment has been used to evaluate some of the General<br />

Education courses. For example, in Fall 2006, because student evaluations<br />

from Fall 2004 (Table 3.24) and Spring 2005 (Table 3.25) had caused concern,<br />

Curriculum Council considered whether the interdisciplinary course Introduction<br />

to Humanities, required of all students, should be abolished.<br />

118


Criterion Three: Student<br />

Learning and Effective Teaching<br />

Table 3.24:<br />

Course Evaluations<br />

Introduction to Humanities<br />

Fall 2004<br />

Fall 2004<br />

Mean Humanities<br />

Learned<br />

a Great<br />

Deal<br />

32%<br />

33%<br />

19%<br />

10%<br />

2%<br />

1%<br />

Almost<br />

Nothing<br />

2%<br />

No<br />

Response<br />

1%<br />

Mean All Courses<br />

40%<br />

30%<br />

15%<br />

6%<br />

4%<br />

2%<br />

2%<br />

2%<br />

Table 3.25:<br />

Course Evaluations<br />

Introduction to Humanities<br />

Spring 2005<br />

Fall 2004<br />

Mean Humanities<br />

Learned<br />

a Great<br />

Deal<br />

19%<br />

35%<br />

22%<br />

10%<br />

4%<br />

4%<br />

Almost<br />

Nothing<br />

1%<br />

No<br />

Response<br />

4%<br />

Mean All Courses<br />

42%<br />

29%<br />

14%<br />

6%<br />

3%<br />

2%<br />

2%<br />

2%<br />

One perceived problem with the course was that some faculty did not feel<br />

comfortable teaching in academic areas outside their expertise and thus opted<br />

not to teach in the program. After much discussion, the student members on<br />

the Curriculum Council argued that the requirement was essential but that the<br />

course could be modified to allow instructors more flexibility in selection of<br />

course materials.<br />

In Summer 2009, five <strong>Wesleyan</strong> faculty members attended an Appalachian<br />

<strong>College</strong> Association Teaching and Learning Institute [113] in North Carolina<br />

to work with professors from other colleges on making the Humanities course<br />

more theme-based. Discussions will continue during the 2009-2010 academic<br />

year.<br />

In order to best encourage on-going program review for both the General<br />

Education program and academic programs, the Faculty Assembly created the<br />

Assessment Council in 2006. Moving from a committee that reported to the<br />

Curriculum Council to one that reported to the Faculty Assembly, the former<br />

Committee on Assessment was enlarged to a campus-wide Assessment Council<br />

that works to assess all units of the <strong>College</strong>—curricular and co-curricular.<br />

Membership [114] was expanded to include not only faculty, but also students<br />

and staff. The result of this change has been to raise the profile of assessment<br />

at the <strong>College</strong>. The Assessment Council states the following position on<br />

assessment [115]:<br />

At <strong>West</strong> <strong>Virginia</strong> <strong>Wesleyan</strong> <strong>College</strong>, the primary objective<br />

of the assessment process is the advancement of student<br />

learning through incremental program improvement.<br />

Assessment is conceived of as fundamentally a people<br />

119


Criterion Three: Student<br />

Learning and Effective Teaching<br />

process -- an on-going, institution-wide, data-based decision<br />

process that serves the purpose of continuous incremental<br />

program improvement with documented evidence of such.<br />

It involves an engaged faculty and staff seeking credible<br />

information, using it for program decisions, and following<br />

up to assess the effect of those decisions. All earlier activities<br />

– setting objectives, collecting data, crunching numbers and<br />

generating reports – assume value from their contribution to<br />

the goals of positive program change and enhanced student<br />

learning.<br />

This insistence upon documented evidence leading to curricular improvement<br />

has moved the <strong>College</strong> from making curricular changes based on new ideas<br />

to modifying academic programs based on perceived weaknesses in student<br />

learning. The expansion of the Assessment Council’s oversight to non-academic<br />

areas as well as the 2009 Student Development Program Review Process [39]<br />

have made assessment more central to the <strong>College</strong>’s decision-making over the<br />

past several years.<br />

120


Criterion Three: Student<br />

Learning and Effective Teaching<br />

3b. The organization values and supports effective teaching<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong> faculty are hired with the expectation that new faculty will develop<br />

as teachers and scholars. Faculty devote the majority of their time to effective<br />

teaching and experienced faculty may engage in research as well as service.<br />

The <strong>College</strong> supports faculty scholarly and service endeavors and provides<br />

mentoring opportunities with the belief that this support will positively influence<br />

classroom teaching.<br />

As discussed in Chapter One, faculty governance structures are defined in the<br />

Faculty Constitution and Faculty Handbook [49]. Like other colleges and universities,<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong> faculty governance incorporates developmental peer reviews<br />

and tenure and promotion reviews. No one is granted tenure or promotion<br />

without a high level of teaching competence. Beyond that, the <strong>College</strong> offers<br />

faculty support in a variety of ways as seen through the faculty development<br />

program described in Chapter Two and Chapter Four.<br />

Faculty Mentoring<br />

Upon employment at <strong>Wesleyan</strong>, each new faculty member is assigned an<br />

experienced faculty mentor. This provides an opportunity for new faculty to<br />

be supported and integrated into the faculty role and life at <strong>Wesleyan</strong>. In order<br />

to facilitate this process the mentors and new faculty members meet monthly<br />

[117] during the first-year to discuss pedagogy and other relevant issues or<br />

concerns. In addition, in the third year of employment, faculty are encouraged<br />

to set goals for his or her teaching. To achieve those goals the faculty participate<br />

in a developmental peer process [49] and receive substantive feedback from<br />

peers about areas of strengths and areas for improvement.<br />

Faculty Development<br />

The <strong>College</strong> offers sabbaticals that directly support scholarship. Recent<br />

sabbaticals include:<br />

2002 - Fall<br />

• Associate Professor of Philosophy Rob Hull, PhD:<br />

Research and writing on environmental ethics<br />

• Associate Professor of Biology and Environmental<br />

Science Jeff Simmons, PhD: Continue research on the<br />

Fox Run Watershed Project and to prepare a manuscript<br />

for publication<br />

• Professor of Biology Kathy Gregg, PhD: Pursue several<br />

projects of research and publication on orchids<br />

2003 - Spring<br />

• Professor of English Mark DeFoe, PhD: Serve as Balkan<br />

Scholar at The American University in Bulgaria<br />

• Associate Professor of History Bill Mahoney, PhD: Pursue<br />

research and to write on the influence of Weimar period<br />

121


Criterion Three: Student<br />

Learning and Effective Teaching<br />

German Expressionism on American theatre during the<br />

1920s and 1930s<br />

• Assistant Professor of Art Carol Pelletier, MFA: Produce<br />

paintings for exhibition<br />

2004 – Fall<br />

• Professor of History Stephen Cresswell, PhD: Conduct<br />

research and writing on a monograph tracing the history<br />

of opposition to the dominant Democratic party in<br />

Mississippi<br />

• Professor of Philosophy Chip Keating, PhD: Pursue<br />

completion of a textbook based upon the manual,<br />

Philosophy in the Classroom<br />

• Associate Professor of English Devon McNamara, PhD:<br />

To pursue completion of a collection of poems, Driving<br />

and to begin a new collection of poems and essays<br />

2004-2005<br />

• Associate Professor of Art Margo Davis, MFA: Focus on<br />

the art techniques and writing of the Arte Povera group of<br />

the 1960s and pursue the study of “communication<br />

between humankind and the Cosmic levels”<br />

• Professor of History Robert Rupp, PhD: Half-time for the<br />

academic year. Focus on the 2004 presidential and<br />

gubernatorial campaigns in <strong>West</strong> <strong>Virginia</strong> and to research<br />

and write an article on each campaign<br />

2005 – Spring<br />

• Professor of Communication Kathleen Long, PhD:<br />

Research methods in public relations education<br />

• Associate Professor of Art Carol Pelletier, MFA: Focus<br />

on the production of a portfolio of new works scheduled<br />

for solo exhibitions<br />

• Professor of Dramatic Arts Larry Reed, MFA: Concentrate<br />

on professional development by enrolling in coursework<br />

at WVU to include instruction in CADD, Lighting, and<br />

Advanced Stagecraft and take a welding course in order<br />

to teach students to work with metal, which is becoming<br />

a standard material for scene construction<br />

• Professor of Physics Joseph Wiest, PhD: Develop a<br />

monograph of the history of physics focusing on Lisa<br />

Meitner, George Gamow, Leo Szilark, and Arthur<br />

Schawlow and conduct an experimental study on the<br />

atoms of the alkali metal series<br />

122


Criterion Three: Student<br />

Learning and Effective Teaching<br />

2005 – Fall<br />

• Professor of Biology Carl Colson, PhD: Complete two<br />

projects: revise the Ecology laboratory manual, and<br />

attend a total immersion language school for Spanish<br />

in Guatemala<br />

• Associate Professor of Art Kelvin Mason, MFA: Earn a<br />

B.S. in Chemistry and focus on major software revisions<br />

that have been made in the graphics industry in recent<br />

years (continued through Spring 2006)<br />

2006 – Fall No Sabbatical Leaves<br />

2007 – Spring<br />

• Instructor of Communication Jeffrey Carlson, MA: Pursue<br />

a PhD in Communication at the University of Connecticut<br />

2007-2008 No Sabbatical Leaves<br />

2008 – Fall<br />

• Associate Professor of Creative Writing and English<br />

Richard Schmitt, MFA: Finish a novel in progress<br />

2009 – Spring<br />

• Associate Professor of Political Science Kwame Boateng,<br />

PhD: <strong>Study</strong> and gather material from <strong>West</strong> Africa to<br />

complete a manuscript for a signed book contract on<br />

“the Liberian Crisis: 1989-2005”<br />

• Professor of Music Melody Meadows, DMA: <strong>Study</strong><br />

service learning while volunteering at Ons Plek, a shelter<br />

for young girls ages 6-18 in Cape Town, South Africa.<br />

(continues Fall 2009)<br />

2009 – Fall<br />

• Assistant Professor of Communication Peter Galarneau,<br />

MA: Complete a second novel entitled “The Djed” and<br />

prepare for tenure.<br />

• Professor of Biology Katharine Gregg; PhD; (1) Write<br />

a grant proposal to the Biological Research Collections<br />

project of NSF to enhance the WVWC George B.<br />

Rossbach Herbarium. (2) Write a lab manual for the<br />

course Survey of Organisms to be taught in spring 09. (3)<br />

<strong>Study</strong> prolonged dormancy of the orchid Cleistes bifaria.<br />

(4) <strong>Study</strong> the <strong>West</strong> <strong>Virginia</strong> showy lady’s slipper populations.<br />

123


Criterion Three: Student<br />

Learning and Effective Teaching<br />

• Associate Professor of History William Mahoney; PhD:<br />

Complete a book under contract with Greenwood Press<br />

on “The History of the Czech Republic and Slovakia.”<br />

2010 – Spring<br />

• Professor of English Boyd Creasman, PhD: Research<br />

Appalachian literature.<br />

• Associate Professor of Religion Vicki Phillips, PhD:<br />

Continue work on a book that proposes new<br />

interpretations of certain key Christian feminist readings<br />

concerning Jesus and women. (Continues through<br />

Fall 2010)<br />

Faculty Innovation Grants (FIGs) [93] support the development of scholarship<br />

and pedagogy for faculty during summers. The linked evidence document<br />

includes a list of all faculty who have received these grants, the year, and the<br />

amount of the grant. Table 3.26 lists the FIGs ($2100 each) that were awarded<br />

in 2009.<br />

Dr. Kim Bjorgo-Thorne<br />

Dr. Rob Hull<br />

Dr. Susan Aloi<br />

Dr. Kathleen Long<br />

Dr. Debbie Bush<br />

Ms. Ashley Lawson<br />

Dr. Karen Miller<br />

Dr. Rob Rupp<br />

Dr. Timothy Troyer<br />

Dr. Bert Popson<br />

Teaching and Learning for International Travel<br />

Nietzschean Aesthetics<br />

Sustainable Business<br />

Graduate Faculty Orientation and Instruction<br />

Preparation for Departmental Accreditation<br />

Gender Studies Minor Program Development<br />

Homeless Victimization Surveys<br />

Upshur County 2009 School Levy Voter Mobilization<br />

Development of Biochemistry Laboratory Curriculum<br />

Improvements to the Engineering Measurement Lab<br />

Table 3.26:<br />

Faculty Innovation Grant<br />

Awardees<br />

For a small private liberal arts college facing budgetary limitations, <strong>Wesleyan</strong><br />

works diligently to foster faculty development. The Dean of the <strong>College</strong> has four<br />

endowed funds used to support faculty travel to attend conferences. Tables<br />

3.27, 3.28, 3.29, and 3.30 offer a summary of each endowment fund, with total<br />

travel funding shown in Table 3.31.<br />

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Criterion Three: Student<br />

Learning and Effective Teaching<br />

Table 3.27:<br />

Mellon Foundation Funding<br />

for Faculty Travel<br />

Amount<br />

of Funds<br />

Approved<br />

2004 – 2005<br />

$35,122.90<br />

2005 – 2006<br />

$35,208.52<br />

2006 – 2007<br />

$39,163.92<br />

2007 – 2008<br />

$42,508.27<br />

2008 – 2009<br />

$74,163<br />

Number<br />

of faculty<br />

attending<br />

conferences<br />

36<br />

35<br />

29<br />

34<br />

51<br />

Number of<br />

conferences<br />

attended<br />

33<br />

41<br />

34<br />

30<br />

40<br />

Table 3.28:<br />

Dorsey Krupowicz Endowment<br />

Funding for Faculty Travel<br />

Amount<br />

of Funds<br />

Approved<br />

2005 – 2006<br />

$1,607<br />

2006 – 2007<br />

$6,473<br />

2007 – 2008<br />

$3,027<br />

2008 – 2009<br />

$12,260<br />

Number<br />

of faculty<br />

attending<br />

conferences<br />

3<br />

8<br />

6<br />

8<br />

Number of<br />

conferences<br />

attended<br />

4<br />

9<br />

6<br />

8<br />

Table 3.29:<br />

Robert Nobles Endowment<br />

Funding for Faculty Travel<br />

Amount<br />

of Funds<br />

Approved<br />

2005 – 2006<br />

$2,695<br />

2006 – 2007<br />

$1,721<br />

2007 – 2008<br />

$3,152<br />

2008 – 2009<br />

$10,501<br />

Number<br />

of faculty<br />

attending<br />

conferences<br />

4<br />

3<br />

3<br />

12<br />

Number of<br />

conferences<br />

attended<br />

4<br />

3<br />

4<br />

15<br />

125


Assessing the Four Goals at the Program Level<br />

Criterion Three: Student<br />

Learning and Effective Teaching<br />

Amount<br />

of Funds<br />

Approved<br />

2005 – 2006<br />

$290<br />

2006 – 2007<br />

0<br />

2007 – 2008<br />

$2,288<br />

2008 – 2009<br />

$6,220<br />

Table 3.30:<br />

V. Russell Chapman Endowment<br />

Funding for Faculty Travel<br />

Number<br />

of faculty<br />

attending<br />

conferences<br />

1<br />

0<br />

3<br />

6<br />

Number of<br />

conferences<br />

attended<br />

1<br />

0<br />

3<br />

6<br />

2004 – 2005<br />

2005 – 2006<br />

2006 – 2007<br />

2007 – 2008<br />

2008 – 2009<br />

Table 3.31:<br />

Total Funding for Faculty Travel<br />

Amount<br />

of Funds<br />

Approved<br />

$35,122.90<br />

$39,800.52<br />

$47,357.92<br />

$50,975.27<br />

$103,144<br />

Number<br />

of faculty<br />

attending<br />

conferences<br />

36<br />

43<br />

40<br />

46<br />

77<br />

Number of<br />

conferences<br />

attended<br />

33<br />

50<br />

46<br />

43<br />

69<br />

While the <strong>College</strong> is a teaching-focused institution, many faculty regularly<br />

engage in scholarly activity. To enable these opportunities, many faculty apply<br />

for grant funding. In March 2008, the <strong>College</strong> hired Nicky Bentley-Colthart,<br />

MSW, as the Director of Foundation and Government Relations. Since her<br />

hiring, the <strong>College</strong>’s capacity to seek and receive external funding has been<br />

expanded. So far in FY10, faculty and staff have submitted 15 grant proposals<br />

totalling $1.9 million. Thus far, four have been awarded for a total of $82,180.<br />

Faculty and Student Research<br />

In Summer 2009 the <strong>College</strong> encouraged and supported two grant proposals<br />

submitted to the National Science Foundation (NSF) and aimed at improving<br />

and enhancing research in field-oriented disciplines in biology. The first<br />

grant, submitted to the Biological Research Collections Division of NSF,<br />

was a collaborative proposal from curators of the herbaria of six academic<br />

institutions—three in <strong>West</strong> <strong>Virginia</strong> and three in Kentucky. Requesting a total<br />

of almost $2 million, the grant would fund databasing and imaging of the<br />

most important botanical records and specimens in the Appalachian region.<br />

A significant outreach component, primarily aimed at public school teachers<br />

126


Criterion Three: Student<br />

Learning and Effective Teaching<br />

and their students, would raise public awareness of the great diversity of plant<br />

life in the region, of how plant communities enrich and are crucial to the lives<br />

of everyone, and of how individuals can become involved in the protection and<br />

conservation of the valuable botanical resources of the central Appalachians.<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s share of this grant would amount to $74,602, but major support for<br />

using the imaging software and for many outreach projects will be available<br />

from the lead institution, Eastern Kentucky University.<br />

The second, an Academic Research Infrastructure Program: Recovery and<br />

Reinvestment (ARI-R2) grant, requesting $856,679 from NSF, with an additional<br />

$71,512 commitment from <strong>Wesleyan</strong>, would total $928,191. Funds would be<br />

used to renovate, consolidate, and enhance research space in Christopher<br />

Hall of Science for the field-oriented disciplines (systematics, environmental<br />

science, and ecology) now that research in molecular and cell biology is<br />

moving to the Reemsnyder Research Center. Specifically, the requested funds<br />

would create a field biology suite. Renovation and expansion of the current<br />

herbarium would provide for improved use of a larger collection. Consolidation<br />

of separate research spaces to create a single ecology/environmental science<br />

laboratory would support studies focused primarily on characterizing the<br />

local Buckhannon River Watershed and understanding the ecology of its<br />

biota. Renovation of a research/teaching lab would allow the <strong>College</strong> to safely<br />

store an extensive collection of local fish and amphibians, permit use of the<br />

collection for systematics and ecological work, and support other studies in<br />

animal biodiversity.<br />

Professor of Biology Katharine B. Gregg, PhD, is the Principal Investigator (PI)<br />

for <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s portion of the collaborative grant. Professor Gregg is also the PI<br />

for the ARI-R2 proposal, with Assistant Professor of Biology and Environmental<br />

Science Kim Bjorgo-Thorne, PhD, serving as Co-PI.<br />

Faculty Satisfaction<br />

The <strong>Wesleyan</strong> faculty determines curricular content and strategies for instruction.<br />

The <strong>College</strong> has a time-honored tradition of allowing the Faculty the academic<br />

freedom to instruct as they see fit, a tradition affirmed in the Faculty Handbook<br />

[49]: “[The faculty] shall have primary responsibility for matters related to the<br />

<strong>College</strong>’s program of instruction.” In the Faculty Satisfaction Survey [45] reported<br />

in Table 3.32, full-time faculty consistently give high marks for having control over<br />

their courses, faculty governance, and faculty development with lower averages<br />

in the area of fringe benefits. Part-time faculty, as reported in Table 3.33, have<br />

high satisfaction in control over courses, with average responses in faculty<br />

governance and faculty development and low satisfaction in fringe benefits. The<br />

survey used a 6-point scale (1 = lowest and 6 = highest) to measure satisfaction.<br />

Part-time faculty have the disadvantage of not being on campus every day, which<br />

can lead to the feeling of being disconnected. More support for these faculty and<br />

their experience has been discussed in the Dean of the <strong>College</strong>’s office.<br />

127


Criterion Three: Student<br />

Learning and Effective Teaching<br />

Questions<br />

Fringe<br />

Benefits<br />

Faculty<br />

Governance<br />

2008<br />

N<br />

32<br />

32<br />

2008<br />

Average<br />

3.63<br />

4.63<br />

2008<br />

SD<br />

1.50<br />

1.01<br />

2009<br />

N<br />

39<br />

40<br />

2009<br />

Average<br />

4.13<br />

4.35<br />

2009<br />

SD<br />

0.80<br />

1.00<br />

Table 3.32:<br />

<strong>Full</strong>-time Faculty Average<br />

Satisfaction Responses<br />

2008 and 2009 with<br />

Standard Deviation (SD)<br />

Faculty<br />

Development<br />

32<br />

4.22<br />

1.16<br />

39<br />

4.36<br />

1.06<br />

Control Over<br />

Courses<br />

32<br />

5.19<br />

1.12<br />

38<br />

5.32<br />

1.14<br />

Questions<br />

Fringe<br />

Benefits<br />

Faculty<br />

Governance<br />

2008<br />

N<br />

7<br />

7<br />

2008<br />

Average<br />

2.29<br />

3.43<br />

2008<br />

SD<br />

1.60<br />

1.13<br />

2009<br />

N<br />

6<br />

5<br />

2009<br />

Average<br />

4.80<br />

3.67<br />

2009<br />

SD<br />

0.84<br />

1.75<br />

Table 3.33:<br />

Part-time Faculty Average<br />

Satisfaction Responses<br />

2008 and 2009 with<br />

Standard Deviation<br />

Faculty<br />

Development<br />

7<br />

3.14<br />

1.57<br />

6<br />

4.83<br />

0.98<br />

Control Over<br />

Courses<br />

7<br />

4.57<br />

1.72<br />

7<br />

4.86<br />

1.77<br />

The <strong>College</strong> presents a number of teaching awards to recognize effective<br />

teaching. A faculty committee chooses the Award for Exemplary Teaching<br />

[118] which is presented each fall during the Founders Day Convocation. This<br />

award is presented each year by <strong>Wesleyan</strong> and the General Board of Higher<br />

Education of The United Methodist Church and recognizes the accomplishments<br />

of an extraordinary teacher. The Student Senate presents an award for<br />

“Faculty Member of the Year” each year and the senior class also recognizes<br />

an outstanding faculty member at every graduation.<br />

Teaching Awards<br />

In recent years, to align the academic curriculum with the institutional focus on<br />

community engagement, the <strong>College</strong> has moved to recognize and encourage<br />

faculty members who incorporate community engagement in their teaching.<br />

For the past two years, the <strong>College</strong> has celebrated Martin Luther King Jr.<br />

Day by awarding those faculty and students who show leadership in areas of<br />

service on campus. Descriptions of the award can be found on the Center for<br />

Community Engagement Wiki [122].<br />

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Criterion Three: Student<br />

Learning and Effective Teaching<br />

Several faculty members have also taken students with them to conferences<br />

with the aim of further introducing them to the life of their discipline. <strong>Self</strong>-reported<br />

data published in the Faculty Bulletin [44], indicates that during the 2007-2008<br />

and 2008-2009 years, faculty took students with them to six and 31 conferences,<br />

respectively. In addition, the data collected from the Faculty Bulletin in 2007<br />

through 2009 indicate that <strong>Wesleyan</strong> faculty published three books and ten<br />

scholarly articles and made fifty-three presentations at conferences over this<br />

two-year period.<br />

Faculty Requirements<br />

A teaching institution, <strong>Wesleyan</strong> has a long history of encouraging students<br />

to strive for academic excellence through high quality instruction. Highly<br />

motivated and competent teaching is a necessity for tenure and promotion<br />

[49]. The Faculty Handbook (p. 46) [49] also requires that faculty hold at least<br />

five office hours a week in order to be accessible to students. This emphasis<br />

on the student drives <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s faculty to offer students more personalized<br />

instruction. Students know that the <strong>College</strong>’s instructors are available outside<br />

of class should the student need further clarification on course material.<br />

Student Evaluations of Faculty<br />

At the end of each semester, students are asked to complete a course evaluation,<br />

in which the instructor is rated on a 7-point semantic differential scale. Perhaps<br />

the best evidence of quality teaching at this institution is the consistently strong<br />

course evaluation composite scores [123] on questions such as those shown in<br />

Tables 3.34, 3.35, 3.36, 3.37, 3.38, and 3.39 below.<br />

Table 3.34:<br />

Course Evaluations:<br />

In the Classroom the Instructor Is<br />

Organized/Unorganized Spring 06<br />

Organized<br />

59%<br />

24%<br />

9%<br />

3%<br />

1%<br />

2%<br />

Disorganized<br />

1%<br />

No<br />

Response<br />

1%<br />

Fall 06<br />

58%<br />

23%<br />

11%<br />

5%<br />

3%<br />

2%<br />

1%<br />

1%<br />

Spring 07<br />

56%<br />

23%<br />

10%<br />

5%<br />

2%<br />

2%<br />

1%<br />

1%<br />

Fall 07<br />

57%<br />

25%<br />

10%<br />

5%<br />

2%<br />

1%<br />

1%<br />

2%<br />

Spring 08<br />

59%<br />

22%<br />

9%<br />

4%<br />

4%<br />

2%<br />

1%<br />

2%<br />

Fall 08<br />

57%<br />

23%<br />

10%<br />

4%<br />

3%<br />

1%<br />

1%<br />

1%<br />

129


Criterion Three: Student<br />

Learning and Effective Teaching<br />

Spring 06<br />

Clear<br />

56%<br />

24%<br />

9%<br />

3%<br />

4%<br />

2%<br />

Unclear<br />

1%<br />

No<br />

Response<br />

1%<br />

Table 3.35:<br />

Course Evaluations:<br />

In the Classroom the Instructor Is:<br />

Clear/Unclear<br />

Fall 06<br />

51%<br />

25%<br />

11%<br />

6%<br />

4%<br />

4%<br />

2%<br />

2%<br />

Spring 07<br />

52%<br />

25%<br />

10%<br />

5%<br />

3%<br />

2%<br />

2%<br />

1%<br />

Fall 07<br />

50%<br />

27%<br />

11%<br />

6%<br />

4%<br />

2%<br />

1%<br />

2%<br />

Spring 08<br />

54%<br />

23%<br />

10%<br />

5%<br />

5%<br />

3%<br />

2%<br />

2%<br />

Fall 08<br />

52%<br />

25%<br />

10%<br />

5%<br />

3%<br />

3%<br />

1%<br />

1%<br />

Spring 06<br />

Well-<br />

Informed<br />

76%<br />

16%<br />

4%<br />

2%<br />

1%<br />

0%<br />

Uninformed<br />

1%<br />

No<br />

Response<br />

1%<br />

Table 3.36:<br />

Course Evaluations:<br />

In the Classroom the Instructor Is:<br />

Well-Informed/Uninformed<br />

Fall 06<br />

68%<br />

20%<br />

6%<br />

4%<br />

2%<br />

2%<br />

1%<br />

1%<br />

Spring 07<br />

69%<br />

18%<br />

5%<br />

3%<br />

1%<br />

1%<br />

1%<br />

2%<br />

Fall 07<br />

65%<br />

21%<br />

7%<br />

4%<br />

2%<br />

1%<br />

1%<br />

2%<br />

Spring 08<br />

65%<br />

19%<br />

7%<br />

5%<br />

3%<br />

2%<br />

1%<br />

3%<br />

Fall 08<br />

70%<br />

18%<br />

6%<br />

3%<br />

1%<br />

1%<br />

1%<br />

1%<br />

Spring 06<br />

Fall 06<br />

Prepared<br />

67%<br />

62%<br />

21%<br />

24%<br />

5%<br />

8%<br />

3%<br />

4%<br />

2%<br />

2%<br />

1%<br />

2%<br />

Un-<br />

Prepared<br />

1%<br />

1%<br />

No<br />

Response<br />

1%<br />

2%<br />

Table 3.37:<br />

Course Evaluations:<br />

In the Classroom the Instructor Is:<br />

Prepared/Unprepared<br />

Spring 07<br />

62%<br />

23%<br />

7%<br />

4%<br />

2%<br />

1%<br />

1%<br />

1%<br />

Fall 07<br />

62%<br />

26%<br />

6%<br />

4%<br />

2%<br />

1%<br />

1%<br />

2%<br />

Spring 08<br />

63%<br />

23%<br />

7%<br />

4%<br />

3%<br />

1%<br />

2%<br />

2%<br />

Fall 08<br />

62%<br />

23%<br />

7%<br />

3%<br />

1%<br />

1%<br />

1%<br />

1%<br />

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Criterion Three: Student<br />

Learning and Effective Teaching<br />

Table 3.38:<br />

Course Evaluations:<br />

In the Classroom the<br />

Instructor Is:<br />

Enthusiastic/Unenthusiastic<br />

Spring 06<br />

Fall 06<br />

67%<br />

65%<br />

18%<br />

19%<br />

6%<br />

8%<br />

3%<br />

5%<br />

2%<br />

2%<br />

1%<br />

1%<br />

Enthusiastic<br />

Unenthusiastic<br />

1%<br />

2%<br />

No<br />

Response<br />

1%<br />

1%<br />

Spring 07<br />

62%<br />

20%<br />

8%<br />

4%<br />

2%<br />

1%<br />

1%<br />

1%<br />

Fall 07<br />

64%<br />

22%<br />

7%<br />

4%<br />

2%<br />

1%<br />

1%<br />

2%<br />

Spring 08<br />

65%<br />

20%<br />

8%<br />

4%<br />

2%<br />

2%<br />

2%<br />

2%<br />

Fall 08<br />

65%<br />

18%<br />

7%<br />

4%<br />

2%<br />

1%<br />

1%<br />

2%<br />

Table 3.39:<br />

Course Evaluations:<br />

In the Classroom the<br />

Instructor Is:<br />

Imaginative/Unimaginative<br />

Spring 06<br />

Fall 06<br />

57%<br />

52%<br />

21%<br />

22%<br />

11%<br />

12%<br />

4%<br />

8%<br />

2%<br />

3%<br />

2%<br />

3%<br />

Imaginative<br />

Unimaginative<br />

2%<br />

2%<br />

No<br />

Response<br />

2%<br />

2%<br />

Spring 07<br />

52%<br />

22%<br />

12%<br />

7%<br />

2%<br />

2%<br />

2%<br />

1%<br />

Fall 07<br />

52%<br />

24%<br />

13%<br />

6%<br />

2%<br />

2%<br />

2%<br />

3%<br />

Spring 08<br />

52%<br />

22%<br />

12%<br />

8%<br />

3%<br />

3%<br />

2%<br />

3%<br />

Fall 08<br />

53%<br />

23%<br />

11%<br />

6%<br />

3%<br />

2%<br />

1%<br />

1%<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong> also prides itself on the quantity and quality of relationships built<br />

between faculty and students outside of the classroom, believing that these<br />

relationships are one of the hallmarks of the institution. Assessment data<br />

support this belief. The NSSE asks “In your experience at your institution<br />

during the current school year, about how often have you worked with faculty<br />

members on activities other than coursework (committees, orientation, student<br />

life activities, etc.” (Question 1s). In 2008, 23 percent of first-year students and<br />

49 percent of seniors answered “often” or “very often”. The mean results as<br />

reported in Table 3.40 show that <strong>Wesleyan</strong> students have significantly more<br />

interactions with faculty outside of the classroom than the national average.<br />

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Criterion Three: Student<br />

Learning and Effective Teaching<br />

Scale: 1 = never, 2 = sometimes, 3 = often, 4 = very often<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong><br />

2004<br />

National<br />

2004<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong><br />

2008<br />

National<br />

2008<br />

Table 3.40:<br />

NSSE Results<br />

Worked With Faculty Members on<br />

Activities Other Than Coursework<br />

First-year<br />

Students<br />

1.78<br />

1.57**<br />

1.92<br />

1.65***<br />

Seniors<br />

2.19<br />

1.09**<br />

2.55<br />

1.84***<br />

2-tailed t-test; * = p < .05; ** = p < .01; *** = p < .001<br />

NSSE also asks, “Have you done or do you plan to do before you graduate<br />

from your institution…work on a research project with a faculty member<br />

outside of course or program requirements” (Question 7d). In 2008, 47 percent<br />

of <strong>Wesleyan</strong> first-year students and 43 percent of seniors said the “plan to<br />

do” or had “done” this. The mean results reported in Table 3.41 show that<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong> seniors are well ahead of the national average in involvement with<br />

faculty in research.<br />

Scale: 1 = have not decided, 2 = do not plan, 3 = plan to do, 4 = done<br />

First-year<br />

Students<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong><br />

2004<br />

.04<br />

National<br />

2004<br />

.03<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong><br />

2008<br />

.08<br />

National<br />

2008<br />

.05<br />

Table 3.41:<br />

NSSE Results<br />

Work on a Research Project With<br />

a Faculty Member Outside of<br />

Course or Program Requirements<br />

Seniors<br />

.26<br />

.20<br />

.33<br />

.20***<br />

2-tailed t-test; * = p < .05; ** = p < .01; *** = p < .001<br />

Scores from both the course evaluations and NSSE (available in Resource<br />

Room) show that <strong>Wesleyan</strong> faculty are very invested and effective in teaching<br />

as well as in getting students involved in their research and life outside the<br />

classroom.<br />

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Criterion Three: Student<br />

Learning and Effective Teaching<br />

3c. The organization creates effective learning environments<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s commitment to teaching and learning is strong. The faculty work<br />

to build and maintain the strong tradition of effective teaching and experiential<br />

learning to prepare students for life and work in the twenty-first century. The<br />

academic programs at <strong>Wesleyan</strong> are discussed at length both earlier in this<br />

chapter as well as in Chapter Four. However, learning outside of the classroom<br />

is an excellent example of how <strong>Wesleyan</strong> creates effective learning environments<br />

for students when they are not in class.<br />

The Student Development office at <strong>Wesleyan</strong> is responsible for the following<br />

areas: campus life, housing, Greek life, leadership programs, career services,<br />

counseling, health center, intramural programs and recreation, intercultural<br />

relations, The Learning Center, and new student programs such as Orientation<br />

and Family Weekend. While each of these areas provides support for students<br />

and creates learning environments outside of the classroom, this report<br />

focuses on three specific areas: Greek Life, Housing and Residence Life, and<br />

the Counseling Center.<br />

Greek Life<br />

The Office of Greek Life has established a set of Accreditation Standards [124].<br />

These standards have been advanced by <strong>Wesleyan</strong> to make clear the <strong>College</strong>’s<br />

expectations for those fraternal organizations with which it has entered into<br />

a relationship of mutual benefit. The <strong>College</strong> enthusiastically endorses those<br />

Greek-letter groups that meet these criteria and complement the mission of the<br />

<strong>College</strong>. Every Greek-letter social organization is expected to collect data on<br />

and maintain accreditation standards each year. The standards include:<br />

1. Academic performance - Must maintain above 2.75 for<br />

WVWC standards, but must maintain above the all-male<br />

campus average for Greek Alumni Council standard.<br />

2. Chapter development - Must achieve 70% efficiency<br />

rating with the Presidents Point Cup Standards.<br />

3. Leadership development - Must fully comply with<br />

Article V of the Inter Fraternity Council (IFC) constitution<br />

to operate as chapter without limitations to various<br />

activities.<br />

4. Social Responsibility – The Greek Affairs Coordinator<br />

will recommend to the accreditation board to meet if a<br />

chapter has more than six weeks probation in an<br />

academic year or if the chapter has two or more citations<br />

from the city police department. The board will decide if<br />

corrective action is needed for the group.<br />

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Criterion Three: Student<br />

Learning and Effective Teaching<br />

Leadership training and development of the Greek Life program are built around<br />

these four standards with the expectation that in order for an organization to<br />

maintain their status on campus these standards are met. For example, grade<br />

point average (GPA) is tracked as part of the accreditation process. In 2008, the<br />

Greek men’s average GPA was 2.82 with 24 percent of Greek men achieving<br />

Dean’s List honors. In the same year, the Greek women’s average was 3.15,<br />

with 38 percent achieving Dean’s List honors. For this same year, the average<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong> GPA was 3.03.<br />

Because <strong>Wesleyan</strong> is a residential campus, the residence halls are the center<br />

of student activity, living, and learning. The residence halls are staffed with<br />

an Assistant Coordinator (senior student leader) or Graduate Assistant<br />

(graduate student) who supervises the building and a Resident Assistant (RA)<br />

who works with individual floors or wings. While informal learning occurs on<br />

a daily basis, formal RA programming [125] is also required and tracked for<br />

each residence hall. Residence Hall programming is based on the following<br />

model. Each AC is required to complete the following: one social building<br />

activity and one community service project each year; one awareness program<br />

per semester; advertise, encourage participation, and attend one Campus<br />

event each semester; follow up with RA staff members to ensure completion<br />

of their activities; and maintain their building’s programming budget. Each RA<br />

is required to complete the following: two educational activities, two social<br />

activities, and one awareness program per semester and create a passive<br />

activity every month. One challenge the <strong>Wesleyan</strong> residence life program<br />

faces is the out-of-date residence hall facilities. The renovations to Fleming<br />

Hall involved residence life staff as part of the planning process to determine<br />

how to recreate the inside of the facility into a living-learning environment. The<br />

students and staff are pleased with the opening of this residence hall in Fall<br />

2009 and look forward to future improvements recommended in the Campus<br />

Facilities Master Plan [75].<br />

Residence Life<br />

The Counseling Center [126] at <strong>Wesleyan</strong> provides a much needed service to<br />

students who need extra support during their college experience. The mission<br />

of the Counseling Center staff is to “help students in this section of their<br />

journey by helping them find the path to enhance their personal development<br />

and effectiveness.” The Counseling Center provides services to students in<br />

individual counseling sessions that have been assessed to be very effective as<br />

shown in Table 3.42.<br />

Counseling Center<br />

134


Criterion Three: Student<br />

Learning and Effective Teaching<br />

Table 3.42:<br />

Counselor Assessment Results<br />

(Random Sample 2005-2007, 17% return rate by mail, 26 participants<br />

Scale: 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree)<br />

Counselor helped me<br />

To change for the better<br />

To think more clearly<br />

To manage feelings<br />

To become more effective/productive<br />

To better understand myself<br />

With decision-making<br />

To resolve a conflict<br />

To lessen risky behavior<br />

To persist at WVWC<br />

Average<br />

4.1<br />

4.3<br />

4.1<br />

4.3<br />

4.3<br />

4.3<br />

4.4<br />

4.3<br />

4.6<br />

The Counseling Center also offers educational programs throughout the year.<br />

Students who attend the programs consistently give them high scores in all of<br />

the categories (Table 3.43).<br />

Table 3.43:<br />

Counseling Center<br />

Program Evaluation Results<br />

Four educational programs by 48 participants in 08<br />

Scale: 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree)<br />

Average<br />

Objectives of the program were explained<br />

I learned new information or skills<br />

There was time for discussion/practice<br />

Overall, I achieved some benefit<br />

Would recommend program or presenter to others<br />

Avg. score of all items by total group<br />

4.2<br />

4.3<br />

4.3<br />

4.3<br />

4.6<br />

4.4<br />

Student Success<br />

Student success can occur in or out of the classroom. One of the best ways<br />

to learn about a successful student on <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s campus is to stop and<br />

ask a faculty or staff member of a story about a successful student. The<br />

marketing office spends most of the year not only writing about happenings at<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong> but also focusing on student success. A few of the stories from the<br />

2008-2009 year include: “Students Lead <strong>West</strong> <strong>Virginia</strong> ‘Go Green’ Movement”<br />

[127], “Squires Enjoys Olympic Experience” [128], “Blechl Last to See Native<br />

135


Criterion Three: Student<br />

Learning and Effective Teaching<br />

American Remains” [129], “Shao’s Experiences Provide Different Perspective<br />

on Life” [130], and “McTammany First Grenada Sports Medicine Intern” [131].<br />

Other evidence of student success can be found in the results of the Alumni<br />

Survey. Of the respondents, 94 percent reported they were employed or in<br />

graduate school within six months following their graduation from <strong>Wesleyan</strong><br />

and 67 percent reported they worked in a field mildly or highly related to their<br />

major field at <strong>Wesleyan</strong>.<br />

Essential to success and learning is the physical aspect of the <strong>College</strong>’s learning<br />

environment. Deferred maintenance and updating in the <strong>College</strong>’s classrooms<br />

has become a growing concern. When the Campus Facilities Master Plan [75]<br />

is complete, the institution looks forward to having a plan to transform former<br />

learning spaces such as Atkinson Auditorium (currently closed due to fire code)<br />

into newly designed and updated spaces for student learning both in and out<br />

of the classroom. For now, students and faculty work with current classrooms<br />

and living spaces to create the best environment possible.<br />

The <strong>College</strong>’s Physical<br />

Learning Environment<br />

In an effort to offer state-of-the-art facilities for its students, the <strong>College</strong> recently<br />

undertook three major construction projects. The <strong>Virginia</strong> Thomas Law Center<br />

for the Performing Arts Center opened in April 2009, Fleming Residence Hall<br />

opened in August 2009, and the David E. Reemsnyder Research Center is<br />

scheduled to open January 2010. The new performing arts center addresses a<br />

long-perceived shortcoming of <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s facilities—the theater. With this new<br />

building, student actors, dancers, designers, and musicians can perform in a<br />

modern performing arts center. Most importantly, theatre students can now<br />

learn how to use state-of-the-art equipment that better trains them for a career<br />

in performing arts after graduation. While the performing arts center improves<br />

facilities for fine arts, the Reemsnyder Research Center will constitute a major<br />

upgrade for students in the sciences, providing them with newer equipment and<br />

course-dedicated laboratories, as well as much needed classroom, research,<br />

and faculty space. Fleming Hall, as mentioned above, provides students<br />

with new suite-style living options including many of the amenities students<br />

look forward to, such as central air-conditioning and heating and updated<br />

community spaces.<br />

Part of <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s learning environment is technology infrastructure. For<br />

a small liberal arts college that faces budgetary challenges, <strong>Wesleyan</strong> has<br />

struggled to make computer technology available to students, faculty, and<br />

staff. In the 1990s, <strong>Wesleyan</strong> moved to the single platform approach, ensuring<br />

that all members of the community could access and utilize the same kind of<br />

computers and software. As a result, most <strong>Wesleyan</strong> students have needed<br />

hardware and software repairs completed on campus. In addition, the college’s<br />

“uptime” for online access over the last ten years has been 95-99 percent.<br />

Technology Infrastructure<br />

136


Criterion Three: Student<br />

Learning and Effective Teaching<br />

The <strong>College</strong> has worked hard to move beyond the traditional classroom setup.<br />

Professors who wish to incorporate computers into their instruction can readily<br />

do so. Every classroom at <strong>Wesleyan</strong> can have projection or wireless access<br />

scheduled in advance. <strong>Wesleyan</strong> has several fixed projection classrooms for<br />

instructors who use computers in every class. One challenge the <strong>College</strong> faces<br />

is the development of a cyclical replacement schedule for faculty and administrative<br />

computers, many of which are four years old or more. In addition,<br />

updating classroom space with technology has become a growing challenge<br />

given constraints on resources. Teaching spaces are falling behind, with<br />

equipment like smart boards appearing in only two of <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s classrooms.<br />

In the 2004 NSSE report, 91 percent of <strong>Wesleyan</strong> students said the institution<br />

greatly emphasizes “using computers in academic work”. In the same report,<br />

76 percent of <strong>Wesleyan</strong> first-year students said the <strong>College</strong> had made a great<br />

contribution in the area of “using computing and information technology.”<br />

The numbers were improved in the 2008 NSSE results. <strong>Wesleyan</strong> first-year<br />

students (p < .001) and seniors (p < .05) were significantly different than the<br />

national average, with 89 percent and 85 percent, respectively, saying that the<br />

<strong>College</strong> had “quite a bit” or “very much” contributed to their knowledge, skills,<br />

and person development in the area of “using computing and information<br />

technology.”<br />

Outdoor Biological Laboratories<br />

The <strong>College</strong> is fortunate to own a parcel of land between the main campus<br />

and the Buckhannon River where the Department of Biology has established a<br />

number of study sites. Students in BIOL 312 Plant Systematics and BIOL 310<br />

Ecology have been studying four 13 x 14-meter succession plots that were<br />

established in 1999 in an area previously kept as lawn along Buckhannon’s<br />

River Walk. At the beginning of the project, two plots were roto-tilled and the<br />

other two were untreated. Over the last eleven years students have been able<br />

to observe that strikingly different changes have taken place in each of the four<br />

plots as biological succession has progressed.<br />

137


Criterion Three: Student<br />

Learning and Effective Teaching<br />

At other sites along the River Walk, students in BIOL 252 Introduction to<br />

Physiology annually sample nectar from populations of jewelweed in a study of<br />

the bioenergetics of nectar-feeding in the ruby-throated hummingbird. Nearby,<br />

students in BIOL 111 General Biology have begun documenting encroachment<br />

on the native flora by exotic plant species. Additionally, the Department created<br />

a small wetland a number of years ago for use by Environmental Biology<br />

students in explorations of wetland communities and their ecology.<br />

Approximately eight miles from campus is Stonecoal Lake Wildlife Management<br />

Area (owned by Allegheny Energy Company, leased to and managed by the<br />

<strong>West</strong> <strong>Virginia</strong> Division of Natural Resources) where for the past 40 years students<br />

in BIOL 310 Ecology, BIOL 312 Plant Systematics, and BIOL 316 Vertebrate<br />

Zoology have carried out a variety of investigations on topics as diverse as<br />

habitat preference in salamanders, timber cruising, whether mosses are more<br />

prevalent on the north sides of trees, seining for fish, mark and recapture of<br />

crayfish, and plant diversity. Other courses, such as the honors course BIOL<br />

188 Natural History of <strong>West</strong> <strong>Virginia</strong>, have also enjoyed field experiences at<br />

Stonecoal.<br />

138


Criterion Three: Student<br />

Learning and Effective Teaching<br />

3d. The organization’s learning resources support<br />

student learning and effective teaching.<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong> maintains its commitment to student learning and effective teaching<br />

by providing an assortment of learning resources. The following sections<br />

describe these student learning resources. Beyond the Library, described<br />

below, other sections of this chapter give details of resources that support<br />

faculty and teaching.<br />

Library<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s Annie Merner Pfeiffer Library provides resources to support students<br />

and faculty in learning and effective teaching. These resources are multifaceted,<br />

incorporating physical space, collections, and service. The space in the physical<br />

building is more than just a storehouse for the collections, offering classroom<br />

space, areas for group study, as well as individual reflection, and even a coffee<br />

shop, which provides a venue for informal meetings, special programs, and<br />

relaxation. The gate count in the Library for the 2007-2008 academic year was<br />

294,388—up significantly from 140,794 the previous year. The Library is open<br />

ninety hours per week, higher than the state or national averages for college<br />

libraries, especially those colleges of <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s size.<br />

No matter the research topic, the Library provides helpful assistance to faculty<br />

and students in every discipline. Collections at the library consist of both print<br />

and electronic formats. Books will always be a mainstay of college academics<br />

and the collection is strong in comparison to other schools of <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s size.<br />

Thanks to generosity of an alumnus, the Library’s collections of Civil War, World<br />

War II, and Holocaust history are exceptional. In fact, the University of <strong>Virginia</strong><br />

has been known to borrow Civil War materials from <strong>Wesleyan</strong> on Interlibrary<br />

Loan. As technology advances, however, books may not always be in paper<br />

form. The Library’s collection includes 120,000 electronic books. Journals and<br />

other serial publications are also in a state of change. Print subscriptions to<br />

390 titles pale in comparison to the 14,473 titles the Library is able to offer<br />

electronically. Access to over 100 databases is made possible through a<br />

combination of subscriptions and the benefits of <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s association with<br />

the Appalachian <strong>College</strong> Association. In addition, <strong>Wesleyan</strong> is indebted to the<br />

<strong>West</strong> <strong>Virginia</strong> Library Commission for making available a set of databases [132]<br />

to all libraries in the state. <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s students are among those with the highest<br />

usage of these databases in the state, behind <strong>West</strong> <strong>Virginia</strong> University and<br />

Marshall University, the state’s largest public universities (evidence available in<br />

the Resource Room).<br />

The Library offers many services, including educational programming, to help<br />

faculty and students benefit from these collections. For several years, as part<br />

of the First-Year Seminar, students have been asked by the Reference Librarian<br />

to complete modules on information literacy that are designed to increase<br />

understanding of how to incorporate information technology into their studies.<br />

Each year, 90 percent of <strong>Wesleyan</strong> first-year students successfully complete<br />

exercises on information literacy [133], research, and academic integrity.<br />

139


Criterion Three: Student<br />

Learning and Effective Teaching<br />

Reserve desk services are strong with 446 items placed on reserve last year and<br />

2489 circulations. However, because reserve materials are increasingly being<br />

delivered electronically through the Angel course management system by the<br />

instructors themselves, the number of reserves has decreased. For items that<br />

are not located in the library, the <strong>College</strong> offers Interlibrary Loan service at no<br />

cost to patrons. In 2007-2008 there were 742 items procured in this manner.<br />

Reference service is offered in person, by telephone, by email, and in the last<br />

few years by instant messenger. Students appear to feel more comfortable<br />

asking questions through online communications and the members of the<br />

staff are able to provide this service even when they are not physically in the<br />

Library.<br />

The Learning Center at <strong>Wesleyan</strong> offers all students a peer-based tutoring<br />

program that promotes independence in learning. A peer tutor, recommended<br />

by faculty, is trained and supervised to assist students class assignments,<br />

projects, reports, etc. for 100- and 200-level courses in specific departments.<br />

Hours for each department’s tutoring services are posted in residence halls,<br />

the tutor bulletin board across from The Learning Center, and throughout<br />

academic buildings, as well as emailed to the student body and listed on the<br />

Center’s webpage [304].<br />

The Learning Center<br />

In addition, <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s Learning Center [134] is strongly committed to providing<br />

support to students with documented learning disabilities and attention difficulties.<br />

The comprehensive program provides a solid foundational service<br />

and two optional fee-based programs designed to assist with the transition<br />

to college-level academics. One measurement used to assess Learning<br />

Center services is The Learning Center Feedback Form [135]. The form asks<br />

students to rate their level of satisfaction on eleven items using a scale ranging<br />

from 1 (never satisfied) to 5 (always satisfied). Three additional open-ended<br />

questions ask students to recommend improvements, identify strengths, and<br />

indicate whether participation in services strengthened their learning. Results<br />

from Spring 2009 are very positive. Forty-eight out of 73 students participated<br />

in the assessment. The average satisfaction rating for the eleven items was<br />

4.5 out of 5. Perhaps the most important item is the open-ended question<br />

that asks, “Has your participation in The Learning Center helped you develop<br />

strategies to strengthen your learning” Thirty-nine out of the 48 participants<br />

responded to this question and all but two wrote explanations for their answer.<br />

The Learning Center is a valuable resource that supports student learning. The<br />

commitment and effectiveness of the staff are illustrated in the comments of the<br />

students served. Complete results of this and other Learning Center program<br />

and assessment information are available on TracDat.<br />

140


Criterion Three: Student<br />

Learning and Effective Teaching<br />

The Writing Center<br />

In addition to The Learning Center, <strong>Wesleyan</strong> provides two other places for<br />

academic support. The Writing Center [136] is charged with the goal of helping<br />

students improve their writing throughout the entire writing process. The<br />

Writing Center intends to be a comfortable and encouraging environment that<br />

supports the importance of clear, concise, and logical writing in all areas of<br />

academic study. The Writing Center is open five days a week and is staffed by<br />

peer writing assistants, supervised and trained by a staff person.<br />

ESL Program<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong> also assists students for whom English is a second language by<br />

offering an extensive array of English as a Second Language courses [137]<br />

each semester. Beyond the courses, the English Annex, where these classes<br />

are held, often becomes the home away from home for International students<br />

who use the space to study and socialize.<br />

Student Athletes<br />

Student-athletes at <strong>Wesleyan</strong> make up approximately one-third of the <strong>College</strong>’s<br />

student body. While <strong>Wesleyan</strong> takes pride in their athletes on the field, the<br />

<strong>College</strong> also recognizes that balancing athletics and academics can often<br />

be challenging. Based on feedback from faculty, coaches, and students, the<br />

Athletic Department recognized the need to change their study table program<br />

where coaches enforced study hours with athletes to a program that will<br />

better assist student-athletes with their academics. Beginning in Fall 2009,<br />

the <strong>College</strong> is implementing an Academic Enhancement Initiative [138] that<br />

will tailor academic assistance to fit the particular needs of a student-athlete.<br />

The student-athletes themselves will be able to select from a list of resources<br />

on campus (tutors, Writing Center, Math Lab, etc.) and will no longer utilize<br />

outdated models like “study hall” or “study tables”. This allows student-athletes<br />

more flexible schedules so that they may access services already open to all<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong> students (such as the Writing Center) while providing a structure for<br />

student-athletes who need the added support.<br />

Internships<br />

In addition, <strong>Wesleyan</strong> has increasingly encouraged and, in some majors, required<br />

internships that offer students the opportunity to develop career skills while still<br />

in college. In addition to the students who are required to participate in an<br />

internship experience as part of their major curriculum, other students initiate<br />

and participate in internships that are not mandated. Of these students, some<br />

elect to earn credit for this internship experience. For example, in 2007-2008<br />

seventy-seven students initiated and completed internships for academic<br />

credit that were not otherwise required or included in the curriculum for their<br />

chosen major. Many majors require an internship, practicum, and or clinical<br />

experience, and details can be found in the Undergraduate Catalog [18].<br />

141


Criterion Three: Student<br />

Learning and Effective Teaching<br />

The strengths of the <strong>College</strong> based on the review of this criterion are as follows:<br />

Summary of Criterion Three<br />

• Institution-wide, strong indirect assessment data for its<br />

four mission goals consistently collected through the<br />

NSSE, Alumni Survey, and the Graduating Students<br />

Survey.<br />

• Assessment efforts focused on the four mission<br />

goals allowing assessment to be more meaningful,<br />

manageable, and helping to keep the campus focused<br />

on the mission.<br />

• Access and support for faculty development and travel.<br />

• A strong culture of faculty participation in professional<br />

and scholarly activities, while maintaining an emphasis on<br />

teaching.<br />

• A well-used library that serves as a central resource and<br />

learning environment.<br />

The challenges of the <strong>College</strong> based on the review of this criterion are as follows:<br />

• A need for more direct assessment (therefore less<br />

self-report data) at the program and campus-wide level to<br />

assess student learning.<br />

• Consistent assessment across all academic and student<br />

development programs.<br />

• TracDat should be a strength in this area, but its wide use<br />

across campus continues to be a challenge.<br />

• A need for updating and improving learning environments<br />

in classrooms, residence halls and other gathering<br />

spaces beyond the new construction of the <strong>Virginia</strong><br />

Thomas Law Center for the Performing Arts, David E.<br />

Reemsnyder Research Center, and Fleming Hall.<br />

• Computer technology, both infrastructure and in the<br />

classroom, are in need of continual upgrading and<br />

refreshing.<br />

142


Criterion Four: Acquisition, Discovery,<br />

and Application of Knowledge<br />

The organization promotes a life of learning for its faculty, administration, staff, and students by fostering<br />

and supporting inquiry, creativity, practice, and social responsibility in ways consistent with its mission.<br />

As a comprehensive college, the <strong>Wesleyan</strong> learning community dedicates<br />

itself to teaching of the highest quality. Transferring knowledge and partnering<br />

with constituents to solve problems is an expanding part of the <strong>College</strong>’s role<br />

in the twenty-first century. To thrive in a complex world, the acquisition of<br />

knowledge is paramount. This chapter describes how the <strong>College</strong> supports<br />

faculty and student research and creative activity. The promotion of intellectual<br />

inquiry through the General Education program is discussed. The final section<br />

addresses how the <strong>College</strong>’s curricula engage students to learn and experience<br />

life and work in a global, diverse, and technological society.<br />

143


4a. The organization demonstrates, through the actions of its board,<br />

administrators, students, faculty, and staff, that it values a life of learning.<br />

Criterion Four: Acquisition, Discovery,<br />

and Application of Knowledge<br />

The first sentence in the covenant section of <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s Statement of Mission<br />

states, “<strong>West</strong> <strong>Virginia</strong> <strong>Wesleyan</strong> <strong>College</strong> challenges its students to a life-long<br />

commitment to develop their intellectual, ethical, spiritual, and leadership<br />

potential and to set and uphold standards of excellence.” This call to lifelong<br />

learning is fundamental to the institution.<br />

Classroom learning for the students is enriched because the faculty, staff, and<br />

administrators also value learning in their own lives. As described in Chapter<br />

Three, the <strong>College</strong> makes provisions in the budget for faculty conference,<br />

research, and sabbatical experiences.<br />

Faculty and Staff Learning<br />

and Development<br />

In addition to discipline-specific conference participation, faculty members<br />

are actively involved in learning experiences through the Appalachian <strong>College</strong><br />

Association (ACA) [62]. The ACA provides professional development support<br />

through conferences (both a general Summit and a Teaching and Learning<br />

Conference) as well as funding for students and faculty to support research,<br />

internships, and other academic endeavors. Also, <strong>Wesleyan</strong> has been fortunate<br />

to secure funding through ACA and the Mellon Foundation to allow faculty<br />

members the opportunity to participate in the Salzburg Seminars in Austria<br />

[85]. Since 2000, thirteen faculty [139] members have been selected for this<br />

opportunity, with two of those thirteen attending twice.<br />

As mentioned in Chapter Two, tuition waivers are offered for study at <strong>West</strong><br />

<strong>Virginia</strong> University for both faculty and staff. Several employees have taken<br />

advantage of this opportunity to work towards masters and or doctoral degrees<br />

(Table 4.1).<br />

2003<br />

Faculty<br />

5<br />

Staff<br />

4<br />

Table 4.1:<br />

Number of WVU Tuition Waivers<br />

by Year<br />

2004<br />

5<br />

5<br />

2005<br />

5<br />

7<br />

2006<br />

3<br />

3<br />

2007<br />

2<br />

7<br />

2008<br />

2<br />

6<br />

2009<br />

2<br />

9<br />

In addition, faculty and staff, their dependents, and graduate assistants take<br />

advantage of the tuition remission benefit by taking undergraduate and or<br />

graduate courses at <strong>Wesleyan</strong> (Table 4.2).<br />

144


Criterion Four: Acquisition, Discovery,<br />

and Application of Knowledge<br />

Table 4.2:<br />

Tuition Remission by Year<br />

Academic Year<br />

Number of Persons<br />

Amount<br />

2008 – 2009<br />

Employees: 22<br />

Dependents: 30<br />

Graduate Assistants: 28<br />

Total: 80<br />

$57,220<br />

$468,875<br />

$294,160<br />

$820,255<br />

2007 – 2008<br />

Employees: 18<br />

Dependents: 28<br />

Graduate Assistants: 27<br />

Total: 73<br />

$35,850<br />

$444,765<br />

$234.503<br />

$715,118<br />

2006 – 2007<br />

Employees: 21<br />

Dependents: 29<br />

Graduate Assistants: 20<br />

Total: 70<br />

$40,000<br />

$422,425<br />

$177,860<br />

$640,780<br />

2005 – 2006<br />

Employees: 17<br />

Dependents: 28<br />

Graduate Assistants: 19<br />

Total: 64<br />

$51,560<br />

$439.632<br />

$153,480<br />

$644,672<br />

2004 – 2005<br />

Employees: 26<br />

Dependents: 36<br />

Graduate Assistants: 23<br />

Total: 85<br />

$52,880<br />

$466.941<br />

$180,620<br />

$700,441<br />

2003 – 2004<br />

Employees: 14<br />

Dependents: 32<br />

Graduate Assistants: 16<br />

Total: 62<br />

$49,960<br />

$460,771<br />

$145,335<br />

$656,066<br />

2002 – 2003<br />

Employees: 17<br />

Dependents: 35<br />

Graduate Assistants: 15<br />

Total: 67<br />

$52,520<br />

$401,713<br />

$98,880<br />

$553,113<br />

While funding for staff development through conference travel is more limited<br />

than faculty funding, there are several internal opportunities for staff learning.<br />

The Staff Assembly provides monthly meetings that serve as both a business<br />

and staff development meeting for all staff members. Each month they cover<br />

topics such as “Behind the Scenes at the Physical Plant”, “Giving Back to<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong>”, “Retention and Resources”, “The Learning Center”, “Wellness”,<br />

“Upshur County Parish House: Partnering with <strong>Wesleyan</strong>”, “Dollars & Sense/<br />

SIFE”, and “Heart Healthy”.<br />

Since the arrival of Vice President of Student Development and Enrollment<br />

Management Julie Keehner, MS, in 2005, the Student Development and<br />

Enrollment area has provided monthly professional development opportunities<br />

for its staff members. Topics include presentations of departmental<br />

goals and objectives for each area, as well as an overview of services and<br />

programs. Programs also include presentations of data collected by the Office<br />

of Institutional Research, such as the National <strong>Study</strong> for Student Engagement<br />

145


Criterion Four: Acquisition, Discovery,<br />

and Application of Knowledge<br />

(NSSE) and Cooperative Institutional Research Program (CIRP) data; a<br />

program on how each area contributes to student retention; an explanation<br />

and overview of the strategic planning process; a presentation on assessment<br />

and learning outcomes; and a question and answer period focusing on current<br />

issues, concerns, and opportunities. A staff development committee meets<br />

at the beginning of each semester to recommend topics that are timely and<br />

relevant for a particular semester and to identify potential facilitators for the<br />

suggested programs. Participation in these programs has been excellent with<br />

about 80 percent of all student development and enrollment management staff<br />

members involved.<br />

In 2009-2010 the Student Development and Enrollment Management area<br />

is beginning a mentoring program for new professional staff members and<br />

others who wish to become involved. This program centers around reading<br />

selected articles and books and then coming together on a monthly basis to<br />

discuss the application of this information to <strong>Wesleyan</strong>. Given limited funding<br />

for formal travel and conferences, staff are excited about how these activities<br />

will enrich the development of new professionals, while also affording senior<br />

staff members the opportunity to share their expertise and experiences with<br />

younger colleagues.<br />

The Library is important in guiding students on a path of life-long, self-directed<br />

learning and serves as a central resource for the continued life-long learning<br />

of faculty and staff. The Library provides faculty, staff, and students with the<br />

resources to explore ideas independently and to practice and learn to judge<br />

the authenticity and merit of conflicting arguments, contradictory “facts”,<br />

and considered opinion. It is also a resource for discovering or renewing the<br />

pleasure of reading great books or satisfying curiosity. Independent learning<br />

and pleasure in reading are directly related to the lifelong learning encouraged<br />

in <strong>Wesleyan</strong> students. In addition, the Library staff members have been directly<br />

and actively involved in lifelong learning, as technology has completely revolutionized<br />

the way they do their work. For example, the speed and diversity of<br />

information that can now be found electronically means that the Library staff<br />

needs to be up to date in all forms of electronic resources from library databases<br />

to using web-based technology such as Twitter and Facebook.<br />

Library Resources for Teaching<br />

and Learning<br />

The <strong>College</strong>’s library is not just a physical and electronic repository. The serviceoriented<br />

staff is committed to providing a learning environment where students<br />

can succeed, while also maintaining and enhancing its collections of print and<br />

electronic books and journals, databases, and media. The Library staff works<br />

to remove barriers to information access and reduce users’ frustrations, while<br />

offering proactive assistance. Specific initiatives to accomplish these goals<br />

include library orientation and information literacy programs [133] in the First<br />

Year Seminar, course-specific workshops to inform students and faculty about<br />

146


Criterion Four: Acquisition, Discovery,<br />

and Application of Knowledge<br />

the resources available for specific disciplines, and multiple mechanisms for<br />

individual assistance including telephone, email, instant messenger services,<br />

and face-to-face interaction.<br />

The 2009 Library Survey [140] was conducted via Survey Monkey with<br />

invitations for participation being sent to all faculty, staff, and students via the<br />

campus email system. The data from the completed surveys showed that the<br />

Library is effective as a place, as a collection, and as a service to the faculty,<br />

staff, and students of <strong>Wesleyan</strong>. A summary of the results follows.<br />

• 95% of the 131 respondents report visiting the building<br />

at least once a week, while 37% of those visit 3-5 times<br />

per week.<br />

• 56.8% find some or plenty of print books in their major<br />

field of study.<br />

• 38.4% find some or plenty of electronic books in their<br />

major field of study, while 55% do not know if the Library<br />

has them. This result indicates a major opportunity for the<br />

Library to improve awareness of these resources.<br />

• 40.2% find some or plenty of print journals, while 77.6%<br />

find some or plenty of electronic journals to meet their<br />

needs. This is indicative of the move of more publishers<br />

from print to electronic formats.<br />

• 91.2% found the staff to be helpful, courteous, and<br />

knowledgeable as they perform such services as<br />

instruction, interlibrary loan, and audio-visual services,<br />

or while enjoying coffee and pastries at the Café Libros.<br />

Scholarship and Research<br />

Results of faculty scholarship and research is difficult to collect as the <strong>College</strong><br />

presently relies on faculty self-reported information and has no central clearinghouse<br />

for such data. The Library staff does attempt to keep an up-to-date<br />

listing of faculty publications on the library website [141], which is also selfreported<br />

information. As mentioned in Chapter Three, faculty publications,<br />

particularly journal articles, are cited in monthly Faculty Bulletins. In addition,<br />

faculty who publish books are featured in the <strong>Wesleyan</strong> Bookstore as well as in<br />

the display case outside of the Dean of the <strong>College</strong>’s office on the first floor of<br />

the Administration Building.<br />

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Criterion Four: Acquisition, Discovery,<br />

and Application of Knowledge<br />

Student research provides the opportunity for growth in the areas of critical<br />

thinking, communication, problem solving, and intellectual independence.<br />

NSSE scores speak to the numerous opportunities students have for intensive<br />

study whether through research or capstone courses.<br />

NSSE asks students “have you done or do you plan to do before you graduate<br />

from your institution…work on a research project with a faculty member<br />

outside of course or program requirements” (Question 7d). In 2008, 47 percent<br />

of first-year students and 43 percent of seniors indicated that they “plan to do”<br />

or have “done” this. Table 4.3 shows that <strong>Wesleyan</strong> seniors are significantly (p<br />

< .01) more likely to conduct research with faculty than the national average.<br />

First-year<br />

Students<br />

Scale: 0 = undecided, do not plan to do, plan to do 1 = done<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong><br />

2004<br />

.04<br />

National<br />

2004<br />

.03<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong><br />

2008<br />

.08<br />

National<br />

2008<br />

.05<br />

Table 4.3:<br />

NSSE Results<br />

Work on a Research Project With<br />

a Faculty Member Outside of<br />

Course or Program Requirements<br />

Seniors<br />

.26<br />

.20<br />

.33<br />

.20**<br />

2-tailed t-test; ** = p < .01<br />

Experiential learning through community engagement, capstone courses,<br />

research, and internships are learning resources of which <strong>Wesleyan</strong> students take<br />

advantage. In the mid-1990s, <strong>Wesleyan</strong> initiated senior capstone experiences<br />

in almost all of its majors, committing resources to the development of courses<br />

that call on students to demonstrate excellence in research, writing, and oral<br />

presentation for its seniors. NSSE also asks students “have you done or do you<br />

plan to do before you graduate from your institution…[a] culminating experience<br />

(capstone course, senior project, thesis, comprehensive exam, etc.)” (Question<br />

7h). In 2008, 64 percent of the first-year students and 95 percent of seniors<br />

“planned to do” or had “done” this type of experience. Mean comparisons in<br />

Table 4.4 show that while <strong>Wesleyan</strong> first-year students are no different than the<br />

national average, by the end of the senior year <strong>Wesleyan</strong> students are more<br />

likely to have participated in some type of culminating experience than the<br />

national average (p < .001).<br />

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Criterion Four: Acquisition, Discovery,<br />

and Application of Knowledge<br />

Table 4.4:<br />

NSSE Results<br />

Culminating Experience<br />

Scale: 0 = undecided, do not plan to do, plan to do 1 = done<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong><br />

2004<br />

National<br />

2004<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong><br />

2008<br />

National<br />

2008<br />

First-year<br />

Students<br />

.01<br />

.01<br />

.02<br />

.02<br />

Seniors<br />

.60<br />

.35***<br />

.68<br />

.32***<br />

2-tailed t-test; *** = p < .001<br />

Results from NSSE illustrate the importance of <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s emphasis on undergraduate<br />

research and capstone courses. Almost every major at <strong>Wesleyan</strong><br />

requires some form of a senior capstone course [18].<br />

Summer research grants are also fine examples of how faculty members<br />

involve students in their research beyond the research and capstone course<br />

requirements. Summer research grants are primarily in the sciences (chemistry,<br />

biology, environmental science, and physics) and are funded through faculty<br />

grants for research through organizations such as NASA, NSF, WV EPSCoR,<br />

SURE, and WV INBRE (which is a sub-award from NIH). Summer research<br />

grants are supported by in-kind and matching funds from the <strong>College</strong> with<br />

complimentary housing for students engaged in a grant-funded project with a<br />

faculty member. In 2008 <strong>Wesleyan</strong> received $288,007 in grant funding solely for<br />

faculty-student research, accounted for 55 percent of the total research grant<br />

funds [142] received that year.<br />

Mid-Atlantic Undergraduate<br />

Research Conference<br />

Since 2002, the Mid-Atlantic Undergraduate Research Conference (MAURC)<br />

has been held at <strong>Wesleyan</strong>. This forum for encouraging and sharing student<br />

research was envisioned and championed by Professor of Philosophy Robert<br />

Hull, PhD. As shown below, many of <strong>Wesleyan</strong> students have participated and<br />

competed with students from institutions around the region.<br />

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Criterion Four: Acquisition, Discovery,<br />

and Application of Knowledge<br />

<strong>College</strong><br />

Berea <strong>College</strong><br />

2006<br />

0<br />

2007<br />

0<br />

2008 [143]<br />

0<br />

2009 [144]<br />

1<br />

Table 4.5:<br />

Undergraduate Research<br />

Conference Participation by Year<br />

Bethany <strong>College</strong><br />

0<br />

0<br />

0<br />

1<br />

Brevard <strong>College</strong><br />

0<br />

1<br />

1<br />

0<br />

Capital University<br />

0<br />

0<br />

5<br />

0<br />

Davis and Elkins <strong>College</strong><br />

0<br />

0<br />

0<br />

1<br />

Hiram <strong>College</strong><br />

2<br />

0<br />

0<br />

0<br />

James Madison University<br />

0<br />

0<br />

0<br />

1<br />

King <strong>College</strong><br />

1<br />

0<br />

0<br />

0<br />

Marietta <strong>College</strong><br />

0<br />

4<br />

3<br />

0<br />

Mount Union <strong>College</strong><br />

0<br />

1<br />

0<br />

0<br />

Shepherd University<br />

0<br />

3<br />

0<br />

0<br />

University of Kentucky<br />

0<br />

1<br />

0<br />

0<br />

University of <strong>Virginia</strong><br />

3<br />

0<br />

0<br />

3<br />

<strong>Virginia</strong> Tech<br />

0<br />

3<br />

0<br />

0<br />

<strong>West</strong> <strong>Virginia</strong> <strong>Wesleyan</strong><br />

22<br />

22<br />

20<br />

18<br />

Wheeling Jesuit University<br />

0<br />

0<br />

0<br />

1<br />

Examples of undergraduate research at <strong>Wesleyan</strong> have been a challenge to<br />

collect in one place. Faculty may self-report student research when they are<br />

attending a conference or when student research presentations are publicized<br />

on campus, but there is no central clearinghouse for student research at<br />

the undergraduate or graduate level, which has made it difficult to report. In<br />

addition to the MAURC examples linked above, the departments of nursing<br />

[119], biology and environmental science [120], and exercise science [121] did<br />

respond to a campus-wide inquiry about examples of student research. A few<br />

select examples are listed below.<br />

Athletic Training<br />

• “The Pondera Board: Will a new rehabilitation product<br />

increase balance and strength in lower extremity<br />

muscles”; Spring 2009.<br />

• “What effect will parachute sport loading have on<br />

resistance trained male soccer players on their 30 meter<br />

acceleration performance”; Spring 2009.<br />

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Criterion Four: Acquisition, Discovery,<br />

and Application of Knowledge<br />

Biology<br />

• “Kinship and Alloparental Care in Mus musculus.”<br />

Supported though ACA as a Ledford Scholar; presented<br />

at the ACA Summit in 2006.<br />

• “<strong>West</strong> <strong>Virginia</strong> Orchid Studies: Population dynamics in<br />

two populations of Cypripedium reginae and adult<br />

dormancy in Cleistes bifaria.” Supported by WVWC’s<br />

SURE (Summer/Semester Undergraduate Research<br />

Experience) grant, Summer-Fall 2008.<br />

Nursing<br />

• “Pandemic Influenza: Knowledge, Beliefs and<br />

Preparedness of Rural Residents” a student poster<br />

presentation at the Sigma Theta Tau- Epsilon Delta<br />

Chapter, Research Day in November 2006.<br />

The graduate programs at <strong>Wesleyan</strong> also provide opportunities for student<br />

research. The graduate program in Athletic Training includes EXSC 597<br />

Graduate Research Seminar, which requires research and completion of a<br />

formal thesis. The Education Department’s graduate course offerings include<br />

EDUC 597 Research Methods and EDUC 598 Research Design, with the final<br />

project of this course serving as the candidate’s thesis. Finally, the <strong>College</strong>’s<br />

newest graduate program, the MSN, requires a capstone project, NURS 600,<br />

in which students will work collaboratively with faculty to carry out a specific<br />

portion of a research project and report the findings in a form suitable for<br />

publication. While the MBA does not currently require a research course or<br />

thesis, the curriculum is currently being examined and a research component<br />

in the MBA program is under discussion.<br />

Because graduate programs that include a specific emphasis on research<br />

(Education, Athletic Training, and Nursing) are new at <strong>Wesleyan</strong>, many of the<br />

initial students are just nearing the end of their graduate studies, which is<br />

the time that most will be conducting formal research. For those programs<br />

that have had recent graduates, research conducted by <strong>Wesleyan</strong> graduate<br />

students is listed in Table 4.6.<br />

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Criterion Four: Acquisition, Discovery,<br />

and Application of Knowledge<br />

Department<br />

Year<br />

Student<br />

Topic<br />

Table 4.6:<br />

Graduate Research<br />

Athletic Training<br />

Spring 2009<br />

Kevin Kear<br />

Exercise and breast cancer:<br />

a review of literature<br />

Leslie Alvarez<br />

An Algometric evaluation of<br />

Pain Thresholds in NCAA<br />

Division II athletes<br />

Tion Johnson<br />

Will eliminating the core have<br />

a significant effect on the<br />

distance of the Basketball<br />

Throw section of the Candidate<br />

Fitness Assessment Test<br />

administered by some Military<br />

Institution across the nation<br />

Education<br />

May 2008<br />

Joseph Book<br />

Special Education<br />

Transition Plans<br />

Joseph Eason<br />

Effect of Neurological Impress<br />

Method in Reading Instruction<br />

Caragh Kelley<br />

Effectiveness of Components<br />

of the Professional Development<br />

School (PDS) Model<br />

Stephanie Muller<br />

Code of Conduct at<br />

Buckhannon-Upshur<br />

High School<br />

Woody Snoberger<br />

Direct Instruction vs. Small<br />

Group Instruction in Math for<br />

Special Education Students<br />

Brian Brandish<br />

Response to Intervention<br />

in a Middle School Setting<br />

Janna Crowley<br />

A Comparison of Reading<br />

Comprehension in On-Line<br />

vs. Hard-Copy Text<br />

Jennifer Drake<br />

The Impact of Working<br />

Independently vs. Working<br />

Cooperatively on Student<br />

Learning in an Inclusive<br />

Setting<br />

Samantha Gainer<br />

& Meagan Watson<br />

Collaboration Between<br />

General and Special Education<br />

Ashlee Gaydak<br />

Standards-Based Mathematics:<br />

The Effects of Additional<br />

Professional Development on<br />

Teacher Attitudes<br />

Stacey Stone<br />

Reading Problems and Behavior<br />

Problems as Risk Factors<br />

for Each Other<br />

The Alumni Survey [291] asked respondents to indicate the “contribution that<br />

your experience at <strong>Wesleyan</strong> made to your growth in…engaging in lifelong<br />

learning.” On a 5-point scale (1 = very great, 2 = great, 3 = moderate, 4 = little, 5 =<br />

none) the average was 1.98. When comparing the means over time, the average<br />

Alumni<br />

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Criterion Four: Acquisition, Discovery,<br />

and Application of Knowledge<br />

for respondents in the 1993-1995 group was 2.28, 1998-2000 was 2.01, and<br />

2003-2005 was 1.76. There was a significant difference (p < .001) found between<br />

classes five years out (2003-2005) and 15 years out (1993-1995), indicating that<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong> has made improvement in this area.<br />

The Alumni Survey also asked respondents to indicate the “contribution that<br />

your experience at <strong>Wesleyan</strong> made to your growth in...learning about career<br />

options.” On a 5-point scale (1 = very great, 2 = great, 3 = moderate, 4 = little,<br />

5 = none) the average was 2.89. When comparing the means over time, the<br />

average for respondents in the 1993-1995 group was 3.10, 1998-2000 was 2.99<br />

and 2003-2005 was 2.82. There was a positive significant difference (p < .01)<br />

found between classes five years out (2003-2005) and 15 years out (1993-1995),<br />

indicating that <strong>Wesleyan</strong> has made improvement in this area.<br />

Both of these results show that <strong>Wesleyan</strong> is improving in its preparation of students<br />

for life-long learning and career exploration during their time at the <strong>College</strong>.<br />

Acknowledgement of<br />

Achievement and Service<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong> is proud of the achievements of its students and faculty. This message<br />

is celebrated and shared in many different ways, internally as well as externally.<br />

Outstanding teaching is recognized each year at Founders Day, the Student<br />

Awards Dinner, and Commencement. Descriptions of these awards can be found<br />

in Chapter Three.<br />

The Human Resources Office recognizes service by faculty and staff at the annual<br />

fall Faculty and Staff Gathering [145]. In addition, the monthly Faculty Bulletin<br />

[44] announces highlights of faculty honors and achievements in an effort to both<br />

celebrate and to encourage further achievements. Each month an electronic<br />

newsletter, eNews [43], highlights successes campus-wide.<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s Orange and Black Scholarship Recognition Day [146] is a chance to<br />

celebrate the achievements of prospective students and to build anticipation for<br />

their continued growth and success while at <strong>Wesleyan</strong>. At this event distinguished<br />

students who have been accepted for admission to <strong>Wesleyan</strong> are invited for a<br />

day of programming, interaction with current students, and a banquet in their<br />

honor during which a select group of outstanding seniors are introduced and<br />

celebrated.<br />

Students are recognized annually through the Annual Awards Dinner, previously<br />

known as the Awards Assembly. The following honors and awards are among<br />

those presented to <strong>Wesleyan</strong> students who have distinguished themselves during<br />

the academic year. The Outstanding Seniors Award [147], given to four soon-to-be<br />

graduates, is chosen based on their academic performance, organizational<br />

involvement, and significant leadership in a variety of academic and co-curricular<br />

activities through their time at <strong>Wesleyan</strong>. The Sheridan Watson Bell Religious Life<br />

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Criterion Four: Acquisition, Discovery,<br />

and Application of Knowledge<br />

Influence Award [148] is presented to the senior who demonstrates outstanding<br />

Christian influence in personal and campus life. Other <strong>Wesleyan</strong> awards include<br />

the Pamela Thorn Memorial Humanities Scholarship, Senior Activity Keys,<br />

International Student Ambassador, Honorary Association Awards, Sam Ross<br />

Scholar-Athlete Award, Who’s Who Among Students in American <strong>College</strong>s and<br />

Universities, <strong>Wesleyan</strong> Spirit Awards, and the William B. Hatfield Fine Arts Award.<br />

In addition, at the Annual Awards Dinner each academic department as well as<br />

several co-curricular departments, present awards to their students for excellence<br />

in academics and leadership, among other categories.<br />

The President’s List and Dean’s List [149] are other ways that the <strong>College</strong><br />

recognizes students’ academic achievements. Each semester the President’s<br />

List celebrates the superior scholarship of students who have achieved a 4.0<br />

grade point average (GPA) for the semester, while the Dean’s List celebrates the<br />

excellent scholarship of students who have achieved a GPA 3.5 or above for the<br />

semester, all while completing a credit hour load of at least twelve hours.<br />

There are several student organizations that recognize achievement in academic<br />

work. Each of these honoraries has specific criteria that require students to<br />

show achievement such as GPA, work in their major, hours spent on related<br />

activities, etc. Honoraries at <strong>Wesleyan</strong> include: Alpha Lambda Delta – Freshman<br />

Scholarship; Alpha Psi Omega – Dramatic Arts; Benzene Ring – Chemistry; Beta<br />

Beta Beta – Biology; Delta Mu Delta – Business; Gamma Sigma Alpha – Greek<br />

Women; Hallam Math Honorary – Math; Kappa Delta Pi – Education; Kappa Pi<br />

– Art; Lambda Pi Eta – Communication; Mortar Board – Leadership; Omicron<br />

Delta Epsilon – Economics; Omicron Delta Kappa – Leadership; Order of Omega<br />

– Greek; Pi Gamma Mu – Social Sciences; Phi Alpha Theta – History; Phi Kappa<br />

Phi – Upperclass Scholarship; Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia – Music; Phi Sigma Tau –<br />

Philosophy; Psi Chi – Psychology; Sigma Alpha Iota – Women in Music; Sigma<br />

Tau Delta – English; Sigma Theta Tau – Nursing.<br />

Finally students who participate in service have been honored since 2008 at<br />

the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration [122]. Awards are given to faculty,<br />

students, and student organizations in the areas of “Do All the Good You<br />

Can”, “Unsung Hero”, “Excellence in Leadership”, “Outstanding Commitment<br />

to Service”, the Presidential “Positive Influence Award”, and the Presidential<br />

“<strong>Wesleyan</strong> Citizenship Award”.<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong> also recognizes the achievements of its graduates. Alumni are made<br />

aware of the achievements of current and past students and faculty through the<br />

biennial Sundial [54] publication and by the monthly electronic publication, the<br />

Orangeline Online [53]. Each year at Homecoming, <strong>Wesleyan</strong> also recognizes<br />

alumni through three alumni awards [150].<br />

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Criterion Four: Acquisition, Discovery,<br />

and Application of Knowledge<br />

4b. The organization demonstrates that acquisition of a breadth of knowledge and<br />

skills and the exercise of intellectual inquiry are integral to its educational programs.<br />

General Education<br />

In addition to discipline-specific study, students at <strong>Wesleyan</strong> are required to<br />

complete a program of General Education. This ensures that a well-rounded<br />

curriculum is offered and that students will have a wide breadth of knowledge<br />

while also achieving the four goals of the <strong>Wesleyan</strong> mission.<br />

Currently, the General Education program at <strong>Wesleyan</strong> is a distributive system<br />

that consists of an array of course requirements arranged around the <strong>College</strong>’s<br />

four mission goals. The courses are designed to provide students with a<br />

consistent general education to accompany their areas of academic specialization.<br />

The General Education program requirements are structured so that<br />

under each mission goal there is a “we believe” statement explaining why<br />

the <strong>College</strong> feels learning in this area is important. Under each mission goal,<br />

categories of courses are listed that fit the spirit of the goal. It is important to note<br />

that which courses are listed under each mission goal is currently under faculty<br />

discussion because, as with many courses, the learning outcomes achieved by<br />

students in a single course often fulfill more than one goal. However, for now,<br />

this is how the General Education program is conceived and communicated to<br />

faculty and students through the Undergraduate Catalog (p. 14-16) [18] and the<br />

web page [282] .<br />

Mission Goal #1:<br />

Think Critically and Creatively.<br />

We believe that the ability to gather appropriate information<br />

and to analyze and synthesize these data are the key to understanding<br />

and solving the ever changing and complex problems<br />

of today’s world. Courses in this section are aimed toward<br />

developing in our students a mode of thinking about a variety<br />

of subjects and problems in a way that continually questions<br />

and improves the quality of their thinking.<br />

1. Experimental Inquiry (3-6 hours)<br />

• Two laboratory courses in the physical or<br />

biological sciences for students seeking a<br />

B.S. degree. (6 hours)<br />

• One laboratory course in the physical or biological<br />

sciences for students seeking a B.A. or B.M.E.<br />

degree. (3 hours)<br />

2. Quantitative Inquiry (3-4 hours)<br />

• One course in mathematics (100-level or above)<br />

(3 hours) OR PSYC 225 Introductory to Statistics<br />

for Social Sciences (3 hours) OR PSYC 230 Statistics<br />

and Methodology in the Behavioral Sciences (4 hours)<br />

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Criterion Four: Acquisition, Discovery,<br />

and Application of Knowledge<br />

3. Humanities<br />

• INDS 120 Introduction to the Humanities (3 hours)<br />

(To be taken during the freshman or sophomore year)<br />

• One course in Literature (3 hours)<br />

4. Aesthetic Expression (3 hours)<br />

• Three semester hours in a single fine art selected<br />

from art, dance, music or theatre.<br />

We believe that preparation for life in the modern world<br />

requires communication with a cross section of diverse people<br />

who often have conflicting needs and interests. Courses in<br />

this section are aimed at developing effective written and oral<br />

communication that are crucial for cultivating and maintaining<br />

a sense of community and an ability to develop consensus in<br />

an increasingly diverse and complex world.<br />

Mission Goal #2:<br />

Communicate Effectively<br />

ENGL 101 Composition I, ENGL 102 Composition II, and COMM<br />

211 Fundamentals of Oral Communication are to be taken in<br />

sequence upon entering <strong>Wesleyan</strong>. A grade of C or better is<br />

required in Composition I, Composition II, and Fundamentals<br />

of Oral Communication.<br />

1. Written Expression (3-8 hours)<br />

• ENGL 101 Composition I (3 hours)<br />

• ENGL 102 Composition II (3 hours)<br />

• ENGL 319 Advanced Composition (2 hours) or<br />

enrollment in an approved departmental senior<br />

seminar or writing course (Courses satisfying this<br />

requirement will be noted in the course descriptions<br />

in the Undergraduate Catalog).<br />

2. Oral Expression (3 hours)<br />

• COMM 211 Fundamentals of Oral Communication<br />

(3 hours)<br />

We believe that students learn to act responsibly by studying<br />

what society considers to be right and wrong, by investigating<br />

the origins of ideas and beliefs, and by learning about and experiencing<br />

the results of the application of these ideas and beliefs<br />

in their lives and the lives of others. Courses in this section are<br />

aimed toward developing and enhancing the student’s sense<br />

of responsibility to himself/herself and to others.<br />

Mission Goal #3:<br />

Act Responsibly<br />

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Criterion Four: Acquisition, Discovery,<br />

and Application of Knowledge<br />

1. Religious and Philosophical Inquiry (6 hours)<br />

• One course in Philosophy (3 hours)<br />

• One course in Religion (3 hours) OR one of<br />

the following:<br />

a. CHED 210 Leadership in the Church (3 hours)<br />

b. CHED 250 Introduction to Worship (3 hours)<br />

c. CHED 270 Spiritual Disciplines for Church<br />

Leaders and Educators (3 hours)<br />

2. Physical & Mental Well-Being (3 hours)<br />

• One course selected from:<br />

PHED 110 Exercise and Weight Control (3 hours)<br />

PHED 120 Women’s Wellness (3 hours)<br />

PHED 130 Personal and Community Health (3 hours)<br />

PHED 140 First Aid and Safety (3 hours)<br />

PHED 201 School Health (3 hours)<br />

PHED 240 Fundamentals of Human Nutrition<br />

(3 hours)<br />

Mission Goal #4:<br />

Demonstrate Local and World<br />

Citizenship through Service<br />

We believe that collaboration with and service to the larger<br />

community lead to the mutually beneficial exchange of<br />

knowledge and resources and are essential for enhancing the<br />

value of life in a world of conflicting needs and interests. Courses<br />

in this section, as well as many of <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s co-curricular<br />

activities and programs, are aimed at instilling in students the<br />

understanding that, as members of the world community, they<br />

have a lifelong vocation to serve.<br />

1. United States Cultural Studies (3 hours)<br />

• See Undergraduate Catalog [18] for a list<br />

of courses (p. 16)<br />

2. International Cultural Studies (3 hours)<br />

• See Undergraduate Catalog [18] for a list<br />

of courses (p. 16)<br />

3. Social Sciences (6 hours)<br />

• One course selected from HIST 101, 102, 121, 122<br />

(3 hours)<br />

• One course selected from Criminal Justice,<br />

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Criterion Four: Acquisition, Discovery,<br />

and Application of Knowledge<br />

Economics, Geography, Political Science,<br />

Psychology, Sociology (3 hours)<br />

As described in the Response to the HLC 2002 Visit (Chapter 0b.), the <strong>College</strong><br />

is at the beginning stages of moving toward an outcomes-based program<br />

that incorporates course-embedded assessment of student learning in the<br />

General Education program. Student learning will be assessed by embedding<br />

appropriate assessment measures within each course designated as part of<br />

the General Education curriculum. To accomplish this, faculty who teach a<br />

designated General Education course will:<br />

1. Identify specific learning outcomes that general<br />

education students should attain in the course;<br />

2. Specify how these outcomes will be measured within<br />

the course;<br />

3. Provide assessment data on the General Education<br />

outcomes to the General Education Director(s); and<br />

4. Share these data and related observations with other<br />

faculty and students to improve student learning in the<br />

General Education program.<br />

As the <strong>College</strong> moves toward comprehensive course-embedded assessment<br />

of General Education, faculty will be asked to provide information about the<br />

learning outcomes of proposed courses before being considered for the<br />

fulfillment of General Education credits. The Co-directors of General Education<br />

(Paula McGrew, MA and Susan Aloi, EdD) are currently working with faculty to<br />

determine these course-specific General Education student learning outcomes<br />

Approved by the Curriculum Council in Spring 2009, new procedures require<br />

faculty who are teaching a course designated as a General Education course to<br />

participate in the assessment of the General Education outcomes, and to report<br />

their results to the Co-directors of the General Education Program. The program<br />

has a customized process for assessment depending on whether the course<br />

is currently identified as a General Education course, is a current course being<br />

offered that a faculty member would like to include in the General Education<br />

curriculum, or is a new course being designed for General Education.<br />

For existing courses currently identified in the General Education distributive<br />

curriculum, each faculty member completes a form [22] prior to teaching the<br />

course that identifies at least one General Education learning outcome to be<br />

attained within this course and describes an existing assessment tool that<br />

assesses the identified General Education learning outcome(s) (or describes<br />

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and Application of Knowledge<br />

the proposed development of such tool). Then, the instructor submits the form<br />

and a copy of the assessment instrument (exam, assignment with rubric, etc.)<br />

to the Co-Directors. After completion of the course, the instructor is expected<br />

to report aggregated or raw data from the assessment of the General Education<br />

outcome(s) and produce a brief reflection/observation on student learning, with<br />

appended suggestions for improvement.<br />

For new course proposals or existing courses not currently part of the identified<br />

General Education distributive curriculum the form [23] asks the instructor<br />

prior to teaching the course to send to the Co-Directors a course syllabus that<br />

contains specific General Education learning outcome(s), identifies with which<br />

General Education category the outcome is aligned, and describes the learning<br />

activities designed to facilitate student learning of the General Education<br />

outcome(s). The form also requests an enrollment plan for the course (number<br />

of sections, frequency, student enrollment), an explanation of the embedded<br />

assessment that will measure student learning of the General Education<br />

outcome(s), and a copy of the assessment instrument. After completion of<br />

the course instructors are expected to send the Co-Directors aggregated or<br />

raw data from the assessment of the General Education outcome(s), a brief<br />

reflection/observation on student learning, and suggestions for improvement<br />

in future offerings of this course.<br />

At the end of each semester, the Co-Directors of General Education will pool<br />

and analyze the assessment data across all General Education courses, and<br />

enter them into the appropriate areas of TracDat. Then, the reporting structure<br />

in TracDat will be used to report back to faculty and work with instructors of<br />

courses that are not meeting the designated student learning outcomes.<br />

As an overall assessment of the effectiveness of the General Education<br />

program, NSSE asks students “to what extent has your experience at this<br />

institution...contributed to your knowledge, skills and personal development in<br />

acquiring a broad general education” (Question 11a). In 2008, 89 percent of<br />

first year students and 91 percent of senior students answered “quite a bit” or<br />

“very much” to this question. The mean results (Table 4.7) show that in 2008,<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong> seniors showed a significant difference (p < .001) from the national<br />

average.<br />

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Criterion Four: Acquisition, Discovery,<br />

and Application of Knowledge<br />

Scale: 1 = very little, 2 = some, 3 = quite a bit, 4 = very much<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong><br />

2004<br />

National<br />

2004<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong><br />

2008<br />

National<br />

2008<br />

Table 4.7:<br />

NSSE Results<br />

Acquiring a Broad<br />

General Education<br />

First-year<br />

Students<br />

3.27<br />

3.16<br />

3.30<br />

3.20<br />

Seniors<br />

3.32<br />

3.32<br />

3.62<br />

3.29***<br />

2-tailed t-test; *** = p < .001<br />

Likewise, NSSE also asks students “to what extent has your experience at this<br />

institution contributed...to your knowledge, skills and personal development in<br />

acquiring job or work-related knowledge and skills” (Question 11b). In 2008,<br />

74 percent of first year students and 80 percent of senior students answered<br />

“quite a bit” or “very much” to this question. The mean results shown in Table<br />

4.8 show satisfying growth for <strong>Wesleyan</strong>. In 2004 <strong>Wesleyan</strong> Seniors were significantly<br />

(p < .05) below the national average. By 2008 they had met the national<br />

average, as these means were not significantly different.<br />

Scale: 1 = very little, 2 = some, 3 = quite a bit, 4 = very much<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong><br />

2004<br />

National<br />

2004<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong><br />

2008<br />

National<br />

2008<br />

Table 4.8:<br />

NSSE Results<br />

Acquiring Job or Work-Related<br />

Knowledge and Skills<br />

First-year<br />

Students<br />

2.79<br />

2.67<br />

2.97<br />

2.80*<br />

Seniors<br />

2.80<br />

3.02*<br />

3.24<br />

3.07<br />

2-tailed t-test; * = p < .05<br />

One possible reason students may not rate their job or work-related knowledge<br />

and skills highly is that most have not yet have fully entered the world of work.<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong> intends to employ alumni surveys to assess this gap. Alumni Survey<br />

results show more positive responses to this type of question, as shown in the<br />

next section (Core Component 4c).<br />

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Criterion Four: Acquisition, Discovery,<br />

and Application of Knowledge<br />

Graduate Education<br />

In addition to strong undergraduate programs, <strong>Wesleyan</strong> is beginning to develop<br />

a graduate education culture on campus. Despite the fact that <strong>Wesleyan</strong> had<br />

offered graduate programs in education in the 1970s and 1980s and has offered<br />

a Master of Business Administration [151] degree since 1986, <strong>Wesleyan</strong> has<br />

been known as a primarily undergraduate institution. However, in 2007, the<br />

<strong>College</strong> took a major step forward with regard to graduate education when it<br />

launched a new graduate program in Education. As described in Chapter One,<br />

the new Master’s in Education [152] degree program in Multi-Categorical Special<br />

Education was joined by a MEd program in Reading in 2008, and beginning<br />

May 2009, a MEd program in Post-Baccalaureate Accelerated Initial Teaching<br />

Certification was added. In addition, 2008-2009 also included the launch of the<br />

Master of Science in Athletic Training [153] program, which provides students<br />

with the theory and knowledge needed to become more advanced clinicians.<br />

Finally, in Fall 2009, the first students began the Master of Science in Nursing<br />

[154] degree program with a concentration in nursing education.<br />

Offering multiple graduate degrees at a traditionally undergraduate college<br />

marks the beginning of a new period in the development of the <strong>College</strong>. However,<br />

due to its history and subsequent public perception of being an undergraduate<br />

institution, the <strong>College</strong> is challenged by competition from larger universities<br />

with well-established and visible graduate cultures. To help establish a graduate<br />

culture at <strong>Wesleyan</strong>, the <strong>College</strong> named Kathleen Long, PhD, the first Dean<br />

of Graduate and Extended Learning. Dean Long oversees the curricula and<br />

staffing of the graduate programs, as well as coordinating the recruitment of<br />

graduate students and standardizing the graduate admission process. Most<br />

recently, she has arranged for a webinar and a three-day workshop [155] to<br />

train graduate faculty in dealing with the issues of creating a graduate culture.<br />

On February 1, 2009, <strong>Wesleyan</strong> became an associate member of the Council<br />

of Graduate Schools [68]. This organization provides the <strong>College</strong> access to<br />

information and or practices from other graduate institutions. The newer<br />

graduate programs (Education SPED [156], Education RDNG [157], Education<br />

POSTBAC [158], and Nursing [159]) all have designed assessment plans.<br />

Athletic training’s assessment plan is currently being developed and the<br />

oldest of the current graduate programs, the MBA, is currently reviewing its<br />

assessment efforts. For many years, assessment of the MBA program fell<br />

to faculty members who also taught full undergraduate loads as well as an<br />

evening graduate course. As a result, assessment has not been as systematic<br />

as it should have been. However, an alumni survey [160] (response rate =<br />

40%) administered in 2007 suggests a high level of satisfaction with the MBA<br />

program. Ninety-eight percent of the respondents said that it is a good program<br />

overall. According to the survey data, there was a direct correlation between<br />

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Criterion Four: Acquisition, Discovery,<br />

and Application of Knowledge<br />

earning the <strong>Wesleyan</strong> MBA and career advancement. In response to a question<br />

involving how earning the degree had helped their careers, 59 percent said that<br />

they had received new job responsibilities, 55 percent said they had received<br />

substantial additional compensation, and 32 percent said they had received<br />

a valuable promotion. The <strong>College</strong> has hired a new MBA Director, Kristina<br />

Smith, MBA, who will have a lighter teaching load than previous directors<br />

so that she can devote more time to providing leadership in both curriculum<br />

planning, recruitment, and coordinating MBA assessment with the Business<br />

and Economics Department Assessment Coordinator.<br />

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Criterion Four: Acquisition, Discovery,<br />

and Application of Knowledge<br />

4c. The organization assesses the usefulness of its curricula to students<br />

who will live and work in a global, diverse and technological society<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong> provides students an opportunity to grow in a complex world through<br />

educational and support programs that address globalization, diversity, and<br />

the impact of technology on society. The <strong>College</strong> admits that while it has many<br />

programs to help students learn about issues specific to globalization, diversity<br />

and technology, direct assessment of student learning has not been a strong<br />

aspect of these programs. This section will describe both the data collected<br />

from the NSSE and Alumni Surveys that are related to these areas and the<br />

programs the <strong>College</strong> has in place to address each area.<br />

Globalization and Diversity<br />

NSSE asks students “to what extent does your institution emphasize…<br />

encouraging contact among students from different economic, social and racial<br />

backgrounds” (Question 10c). In 2008, 66 percent of first-year students and 50<br />

percent of senior students answers “quite a bit” or “very much” to this question.<br />

One explanation for why the percentage is so different between first-year and<br />

senior-year students could be the “culture shock” associated with a student’s<br />

transition to college. This is especially true for first-year students who come from<br />

inside the Appalachian region. As discussed in Chapter One, the proportion of<br />

ethnic and racial diversity at <strong>Wesleyan</strong> is higher than most of the surrounding<br />

Appalachian region. While a large percentage of <strong>Wesleyan</strong> students come<br />

from this region, there is significant representation of races and ethnicities at<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong> not common to Appalachia, which would likely influence first-year<br />

students’ responses to this question. Scores for first-year students in 2004 were<br />

not different from the national average but in 2008 were significantly above it.<br />

On the other hand, in 2004 <strong>Wesleyan</strong> seniors were significantly (p


Criterion Four: Acquisition, Discovery,<br />

and Application of Knowledge<br />

NSSE also asks students “to what extent has your experience at this institution<br />

contributed...to your knowledge, skills and personal development in understanding<br />

people of other racial and ethnic backgrounds” (Question 11L). In<br />

2008, 37 percent of first-year students and 54 percent of seniors answered<br />

“quite a bit” or “very much” to this question. The mean scores (Table 4.10)<br />

show that while this is an area in which <strong>Wesleyan</strong> is hoping to improve, the<br />

<strong>College</strong> is currently on par with the national average. The <strong>College</strong> is working<br />

on various programs and curricula that address issues of globalization and<br />

diversity. See Chapter Five for details.<br />

First-year<br />

Students<br />

Scale: 1 = very little, 2 = some, 3 = quite a bit, 4 = very much<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong><br />

2004<br />

2.59<br />

National<br />

2004<br />

2.53<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong><br />

2008<br />

2.74<br />

National<br />

2008<br />

2.67<br />

Table 4.10:<br />

NSSE Results<br />

Understanding People of Other<br />

Racial and Ethnic Backgrounds<br />

Seniors<br />

2.45<br />

2.58<br />

2.67<br />

2.64<br />

2-tailed t-test<br />

The Alumni Survey [291] asks respondents to indicate the “contribution that<br />

your experience at <strong>Wesleyan</strong> made to your growth in…getting along with<br />

people whose attitudes and opinions are different from mine.” On a 5-point<br />

scale (1 = very great, 2 = great, 3 = moderate, 4 = little, 5 = none) the average<br />

was 2.01. When comparing the means over time, the average for respondents<br />

in the 1993-1995 group was 2.11, 1998-2000 was 2.04, and 2003-2005 was<br />

1.92. There were no significant differences among groups.<br />

The Alumni Survey also asks respondents to indicate the “contribution that<br />

your experience at <strong>Wesleyan</strong> made to your growth in…interacting well with<br />

people from racial groups or cultures different from my own.” On a 5-point<br />

scale (1 = very great, 2 = great, 3 = moderate, 4 = little, 5 = none) the average<br />

was 2.31. When comparing the means over time, the average for respondents<br />

in the 1993-1995 group was 2.56, 1998-2000 was 2.14, and 2003-2005 was<br />

2.27. There were no significant differences among groups.<br />

Also, the Alumni Survey asks respondents to indicate the “contribution that<br />

your experience at <strong>Wesleyan</strong> made to your growth in…understanding international<br />

issues.” On a 5-point scale (1 = very great, 2 = great, 3 = moderate, 4 =<br />

little, 5 = none) the average was 2.80. When comparing the means over time,<br />

the average for respondents in the 1993-1995 group was 2.93, 1998-2000 was<br />

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Criterion Four: Acquisition, Discovery,<br />

and Application of Knowledge<br />

2.91, and 2003-2005 was 2.63. A significant difference (p < .05) was found<br />

between classes five years out (2003-2005) and 15 years out (1993-1995)<br />

showing <strong>Wesleyan</strong> has improved in this area.<br />

The General Education program requires at least one course in the area of<br />

United States Cultural Studies and one in the area of International Cultural<br />

Studies. Related to the stated goal in the <strong>College</strong>’s mission for students to<br />

“demonstrate local and world citizenship through service”, these courses offer<br />

students the opportunity to explore, analyze, and discuss issues facing people<br />

within our country and around the world. The Undergraduate Catalog [18] lists<br />

General Education courses under Mission Goal #4 with a statement explaining<br />

why these courses are required.<br />

Beyond the General Education program, coursework in a variety of disciplines<br />

focuses learning on areas of the world beyond what the student may have<br />

experienced for himself or herself. The International Business and the<br />

International Studies majors are programs that emphasize this concept. Many<br />

other disciplines offer opportunities to investigate art, music, history, and religions<br />

of the world, as well as different customs and norms for communication.<br />

From Fall 1998 through Fall 2002, 67 students spent a fall or spring semester<br />

studying abroad in 18 countries—England, South Africa, Australia, Wales,<br />

Switzerland, Italy, Scotland, Ireland, New Zealand, France, Botswana, Argentina,<br />

Brazil, Tibet, Germany, Egypt, Northern Ireland, and Greece. In Spring 2003, a<br />

new fiscal policy impacted the availability of funds in the financial aid package<br />

of students interested in studying abroad. Before 2003, students could use all<br />

funds in their financial aid package—including all <strong>Wesleyan</strong> awards—to apply<br />

to the cost of an international semester; with the fiscal policy change, this was<br />

no longer the case. Thus, the number of students who have been financially<br />

able to take advantage of this experience has decreased. Following the implementation<br />

of the new policy (Spring 2003 through present), when <strong>Wesleyan</strong><br />

awards were no longer available, only 19 students have spent a semester<br />

abroad in Costa Rica, England, and Northern Ireland. Twelve of these 19 have<br />

been to Northern Ireland on an exchange program.<br />

A more affordable option for many students is to take a May Term travel course.<br />

These short-term courses are led by faculty and staff, and include a variety of<br />

international destinations. Courses in recent years have included journeys to<br />

South Korea, Ireland, Russia, Italy, Australia, Greece, Turkey, Bolivia, Belize,<br />

and Amazonian Peru. Approximately 70-90 students take advantage of this<br />

opportunity each year.<br />

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Criterion Four: Acquisition, Discovery,<br />

and Application of Knowledge<br />

In an effort to strengthen the <strong>College</strong>’s globalization efforts, five faculty attended<br />

an institute on Global Citizenship at the Salzburg Global Seminar (Chapter Two)<br />

in January 2008 and 2009. The outcome of their work is the Global Awareness<br />

Infusing Networks of Service (GAINS) [86] project. The GAINS project, first and<br />

foremost, re-designed short-term travel abroad courses typically offered during<br />

May Term to include a service component. This project seeks to link student<br />

exposure to global issues through travel, while incorporating focused problem<br />

investigation through applied service. Since the beginning of the GAINS project<br />

in January 2008, travel study courses that include service have been taught<br />

in Belize (May 2009, with another planned for May 2010) and designed for<br />

Nicaragua (May 2010) and Mexico (May 2010). Further, a faculty member is<br />

currently using her sabbatical to explore opportunities in South Africa. During<br />

the second year at the Salzburg Global Seminar, the <strong>Wesleyan</strong> team focused<br />

on expanding the GAINS program to promote global citizenship throughout the<br />

campus. Their plan [161] expands beyond the travel study courses to include<br />

a coordinated effort around global education. While much of the plan has<br />

yet to be carried out due to financial constraints, the Center for Community<br />

Engagement has been working on some of the projects, such as faculty training<br />

in community engagement and experiential learning [162], as well as bringing<br />

students into the conversation about designing these courses.<br />

Impact of Technology<br />

Following graduation from <strong>Wesleyan</strong>, some students choose to be involved<br />

with learning in a global fashion. For instance, in 2006-2007, a graduating<br />

senior was chosen as a Fulbright Scholar to teach English in Thailand. The<br />

following year, <strong>Wesleyan</strong> was honored to have four students chosen as<br />

Fulbright Scholars [163] traveling to Indonesia, Malaysia, China, and Thailand.<br />

In addition, <strong>Wesleyan</strong> was fortunate to have a Fulbright Scholar on campus<br />

during the 2008-2009 academic year. Visiting Fulbright Scholar Eunyoung Kim,<br />

DMA [164] used her time to study twentieth-century American composers and<br />

organ repertoire and taught organ courses for the <strong>College</strong>.<br />

The <strong>College</strong> also welcomes the opportunity to open its community to international<br />

students (Table 4.11). In Fall 2008, <strong>Wesleyan</strong> was host to 61 international<br />

students from 17 countries. This diversity of students provides a richness and<br />

effervescence in classes and on campus that would not otherwise be present.<br />

<strong>West</strong> <strong>Virginia</strong><br />

2000<br />

48%<br />

2001<br />

50%<br />

2002<br />

51%<br />

2003<br />

52%<br />

2004<br />

52%<br />

2005<br />

53%<br />

2005<br />

54%<br />

2007<br />

57%<br />

2008<br />

59%<br />

2008<br />

58%<br />

Table 4.11:<br />

Undergraduate Diversity<br />

by Geographic Location<br />

Out of State<br />

48%<br />

47%<br />

46%<br />

45%<br />

45%<br />

44%<br />

43%<br />

39%<br />

36%<br />

38%<br />

International<br />

4%<br />

3%<br />

3%<br />

3%<br />

3%<br />

3%<br />

3%<br />

4%<br />

5%<br />

4%<br />

Total Head<br />

Count<br />

1539<br />

1507<br />

1558<br />

1582<br />

1486<br />

1297<br />

1177<br />

1235<br />

1275<br />

1356<br />

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Criterion Four: Acquisition, Discovery,<br />

and Application of Knowledge<br />

During Spring 2010 semester, students will have an opportunity to study in<br />

Korea for a full semester at Pai Chai University. To be considered for this<br />

program, students must have a 3.0 GPA as of Fall 2008 and have earned 45<br />

credit hours prior to participating in the exchange. Students pay tuition, fees,<br />

room, and board to <strong>Wesleyan</strong> as usual, and beyond that, are responsible only<br />

for airfare, personal expenses, and books.<br />

Impact of Technology<br />

The challenges <strong>Wesleyan</strong> has recently faced with technology upgrades and<br />

refresh have been previously discussed in this self-study report. Yet the NSSE<br />

results show that <strong>Wesleyan</strong> appears to be faring well in this arena.<br />

NSSE asks students “to what extent does your institution...emphasize using<br />

computers in academic work” (Question 10g). In 2008, 91 percent of first-year<br />

students and 90 percent of seniors replied “quite a bit” or “very much” to this<br />

question. While these responses are strong, <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s mean for seniors in<br />

2008 (Table 4.12) were not significantly different than the national average. One<br />

possible reason for this response is that students are now growing up with<br />

computers and are using computers in all aspects of their lives; therefore, they<br />

do not find usage at college different from what they are already accustomed.<br />

Table 4.12:<br />

NSSE Results<br />

Using Computers in<br />

Academic Work<br />

First-year<br />

Students<br />

Scale: 1 = very little, 2 = some, 3 = quite a bit, 4 = very much<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong><br />

2004<br />

3.51<br />

National<br />

2004<br />

3.32**<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong><br />

2008<br />

3.46<br />

National<br />

2008<br />

3.31*<br />

Seniors<br />

3.68<br />

3.45**<br />

3.56<br />

3.46<br />

2-tailed t-test; * = p < .05; ** = p < .01-<br />

On the other hand, the <strong>College</strong> has maintained its outstanding record for<br />

contributing to students’ computing skills. When asked NSSE’s question<br />

“to what extent has your experience at this institution contributed to...your<br />

knowledge, skills and personal development in using computing and information<br />

technology” (Question 11g), in 2008, 89 percent of first-year students and 85<br />

percent of senior students responded “quite a bit” or “very much.” In both<br />

2004 and 2008 (Table 4.13), <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s means were significantly different than<br />

the national mean, indicating that the <strong>College</strong>’s efforts in this area are strong<br />

even though technology upgrades are critically needed. These results may<br />

be an indication that faculty, staff, and students are particularly competent in<br />

technology and find creative ways to deal with outdated equipment.<br />

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Criterion Four: Acquisition, Discovery,<br />

and Application of Knowledge<br />

Scale: 1 = very little, 2 = some, 3 = quite a bit, 4 = very much<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong><br />

2004<br />

National<br />

2004<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong><br />

2008<br />

National<br />

2008<br />

Table 4.13<br />

NSSE Results<br />

Using Computing<br />

and Information Technology<br />

First-year<br />

Students<br />

3.09<br />

2.85**<br />

3.36<br />

3.04***<br />

Seniors<br />

3.33<br />

3.12*<br />

3.39<br />

3.22*<br />

2-tailed t-test; * = p < .05; ** = p < .01; *** = p < .001<br />

The Usefulness of Curriculum<br />

The usefulness of the curriculum in regard to its ability to prepare students for<br />

today’s society is monitored in several ways, most importantly through NSSE<br />

and the Alumni Survey. In addition to the two NSSE questions related to general<br />

education reported earlier in this chapter, NSSE asks students “to what extent<br />

has your experience at this institution contributed to...your knowledge, skills<br />

and personal development in learning effectively on your own” (Question 11j).<br />

In 2008, 79 percent of first-year students and 84 percent of seniors answered<br />

“quite a bit” or “very much” on this question. Mean comparisons (Table 4.14)<br />

show that <strong>Wesleyan</strong> students are right at the national average with only seniors<br />

in 2008 showing a significant difference (p < .05) in their responses.<br />

Scale: 1 = very little, 2 = some, 3 = quite a bit, 4 = very much<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong><br />

2004<br />

National<br />

2004<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong><br />

2008<br />

National<br />

2008<br />

Table 4.14:<br />

NSSE Results<br />

Learning Effectively<br />

on Your Own<br />

First-year<br />

Students<br />

2.91<br />

2.91<br />

3.10<br />

2.96<br />

Seniors<br />

3.05<br />

3.09<br />

3.27<br />

3.05*<br />

2-tailed t-test; * = p < .05<br />

NSSE also asks students “to what extent has your experience at this institution<br />

contributed to...your knowledge, skills and personal development in understanding<br />

yourself” (Question 11k). In 2008, 69 percent of first-year students and<br />

76 percent of seniors answered “quite a bit” or “very much” to this question.<br />

Mean comparisons (Table 4.15) show that in 2008 <strong>Wesleyan</strong> seniors’ responses<br />

were significantly different (p < .01) from the national average.<br />

168


Criterion Four: Acquisition, Discovery,<br />

and Application of Knowledge<br />

Table 4.15:<br />

NSSE Results<br />

Understanding Yourself<br />

Scale: 1 = very little, 2 = some, 3 = quite a bit, 4 = very much<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong><br />

2004<br />

National<br />

2004<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong><br />

2008<br />

National<br />

2008<br />

First-year<br />

Students<br />

2.77<br />

2.74<br />

2.94<br />

2.81<br />

Seniors<br />

2.88<br />

2.88<br />

3.13<br />

2.83**<br />

2-tailed t-test; ** = p < .01<br />

NSSE also asks students “to what extent has your experience at this institution<br />

contributed to...your knowledge, skills and personal development in solving<br />

complex real-world problems” (Question 11k). In 2008, 66 percent of first-year<br />

students and 60 percent of seniors answered “quite a bit” or “very much.”<br />

Mean comparisons (Table 4.16) show that <strong>Wesleyan</strong> students are no different<br />

than the national average in this area, except that <strong>Wesleyan</strong> first-year students’<br />

responses were significantly different than the national mean in 2008.<br />

Table 4.16:<br />

NSSE Results<br />

Solving Complex<br />

Real-World Problems<br />

Scale: 1 = very little, 2 = some, 3 = quite a bit, 4 = very much<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong><br />

2004<br />

National<br />

2004<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong><br />

2008<br />

National<br />

2008<br />

First-year<br />

Students<br />

2.46<br />

2.50<br />

2.84<br />

2.69*<br />

Seniors<br />

2.52<br />

2.69<br />

2.80<br />

2.78<br />

2-tailed t-test; * = p < .05<br />

Overall, answers to questions about <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s contribution to preparing<br />

students for life after college indicate that <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s programs are equal to or<br />

slightly better than the national average. Because the NSSE questions are fairly<br />

general in nature, these data do not give us specific information from which the<br />

<strong>College</strong> can improve the usefulness and impact of the curriculum. For instance,<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong> does not know whether answers are coming from students’ curricular<br />

or co-curricular experiences. Secondly, without more pointed questions, the<br />

<strong>College</strong> also does not know which areas need improvement in facilitating<br />

student learning. Surveys of, and interactions with, alumni appear to be a more<br />

profitable area to explore regarding these questions.<br />

169


Criterion Four: Acquisition, Discovery,<br />

and Application of Knowledge<br />

The Alumni Survey asks respondents “How well did your experiences at<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong> prepare you for your first job after graduating from college” Of the total<br />

respondents, 87.5 percent responded “adequately”, “more than adequately”<br />

or “exceptionally well”. Likewise when asked how their <strong>College</strong> experience<br />

prepared them for their current job, 87.1 percent replied “adequately”, “more<br />

than adequately” or “exceptionally well”.<br />

The Alumni Survey [291] also asks respondents to indicate the “contribution<br />

that your experience at <strong>Wesleyan</strong> made to your growth in…developing selfconfidence”.<br />

On a 5-point scale (1 = very great, 2 = great, 3 = moderate, 4 =<br />

little, 5 = none) the average was 2.05. When comparing the means over time,<br />

the average for respondents in the 1993-1995 group was 2.13, 1998-2000 was<br />

2.14, and 2003-2005 was 1.93. No significant differences were found among<br />

years.<br />

Respondents were also asked to indicate the “contribution that your experience<br />

at <strong>Wesleyan</strong> made to your growth in…developing time management skills”. On<br />

a 5-point scale (1 = very great, 2 = great, 3 = moderate, 4 = little, 5 = none)<br />

the average was 2.15. When comparing the means over time, the average<br />

for respondents in the 1993-1995 group was 2.50, 1998-2000 was 2.13, and<br />

2003-2005 was 1.92. A significant difference (p < .001) was found between<br />

classes five years out (2003-2005) and 15 years out (1993-1995) showing<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong> has improved in this area.<br />

Finally, the Alumni Survey asks respondents to indicate the “contribution that<br />

your experience at <strong>Wesleyan</strong> made to your growth in...setting clear goals”. On<br />

a 5-point scale (1 = very great, 2 = great, 3 = moderate, 4 = little, 5 = none)<br />

the average was 2.26. When comparing the means over time, the average<br />

for respondents in the 1993-1995 group was 2.56, 1998-2000 was 2.24, and<br />

2003-2005 was 2.08. A significant difference (p < .001) was found between<br />

classes five years out (2003-2005) and 15 years out (1993-1995) showing<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong> has improved in this area. These findings, discussed above, show<br />

that <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s curriculum and co-curricular activities have contributed to<br />

alumni growth in skills important to success in life.<br />

Alumni have been very helpful in reviewing the curriculum from their post-<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong> point-of-view. One example is Ron Coleman, a history and philosophy<br />

alumnus and currently the Reference Librarian at the Holocaust Museum in<br />

Washington, D.C. Mr. Coleman has been very supportive of, and has written a<br />

recommendation for, the new Library Science minor. In addition, focus groups<br />

of young alumni have been meeting to discuss ways that the <strong>College</strong> and<br />

alumni can benefit one another, including the discussion of how alumni can be<br />

more helpful in terms of academic programming.<br />

170


Criterion Four: Acquisition, Discovery,<br />

and Application of Knowledge<br />

Individual college programs that are regularly accredited by discipline bodies<br />

often have to perform alumni and employer surveys as part of their accreditation<br />

process. For example, the Nursing program was granted full continuing<br />

accreditation in the Summer 2008 and during the self-study process the<br />

department conducted Alumni, Senior Exit, and Employer surveys that were<br />

combined into one report [165]. Examples of other programs that have<br />

made curriculum changes based on feedback from alumni can be found in<br />

Chapter Three.<br />

Finally, as a result of this self-study, it has been determined that Advisory<br />

Boards for each academic program, comprised of alumni and professionals<br />

in each field, need to be established for more consistent and regular review<br />

of program curricula. The creation of such structures was launched in<br />

Fall 2009 by the Dean of the <strong>College</strong>.<br />

171


4d. The organization provides support to ensure that faculty, students,<br />

and staff acquire, discover, and apply knowledge responsibly.<br />

Criterion Four: Acquisition, Discovery,<br />

and Application of Knowledge<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong> has high standards for the responsible use of knowledge. Academic<br />

Integrity involves many issues, although cheating and plagiarism are always<br />

important concerns in higher education. Academic integrity also involves<br />

the larger issues of honesty, trust, fairness, respect, and responsibility. As an<br />

institution, <strong>Wesleyan</strong> fosters all of these. The <strong>College</strong>’s connection with the<br />

United Methodist Church [47] clearly calls the institution to act with integrity,<br />

with care for peace and justice.<br />

Faculty, staff, and student handbooks all have a statement regarding these<br />

responsibilities. For example, in the Undergraduate Catalog [18] the statement<br />

on Academic Integrity reads, “The common enterprise of a college is learning.<br />

In all cases, learning demands integrity. At <strong>Wesleyan</strong>, as in all academic<br />

communities, claiming another person’s work as one’s own is a serious offense<br />

subject to disciplinary action and even dismissal” (p. 163). Similarly, the<br />

Graduate Catalog [52] describes Academic Integrity and policies on p. 35-36.<br />

Students are introduced to the concept of Academic Integrity through a variety<br />

of methods. Usually, the statement appears on syllabi and is addressed by<br />

instructors at the beginning of each course. Students at all levels are aware<br />

that sources must be used and cited correctly and that they are to indicate<br />

when using material which is not their own. In addition, there is an Information<br />

Literacy component in the first-year seminar courses that is based on the<br />

Association of <strong>College</strong> and Research Libraries (ACRL) Information Literacy<br />

Competency Standards [166]. Standard five reads, “the information literate<br />

student understands many of the economic, legal, and social issues surrounding<br />

the use of information and accesses and uses information ethically and<br />

legally.” Topics included in this component of the first-year seminar course are<br />

privacy and security in both the print and electronic environments, free versus<br />

fee-based access to information, censorship, freedom of speech, intellectual<br />

property, copyright, and fair use of copyrighted material.<br />

<strong>College</strong> publications and the <strong>College</strong> radio station (C92 FM) also comply with<br />

the ethical use of information, as they respect copyrights of intellectual property,<br />

including photographs, music, and the written word. For faculty and others<br />

wishing to make use of the reserve services in the Library, materials must meet<br />

fair use standards in accordance with the reserve policy [167] before being<br />

placed on reserve at the Library.<br />

<strong>West</strong> <strong>Virginia</strong> <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s Technology Acceptable Use Policy [168] states the<br />

expectations the <strong>College</strong> has for all students, faculty, and staff concerning<br />

appropriate acquisition and application of knowledge. Included is computing<br />

etiquette, which informs the reader of college expectations. This Policy<br />

172


Criterion Four: Acquisition, Discovery,<br />

and Application of Knowledge<br />

is disseminated to all <strong>Wesleyan</strong> members via the <strong>Wesleyan</strong> website and to<br />

first-year students at technology sessions during orientation. <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s<br />

computer use policies are also included in the Student Handbook (p. 16) [50].<br />

Training and protocols have been put in place for staff members who use<br />

the Datatel data management system. This training includes not only how to<br />

use the system, but also protocols to maintain integrity and apply knowledge<br />

responsibly, use confidential information appropriately, and maintain FERPA<br />

standards.<br />

The Institutional Research Review Board (IRRB) [169] has as its purpose to<br />

facilitate optimum protection of human or animal subjects while also ensuring<br />

the academic freedom of researchers and instructors. To meet this objective,<br />

the IRRB uses group deliberations to review and approve research protocols<br />

and related materials (e.g., informed consent documents, protocols and studyrelated<br />

materials) to ensure that:<br />

1) risks to human or animal subjects are minimized by using<br />

sound research design,<br />

2) the risks to human or animal subjects are reasonable<br />

in relation to the anticipated benefits, if any, and the<br />

importance of the knowledge that may be expected<br />

to result,<br />

3) the selection of human subjects for participation in<br />

research is equitable, and that of animals, appropriate<br />

for the research question;<br />

4) the informed consent of human subjects is obtained<br />

in advance,<br />

5) where appropriate, the research plan makes provision<br />

for monitoring of data collected to ensure safety of<br />

human or animal subjects, and<br />

6) there are adequate provisions to protect the privacy of<br />

human subjects and the confidentiality of data collected<br />

from them. (Institutional Review Board Policy, p. 1).<br />

173


Criterion Four: Acquisition, Discovery,<br />

and Application of Knowledge<br />

The strengths of the <strong>College</strong> based on the review of this criterion are as follows:<br />

Summary of Criterion Four<br />

• Consistent support for faculty and staff development<br />

opportunities.<br />

• Strong commitment to faculty-student research.<br />

• Firm commitment to globalization, diversity, and<br />

technology initiatives.<br />

• Investment in library resource holdings and accessibility.<br />

The challenges of the <strong>College</strong> based on the review of this criterion are as follows:<br />

• Ongoing need to fully institutionalize assessment of<br />

General Education into the <strong>College</strong>’s culture.<br />

• Ability to assess the usefulness of curricula in regard to<br />

globalization, diversity, and technology initiatives.<br />

174


Criterion Five:<br />

Engagement and Service<br />

As called for by its mission, the organization<br />

identifies its constituencies and serves them in ways both value.<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong> articulates in its Statement of Mission that “the <strong>College</strong> recognizes<br />

and affirms its interdependence with the external communities—local, regional,<br />

national, and global—and its covenant with the people of <strong>West</strong> <strong>Virginia</strong> to share<br />

its educational and cultural resources.” Furthermore, the <strong>College</strong> “aspires to<br />

graduate [students] who act responsibly and demonstrate local and world<br />

citizenship through service.” As defined by these statements, <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s<br />

constituencies consist locally of the campus and Buckhannon communities,<br />

as well as the larger communities of Upshur County, <strong>West</strong> <strong>Virginia</strong>, the United<br />

States, and the world.<br />

In recent years, the <strong>College</strong> has undertaken efforts to integrate engagement with<br />

these defined communities into the culture of the institution. It is the <strong>College</strong>’s<br />

hope that its commitment to service will provide students the opportunity to<br />

form habits related to community engagement that will endure after graduation,<br />

thus fulfilling part of the <strong>Wesleyan</strong> mission.<br />

For many years, the vast array of co-curricular activities at <strong>Wesleyan</strong> offered<br />

not only students, but faculty and staff as well, ample opportunities to engage<br />

with the external community. However, the newly increased efforts by <strong>Wesleyan</strong><br />

to grow and maintain a culture of community engagement throughout the<br />

institution brings attention to the specific ways in which all members of the<br />

<strong>College</strong> are engaged with the community. Data from the NSSE surveys of<br />

2004 and 2008 illustrate <strong>Wesleyan</strong> students’ engagement with the community.<br />

The NSSE asks students “which of the following have you done or do you<br />

plan to do before you graduate from your institution: community service or<br />

volunteer work” (Question 7b). In 2008, 83 percent of the first-year students<br />

and 88 percent of senior students said they “plan to do” or have “done” this.<br />

Mean comparisons (Table 1.1) show that <strong>Wesleyan</strong> is well above the national<br />

average.<br />

Table 5.1:<br />

Community Service<br />

or Volunteer Work<br />

Scale: 0 = have not decided or do not plan to, plan to do, 1 = done<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong><br />

2004<br />

National<br />

2004<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong><br />

2008<br />

National<br />

2008<br />

First-year<br />

Students<br />

.51<br />

.32**<br />

.55<br />

.38***<br />

Seniors<br />

.76<br />

.60***<br />

.87<br />

.60***<br />

2-tailed t-test; ** = p < .01; *** = p < .001<br />

175


Criterion Five:<br />

Engagement and Service<br />

The NSSE also asks students “to what extent has your experience at this<br />

institution contributed to your knowledge, skills and personal development in<br />

contributing to the welfare of your community” (Question 11o). In 2008, 60<br />

percent of first-year students and 71 percent of seniors responded “quite a bit”<br />

or “very much” to this question. Comparison of the means (Table 1.2) shows<br />

a significant difference above the national average for first-year students in<br />

2004 and a significant difference above the national average in 2008 for both<br />

first-year students and seniors.<br />

Scale: 1 = very little, 2 = some, 3 = quite a bit, 4 = very much<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong><br />

2004<br />

National<br />

2004<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong><br />

2008<br />

National<br />

2008<br />

Table 5.2:<br />

NSSE Results<br />

Contributing to the Welfare<br />

of Your Community<br />

First-year<br />

Students<br />

2.53<br />

2.32*<br />

2.75<br />

2.47**<br />

Seniors<br />

2.52<br />

2.42<br />

2.98<br />

2.48***<br />

2-tailed t-test; * = p < .05; ** = p < .01; *** = p < .001<br />

These results serve as evidence of the <strong>College</strong>’s effectiveness in fulfilling its<br />

mission to graduate men and women who demonstrate citizenship through<br />

service. However, to fully appreciate the <strong>Wesleyan</strong> learning community, an<br />

understanding of the spirit that drives the <strong>College</strong>’s commitment to community<br />

engagement is essential. This spirit manifests itself in the blend of people that<br />

collectively offer opportunities for faculty, staff, and students to actively engage<br />

with <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s constituencies. This chapter will focus on the programs that<br />

have grown to reach the <strong>College</strong>’s constituencies while also instilling values of<br />

civic-mindedness and culture in students.<br />

176


Criterion Five:<br />

Engagement and Service<br />

5a. The organization learns from the constituencies it serves<br />

and analyzes its capacity to serve their needs and expectations<br />

Constituencies Served<br />

The <strong>College</strong>’s commitment to serve the needs of <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s constituencies<br />

through forming mutually beneficial partnerships also incorporates service<br />

learning. Some of these recent commitments are detailed below.<br />

The Center for Community Engagement, formed in 2007, shares educational<br />

and service-related resources between the <strong>College</strong> and the community. The<br />

Center’s mission is to develop resources and curriculum that focus on mutually<br />

beneficial relationships for <strong>Wesleyan</strong> students, faculty, staff, and community<br />

partners.<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s Annie Merner Pfeiffer Library hosts two educational series that<br />

have been running since 2007. The first is “Café Libros Presents”, a forum<br />

for authors to read from their works or for others to present on topics of<br />

interest. Past presentations have included: “Ecofeminism: Third Wave Feminist<br />

Theory”; “The Hardest Part of Law School is Getting in…” (co-sponsored with<br />

the Pre-Law Society); and “Lincoln: Legends and Limits of an American Leader<br />

from a 21st Century Perspective” (presented on Lincoln’s 200th birthday). The<br />

second series is the ongoing Book Club, a discussion group that chooses<br />

approximately one book per month and meets to discuss the chosen work. The<br />

group is open to both campus and community constituencies and is promoted<br />

within Buckhannon. Books from the past year include Wicked, The Historian,<br />

The Namesake, and Breaking Dawn.<br />

Public lectures provide a learning opportunity for the entire community.<br />

Examples include Debate Watch [170], which occurs each Presidential Election<br />

year, Julian Bond (2007) [171], Raj Patel (2008) [172], T.J. Leyden (2006) [173],<br />

and the Race, Politics, and Stereotypes in <strong>West</strong> <strong>Virginia</strong> Conference (2008)<br />

[174].<br />

The Grove [283] offers cultural and spiritual resources that help <strong>Wesleyan</strong><br />

stay connected with the United Methodist Church. Housed in <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s<br />

Chapel, The Grove seeks to “nurture the passion of the call and to cultivate<br />

the excellence of clergy and lay leadership through lifelong spiritual and intellectual<br />

exploration, formation and renewal.” The Grove offers musical concerts,<br />

retreats, and other events for pastors and church leaders in <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s greater<br />

community.<br />

The Arts Alive program brings cultural programs to <strong>Wesleyan</strong> and the local<br />

community. Between Fall 2000 and Fall 2009, 60 performances in music,<br />

dance, theatre, and visual arts were offered to the <strong>Wesleyan</strong> community [175].<br />

These performances were in addition to the <strong>Wesleyan</strong> student groups that<br />

perform each semester. The program offers free and or low-cost performing<br />

177


Criterion Five:<br />

Engagement and Service<br />

arts events which bring diverse talent from around the country throughout the<br />

academic year. Arts Alive has been funded since 2000 by a grant [176] from<br />

the <strong>West</strong> <strong>Virginia</strong> Division of Culture and History with the <strong>College</strong> providing<br />

approximately $35,000 annually with an equal amount of <strong>Wesleyan</strong> funds.<br />

The Sleeth Art Gallery [177] brings visual arts exhibits to the community. Sleeth<br />

Gallery offers an average of two visual arts exhibits each semester that feature<br />

student, local, and national artists.<br />

The Annual Conference is the basic organizational body in the United Methodist<br />

Church with each conference being composed of all churches in a geographically-defined<br />

area. The <strong>West</strong> <strong>Virginia</strong> Annual Conference is comprised of most<br />

of <strong>West</strong> <strong>Virginia</strong> and Garrett County, Maryland and holds its annual four-day<br />

June meeting on <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s campus. Annual conference membership consists<br />

of equal numbers of lay and clergy members. During these days, the <strong>College</strong><br />

hosts more than 2500 voting members and guests. About 650 people stay on<br />

campus and the rest commute from area motels and homes. Annual Conference<br />

members are responsible for the program and administration of the work of<br />

the annual conference and its local churches. Throughout the past five years,<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong> has helped the conference move from a formal business and reportsharing<br />

format to a training and development format. This change was evident<br />

at the most recent conference in June 2009 with the half-day training session<br />

on “How do you share your faith” and three pre-conference workshops offered<br />

by the <strong>Wesleyan</strong> Extended Learning Office for continuing education credit.<br />

The Summer Youth Conference, held at <strong>Wesleyan</strong> each year during the third<br />

week of June, is a program of the Conference Council on Youth Ministries<br />

(CCYM) of the <strong>West</strong> <strong>Virginia</strong> Annual Conference of the United Methodist<br />

Church. Attracting 400-700 youth each year, SYC provides young people an<br />

opportunity for Christian worship, fellowship, and involvement in the Church<br />

Environmental Scanning<br />

Environmental scanning is an essential tool for <strong>Wesleyan</strong> to understand the<br />

community’s needs. At <strong>Wesleyan</strong>, environmental scanning occurs through<br />

surveys and other formal assessments of the local community and resources,<br />

as well through membership on various community boards and in seeking<br />

community feedback through advisory boards at the <strong>College</strong>. The next section<br />

details some examples of environmental scanning.<br />

In 2001 the Buckhannon-Upshur Arts Plan [178] was developed based on<br />

the results of surveys conducted by <strong>Wesleyan</strong> faculty. Querying the county<br />

population, young people, art teachers from the entire Upshur County Schools<br />

system, the survey sought to identify desires related to arts programming. The<br />

Buckhannon-Upshur Arts Plan<br />

178


Criterion Five:<br />

Engagement and Service<br />

Figure 5.A:<br />

Desired art experiences in<br />

Buckhannon and Upshur County<br />

analyses of the data collected were used in creating a plan on how to further<br />

integrate the arts into Upshur County. For example the question, “What art<br />

experiences should be more available” showed a variety of needs depending<br />

on the audience (Figure 5.A).<br />

County<br />

Young<br />

MS/HS Teachers<br />

Elem. Teachers<br />

35%<br />

30%<br />

25%<br />

20%<br />

15%<br />

10%<br />

5%<br />

0%<br />

Visual Arts<br />

Exhibits<br />

Visual Arts<br />

Classes<br />

Performances<br />

Chances<br />

to Perform<br />

Performance<br />

Classes<br />

Literary Events<br />

This plan identified the needs of county residents as falling in the areas of<br />

visual art exhibits and visual arts classes and performances. Young peoples’<br />

interests were in visual art exhibits and classes. Middle school and high school<br />

art teachers showed a strong interest in visual arts classes, performing arts<br />

classes, and literary events. Finally, elementary teachers showed the strongest<br />

interests in visual arts classes and chances to perform. This resulted in the<br />

Buckhannon-Upshur Arts Plan, which was integral to the grant request that<br />

supplemented the Arts Alive program.<br />

Community Asset Mapping Project<br />

(CAMP)<br />

In Spring 2006, two sociology professors at <strong>Wesleyan</strong> envisioned and created<br />

a research institute to examine social processes and problems and to gather<br />

data to better inform community and college decision-making. The Institute<br />

for Social and Community Research (ISCR) came into being with the support<br />

of an AmeriCorps VISTA volunteer and six student volunteers, including two<br />

Bonner Scholars. The ISCR immediately took on the task of identifying and<br />

mapping community assets in and immediately around Upshur County through<br />

an initiative known as the Community Asset Mapping Project (CAMP).<br />

The project utilized an online survey [180], an extensive interview process, and<br />

a comprehensive review and compilation of third-party data sources related<br />

to Upshur County, such as the United States Census and 2006-2007 U.S.<br />

and <strong>West</strong> <strong>Virginia</strong> Kids Count data books, to create a database of all agency<br />

structures, resources, services, and community needs. In a nine-month period<br />

between September 2006 and May 2007, nearly 80 community agencies were<br />

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identified, surveyed, and interviewed by student researchers. Approximately 40<br />

others were partially surveyed or interviewed. The project also identified referral<br />

and communication networks between community agencies and produced a<br />

Resource Directory (available in the Resource Room) of all of the agencies<br />

and their contact information. This resource guide has proven instrumental in<br />

sharing information between and among agencies and community members in<br />

order to connect people in need with the proper service agency.<br />

The data gathered from the CAMP also generated the student presentation<br />

“The Road to Community Health – Mapping and Assessing Upshur County,<br />

<strong>West</strong> <strong>Virginia</strong>’s Service Agencies” (posters available in Resource Room) This<br />

project was presented in January 2007 at the Undergraduate Research Day<br />

at the Charleston, <strong>West</strong> <strong>Virginia</strong> Capitol [284] sponsored by the Council on<br />

Undergraduate Research. Later, it was revised, expanded, and presented in<br />

March 2007 at the Eastern Sociological Society Annual Meeting in Philadelphia,<br />

Pennsylvania.<br />

In January 2006 a new data-gathering effort was initiated in response to<br />

concerns over a lack of data to support the institutionalization of community<br />

engagement initiatives at <strong>Wesleyan</strong>. The Mapping <strong>Wesleyan</strong> project [180]<br />

attempted to measure the <strong>College</strong>’s capacity for and propensity toward service.<br />

The project, led by two faculty members from the Education and Sociology<br />

departments, utilized student, faculty, and staff survey data to both qualitatively<br />

and quantitatively analyze levels of stated and actual service completed by the<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong> community. The survey data was compiled and analyzed by students<br />

in multiple courses, independent study, and work study research positions.<br />

Mapping <strong>Wesleyan</strong>/The Center for<br />

Community Engagement<br />

The Mapping <strong>Wesleyan</strong> project asked <strong>Wesleyan</strong> students to identify how much<br />

and what types of service they were doing. Types of service were broken down<br />

into three areas: “No Service” meant that students were not doing any service;<br />

“Drives only” meant participation in cursory service activities such as food<br />

drives and fundraisers where little or no indepth interaction or engagement with<br />

a community organization or issue is required (i.e. raising money for hunger<br />

without thinking about long-term solutions to hunger); and “More than Drives”<br />

meant that students were performing service beyond a basic level and were<br />

more deeply engaged through experience with a community organization or<br />

issue. The survey found that 71 percent of <strong>Wesleyan</strong> students perform service.<br />

Figure 5.B illustrates the type of service performed by <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s students.<br />

Next, Figure 5.C shows student motivations for engaging in service. Finally,<br />

Figure 5.D indicates the reasons students cite for not engaging in service.<br />

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Criterion Five:<br />

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Figure 5.B:<br />

Type of Service Performed<br />

by <strong>Wesleyan</strong> Students<br />

More Than Drives<br />

59%<br />

Drives Only<br />

11%<br />

No Service<br />

30%<br />

Figure 5.C:<br />

Why Do Students Do Service<br />

It makes me feel good about myself<br />

I want to change the world<br />

I enjoy it<br />

It is the right thing to do<br />

I believe I can help people that are in need<br />

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35%<br />

Figure 5.D:<br />

Why Don’t Students Serve<br />

Poor organization<br />

Unfamiliar with location<br />

I don’t know what is available<br />

Not enough energy<br />

I have to work at my job<br />

I have to study<br />

Too busy<br />

16%<br />

17%<br />

22%<br />

22%<br />

28%<br />

65%<br />

74%<br />

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%<br />

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Criterion Five:<br />

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Beginning in Fall 2008, the Center for Community Engagement began creating<br />

systems and structures to address some of the reasons why students indicated<br />

they are not participating in service. For example, a weekly email [181] that<br />

details what service opportunities are available, how to get involved, whom to<br />

contact, etc. is distributed to the entire campus community. The Center also<br />

serves as a central place for students, faculty, and community partners to find<br />

assistance in organizing service opportunities. As the Center continues to grow,<br />

there will be more opportunities to address the other reasons why students do<br />

not participate.<br />

As part of the Mapping <strong>Wesleyan</strong> project, a survey [180] was also conducted<br />

with faculty and staff. The survey queried what curricular offerings that include<br />

community engagement currently exist as well as what faculty and staff think<br />

about adding service or civic-engagement components to their existing<br />

courses. The survey found that many disciplines such as education, communication,<br />

nursing, Christian education, political science, sociology, and the<br />

first-year seminar programs use service, policy evaluation, and or communitybased<br />

research in their courses. In addition, 14 percent of the students who<br />

responded to the survey said they had conducted community service as part<br />

of one of their classes at <strong>Wesleyan</strong>.<br />

From the Mapping <strong>Wesleyan</strong> project, four recommendations were made and<br />

presented to the Board of Trustees in May 2007:<br />

1. Provide a campus-wide structure for all students, faculty,<br />

staff and community partners.<br />

2. Support and assist organizations that do service with<br />

logistics, communication and reflection.<br />

3. Make service and civic engagement a growing<br />

component of the academic mission as well as a link<br />

between academic and student affairs.<br />

4. Explore the underlying causes of issues in the area.<br />

For example, it is not enough to do food drives on<br />

campus; students need to explore why hunger exists in<br />

this area and what long-term solutions can be found.<br />

Since these recommendations were made, several have been addressed<br />

including the provision for a campus-wide structure through the creation of<br />

the Center for Community Engagement [182] including the Dean of Community<br />

Engagement position [183]. Support and assistance to community partners<br />

and organizations are provided through the Center. An example of this support<br />

and assistance are Community Partner Workshops [184]. These are attended<br />

by five to ten community partners and include an overview of The Center for<br />

Community Engagement, why service is important to students, how it can<br />

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benefit the community partners, how to get student volunteers, resources<br />

offered by the Center, and a brief overview of the <strong>College</strong>’s developmental<br />

model for service learning.<br />

In addition, the Community Partner Service Form [185] is now used to<br />

centralize the volunteer request process for community partners and promote<br />

service opportunities throughout campus efficiently. Service and community<br />

engagement are also becoming a larger part of the academic mission and<br />

curriculum. The proposed plan to integrate service throughout the campus,<br />

including both curricular and co-curricular elements, begins with the community<br />

engagement graduation requirement [112]. The graduation requirement will go<br />

into effect for students entering in Fall 2010. This requirement will be integrated<br />

into the curriculum and includes a First-Year Service Day as part of the First-Year<br />

Seminar and one community engagement-designated course sometime after<br />

the first year.<br />

In January 2008, the MBA program offered a special topics course, BUSI 535<br />

Management for Non-profits [186] and used the data left from the Community<br />

Asset Mapping Project to conduct a more formal needs analysis of nonprofit<br />

organizations in the Buckhannon and Upshur County areas. The project<br />

matched tasks needing to be conducted by the organization (e.g. fundraising,<br />

marketing, public relations, etc.) with personnel responsible for completing the<br />

task in order to identify gaps in tasks and personnel to match with <strong>College</strong><br />

resources. Table 5.3 indicates the number of organizations who believed a<br />

particular issue was either a strength, challenge, or both for their organization.<br />

Table 5.3:<br />

Community Non-Profits’<br />

Organizational Strengths<br />

and Challenges<br />

Issue<br />

Mission development/fulfillment<br />

Board member selection and training<br />

Strength<br />

21<br />

13<br />

Challenge<br />

2<br />

8<br />

Both Strength<br />

and Challenge<br />

2<br />

2<br />

Volunteer recruitment<br />

11<br />

10<br />

3<br />

Volunteer training and placement<br />

6<br />

13<br />

2<br />

Program/service administration<br />

19<br />

4<br />

2<br />

Public relations/marketing<br />

15<br />

8<br />

3<br />

Professional staff development<br />

13<br />

3<br />

2<br />

Fundraising/financial management<br />

15<br />

7<br />

3<br />

Physical facilities<br />

development/management<br />

14<br />

5<br />

0<br />

Strategic planning<br />

11<br />

12<br />

1<br />

Program/service evaluation<br />

16<br />

6<br />

2<br />

Legal issues<br />

10<br />

5<br />

0<br />

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Criterion Five:<br />

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Ultimately, the research performed in the course identified gaps between needed<br />

tasks and personnel needed to complete the tasks, as well as the organization’s<br />

strengths and challenges. The information is used to match the needs of these<br />

community organizations with academic courses and student organizations at<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong> that could provide assistance. For example, the top challenge areas<br />

of volunteer recruitment and volunteer training are beginning to be addressed<br />

through a new volunteer structure being created by an AmeriCorps VISTA<br />

working in the Center during the 2009-2010 academic year.<br />

The Education Department also utilized surveys in 2007 [187] and 2008 [188]<br />

in order to scan the needs of current students as well as local teachers in<br />

regard to academic offerings. The first was a needs assessment to determine<br />

whether a reading specialist degree was needed. The survey concluded that<br />

a reading specialist degree was needed for local schoolteachers as well as for<br />

recent graduates of <strong>Wesleyan</strong>. This led to the creation of a graduate reading<br />

specialization program [18 & 52]. The 2008 survey explored the need for an<br />

early education endorsement and concluded that there was a high interest<br />

for this endorsement (89%), given that <strong>West</strong> <strong>Virginia</strong> is going to require such<br />

endorsement by 2012. This led to the creation of that endorsement option for<br />

students in the Education Department [18].<br />

Education Department<br />

Informal information gathering occurs through internal and external means.<br />

Internally, Advisory Boards made up of institutional and community members<br />

provide feedback that helps to shape curricular, co-curricular, and external<br />

programs. Advisory Boards are currently being used for the Center for<br />

Community Engagement [189], Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) [190],<br />

Education Department [191], Alumni Council [107], and the Pastoral Advisory<br />

Board [192]. The Dean of the <strong>College</strong> has called for all academic departments<br />

to establish advisory boards during the 2009-2010 academic year.<br />

Another example of environmental scanning occurs as <strong>Wesleyan</strong> employees<br />

serve on community boards and organizations. This helps the <strong>College</strong> to keep<br />

a pulse on the needs of the community. While a membership list is included<br />

in the supporting documents [193], examples of boards and organizations<br />

to which <strong>Wesleyan</strong> employees belong include the Upshur County Board of<br />

Education, Buckhannon-Upshur Rotary, and the City Ministerial Association.<br />

Meeting Diverse Needs<br />

While trying to identify and help meet the needs of the surrounding community,<br />

it is important that <strong>Wesleyan</strong> attend to the issues of diversity, particularly with<br />

regard to its constituencies.<br />

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The entire campus community serves diverse constituencies through direct<br />

and indirect service. Community engagement is a focus for <strong>Wesleyan</strong> and<br />

is currently being integrated into curricular and co-curricular experiences.<br />

Academically, over 127 courses are offered that connect students with<br />

external constituencies. This allows students to see the communities as well<br />

as various issues from diverse perspectives. A list of the number of courses by<br />

department is shown below in Table 5.4. This breakdown of specific courses<br />

that engage students with the community was created using an email survey<br />

to all department chairs [194].<br />

Table 5.4:<br />

Total Number of Community<br />

Engagement Courses<br />

by Department<br />

Department<br />

Art<br />

Exercise Science<br />

Biology and Environmental Studies<br />

Business<br />

Chemistry<br />

Christian Education and Church Leadership<br />

Computer Science<br />

Communication<br />

Criminal Justice<br />

Education (Graduate)<br />

Education (Undergraduate)<br />

English<br />

Music<br />

Nursing<br />

Philosophy<br />

Political Science<br />

Psychology<br />

Physics and Engineering<br />

Religion<br />

Sociology<br />

Theatre Arts<br />

Total Number<br />

of Courses<br />

13<br />

30<br />

8<br />

1<br />

1<br />

4<br />

3<br />

9<br />

3<br />

11<br />

8<br />

0<br />

7<br />

14<br />

1<br />

8<br />

4<br />

0<br />

1<br />

6<br />

33<br />

Total<br />

167<br />

In addition, other programs and services address diverse needs both on- and<br />

off-campus. Descriptions of some of these initiatives are found below.<br />

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Criterion Five:<br />

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Alternative Spring Break [195] has been a key learning and service experience for<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong> students during the last 10 years. Designed to introduce students to<br />

vastly different cultures, heighten social awareness, and instill lifelong personal<br />

growth., <strong>Wesleyan</strong> students have annually offered a hand during the <strong>College</strong>’s<br />

spring break by helping with projects around the country. While past projects<br />

have included destinations in souther <strong>West</strong> <strong>Virginia</strong> and <strong>Virginia</strong>, the most<br />

recent trips have involved projects further from Buckhannon. In 2009, a team<br />

of 11 students traveled to New York City to assist in the “City Uprising” initiative<br />

to work with volunteers from two nonprofit groups to serve nutritious meals<br />

to sick victims of HIV/AIDS. At the same time, another team of 10 students<br />

traveled to Brunswick, Georgia to work with Habitat for Humanity on affordable<br />

work projects, while a team of 17 worked with the Center for Student Missions’<br />

homeless initiatives in Nashville, Tennessee.<br />

Alternative Spring Break<br />

In addition, a trip to assist with housing construction projects in areas devastated<br />

by Hurricane Katrina has been organized each year since the disaster occurred.<br />

Despite four passing since Hurricane Katrina devastated the city of New Orleans<br />

and other areas in the southeast, residents still need assistance and <strong>Wesleyan</strong><br />

students have annually volunteered to help address these residents’ needs. As<br />

a result, the undergraduate <strong>Wesleyan</strong> Alternative Spring Break program in New<br />

Orleans has been very successful with a total of 102 students participating in<br />

the past four years. In Spring 2009, the <strong>College</strong>’s Alumni Relations office also<br />

sponsored a service trip to New Orleans with <strong>Wesleyan</strong> alumni.<br />

Each November <strong>Wesleyan</strong> hosts a Ten Thousand Villages [196] store to<br />

encourage fair trade purchases as well as learn about fair trade and social<br />

justice issues. This program began with one dedicated student three years ago<br />

and is now in the process of being handed down to a new set of students to<br />

continue its success on campus.<br />

Ten Thousand Villages<br />

The Summer Gifted Program [197], held since 1983, is a three-week residential<br />

camp for gifted students. The program is committed to fostering the development<br />

of gifted adolescents in the quantitative, verbal and social areas. The teachers<br />

are all college faculty who possess a special interest in gifted children. Classes<br />

are fast-paced and advanced. Creativity, the ultimate expression of giftedness,<br />

is emphasized directly and indirectly in the program. A total of 50 students<br />

participate in this program each summer.<br />

The Summer Gifted Program<br />

In October 2008, <strong>Wesleyan</strong> was chosen to host the annual Engaging Our World<br />

Conference [198]. This conference, sponsored by Oxfam International, brought<br />

together more than 300 students from around the nation to talk about issues of<br />

poverty, globalization, and environment. The conference focused on educating<br />

students about these issues and promoting activism and included a series<br />

of workshops, documentary screenings, keynote speakers (Raj Patel, Wayne<br />

Engaging Our World Conference<br />

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Criterion Five:<br />

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Meisel, Senator Unger), and organizational fairs. The conference is hosted by<br />

a different institution each year; however, <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s success in hosting the<br />

conference in 2008 has led to an invitation to host the conference again in the<br />

near future.<br />

Energy Express<br />

Energy Express [199] is a summer reading and nutrition program targeting<br />

low-income and rural <strong>West</strong> <strong>Virginia</strong> children. Currently, Energy Express recruits<br />

more than 500 AmeriCorps members to serve as mentors and volunteer coordinators<br />

during the summer months. Energy Express is sponsored in partnership<br />

with <strong>Wesleyan</strong>, which provides facilities for training the volunteers for one week<br />

each summer. Many <strong>Wesleyan</strong> and Buckhannon-Upshur High School students<br />

choose to volunteer in the program each year.<br />

The Office of<br />

Intercultural Relations<br />

(OIR)<br />

The Office of Intercultural Relations [200] provides support and guidance for<br />

international and minority students. The Director of the Office of Intercultural<br />

Relations (OIR) serves as advisor to the Black Student Union, the International<br />

Student Organization, and to individual international students with regard to<br />

their visa and other federal requirements. In addition the OIR addresses the<br />

unique social, cultural, and academic needs of the students classified as United<br />

States minorities. This office serves these populations through programming,<br />

education, and social justice education on campus.<br />

International Student<br />

Organization<br />

The International Student Organization (ISO) [201] has had a strong presence<br />

on <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s campus for decades. Since the 1960s, the ISO has been exceptionally<br />

active in expanding cultural awareness to the <strong>Wesleyan</strong> and Upshur<br />

communities. Throughout the years the ISO members have made regular and<br />

highly anticipated visits to area elementary classrooms where they delight<br />

children with presentations on topics such as holiday celebrations, food,<br />

currencies, topographies, and other related subjects aimed at increasing the<br />

children’s global consciousness and breaking down stereotypical assumptions.<br />

Local civic groups invite ISO members to their meetings to make presentations<br />

about their travel experiences, individual cultures and heritage, as well as the<br />

role of international students at an American college. Beginning in 1975, the<br />

ISO has hosted a biannual banquet, which is consistently a sold-out event.<br />

The banquet showcases the culinary choices of each country represented. The<br />

food, prepared by the ISO members, is complemented by entertainment that<br />

offers the audience a richly diverse glimpse of traditional dress, music, poetry,<br />

and plays.<br />

Continuing Education<br />

and Extended Learning<br />

Because <strong>Wesleyan</strong> is a small private college, resources have been limited in<br />

regard to providing continuing education outside of graduate degree programs<br />

until March of 2009 when the Office of Extended Learning [202] was created<br />

and David Taylor, JD, was hired as its director. Taylor sees one of the main<br />

goals of the program to be the affirmation of the <strong>College</strong>’s mission in the local<br />

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community. Taylor has developed a series of non-credit continuing education<br />

courses in various lengths and also created a series of specialized and professional<br />

contract training courses in which Continuing Education Units (CEUs)<br />

can be earned. The CEU courses area delivered both on- and off-campus.<br />

The <strong>College</strong> has non-credit courses and certificate programs available online<br />

through partnering with ed2go, Gatlin, the eLearning Center, and ProTrain.<br />

Below is a description of the other programs the <strong>College</strong> has provided.<br />

The Exercise Science program offers an EMT certification (NREMT-B) course. The<br />

EMT course is the national basic standard for emergency services workers. The<br />

course is required of the Athletic Training majors, but open, as seats are available,<br />

to others throughout community. There were at least six individuals during the<br />

past two years that went on to provide either paid or volunteer fire and EMS<br />

service to Buckhannon and or Upshur County after completing this course.<br />

EMT Certification<br />

The American Heart program [204] started as a partnership with the Upshur<br />

County Board of Education in order to address the needs of local history teachers<br />

as well as updating the history curriculum in Upshur County schools. Through<br />

the efforts of Professor of History Robert Rupp, PhD, a U.S. Department of<br />

Education “Teaching American History Grant” totaling $845,908 was secured<br />

for the improvement of the <strong>West</strong> <strong>Virginia</strong> schools’ American History curriculum.<br />

“American HEART: Walking In the Footsteps of History” was designed to equip<br />

history teachers with knowledge, skills, and resources to engage students<br />

through experiential learning to make American history “real”. Over a three-year<br />

period (2003-2006), a group of 120 teachers gained knowledge and explored<br />

strategies in experiential/constructivist learning in American History. American<br />

HEART II, a second three-year grant (2006-2009) of more than $800,000,<br />

explored biographies of historical figures as a basis for studying history.<br />

The American Heart Program<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong> recently was the host site for a Clay Foundation [205] grant for music<br />

teachers. Upshur County was chosen as the recipient for the pilot program and<br />

a special in-service for all music teachers was made possible through the efforts<br />

of Upshur County Schools curriculum coordinator John Haymond and the<br />

Upshur County Board of Education. After an intense day of technology training<br />

led by <strong>Wesleyan</strong> Department of Music Chair and Professor Melody Meadows,<br />

DMA, every Upshur County music teacher as well as three <strong>Wesleyan</strong> seniors,<br />

left the workshop with a portable digital piano, a laptop, a data projector, a<br />

digital recorder and a portable amplified speaker. Attendees also included music<br />

teachers from Randolph and Barbour counties. “<strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s partnership with<br />

Upshur County’s music program is a natural extension of the <strong>College</strong>’s mission<br />

for community engagement,” said Meadows. “While our student teachers will<br />

benefit from this pilot program, the ultimate beneficiaries will be area public<br />

school children.”<br />

Clay Foundation Music Grant<br />

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Criterion Five:<br />

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5b. The organization has the capacity and the commitment<br />

to engage with its constituencies and communities.<br />

Prior to 2007, community engagement was seen throughout <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s campus<br />

in pockets of curricular and co-curricular efforts. A core group of faculty and<br />

administrators worked behind the scenes for years in promoting community<br />

engagement and creating opportunities on campus. Recognizing the need to<br />

focus campus efforts in order to make them more cohesive, the Community<br />

Engagement Subcommittee worked to have community engagement<br />

identified as a top priority by the Board of Trustees, President’s Cabinet, and<br />

the Strategic Planning team [106]. Agreeing that community engagement<br />

should be a priority and that programming should be centralized in order to<br />

integrate engagement into the campus culture, the President established the<br />

creation of the Center for Community Engagement and the search for a Dean of<br />

Community Engagement began in Spring 2008. The Center focuses on training<br />

and resource development, curriculum development, co-curricular programs<br />

(including the Bonner Scholars and Leadership Programs) and community<br />

partner development. Most importantly the Center functions as a clearinghouse<br />

for all engagement activities, providing an internal support structure for faculty,<br />

students, and community partners to find and use each other as a resource.<br />

As part of the Center, the Dean of Community Engagement, Kimberly Elsener,<br />

PhD, and Director of Leadership Development and Community Engagement,<br />

LeeAnn Brown, MA, offer a consistent presence throughout the community<br />

and campus for service needs. While both positions focus on community<br />

partner development, the Dean also specializes in curriculum development and<br />

course connections while the Director focuses on co-curricular connections. In<br />

addition, a third staff member, the Coordinator of the Bonner Scholars Program<br />

and Student Employment, administers the Bonner Scholars program, <strong>College</strong><br />

work study, and the Job Location and Development (JLD) program. The Center<br />

also is fortunate to have had a strong AmeriCorps VISTA presence for the past<br />

three years with a continued commitment for three additional years (2006-<br />

2012). VISTA volunteers support the center by focusing on capacity building<br />

through developing systems and structures that support community partnerships,<br />

student programming, curriculum development, and community partner<br />

relations [230 & 231]. At the inception of the Center for Community Engagement<br />

in Summer 2008, a strategic plan was developed to coordinate its efforts [182].<br />

Faculty, students, and community partners are currently reviewing a proposal<br />

for integration of community engagement into the campus culture beginning<br />

with a graduation requirement that was approved by the Faculty Assembly in<br />

Fall 2009 [112].<br />

Despite the relatively recent creation of the Center, <strong>Wesleyan</strong> has been<br />

strengthening its structures to support connections with the community for<br />

many years. One strong connection is with the Bonner Scholars Program<br />

[206], which provides scholarships for 60 students who provide service in the<br />

community while they are attending <strong>Wesleyan</strong>. This program connects students<br />

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Criterion Five:<br />

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with community partners while focusing on Six Common Commitments [206]<br />

of social justice, civic engagement, community building, spiritual exploration,<br />

international understanding, and diversity. The program fosters a steady flow<br />

of communication among students, community partners, faculty, and staff. As<br />

the <strong>College</strong>’s mission of service expanded beyond the 60 Bonner Scholars,<br />

a support structure was needed in order to better connect faculty, staff, and<br />

students with the greater community and to continue the cultivation of a culture<br />

of service on the <strong>College</strong> campus. This need was met through the creation of<br />

the Center for Community Engagement described above.<br />

Faculty and Student Involvement in the Community<br />

While the <strong>College</strong> has placed an emphasis on building more capacity for community<br />

engagement, faculty, staff, and students have a long history of involvement<br />

in service with various constituencies within the community. In addition to<br />

the Center for Community Engagement, <strong>Wesleyan</strong> faculty and staff are regularly<br />

involved and often serve as leaders in community organizations. An example<br />

of a new community organization created with help from <strong>Wesleyan</strong> faculty and<br />

staff is the Upshur Community Alcohol Reduction Education (UCARE) program<br />

[208]. This task force was created in 2008 in response to an increased number<br />

of teenage alcohol related deaths in the community and had the goal of<br />

creating community-wide efforts to reduce the risks involved with underage<br />

drinking. <strong>Wesleyan</strong> faculty and staff are members of the task force and have<br />

conducted research on alcohol use at the middle and high schools.<br />

UCARE<br />

A second example of <strong>Wesleyan</strong> employees’ involvement in the community<br />

is the Buckhannon 2015 [209] plan developed to meet a state-mandated<br />

requirement to have a city long-range comprehensive plan developed by 2014.<br />

The Buckhannon 2015 Planning Commission was formed and chaired by<br />

Associate Professor of Computer Science Richard Clemens, MBA. During the<br />

planning process, data were gathered via survey from community members,<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong> students, faculty, and staff. Based on this information, as well as<br />

input from a steering committee and a community group, a draft plan was<br />

created. This plan highlights significant areas the City needs to address.<br />

Additionally, it includes a proposed process for better cooperation and communication<br />

between <strong>Wesleyan</strong>, the City, and the County in order to better utilize<br />

each other’s resources to address mutual concerns. In April 2009, <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s<br />

President’s Council endorsed the plan and authorized the President to write a<br />

letter of support.<br />

Buckhannon 2015<br />

C92 FM is <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s on-campus and student-run radio station [210]. C92 FM<br />

serves <strong>Wesleyan</strong>, Buckhannon, and Upshur County via its broadcast signal<br />

that can be heard within a 5-10 mile radius of the <strong>College</strong> campus. It is also<br />

C92FM Radio Station<br />

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transmitted as the audio portion of local cable channel 22, which serves Upshur,<br />

Lewis, Randolph, and Barbour counties and, additionally, C92 has an Internet<br />

broadcast feed that can be heard anywhere that an Internet connection is<br />

available. The station is completely operated by an executive staff of students.<br />

Student disc jockeys conduct two-hour weekly radio shows throughout the fall<br />

and spring academic semesters. Student DJs and executive board members<br />

have the option of gaining college credit for their work by enrolling in the COMM<br />

139 Introduction to Radio Broadcasting or COMM 239 Broadcast Practicum<br />

course sequences. The radio station is essential to the teaching and outreach<br />

portions of the <strong>College</strong>’s mission. The radio station is run by students who gain<br />

valuable life skills in managing and operating a radio station. In addition, the<br />

community receives educational programming, public service announcements,<br />

and other information that is important to community members.<br />

Theatre Arts<br />

The Department of Theatre Arts produces three to five main stage plays, three<br />

to five studio shows, and two to three dance concerts every year. These performances<br />

are open to the public with minimal ticket cost. The 2008-2009 season<br />

[286] is an example of the types of productions made available to the local<br />

community. In addition to viewing performances, the public can audition for<br />

productions as well. Community members often participate as actors, singers,<br />

and musicians for the <strong>Wesleyan</strong> productions.<br />

Concert Chorale<br />

The Concert Chorale [222, 223, & 224] performs regularly with the <strong>West</strong> <strong>Virginia</strong><br />

Symphony. Director of the Concert Chorale and Professor of Music Larry<br />

Parsons, DMA, has been affiliated with the symphony for more than 20 years<br />

creating a strong relationship between the two groups. <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s Chorale<br />

has performed a variety of pieces with the symphony including the Messiah,<br />

Beethoven’s 9th Symphony, and Carmina Burana.<br />

National Issues Forums<br />

National Issues Forums (NIF) are public forums sponsored by the <strong>College</strong> and<br />

led by student facilitators. The goal of NIF forums is to gather people to talk<br />

about a common problem or issue that the community, state, or nation faces.<br />

NIFs are open to the public and began at <strong>Wesleyan</strong> through the work of student<br />

leaders who later collaborated to create their own forum “For Future Generations:<br />

Creating Opportunities for Young Adults in <strong>West</strong> <strong>Virginia</strong>” [212]. <strong>Wesleyan</strong><br />

sponsored several NIFs between 2003-2007 [213] and is beginning the program<br />

again with the assistance of an AmeriCorps VISTA at the Center for Community<br />

Engagement in 2009-2010.<br />

Debate Watch<br />

Debate Watch [214] was held in 2004 and 2008 and will continue to be<br />

supported each year there is a Presidential election. The event brings together<br />

students, faculty, staff, and community members to watch one of the presidential<br />

debates on a large screen in the dining hall. After the debate, the coverage is<br />

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turned off and each table has a discussion about the debate. Trained student<br />

facilitators from communication courses as well as first-year seminar classes<br />

lead discussions.<br />

Annual service events have a standing tradition with <strong>Wesleyan</strong> students,<br />

faculty, and staff. Example of these service opportunities are the Community<br />

Responding to Overcome Poverty (CROP) Walk (early October), Blood Drives<br />

(once per month on campus), Trick or Treat for Canned Goods (Halloween),<br />

Children’s Festival (Fall), Operation Christmas Child (November), Christmas on<br />

Campus (December), Relay for Life (April), and Social Justice Week (Spring).<br />

Annual Service Events<br />

Held during the lunch or dinner hour of first-year student orientation [287]<br />

the Friends of <strong>Wesleyan</strong> Party is sponsored by local businesses throughout<br />

Buckhannon and the surrounding region. The businesses work together to<br />

provide a BBQ meal for students, parents, and the <strong>Wesleyan</strong> community,<br />

while local businesspeople serve the food. This provides a welcome to new<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong> students and parents while spreading awareness of local businesses<br />

in the region.<br />

Friends of <strong>Wesleyan</strong> Party<br />

During celebratory weekends such as Orientation and Family Weekend local<br />

vendors are invited to participate in the Bobcat Fair. The fair is an opportunity<br />

for local vendors to come to campus, meet the <strong>College</strong>’s students and their<br />

families and sell products.<br />

Bobcat Fair<br />

Family Weekend [215] encourages students and their families to explore<br />

Buckhannon and surrounding areas through sponsored trips to experience<br />

local artisans and cuisine. <strong>Wesleyan</strong> transports students and their families to<br />

Hinkle Dying Art Glassworks where they learn how glass is blown and can visit<br />

the studio and shop. In the evenings participants can experience local food<br />

through show cookery at the 88 Restaurant and Lounge, as well as a trip to<br />

Lambert’s Winery for a tour and dinner.<br />

Family Weekend<br />

Members of Greek organizations [216] engage in local service projects as well<br />

as their national philanthropies. Greek members volunteer throughout the year<br />

at the local Upshur Parish House, serving as coaches in the Stockert Youth<br />

Basketball League, pick up litter at the Buckhannon River Walk, walk in the<br />

CROP Walk, and provide assistance to other community service projects.<br />

In addition to volunteering locally, each Greek organization raises funds for<br />

their national philanthropy projects such as the Ronald McDonald House, the<br />

Muscular Dystrophy Association, LiveStrong Foundation, the Susan G. Komen<br />

Race for the Cure, and the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation.<br />

Greek Organizations<br />

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Students in Free Enterprise<br />

Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) are teams of students challenged to develop<br />

community outreach projects that teach the organization’s five educational<br />

topics—market economics, success skills, entrepreneurship, financial literacy,<br />

and business ethics. <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s SIFE team recently organized and presented<br />

<strong>West</strong> <strong>Virginia</strong>’s first “Go Green” Convention. Over 700 people attended the<br />

event along with nearly 50 vendors. Other SIFE projects include “Money<br />

Matters”, a year-long financial literacy program for fifth graders in Upshur<br />

County; “A.K.A. The Real World”, a financial literacy project for high school<br />

students; and educational programs on credit counseling, insurance fraud,<br />

resume writing, and entrepreneurship. The 25-member group completed 15<br />

projects and contributed nearly 6000 hours of community service during the<br />

2008-2009 academic year. The <strong>Wesleyan</strong> SIFE team won its seventh regional<br />

championship this past year [217].<br />

Food Village<br />

Food Village [218] first occurred during the inauguration weekend of President<br />

Balch in 2006. It continued in 2007 as part of Homecoming weekend. During<br />

the Food Village, the <strong>College</strong> asked all members of the campus community to<br />

help construct a replica of the <strong>College</strong>’s buildings using non-perishable food<br />

items. After the village was constructed and displayed, more than 4000 food<br />

items were donated to the local food pantry. Food Village did not take place<br />

during Fall 2008, but having received an enormous amount of feedback about<br />

the program, it will be restored in the 2009-2010 academic year.<br />

Professor of English<br />

Boyd Creasman constructing<br />

the English Annex during<br />

the Food Village<br />

Recyclemania<br />

<strong>West</strong> <strong>Virginia</strong> <strong>Wesleyan</strong> participated in “Recylemania” in 2007, 2008 and<br />

2009. Recyclemania began in 2001 as a competition between Ohio University<br />

and Miami University of Ohio and has grown tremendously each year. Five<br />

<strong>West</strong> <strong>Virginia</strong> colleges and universities competed for the state title including<br />

Fairmont State University, Shepherd University, University of Charleston, and<br />

<strong>West</strong> <strong>Virginia</strong> University [219]. <strong>Wesleyan</strong> held the top spot in the competition in<br />

2007 and 2008.<br />

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Curricular Engagement<br />

The <strong>College</strong>’s educational and academic programs also strive to connect<br />

students with the external communities of the local area and beyond. The<br />

results of two specific NSSE questions illustrate this effort. First, the NSSE<br />

asks students “in your experience at your institution during the current school<br />

year, about how often have you … participated in a community based project<br />

as a part of a regular course” (Question 1k). In 2008, 23 percent of first year<br />

students and 30 percent of seniors responded “often” and “very often” to this<br />

question. Comparison of the mean scores (Table 5.5) show that <strong>Wesleyan</strong> is<br />

rated well above the national average in this area.<br />

First-year<br />

Students<br />

Scale: 1 = never, 2 = soemtimes, 3 = often, 4 = very often<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong><br />

2004<br />

1.95<br />

National<br />

2004<br />

1.56***<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong><br />

2008<br />

1.92<br />

National<br />

2008<br />

1.60***<br />

Table 5.5:<br />

NSSE Results<br />

Participated in a community<br />

based project as a part of a<br />

regular course<br />

Seniors<br />

2.01<br />

1.74**<br />

2.12<br />

1.74***<br />

2-tailed t-test; ** = p < .01; *** = p < .001<br />

The NSSE also asked students “which of the following have you done or do<br />

you plan to do before you graduate from your institution: practicum, field<br />

experience, co-op experience, and clinical assignment” (Question 7a). In 2008,<br />

82 percent of first year students and 84 percent of seniors responded that the<br />

“plan to do” or have “done” this. Comparison of the means (Table 5.6) show<br />

that by the senior year <strong>Wesleyan</strong> is far above the national average with a very<br />

high positive significant difference of p < .001.<br />

Scale: 0 = have not decided or do not plan to, plan to do, 1 = done<br />

First-year<br />

Students<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong><br />

2004<br />

.04<br />

National<br />

2004<br />

.06<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong><br />

2008<br />

.09<br />

National<br />

2008<br />

.08<br />

Table 5.6:<br />

NSSE Results<br />

Practicum, field experience,<br />

co-op experience, and<br />

clinical assignment participation<br />

Seniors<br />

.74<br />

.56***<br />

.75<br />

.53***<br />

2-tailed t-test; *** = p < .001<br />

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Community Engagement Course<br />

Development Grants<br />

While many existing courses involve students in the community through research<br />

projects, internships, clinicals, and practicums [18], Community Engagement<br />

Course Development Grants seek to integrate community engagement into<br />

existing or new curricular courses. These grants [221] are funded through a<br />

three-year Bonner Foundation grant (2008-2010). The grant funded six $1000<br />

course development grants in the first year that encouraged faculty to re-design<br />

an existing course or create a new course. In addition, in the second year, one<br />

$3000 grant for a global course that focused on engagement was offered in<br />

addition to the other six $1000 grants. All courses involved are focused on<br />

engaging students with the community. The grants thus far include the following<br />

projects.<br />

Assistant Professor of Education and Director of the Master’s in Education<br />

Program Susan Aloi, EdD, used data previously collected through the Community<br />

Asset Mapping Project <strong>Wesleyan</strong> project to complete a needs analysis of local<br />

community partners in her MBA course, BUSI 580 Management of Non-Profit<br />

Organizations. This needs analysis identified immediate and long-term needs<br />

of community organizations as well as provided an analysis of courses offered<br />

at <strong>Wesleyan</strong> that could provide resources to meet the needs. The research is<br />

being used in conversations with academic departments to help encourage<br />

community engagement in courses.<br />

Assistant Professor of Biology and Environmental Science Kim Bjorgo-Thorne,<br />

PhD, partnered with the Buckhannon River Watershed Association to interview<br />

community members about resource conservation, specifically to address how<br />

a person’s life is affected by their choosing to conserve or not to conserve<br />

natural resources. Students recorded interviews using a Flip Camera and made<br />

short films in the course ENVS 330 Natural Resource Conservation.<br />

Professor of History Rob Rupp, PhD, used a website, policy analysis, research<br />

on voting in the state legislature, a survey, and a trip to the Republican<br />

Convention in <strong>West</strong> <strong>Virginia</strong> to bring politics alive in the classroom in his POLS<br />

210 Parties and Elections course. The course led to the development of an<br />

election website that was maintained for a Fall 2008 first-year seminar class.<br />

Associate Professor of Nursing Shauna Popson, EdD, identified the need<br />

for junior-level nursing students to have a deeper engagement beyond their<br />

fieldwork with pregnant mothers. The grant provides funds for the NURS 310<br />

Family Nursing course to plan a Community Baby Shower in cooperation with<br />

local agencies such as the Women’s Clinic, St. Joseph’s Hospital, The March of<br />

Dimes, Family Resource Network, and local businesses. The Community Baby<br />

Shower was offered to low-income new and expecting mothers and provides<br />

education, health services, and connections to support networks.<br />

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Associate Professor of Communication Kevin Lee, EdD, partnered with the<br />

Buckhannon River Watershed Association in Fall 2008 with his COMM 340<br />

Public Relations Principles and Practice course as a follow-up from the ENVS<br />

330 course work. This class conducted a SWOT analysis of the Association,<br />

identified goals, and created a marketing/public relations plan to help them<br />

achieve their goals, especially as they relate to education. The public relations<br />

plan can be enacted in future semesters through the communication department’s<br />

internship program.<br />

Assistant Professor of Musical Theatre Thomas Schoffler, MFA, taught <strong>Wesleyan</strong><br />

theatre students through practical experience through his production of “To Kill<br />

a Mockingbird”. It was held during Homecoming Weekend 2008 and involved<br />

several members from the local community. The play was performed outside, in<br />

the community on Central Avenue, using community members’ porches as the<br />

set. The production involved the Central Avenue neighborhood, City Council,<br />

and two local churches that provided parking, chairs, and bathroom access,<br />

and, in addition, brought in a professional actress to give students valuable<br />

experience.<br />

Assistant Professor of Biology Kim Bjorgo-Thorne, PhD, and Associate Professor<br />

of Biology Luke Huggins, PhD, were awarded the $3000 global citizenship grant<br />

to serve as matching funds for a larger grant that they had been awarded. This<br />

grant enabled two Belizean students to come to <strong>Wesleyan</strong> in Summer 2009 to<br />

conduct laboratory research on potentially useful cancer drugs from tropical<br />

mangroves and black knapweed, a local invasive species in <strong>West</strong> <strong>Virginia</strong>. The<br />

grant will also support <strong>Wesleyan</strong> faculty and students to conduct research<br />

in Belize during Spring 2010. This research is integrated into the ENVS 350<br />

Spatial Resource Analysis and will contribute to policy discussions as well as<br />

assist the efforts of environmental organizations in Belize.<br />

Assistant Professor of Musical Theatre Thomas Schoffler taught THRE 340<br />

Drama for Youth in Spring 2009. The students in this class began with conversations<br />

with the Upshur County Board of Education about curricular needs and<br />

then developed a play to meet one of those needs. The students then toured<br />

their play to help teach students in the elementary schools. The project was so<br />

well received that the tour was expanded from one to three counties.<br />

Assistant Professor of Exercise Science Greg Bradley-Popovich, DPT, used the<br />

grant to update the exercise lab equipment and formed partnerships with local<br />

businesses to use his students and their lab as a means of wellness education<br />

with employees in the area. He also used the hands-on experience to bring up<br />

discussions of culture, poverty, and health issues in Appalachia.<br />

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Associate Professor of Communication Kevin Lee, EdD, is using the grant to<br />

have his Fall 2009 COMM 340 Public Relations Principles and Practices class<br />

explore the benefits, challenges, policy needs, and practice of creating a bike<br />

program at <strong>Wesleyan</strong>. His students will be partnering with the local bike store,<br />

a national bike chain, city government, a local bike club, and the <strong>Wesleyan</strong><br />

Cycling Club.<br />

Community-Based<br />

Research Projects<br />

Several specific community-based research projects that have been mentioned<br />

elsewhere in this chapter include the Mapping <strong>Wesleyan</strong> and Community Asset<br />

Mapping Project, Debate Watch, and the Sago Mine safety project (see p. 199).<br />

Another example of a specific community-based research project is the BUSI<br />

242 Advertising Management class that provides students hands-on experience<br />

by developing advertising plans for local businesses. These plans provide a<br />

needed resource for the businesses, many of who cannot afford professional<br />

advertising consultation. These plans also provide a valuable experience in<br />

putting theory into practice for students. Some of the local businesses served<br />

by the most recent class include Main Street Photography, Riverside Inn, and<br />

Technology Warehouse. Nursing students also completed research on the<br />

Pandemic Flu [288] and presented their research to the community.<br />

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5c. The organization demonstrates its responsiveness<br />

to those constituencies that depend on it for service<br />

Criterion Five:<br />

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In living its mission, <strong>Wesleyan</strong> seeks to create collaborative partnerships with<br />

other higher learning organizations and public entities when possible. Examples<br />

of such partnerships or collaborations follow.<br />

Collaborative Partnerships<br />

Articulation agreements are in place with Montgomery Community <strong>College</strong> in<br />

Maryland [228] and <strong>West</strong> <strong>Virginia</strong> Community and Technical <strong>College</strong> System<br />

(11 schools) [229]. These agreements make it easier for students at these institutions<br />

to transfer smoothly to <strong>Wesleyan</strong>. While so far there has been only one<br />

student transferring in the past two years as a direct result of this program,<br />

the new admissions recruitment plan includes working with schools in the<br />

articulation agreement to facilitate more transfers. The <strong>College</strong> believes the<br />

low number of students taking advantage of the program is not a result of<br />

the structure, but more about creating an awareness of the opportunity for<br />

students on these campuses. Therefore more outreach to specific campuses<br />

and intentional recruiting will hopefully lead to more students taking advantage<br />

of the program.<br />

Articulation Agreements<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong> participates in the newly formed VISTA Higher Education Network<br />

which is collaboration among <strong>Wesleyan</strong>, Wheeling Jesuit, Concord ,and<br />

Shepherd universities. This collaboration was designed to pool AmeriCorps<br />

VISTA volunteers into the higher education setting. Through this network,<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong> has secured two VISTA positions for three years who will work in<br />

the Center for Community Engagement on creating sustainable systems of<br />

service.<br />

VISTA Higher Education Network<br />

The transfer process at <strong>Wesleyan</strong> is tailored to each individual student’s needs.<br />

A designated admissions counselor works with all transfer students and<br />

is seen as the “go to” person for transfer students throughout the process.<br />

Admission materials provide specific information for transfer students, including<br />

information related to financial awards [232] that can range up to half of tuition<br />

costs. Transfer students are accepted for both the fall and spring semesters.<br />

Transfer Students<br />

When transfer students arrive on campus they are offered an orientation tailored<br />

to their needs [287]. The formal Transfer Orientation program has developed<br />

and changed over the past few years. Currently, students are offered sessions<br />

on general college information (internet technology, housing, bill paying, etc.),<br />

graduation requirements, campus resources, policies and procedures, and an<br />

overview of the transfer evaluation. Each student also meets individually with<br />

an advisor to review their transfer evaluation, and determine courses for registration.<br />

During the 2008-2009 academic year, the weekend orientation was<br />

followed up with weekly meetings during the first 10 weeks of class. These<br />

sessions were led by upper-level student leaders and consisted of question<br />

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and answer sessions as well as information sessions about registration for the<br />

spring semester. Since this was a pilot program, no official assessment was<br />

conducted. However, anecdotal information indicated that the program was<br />

worth continuing. Thus, a more indepth assessment will be performed in the<br />

second year.<br />

Sago Mine Tragedy<br />

In addition to the programs already described, a recent example of <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s<br />

responsiveness to community needs occurred following the Sago Mine disaster<br />

in January 2006. This example highlights <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s efforts to foster real<br />

connections among many constituents from the local and larger community.<br />

Beginning with a phone call in the early morning of January 2, 2006, <strong>Wesleyan</strong><br />

began responding to the needs of the victims of the Sago Mine disaster, which<br />

occurred just six miles from campus. Through cooperation and coordination<br />

with local, state, and national agencies and organizations, <strong>Wesleyan</strong>, and the<br />

entire community, began responding to the disaster. Members of the <strong>Wesleyan</strong><br />

faculty and staff assisted by offering counseling and logistical support at the<br />

church near the mine where the families and media gathered. <strong>Wesleyan</strong> also<br />

offered its facilities and services for use by the families of those entrapped,<br />

the emergency responders, the media and other local, state, and national<br />

organizations as needed. For example, after the twelve victims were found and<br />

recovered, <strong>Wesleyan</strong> served as both the morgue and the quiet space needed<br />

for the victims’ families. <strong>Wesleyan</strong> then worked with all of the involved parties,<br />

including local churches, to host the nationally televised memorial service on<br />

January 15, 2006 [237].<br />

Release of ballons after<br />

memorial service for Sago Mine<br />

victims and their families<br />

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Following the disaster and beginning in March 2006, <strong>Wesleyan</strong> instituted a<br />

one credit hour second quarter course as a means of conducting research<br />

on coal mine safety and accidents. This course was developed by Professor<br />

of Communication Kathleen Long, PhD, and Professor of History Robert<br />

Rupp, PhD, in response to a request from J. Davitt McAteer who had been<br />

appointed to oversee Governor Joe Manchin III’s team investigating the Sago<br />

Mine disaster. The course, “Coal Mining Accident Research: Content Analysis”<br />

[238], was a unique opportunity for student learning as it combined academic<br />

study with service and allowed students to be part of a larger investigation and<br />

project that helped make a difference in the safety of many lives.<br />

The primary purpose of the research conducted in the course was to provide an<br />

analysis of the causes of past coal mining accidents in hope that a discovery of<br />

patterns or trends could lend insight to improving safety in coal mining. Using<br />

a quantitative content analysis research procedure, all Mine Safety Health<br />

Administration (MSHA) Coal Mine Fatal Accident Reports from 1995 through<br />

2005 were examined. Applying content analysis procedures, the two faculty<br />

members and 21 students developed units of analysis and categories for<br />

coding the federal coal mine fatal accident reports. Three hundred eighty-one<br />

federal coal mine fatal accident reports were coded and then subjected to<br />

statistical analyses to determine whether patterns existed. The results of the<br />

research were published as the Report for <strong>West</strong> <strong>Virginia</strong> Governor Manchin’s<br />

Team Investigating the January 2006 Sago Mine Disaster (July 2006) and<br />

became part of the official state investigation report. Many of the recommendations<br />

were accepted and incorporated in MSHA revised policies.<br />

In the year following the disaster, <strong>Wesleyan</strong> continued to connect with<br />

varying organizations and coordinate with local, state, and federal agencies<br />

and with the victims’ families. For instance, four experts that were brought<br />

in as guest lecturers for the research course also gave an open community<br />

forum in the evening that was attended by members of the larger community,<br />

including many miners who had never been on <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s campus. The<br />

dialogue at the conclusion of each of these lectures was dynamic. <strong>Wesleyan</strong><br />

also hosted the May 1-4, 2006 official hearings concerning the disaster and<br />

the meeting of Senators Rockefeller and Kennedy with the victims’ families.<br />

In addition, Governor Manchin held the press conference and the unveiling<br />

of the Investigation Report at <strong>Wesleyan</strong> in July 2006. Overall, this event and<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s response has had a lasting impact on the value of communitybased<br />

research and the importance of community linkages in responding to<br />

events and crises.<br />

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5d. Internal and external constituencies<br />

value the service the organization provides<br />

Members of the <strong>College</strong>’s extended community have also recognized <strong>Wesleyan</strong><br />

faculty, staff, and students’ efforts to provide service to and programs for the<br />

community. The following are examples of this noted appreciation.<br />

Nessa Stoltzfus from Oxfam America wrote in Fall 2008 [233]:<br />

“‘Thank you’ does not even come close to expressing the<br />

gratitude and admiration I have for each of you. I continue to<br />

be impressed by the EOW conference you managed to plan,<br />

coordinate and roll out this past weekend on your campus!<br />

I’ve worked with many groups over the past 7 years at Oxfam<br />

to coordinate and plan similar conferences. And I can say that<br />

your planning committee was top-notch as far as communication,<br />

logistics, planning and follow-though. I’ve been seeing<br />

great pictures pop up on Facebook and heard from students<br />

throughout the weekend that they enjoyed their weekend…<br />

You’re all rock stars!”<br />

Rick Edwards, Regional Referee Administrator, from American Youth Soccer<br />

Organization (AYSO) [234] stated in an email sent in Fall 2008:<br />

“Richard Edwards here with a glowing report on the<br />

volunteers for the AYSO soccer fall season. I had:
1. Sam<br />

Stalnaker - referee
2. Matthew Kuzma - linesmen
3. Ryan<br />

Braddway - linesmen
4. Matt Wellington – linesmen. All<br />

performed and conducted themselves with great maturity.<br />

The youth athletes of Buckhannon and Upshur County<br />

appreciate greatly, their time with us. We also appreciate<br />

the WVWC volunteer program for their assistance. We look<br />

forward to working with you come the spring season.”<br />

Community leaders have written letters of support and appreciation that were<br />

read at each of the Celebration of Service Days sponsored by the Family Resource<br />

Network. Letters were from the Upshur County Economic Development<br />

Authority (Figure 5.E), Buckhannon River Watershed Association [235], Upshur<br />

County Literacy Council [236], among other community organizations.<br />

Beyond community testimonials and strong community partnerships, the<br />

<strong>College</strong> has not collected formal evidence that its constituencies value the<br />

service it provides external organizations.<br />

201


Criterion Five:<br />

Engagement and Service<br />


<br />

202


Criterion Five:<br />

Engagement and Service<br />

<strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s facilities are open to the public and can be reserved through the<br />

Campus Life office for non-<strong>Wesleyan</strong> groups. The community uses <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s<br />

facilities for a variety of reasons including community group meetings, church<br />

groups, family reunions, weddings, birthday parties, bridal showers, business<br />

meetings, service clubs, Girl Scout meetings, etc..<br />

Trends show an increase in facility usage by non-<strong>Wesleyan</strong> groups since 2003<br />

with an average of 127 reservations per year. Examples of community groups<br />

that use <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s space are the Girl Scouts, American Red Cross (Blood<br />

Drives), United Methodist Church Annual Conference, local marching bands,<br />

and athletic programs. Table 5.7 shows a breakdown by room. Please note that<br />

these numbers do not include the theatre, which is reserved through the theatre<br />

department. Numbers are not tracked from year to year for that space and an<br />

increase in demand has been noted due to the opening of the new performing<br />

arts center in Spring 2009. This increased usage and the subsequent labeling<br />

of <strong>Wesleyan</strong> as the Buckhannon “community center” has both fiscal and<br />

liability consequences. Balancing community responsibility and use of <strong>College</strong><br />

resources is now part of campus planning.<br />

Table 5.7:<br />

Number of Rooms Rented<br />

by Non-<strong>Wesleyan</strong> Groups<br />

Room Name<br />

Kresge<br />

2003*<br />

1<br />

2004<br />

1<br />

2005<br />

2<br />

2006<br />

5<br />

2007<br />

1<br />

2008<br />

4<br />

2009**<br />

1<br />

Total<br />

15<br />

Social Hall<br />

12<br />

23<br />

16<br />

26<br />

19<br />

23<br />

3<br />

122<br />

Chapel<br />

6<br />

21<br />

16<br />

14<br />

21<br />

19<br />

4<br />

101<br />

Dining Hall<br />

2<br />

5<br />

2<br />

3<br />

3<br />

4<br />

1<br />

20<br />

Nellie Wilson<br />

4<br />

7<br />

6<br />

11<br />

5<br />

11<br />

1<br />

45<br />

Side Dining Rooms<br />

8<br />

23<br />

16<br />

15<br />

15<br />

16<br />

4<br />

97<br />

Med Chapel<br />

1<br />

4<br />

4<br />

3<br />

2<br />

4<br />

3<br />

21<br />

Gym<br />

0<br />

3<br />

5<br />

5<br />

6<br />

5<br />

1<br />

25<br />

Aux Gym<br />

0<br />

7<br />

2<br />

5<br />

12<br />

19<br />

9<br />

54<br />

Green Room<br />

1<br />

3<br />

3<br />

5<br />

3<br />

2<br />

2<br />

19<br />

PE Library<br />

0<br />

1<br />

1<br />

1<br />

1<br />

1<br />

0<br />

5<br />

Lobby Space<br />

0<br />

2<br />

0<br />

2<br />

2<br />

2<br />

1<br />

9<br />

Hyma<br />

1<br />

1<br />

3<br />

6<br />

3<br />

4<br />

1<br />

19<br />

Trustees<br />

0<br />

2<br />

3<br />

5<br />

3<br />

2<br />

1<br />

16<br />

Chambers<br />

3<br />

7<br />

6<br />

9<br />

9<br />

12<br />

3<br />

49<br />

Classrooms<br />

4<br />

14<br />

14<br />

21<br />

18<br />

25<br />

17<br />

113<br />

Total<br />

43<br />

124<br />

99<br />

136<br />

123<br />

153<br />

52<br />

730<br />

* July 1, 2003 – December 31, 2003 only; ** January 1, 2009 – April 1, 2009 only<br />

203


Criterion Five:<br />

Engagement and Service<br />

In addition to facility usage, <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s Audio-Visual Department provides<br />

off-campus services in the community. In past years, <strong>Wesleyan</strong> has provided<br />

sound equipment for community events, such as Daily Grind Karaoke Night,<br />

88 Restaurant & Lounge Special Events, Faith Baptist Church Easter Outdoor<br />

Sunrise Service, and Christian singing groups. They have also provided<br />

computer projectors for Faith Baptist Church Homecoming Service, First<br />

Baptist Church Vacation Bible School, Church of God Youth Events, Boy<br />

Scouts Lock-in, and Middle School Sports. DVD copying is also provided for<br />

Middle School Sports.<br />

204


Criterion Five:<br />

Engagement and Service<br />

Summary of Criterion Five:<br />

The strengths of the <strong>College</strong> based on the review of this criterion are as follows:<br />

• <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s many curricular and co-curricular programs<br />

that involve students, faculty, and staff illustrate strong<br />

partnerships with the community.<br />

• The establishment of the Center for Community<br />

Engagement to act as a clearinghouse and support<br />

mechanism for the <strong>College</strong>’s community engagement<br />

efforts.<br />

• The implementation of the Community Engagement<br />

graduation requirement that will create an opportunity for<br />

all <strong>Wesleyan</strong> graduates to become engaged in the<br />

community and service while they are at <strong>Wesleyan</strong>.<br />

• The strong art and cultural presence <strong>Wesleyan</strong> has in<br />

the community through the Art, Theatre, Music and<br />

Library programs.<br />

The challenges of the <strong>College</strong> based on the review of this criterion are as follows:<br />

• <strong>Wesleyan</strong>’s categorization as the “community center”<br />

of Buckhannon causes concern as <strong>Wesleyan</strong> struggles<br />

to balance its community responsibility with fiscal<br />

responsibilities.<br />

• As community engagement grows at <strong>Wesleyan</strong>, having<br />

the fiscal resources and personnel support to maintain<br />

community partnerships and other programs after the<br />

VISTA commitment in 2012 expires.<br />

205


206


Endnotes<br />

List of Evidence Documents<br />

1. Fact Book 2008<br />

2. Prioritization Plan 2004<br />

3. May 4 Nursing Student Letter<br />

4. May letter to Students and Parents<br />

5. 2005 Nursing Students letter<br />

6. President’s Institutional Plan for Financial and Enrollment Emergency<br />

7. Faculty Response to the Institutional Plan for Financial and<br />

Enrollment Emergency<br />

8. January 26, 2006 Faculty Assembly Minutes<br />

9. January 28, 2006 Executive Committee Meeting Minutes<br />

10. 2006-2007 External Audit Report<br />

11. 2007-2008 External Audit Report<br />

12. Web link: WVWC Library<br />

13. Web link: Pages in Time<br />

14. General Education Connections Curriculum<br />

15. Report on Assessment of General Education 2005-2006<br />

16. ACA Alumni Survey<br />

17. Graduating Student Survey<br />

18. Undergraduate Catalog<br />

19. PowerPoint from Faculty Colloquium on Critical Thinking<br />

20. Proposal for Course-Embedded Assessment of<br />

General Education Outcomes<br />

21. General Education Outcomes<br />

22. Submission Form for Existing Courses<br />

23. Guidelines for New Course Proposals<br />

24. Web Link: General Education website<br />

25. List of Strategic Planning Committee Steering and Task Force Members<br />

26. President’s Commission on the Future of the <strong>College</strong><br />

27. Web Link: Statement of Mission<br />

28. Employee Handbook<br />

29. Web Link: <strong>College</strong> Fact Books<br />

30. 2009 Strategic Planning Executive Summary<br />

31. Minutes from the Accreditation Steering Committee – four Goals<br />

32. 2008 Strategic Planning Executive Summary<br />

33. Web Link: Bonner Handbook<br />

34. 2008-2011 Strategic Plan Matrix<br />

35. Faculty & Committee Structure 2009-10<br />

37. Web Link: IPEDS Reporting<br />

38. Program Review Process – Academic Departments<br />

39. Program Review Process - Student Development<br />

40. Board of Trustees Bylaws<br />

41 Staff Assembly Bylaws<br />

42. Student Senate Bylaws<br />

43. ENews<br />

207


Endnotes<br />

44. Faculty Bulletin<br />

45. Faculty Satisfaction Survey<br />

46. Web Link: The University Senate<br />

47 Web Link: Social Principles<br />

48. Web Link: Sustainability Task Force<br />

49 Faculty Handbook<br />

50 Student Handbook<br />

51 <strong>Wesleyan</strong> Viewbook<br />

52. Graduate Catalog<br />

53. Web Link: The Orangeline Online<br />

54. Web Link: The Sundial<br />

55. Web Link: Parents Newsletter<br />

56. Web Link: <strong>Wesleyan</strong> Homepage<br />

57. 2009 Web Tracking Data<br />

58. Web Link: Security Statistics<br />

59. Web Link: Learning Center Courses<br />

60. Annual Institutional Update 2008<br />

61. Annual Institutional Update 2009<br />

62. Web Link: ACA Website<br />

63. Web Link: NAICU Website<br />

64. Web Link: AACTE Website<br />

65. Web Link: National Association of Schools & <strong>College</strong>s of The UMC<br />

66. Web Link: Campus Compact<br />

67. Web Link: Council of Independent <strong>College</strong>s<br />

68. Web Link: Council of Graduate Schools<br />

69. Web Link: WVIAC Final Cups web page<br />

70. Web Link: Admissions web page<br />

71. Web Link: Accreditation web page<br />

72. April 2009 Board of Trustees Plenary Session<br />

73. 2009-2012 Strategic Planning Matrix<br />

74. Space Utilization <strong>Study</strong><br />

75. Campus Facilities Master Planning Steering Committee Minutes<br />

76. Fleming Hall Press Release<br />

77. May 2007 Finance Committee Minutes<br />

78. October 2008 Finance Committee Minutes<br />

79. Web Link: Performa Website<br />

80. Enrollment Management Plan<br />

81. January 2009 BOT Plenary Session PowerPoint<br />

82. Web Link: BFREE website<br />

83. Belize Syllabus May 2009<br />

84. Research with Belize Students Press Release<br />

85. Web Link: Salzburg Global Seminar<br />

86. GAINS Year One Report<br />

87. Title III Abstract<br />

208


Endnotes<br />

88. Title III Proposal<br />

89. Board Level Compensation Committee Report<br />

90. 2002 Gallop Survey Results<br />

91. Local needs survey<br />

92. MSN Graduate Program Proposal<br />

93. FIG Application<br />

94. Articles of Incorporation<br />

95. Dean of Graduate Studies Posting<br />

96. Dean of Community Engagement Press Release<br />

97. Web Link: ICE<br />

98. Assessment Matrix by the Accreditation Steering Committee<br />

99. Web Link: TracDat website<br />

100. Web Link: TracDat Users<br />

101. Prelude to Planning<br />

102. Strategic Planning Committee Summer Meeting Minutes<br />

103. Performing Arts Center Press Release<br />

104. Science Center Press Release<br />

105. Former Trustees Day Agenda<br />

106. Original Community Engagement Strategic Plan<br />

107. Alumni Council Roster<br />

108. NSSE Trends Analysis<br />

110. Collegiate Learning Assessment Brochure<br />

111. First Year Seminar List for 2009<br />

112. CE Graduation Requirement Proposal<br />

113. Web Link: ACA Teaching and Learning Conference<br />

114. Faculty Committee Membership 2008<br />

115. Council on Assessment Position Statement<br />

116 HLC Report on General Education<br />

117. New Faculty Orientation Schedule 2008<br />

118. Award for Exemplary Teaching List of Recipient 2000-2008<br />

119. Research List - Nursing<br />

120. Research List – Biology and Environmental Science<br />

121. Research List – Athletic Training<br />

122. Web Link: MLK Awards<br />

123. Course Evaluation Composite Score Excel Spreadsheet<br />

124. Greek Life Accreditation Standards<br />

125. Programming Guide 2009-2010<br />

126. Web Link: Counseling Center web page<br />

127. Students Lead <strong>Wesleyan</strong> Press Release<br />

128. Squires Enjoys Olympics Press Release<br />

129. Blechl Press Release<br />

130. Shao Press Release<br />

131. McTammany Press Release<br />

132. List of Library Databases<br />

209


Endnotes<br />

133. Information Literacy Brochures<br />

134. Web Link: The Learning Center web page<br />

135. Learning Center Feedback Form<br />

136. Web Link: Writing Center<br />

137. Web Link: ESL Courses<br />

138. Academic Enhancement Initiative<br />

139. List of faculty who attended Salzburg Seminar<br />

140. Library Survey<br />

141. Web Link: Faculty Publications<br />

142. Total Grant Funds 2008<br />

143. 2008 Undergraduate Research Conference<br />

144. 2009 Undergraduate Research Conference<br />

145. Service Awards Press Release 2007<br />

146. Orange and Black Day Program<br />

147. Outstanding Senior Award Winners 1998-2009<br />

148. Sheridan Watson Bell Religious Life Influence Award<br />

149. Dean’s List<br />

150. Web Link: Alumni Award Winners<br />

151. MBA program sheet<br />

152. Masters of Education program sheet<br />

153. Masters in Athletic Training program sheet<br />

154. Masters of Science in Nursing program sheet<br />

155. Graduate Faculty Workshop Schedule<br />

156. Assessment Plan SPEC<br />

157. Assessment plan RDNG<br />

158. Accelerated Certificate Assessment Plan<br />

159. Graduate Nursing Assessment Plan<br />

160. 2007 MBA Alumni Survey<br />

161. GAINS Action Plan<br />

162. CE Faculty Development Service<br />

163. Fulbright Scholars Article<br />

164. Dr. Kim Press Release<br />

165. Nursing Survey Report<br />

166. Web Link: ACRL Information Literacy Standards<br />

167. Web Link: Course Reserves Policy<br />

168. Web Link: Acceptable Use Policy<br />

169. Web Link: IRB Policies<br />

170. Debate Watch evidence<br />

171. Julian Bond press release<br />

172. Raj Patel press release<br />

173. T.J. Leyden Press Release PDF<br />

174. Race, Politics and Stereotypes Conference Press Release PDF<br />

175. Listing of performances based on Introduction to Humanities syllabi<br />

176. Arts Alive Grant summaries<br />

210


Endnotes<br />

177. Web Link: Sleeth Art Gallery<br />

178. The Buckhannon-Upshur Arts Plan 2002-2004<br />

179. Bookstore – TracDat Summary<br />

180. Mapping <strong>Wesleyan</strong> power point, copy of survey<br />

181. Weekly email summary 2008-2009<br />

182. Center for Community Engagement Strategic Plan<br />

183. Dean of Community Engagement position description<br />

184. Community Partner Workshop<br />

185. Community Partner Service Form<br />

186. Management of Non-Profits Report<br />

187. Education Survey Results 2007<br />

188. Education Survey Results 2008<br />

189. Center for Community Engagement Advisory Board List<br />

190. SIFE Advisory Board list<br />

191. Department of Education Advisory Board List<br />

192. Pastoral Advisory Board list<br />

193. <strong>Full</strong> list of memberships<br />

194. List of CE Courses by Department<br />

195. ASB Press Release<br />

196. 10,000 Villages Flyer and Article<br />

197. Web Link: Summer Gifted Program<br />

198. Engaging Our World program brochure<br />

199. Energy Express Information<br />

200. Web Link: Intercultural Relations web page<br />

201. ISO Letter from Alice<br />

202. Web Link: Extended Learning web page<br />

203. HLC Focused Visit on Finance Report<br />

204. American Heart Press Release<br />

205. Press release about Clay Foundation grant<br />

206. Web Link: The Bonner Program<br />

207. Web Link: Center for Community Engagement Wiki<br />

208. UCARE Record Delta Article<br />

209. Buckhannon 2015 Plan<br />

210. Web Link: C92 FM web page<br />

211. Higher Learning Commission Response Letter 2008<br />

212. For Future Generations: Creating Opportunities for Young Adults in <strong>West</strong><br />

<strong>Virginia</strong> Discussion Guide<br />

213. National Issues Forum Press Release<br />

214. Debate watch press release<br />

215. Family Weekend Schedule 2008<br />

216. Greek Life and Service Press Release<br />

217. SIFE Press Release<br />

218. Food Village Press Release<br />

219. Recyclemania Press Release<br />

211


Endnotes<br />

220. Recycling Grant Press Release<br />

221. Bonner Grant RFP<br />

222. Concert Chorale Press Release #1<br />

223. Concert Chorale Press Release #2<br />

224. Concert Chorale Press Release #3<br />

225. List of retreat attendees<br />

226. Agendas from 2007 and 2008 retreat<br />

227. Schedule for 2009 CE Retreat<br />

228. Articulation agreement letter for Montgomery<br />

229. Articulation agreement letter for WV Technical and Community <strong>College</strong>s<br />

230. Faculty and Student programming - VISTA Work Plan<br />

231. Community Partner Relations - VISTA Work Plan<br />

232. Scholarships flyer from Admissions<br />

233. E-mail correspondence from Oxfam<br />

234. E-mail correspondence from AYSO<br />

235. Buckhannon River Watershed Association Letter<br />

236. Literacy Council Letter of Support<br />

237. Sago Memorial Service Press Release<br />

238. Sago Report<br />

239. Letters from City of Buckhannon (3)<br />

240. Web Link: Educational & Institutional Insurance Administrators web page<br />

241. BOT Conflict of Interest Agreement<br />

242. Library Copy Right Program<br />

243. Web Link: WV Higher Education Policy Commission<br />

244. Web link: HLC Handbook on Accreditation<br />

245. Nursing Program review Summary 2009<br />

246. English Program Review Summary 2009<br />

247. History Program Review Summary 2009<br />

248. Presidents Council Minutes<br />

249. 2008-2009 <strong>College</strong> Catalog<br />

250. Web Link: Graduate Programs Admissions<br />

251. 2009 Dashboard<br />

252. Art – TracDat Summary<br />

253. Administrative Services – TracDat Summary<br />

254. Exercise Science (Undergraduate) – TracDat Summary<br />

255. Biology – TracDat Summary<br />

256. Business and Economics – TracDat Summary<br />

257. Chemistry – TracDat Summary<br />

258. Christian Education and Church Leadership – TracDat Summary<br />

259. Communication Studies – TracDat Summary<br />

260. Computer Science – TracDat Summary<br />

261. Criminal Justice – TracDat Summary<br />

262. Community Engagement – TracDat Summary<br />

263. Education (Undergraduate) – TracDat Summary<br />

212


Endnotes<br />

265. Environmental Studies – TracDat Summary<br />

267. International Studies – TracDat Summary<br />

268. Mathematics – TracDat Summary<br />

269. General Education – TracDat Summary<br />

270. Music – TracDat Summary<br />

272. Philosophy – TracDat Summary<br />

273. Physics and Engineering – TracDat Summary<br />

274. Political Science – TracDat Summary<br />

275. Psychology – TracDat Summary<br />

276. Accounting (Administrative Department) – TracDat Summary<br />

277. Religion – TracDat Summary<br />

278. Sociology – TracDat Summary<br />

279. Theatre Arts – TracDat Summary<br />

280. Research List – Athletic training graduate<br />

281. Research List – Education graduate<br />

282. Web Link: General Education Student Page<br />

283. History of The Grove<br />

284. Web Link: Undergraduate Research Day at the Capitol<br />

285. CE Learning Outcomes<br />

286. Web Link: Theatre 2008-2009 Season<br />

287. New Student Orientation Schedule<br />

288. Pandemic Flu PowerPoint<br />

289. City of Buckhannon Community Garden Letter<br />

290. 2009 Alumni Survey<br />

291. Alumni Survey Results<br />

292. Food Services – TracDat Summary<br />

293. Human Resources – TracDat Summary<br />

294. Academic and Career Counseling – TracDat Summary<br />

295. Campus Activities – TracDat Summary<br />

296. Health and Counseling Center – TracDat Summary<br />

297. Learning Center – TracDat Summary<br />

298. Residence Life – TracDat Summary<br />

299. 2002 – Resolution on the Performance of the Administration and<br />

supporting documents<br />

300. 2004 – Faculty Resolutions and Board Responses<br />

301. Alignment of Assessment Unit Objectives Report – TracDat<br />

302. Alignment of Administrative Affairs Assessment Units Objectives to<br />

Financial Affairs Reporting Unit Goals – TracDat<br />

303. Alignment of Student Ser. Assessment Units Obj. to Student Ser.<br />

Reporting Unit Goals – TracDat<br />

304. Web Link: The Learning Center web page<br />

213


Endnotes<br />

List of Documents Found in the Resource Room (not included as links to this<br />

document)<br />

1) <strong>West</strong> <strong>Virginia</strong> <strong>Wesleyan</strong> <strong>College</strong> Board of Trustees Bylaws<br />

2) Board of Trustees minutes 2000 – present<br />

3) Faculty Assembly and Councils minutes 2000 – present<br />

4) Faculty Bulletins 2000-present<br />

5) E-News 2000-present<br />

6) Staff Assembly minutes<br />

7) Minutes from Strategic Planning Committee and subcommittees<br />

8) <strong>College</strong> Catalogs 2000 – present<br />

9) Student Handbook 2000 – present<br />

10) Community Council/Student Senate Minutes 2000 – present<br />

11) <strong>West</strong> <strong>Virginia</strong> <strong>Wesleyan</strong> <strong>College</strong> Fact Books 1997 – present<br />

12) Audited Financial Statements – 2000 to present<br />

13) Examples of job postings<br />

14) Examples of Search Committee Structures<br />

15) Admission Application Example<br />

16) Admission View Books<br />

17) Alumni Publications<br />

18) IPEDS Reports 2000 to present<br />

19) NCAA Reports 2000 to present<br />

20) Student Right to know Crime Rate Report 2000 to present<br />

21) CIRP Freshmen Survey (2000, 2001, 2002, 2007)<br />

22) NSSE (2003, 2004, 2008)<br />

23) Student Satisfaction Inventory (1996, 1999, 2001, 2003)<br />

24) Student Satisfaction Survey 2006-07<br />

25) Graduating Student Survey (2001 to Present)<br />

26) Accreditation/Approval Documentation<br />

27) University Senate of the United Methodist Church<br />

28) National Association of Schools of Music<br />

29) WV Dept. of Education and the National Council for the Accreditation of<br />

Teacher Education<br />

30) National League of Nursing for Nursing Accreditation<br />

31) Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs<br />

(Athletic Training)<br />

32) International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education<br />

33) Collegiate Learning Assessment (CLA) 2008-2009 Results Summary<br />

34) 2009 Alumni Survey Results (final version)<br />

35) 2007-2008 Buckhannon – Upshur Resource Directory<br />

36) Mapping <strong>Wesleyan</strong> Poster Sessions<br />

37) Campus Facility Master Plan Final Report<br />

38) Student Development Program Review Cycle<br />

39) Student Complaints file<br />

214


Endnotes<br />

40) Default Rate Supporting Documents<br />

41) CFI Index (2000 to Present)<br />

42) Assessment Plans for each academic department<br />

43) President’s Council Minutes<br />

44) <strong>Wesleyan</strong> Student Evaluations of Faculty and Courses<br />

45) Landscape Committee Vision Statement<br />

215

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