Attachment A
Faculty Senate Agenda
March 11, 2004

DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS AND ASTRONOMY
CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, SACRAMENTO

PROGRAM REVIEW
Spring 2003

SUMMARY OF GENERAL OBSERVATIONS

1. The recent $2 million endowment to the department offers a significant opportunity for innovation in the physics program.
    
2. We encourage the department to investigate the demand for high school level teachers in physical science and, if justified, develop a suitable track in line with the resources available within the department.
    
3. The department has developed a practice of holding additional structured hours for some upper division classes, which the students feel obliged to attend, without increasing units.

SUMMARY OF COMMENDATIONS TO THE DEPARTMENT

1. The Review Team commends the department on its strong sense of collegiality.
    
2. The Review Team commends the department on maintaining high academic standards.
    
3. The department has a strong relationship with students, especially majors, and the faculty maintains an admirable accessibility to students.
    
4. The department staff is very competent and demonstrates a strong collegial working relationship with each other and members of the faculty.
    
5. The Review Team commends the department far encouraging students to interact socially and professionally with faculty and each other.
    
6. The Review Team commends the department on its success in hiring new faculty.
    
7. The Review Team commends the department for purchasing furniture and cosmetic improvements for staff offices with money provided by the loan. This has greatly improved the morale of the office and helps the office function more efficiently.

SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE DEPARTMENT

1. In anticipation of systemwide requirements, the Review Team recommends that the department formalize its assessment process to measure the success of departmental goals for student learning objectives.
    
2. The Review Team recommends that the department maintain the success of its service courses by establishing strong communication with other departments.
    
3. The Review Team recommends the department determine the consequences of the lack of high school physics for student, majors and non-majors alike, entering the Physics 5 and 11 series and explore various means of addressing the issues.
    
4. The Review Team recommends that the department regularly contact its graduates as a means for measuring success of student learning outcomes for the assessment process.

SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE DEAN

1. The Review Team recommends that the Dean explore opportunities to provide space for instruction and research for the department.

RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE FACULTY SENATE

On the basis of this Program Review and the Department of Physics and Astronomy Self Study, the Review Team recommends:

1. The Bachelor of Arts degree in Physics be approved for six years or until the next program review.
    
2. The Bachelor of Science degree in Physics be approved for six years or until the next program review.
    
3. The Bachelor of Art in Physical Science be approved for six years or until the next program review.
    
4. The Single Subject Teaching Credential in, Physics be approved for six years or until the next program review.