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AY 2014-2015 ACADEMIC PROGRAM REVIEW SELF-STUDY TEMPLATE

Reporting School/College: St. John’s College

Program Reviewed: Chemistry MS Q

Date Submitted to Department/Division Chair: September, 2015

Overview and Program Review Summary: Please summarize this program’s mission and its relationship to the vision and mission of St. John’s University, and the program’s School/College. Identify similar programs regionally and nationally and distinguish this program from them. In addition, summarize your findings as they relate to (1) program quality, (2) market growth potential, and (3) student learning. Also, summarize any significant changes, achievements (by faculty and students and the program itself), and plans for the future. Finally, based on the information gleaned from the data in the self-study, give an overall rating of the program’s Enrollment/Market Potential by categorizing it as one of the following: (1) Enhance; (2) Maintain; (3) Reduce support, Phase out, Consolidate, or Discontinue. (Suggested limit 1 page)

Overview of the MS Program in Chemistry

The purpose of our graduate program in Chemistry is to provide students with a foundation and in-depth course work in Chemistry and the Chemical Sciences. The Chemistry Department offers two graduate-level degrees: an accelerated BS/MS and a MS degree in Chemistry. This is a distinctive aspect of this program with respect to local/peer institutions, such as Manhattan College, Fordham University, Hofstra University, Pace University and Adelphi University, which only offer an undergraduate degree in chemistry or schools like Stony Brook University and Columbia University, which focus on their Ph.D. programs. The Master's program at St. John’s provides working chemical professionals the opportunity to further their education while still keeping their job or for students to continue with their education directly after obtaining their undergraduate degree. A student with an MS degree is highly desirable to Universities with Ph.D. programs, for chemical companies looking for highly educated chemists, and for advanced health related fields, such as medical and dental programs.

The Master's program adds unique depth and breadth to our Bachelors program – graduate students interact daily with undergraduate students in classroom, research and social settings, have the opportunity to teach undergraduate laboratory courses and work as tutors in our "Chemistry Students Can Help" sessions. The M.S. program in Chemistry is very distinctive within our University due to the strong relationship between its students and faculty. Half of our students complete a thesis for their degree, and this allows them to work closely with a faculty member in the research setting. The graduate students form a close knit cohort as they take their classes together and work in the research laboratories, discussing ideas, sharing results, and presenting their work at various conferences. Chemistry research requires students and faculty to work closely together in the laboratory, all of the faculty have research programs that involve graduate students. In short, the Chemistry faculty at St. John’s has one goal, to give the best education in Chemistry to our students.

A new initiative to expand our program was developed with Estee Lauder in 2014. This program allows Estee Lauder chemists to complete the M.S. degree as a cohort by providing a number of courses at the Estee Lauder facilities. Through this program, we have doubled the size of our program and expanded our industrial outreach.

STANDARD 1. The purpose of the program reflects and supports the strategic vision and mission of St. John’s University, and the program’s School/College.

SJC_CHE_CHEM_MS_Q Self-Study Template 1

1a. What evidence can you provide that demonstrates that the program embodies the Catholic, Vincentian, and metropolitan identity of St. John’s University? www.stjohns.edu/about/out-mission. (Suggested limit 1/3 page)

The program in Chemistry furthers the Catholic, Vincentian, and metropolitan identity of the University by educating students in a manner consistent with the Roman Catholic values and moral system. The program aims to provide students with an in-depth understanding of the natural world. Students learn to work as a team, supporting one another, whether in the lab or classroom. In addition, students are instructed in and expected to comply with ethical behavior in the classroom and laboratory environments. Students and faculty in the Chemistry Department participate in an array of educational outreach programs and service events (detailed below) that further the Catholic identity of the University.

The Chemistry program supports a range of education and outreach programs consistent with the Vincentian tradition of service and opportunity. Partnering with the St. John’s University Student Chapter of the American Chemical Society (ACS), the Chemistry program promotes a culture of service and outreach through annual participation in National Chemistry Week events at the Queens Hall of Science, hosting scientific symposia and conferences open to the general public, performing “Chemistry is Fun” magic shows for local elementary and middle school children, faculty chairing and judging of regional high school science fairs (e.g., Chemagination – a high school science competition hosted at St. John’s University each spring semester), faculty leadership in the St. John’s University Learning Communities program, and faculty involvement in high school research programs to increase diversity in higher education (e.g., ACS Project SEED, Harlem Children’s Project – both are summer research programs for minority high school students ).

The idea of service to the community is an integral part of our program. Graduate assistants are required to hold tutoring hours which assist all of the undergraduate students in chemistry courses. They also participate in Accepted Student Day, First Year Convocation lunches, and Department of Chemistry Welcome Back dinner by talking to undergraduate students about chemistry and presenting their research.

Members of the Chemistry faculty actively participate in a number of professional societies and organizations, serving on committees at the University, regional and national levels and by organizing major programs, such as the William H. Nichols Distinguished Symposium, the ACS High School Chemistry Awards Program, the Women’s Chemistry Committee networking events, and the St. John’s University/Clare Boothe Luce Women in Science Society. The Chemistry Department, in conjunction with the St. John’s student affiliate chapter of the ACS, hosts numerous education and outreach programs that are open to the general public and serve to enhance the profile of the University in the community. Additionally, the Chemistry faculty benefit greatly from the proximity to other universities, national laboratories, and industrial chemical companies. Our students have had the opportunity to visit, collaborate with, and perform experiments at places such as Brookhaven National Laboratory, Columbia University, Queens College, BASF Corporation, and pharmaceutical companies. The Department also invites other faculty, students and scientists in the area to an annual symposium series which features a different topic each year. These opportunities enrich the MS program.

1b. What evidence can you provide that demonstrates that the program embodies the University’s vision. www.stjohns.edu/about/out-mission/vision-statement. (Suggested limit 1/3 page)

In keeping with the vision and mission of the University, the graduate program in Chemistry is committed to academic excellence, research, and the pursuit of knowledge and truth within the context of an inclusive, diverse, and student-centered environment. The program is designed to foster rational, spirited inquiry and intelligent reflection via


innovative teaching methods, the use of modern instrumentation, independent research with faculty mentors, and service to the University, chemistry professional societies, and the greater metropolitan area.

The Chemistry program at St. John’s provides graduate students the opportunity to develop the necessary technical knowledge and skills, intellectual curiosity, and ethical awareness to become lifelong learners who contribute positively to society. Upon graduation, masters-level students are expected to have a firm grasp of the both advanced principles and the major sub-disciplines of Chemistry, to demonstrate a mastery of technical and analytical skills in the laboratory, to apply their knowledge and skills to resolve problems, creatively and independently, to address issues of ethical behavior in science, and to demonstrate the ability to participate in society as a scientifically literate citizen.

1c. What evidence can you provide that demonstrates that the program embodies the vision and mission of the program’s School/College? (Suggested limit 1/3 page)

To ensure success during and after graduation, undergraduate chemistry students are provided with a firm foundation in critical thinking to solve real world problems (see 1b). The essence of the chemistry thought process is to analyze the problem and think critically to provide reasonable solutions. These skills will allow chemistry majors to pursue a wide variety of job opportunities in their professional careers and to make a positive contribution to society.

Standard 1. Additional comments if needed. (Suggested limit 1 page)


STANDARD 2. The program attracts, retains, and graduates high quality students.

2a. Undergraduate SAT and High School Average

2b. Undergraduate 1st Year Retention Rate

2c. Undergraduate 6 Year Graduation Rate

2d. Graduate Standardized Test ScoresIn 2010, the Department of Chemistry stopped required the GRE for entrance into the program.

Fall

2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

Program 397/673 363/688 420/697

School/College Average Rate 481/561 494/569 465/551 501/588 472/577

Regional Comparison N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

National Comparison See below

New Graduate Students GRE Verbal Mean Scores

Fall 2010 Fall 2011 Fall 2012 Fall 2013

Ir Grev Score Ir Grev Score Ir Grev Score Ir Grev Score

CHE MS old 410 327 410

new 149 152

New Graduate Students GRE Quantitative Mean Scores


Ir Greq Score Ir Greq Score Ir Greq Score Ir Greq Score

CHE MS old 725 740 625

new 155 154

As of August 1, 2011, ETS revised the GRE General Test with a new scoring scale. Prior to 8/1/11 on a scale of 200-800(old) and after 8/1/11 on a scale of 130-170(new)

New Graduate Students GRE Verbal Mean Scores


Ir Grev Score Ir Grev Score Ir Grev Score Ir Grev Score


Graduate School Arts & Sci old 491 500 497 532

new 154 153

New Graduate Students GRE Quantitative Mean Scores


Ir Greq Score Ir Greq Score Ir Greq Score Ir Greq Score

Graduate School Arts & Sci old 585 566 593 604

new 149 150

As of August 1, 2011, ETS revised the GRE General Test with a new scoring scale. Prior to 8/1/11 on a scale of 200-800(old) and after 8/1/11 on a scale of 130-170(new)

General test percentage distribution of scores within intended graduate major field that is based on the performance of seniors and non-enrolled college graduates who were tested on the verbal and quantitative examination.

GRE

Intended Graduate Major Test-Takers Mean Score (Verbal) Mean Score (Quantitative)

Chemistry* 8,019 153 157

* For further information, please visit http://www.ets.org/s/gre/pdf/gre_guide.pdf.

Comments: Refer to Charts 2a – 2d in your response. (Suggested limit 1/2 page) 2e. Please describe how the program compares with peer and aspirational institutions. (Suggested limit 1/2 page)The M.S. program at St. John's University is one of the largest master's only program in the country. Most M.S. programs are part of a Ph.D. program. Since we do not have the Ph.D. as part of our program, we can focus our efforts on working with the undergraduate and master's students. In terms of other M.S.-only chemistry programs in the country, St. John's provided 2% of all of the degrees granted throughout the country. Some of these universities include Bucknell University, University of Detroit-Mercy, SUNY Oswego, Villanova University, College of William and Mary. Our program is one of they only programs that offers laboratory courses at the graduate level.

2f. If applicable, describe the program’s student performance over the past five years on licensure or professional certification exams relative to regional and national standards. (Suggested limit 1/4 page)Not applicable.

2g. Number of majors and minors enrolled over the past five years. See table below.

Fall

Number of Students 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

Majors 33 35 27 21 24


Minors 0 0 0 0 0

Total 33 35 27 21 24


MAJORS CHE MS 28 21 27 23

2h. Number of degrees granted during the past five years. See table below.

Degrees Granted

Academic Year

04/05 05/06 06/07 07/08 08/09

MS 6 6 8 9 7

National Average 5.1 5.3

10/11 11/12 12/13

Degrees Conferred Degrees Conferred Degrees Conferred

SJC-GR CHE Chemistry MS 5 11 2

Below is comparison degrees conferred data for local and national institutions based on data retrieved from the IPEDS website. This is based on the Classification of Instructional Program (CIP) Code of 40-Physical Sciences.

2009-2010 2010-2011 2011-2012

Master's

Local1 173 150 141

National 6,063 6,386 6,910

1Local institution include: Adelphi University, Columbia University, CUNY Queens College, Fordham University, Hofstra University, Iona College, C.W. Post University, Manhattan College, New York University, Pace University, Seton Hall University, Stony Brook University, and Wagner College.

Comments : Based on the data in 2g and 2h, how do these trends compare to institutional, regional and national patterns? (Suggested limit 1/2 page)

In the past few years, the number of students enrolled in the MS program has decreased due to fewer part time industrial students enrolling in the program. We have addressed this issue through developing a partnership with Estee


Lauder to provide the MS program to a cohort of Estee Lauder employees. Another reason for the decrease in enrollment is a concerted effort on our part to have the students graduate in a timely manner, the time to finish a degree has now decreased to just over two years. That is, most students use the summer after their final year to complete their thesis.

For the past five years, St. John's has, on average, exceeded the average number of MS degrees granted, that is 6.8 degrees per year compared to 5.2 nationally between 2006 and 2008.

For the data comparing conferral of degrees on a local and national level, a number of the local institutions also confer PhD degrees, New York University, Columbia University, Queen College-CUNY, Seton Hall University, and Stony Brook University. Students as these universities obtain their MS degrees in the process of fulfilling their PhD requirements. None of the other local universities offer an MS degree. Students will often enroll in our program since it is a Master's only degree and our focus in on these students.

2i. What mechanisms are in place to monitor students’ progress toward degree? And, to what extent is there a collaborative effort to provide quality advising and support services to students? (Suggested limit 1/4 page)

The Department of Chemistry provides a complete check-list for the students to monitor their progress towards graduation. The students meet with their advisors and are required to provide a recent advisement report for the faculty member to use in the advisement process.

On an annual basis, all of the graduate students meet to discuss career planning, requirements for graduation, and progress towards graduation. They are provided all of the paperwork required for graduation.

At the end of the first semester of graduate studies, MS students are required to choose a research mentor or opt for the comprehensive exam option to complete the degree. After the first full semester of laboratory research, the students are required to submit their research proposals. The transcripts of part-time students are reviewed every semester to ensure that the students are on-track to graduate.

2j. If available, provide information on the success of graduates in this program as it relates to employment or attending graduate school. (Suggested limit 1/4 page)The graduates of the MS program follow the typical path of most chemistry majors. About one-third of the graduates enter the job market, one-third enter PhD programs, and one-third apply to medical school or other health professions. The students who enter the job market find employment within three months of graduation.

2k. Please comment on the students’ competencies in the program. Support your response using data provided below and any other data available. (Suggested limit 1/3 page)


Chemistry is a rigorous field, and our students must be competent in both classwork and research. The average GPA for our MS students is 3.7.

The Department has also developed a rubric for assessing the MS program through the graduate student master's thesis and oral defense. This capstone project provides an excellent means of assessing the program objectives. For example in the 2014 – 2015 academic year:

Objective 1. Demonstrate knowledge of chemical structure, mechanisms, reactivity, and energeticsGoal: In the written M. S. thesis, 80% of the students will demonstrate a mastery of the concepts above.Findings: 12/12 of thesis assessments met the goal. From the M. S. thesis rubric 100% of the students demonstrated a mastery of the concepts above.

Objective 2. Apply principles of the study of chemical systemsGoal: In the written M. S. thesis, 80% of the students will demonstrate a mastery of applying the principles to the study of chemical systems.Findings: 12/12 of thesis assessments met the goal. From the M. S. thesis rubric 100% of the students demonstrated a mastery of applying the principles of the study of chemical systems.

Standard 2. Additional comments if needed: (Suggested limit 1 page)


STANDARD 3. The program engages in ongoing systematic planning that is aligned with the University and School/College planning, direction, and priorities.

3a. How does your program’s strategic goal/objectives link to your School/College plan and the University’s strategic plan? http://www.stjohns.edu/about/leadership/strategic-planning

I. St. John's College planA. To develop a faculty that is a cadre of teachers and scholars who are committed to advancing knowledge in

their discipline

At the heart of the philosophy of the Department of Chemistry is the idea that we are here to serve our students and foster their growth into exceptional scientists with a commitment to using science for the benefit of the world. We offer courses with very high academic standards; we expect our students to meet these standards both in the classroom and the research laboratory. Student engagement is important to having a thriving chemistry department. Our students work one-on-one with faculty members in research program for their MS thesis, and the Department supports these endeavors through the seminar program, research symposia, and attendance at scientific conferences. It is our belief that in a thriving department, the faculty need to be present and available for students. All of our faculty members are regularly available outside of office hours and commonly seen engaging with the students in both academic and casual manners.

The Department of Chemistry at St. John’s University has transformed itself over the last 15 years into an exciting research-oriented department. This transformation is a result of newly hired faculty engaging students through both the classroom experience and involvement in undergraduate research projects. Our faculty regularly publish with graduate students, write grant proposals to support their research, and present their work at national conferences. In our summer research program, thirty students and the faculty members met on a weekly basis for seminars, workshops, and research discussions, and at the end of the summer, the students presented their work in a poster session to which all of the MS Chemistry majors were invited. For the next five years we intend to build upon our pervious successes concentrating on increasing our presence in the outside scientific community, raising the number of our students continuing their education in PhD and professional programs, and exploring new ways to engage our students.

B. To utilize a faculty that provides the highest quality education for our students

The Department of Chemistry prides itself on offering innovative and accessible courses for all of our students. We have implemented a POGIL (process oriented, guided inquiry learning) approach to teaching chemistry. The thesis and the comprehensive exam provide a capstone experience for the students in which they utilize the synthetic, analytical, and presentation skills that they have developed in their MS program at St. John's University. We continue to embrace best practices, for example in the past year we have offered hybrid courses and we plan to offer completely online courses to better accommodate students' needs and interests.

The faculty members have adopted innovative teaching technologies in the past few years. In organic chemistry, faculty use classroom response systems, portable writing tablets which are interfaced to the projectors, and document cameras to deliver courses. A number of the courses rely on peer instruction to help the students who are learning the material demonstrate their knowledge and reinforce their understanding.

One high impact practice in which the Department of Chemistry excels is research. All of the faculty members in the Department are research active and in the past five years have had graduate students working in their research laboratories.

Students are encouraged to attend chemistry seminars presented by experts in the field. As part of this, the Department of Chemistry hosts a weekly seminar series, inviting faculty and industrial leaders from around the


http://www.stjohns.edu/about/leadership/strategic-planning

area to present their research. During the Summer Research Program, the students interact with the speakers on a more informal basis. We also invite all of the students to attend the New York Section of the American Chemical Society's Nichols Award symposium and dinner; the Nichols is a national award presented to a chemist who has contributed significantly to the science in the past five years.

C. To be a college that teaches the University-wide undergraduate core

While the Department of Chemistry does not actively participate in the University Core Curriculum, we provide the General Chemistry and Organic Chemistry service courses required by all majors in the College of Pharmacy and Allied Health Professions, biology majors, and pre-health students. These courses provide a strong basis for the students who will use the material and the problem solving competencies throughout their academic careers at St. John's University.

D. To be a college that develops new programs of study (undergraduate, graduate, interdisciplinary), and revise certain existing ones, so that our degree and non-degree programs continue to be of the highest quality and responsive to the changing face of academia and the world outside the academy.

The four programs that the Department of Chemistry offers, the B.S., the B.S./M.S., the M.S., and the minor, have all grown in the past five years, as described in Standard 2. For these three degree programs, we can continue to grow until we reach the limit of the size of our teaching and research laboratories. We estimate that we can graduate thirty B.S. students a year, and about twelve M.S. students. At this size, however, we cannot provide research opportunities for all of the students since the number of tenure track, and thus research active, faculty members has not grown with the size of the student population we serve. In terms of the Chemistry minor, however, we have made a concerted effort to provide the elective classes that they need to complete their degrees by offering one elective, non-laboratory based, course every spring semester. We would like to offer a second elective course in the fall semester; however, we do not have enough faculty members to teach an additional lecture course. Regularly, the Department reviews the program, and a recent review of the program's goals and objectives resulted in the development of a new course, Chemistry Seminar, which covers professional competencies that were not adequately addressed in the existing curriculum. We have also developed a partnership with Estee Laude Corporation to provide the M.S. program at the Estee Lauder site on Long Island, and by doing so, we have increased the size of our M.S. program by fifteen students.

E. To improve our retention and graduation rates and to increases enrollments

The Department of Chemistry has worked to improve the retention rate and graduation rate in the Department. In terms of making sure that students are on track to graduate, we have instituted a review of all chemistry majors' records twice a year to confirm that students have completed pre-requisites before they continue onto the next course. On a regular basis, we contact all of the Chemistry majors and inform them of research opportunities, seminars, scholarships, and Chemistry events.

F. To seek external funding

The Department has submitted grant proposals to support the growth of the chemistry program. One proposal, submitted to the NSF, was for scholarships for undergraduate chemistry, biology, math, and physics. The objectives of our program are to (a) increase access and opportunity in STEM education, particularly for students with financial need, (b) build community among the SJU STEM scholars and with the faculty, (c) create an interdisciplinary, scholarly, scientific culture on campus, (d) promote academic excellence, (e) encourage and facilitate research participation, (f) develop faculty-student and peer mentoring programs, and (g) direct educational outreach and community service projects, each in keeping with the University’s Mission and Core


Values. As part of this program, we proposed to offer a seminar in which students would work together across disciplines to solve a big problem. Other faculty members have submitted grant proposals to the NSF and the NIH to support their research and to improve their pedagogy.

G. To improve our infrastructure.

The infrastructure that supports the Department of Chemistry has both enabled us to grow as well as hindered our growth. We have renovated the Department of Chemistry Conference room which provides space for the students to gather, work on chemistry, and eat. This room is also used for the Department of Chemistry Help room where graduate students are available to tutor other students, and for Departmental meetings. The Chemistry Department offices have also been renovated and are more inviting to visitors. However, the research laboratories need renovations for both safety and efficiency. Many of the laboratories do not have adequate hood space or bench space. The lighting in the rooms is insufficient for lab work, and the cabinets are decaying. Finally, we do not have enough space. Ideally, we would like to have two teaching laboratories that are dedicated to upper level laboratories with adequate storage space and balance rooms. We also need more room for the instruments that are necessary for a modern chemistry department, and we need more office and research laboratory space for more tenure track faculty members.

II. University Strategic plan

MISSIONEvery one of the Department of Chemistry’s goals and objectives is designed to move our students from

where they are to where we would like them to be. Lately the topic of conversation has been the classroom experience – lecture, lab, and recitation – and what we are doing and should be doing to foster student development in accord with own Program goals, the SJC LAS goals, and the University Strategic Plan.

The Department of Chemistry reaches out to the community through providing Chemistry is Fun shows to local elementary schools, participating in National Chemistry Week at the New York Hall of Science. As part of our curriculum goals and objectives, we have specifically included chemistry interacting with society, and our upper level courses incorporate real world applications.

STUDENT ENGAGEMENTThe Department of Chemistry takes great pride in the close relationship between our majors and their

faculty mentors. Before classes even start, the incoming students are introduced to the research culture in our Department. We start the academic year with a dinner for our undergraduate and graduate students. At the dinner, the research students present their work in a poster session. Every year we hold a seminar series, advertised in all chemistry courses regardless of level, where the faculty discuss their research projects. Students are encouraged to participate in research, as opposed to taking the comprehensive exam, for if there is one activity that enhances student engagement outside the classroom and feeds the desire to become a lifelong learner it is the one-on-one relationship between a student and their faculty mentor. The achievements of students are honored during a spring awards ceremony. A reception for graduation is held for the students and their families.

GLOBALOur program enrolls international students from Argentina, China, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Hong Kong, India,

and Saudi Arabia. These students have succeeded in the program academically, and have contributed to the


Department by tutoring our undergraduate students, teaching laboratory classes, and mentoring in the research laboratory.

3b. What is the evidence of monitoring the external and internal environments, specifically what are the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats facing the program? How were they identified? What actions have been taken in response to these findings? What characteristics of the program suggest a competitive edge against other programs regionally and nationally?

Strengths: A faculty that unanimously believes our job is to prepare educated, thoughtful, and reflective students to

enter an increasingly complex world. Faculty that recognizes the importance of active participation of students in research. A faculty that encourages the research students to fully participate in the research endeavor from

developing a project to conducting the research, to present the results. A technologically and pedagogically ‘savvy’ faculty. Faculty members participate in a continuous discussion on how best to serve and educate our students. Faculty that is up-to-date on modern chemical methods and technology. A Department that is certified by the American Chemical Society, which indicates that we provide an

excellent undergraduate experience for our majors. After graduation, our students enter top ranked graduate programs in Chemistry throughout the country.

Weaknesses Infrastructure is not adequate for the program. Chemistry is an experimental science, and laboratory space

is required for teaching and research. Because the teaching laboratories are used for multiple courses, this limits the experiments the students can conduct because they cannot leave their reactions running for more than three hours. A dedicated upper level laboratory room would alleviate this concern.

Infrastructure is not adequate for the program. Since demonstrations can bring to life a chemistry concept, a dedicated lecture hall for Chemistry courses with a prep room next to the hall would greatly enhance our classes.

Instrumentation is critical to a modern chemistry research and teaching endeavor. Currently many of our instruments are more than ten years old, exceeding their life cycle and are no longer supported by the manufacturer. A plan for replacement of current instrumentation has not been implemented. In addition, the lack of new instrumentation for emerging disciplines limits the research and puts our students at a disadvantage in entering the workforce.

Infrastructure is not adequate for the program. Lack of faculty acceptable research laboratory space since most of the research space in the Department of Chemistry is original to the building. This unimproved infrastructure has resulted in safety issues such as some of the laboratories do not have safety showers.

The faculty-to-student ratio greatly exceeds our capacity to provide research opportunities, mentoring, and in-depth advisement for our students. With the reliance on adjunct faculty, the full-time faculty are over-extended in support of our students.

The current funding rate for external proposals is at an all time low, and while the faculty do apply for funding, their proposals have not been funded despite favorable reviews.

Opportunities Chemistry is the central science, and as such, it provides a basis for all STEM fields. Global market is shifting towards careers in STEM and has resulted in a high demand for our majors. Special programs through the American Chemical Society has increased the programming available to our

students outside of the classroom.


Support from the University has encouraged our faculty to explore new methods providing courses to the students.

The assessment of programs enables us to review our programs and initiate changes to the curriculum that enhance our program.

The Department has worked with our industrial partners to facilitate earning the master's degree while working full time through scheduling courses and providing online courses.

Threats Peer institutions are investing in STEM infrastructure through the building of new buildings and renovating

existing facilities. Hofstra University has started a medical school which increases their academic standing. The Department is completely tenured. There are no new faculty members to bring in new energy, new

excitement and new ideas to the Department. The increased enrollment in other programs (e.g., the 6-year Pharm.D. and Biology programs) which the

Department of Chemistry provides faculty to staff service courses decreases the number of full-time Chemistry faculty for chemistry majors.

The increased reliance on adjunct faculty decreases the faculty-student interactions and does not provide research opportunities for students.

Since the MS degree is not a terminal degree, if a student shows promise, we encourage the student to pursue the PhD directly. This impacts our enrollment, but provides a better education for the student.

These strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats were identified through a faculty workshop, annual assessment of the program, and interviews with students and alumni.

PAST ACTIONS The Department has continued to ask for tenure-track faculty members every year. The last tenure-track

faculty member received tenure in 2014. Through the budget process, the Department has requested infrastructure improvements to the

laboratories and common spaces, and the University has generously worked with us to improve the teaching laboratories and seminar room.

We have written grant proposals to improve the instrumentation in the Department of Chemistry, to support research, and to provide scholarships for our students.

FUTURE ACTIONS The Department of Chemistry will continue to request space and infrastructure improvements from the

University. Ideally, we would like to have a new Science building to complement St. Albert Hall. The Department of Chemistry will also continue to request tenure track faculty lines. In order to have a fully

teach all of our lecture classes and upper-level laboratory courses, and to provide enough research opportunities for our students, the Department needs a total of five new tenure track faculty members to bring our number to seventeen. We currently have lab and office space for two faculty members, we would need office and lab space for three more faculty members.

In order to better serve our students, we will request office space for our adjunct faculty and graduate students. Currently, we have between thirty-five and forty adjunct faculty members teaching every semester, and providing them adequate space to meet with students outside of class will increase faculty-student engagement.

Ideally, the Department should have two dedicated upper-level teaching laboratories which will allow students to conduct extended experiments over more than the three hours of laboratory time. Part of this laboratory space should include a dedicated balance room and instrument room. We will continue to


request this space. Our graduate students teach in these laboratory spaces and see the impact of adequate resources on a program.

We will develop an advertisement campaign for our program. We will work with Alumni Relations to contact our Chemistry graduates a minimum of two times per year. We will look for additional industrial partners to develop MS cohorts to offer the MS program at the

industrial site. Since we are a MS only program, we can tailor our courses to fit the needs of the students. For example, we

can offer a pre-requisite course for the MS program in the evenings or on the weekends.

The Department of Chemistry has several methods of assessment in place to monitor both its program and its student learning outcomes. We utilize standardized exams from the American Chemical Society to compare us to other institutions and utilize such internal methods such as grading rubrics, class surveys, and quizzes. An informal senior student exit interview with the Chair is also conducted with each student.

The ultimate assessment is the success of our students in the workforce. We are making a strong commitment to monitoring the careers of our graduating seniors by remaining in contact with them through traditional methods such as phone, mail, e-mail, as well as more modern methods such as social networking sites such as Facebook.

3c. What is the current and future market demand for the program? Support your response using the data provided below or any other internal or external sources to justify your response.

Employment in the fields related to STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) are increasing at a faster rate than other sectors in the job market. From the data provided, the growth for chemists is expected to be 31%.Chemistry does not prepare you to just become a chemist – many of our graduates go into other high demand fields: medical fields, law, industry, and forensics. Our own program has grown such that we now support about 120 majors. The number of applications for the program continues to grow as well, and we expect this number continues to steadily increase over the next several years. Fastest growing occupations and occupations having the largest numerical increase in employment by level of education and training projected. Chemistry is part of the one of the fastest growing fields in this country. Our students are able to obtain jobs upon graduation.

Fastest growing occupations and occupations having the largest numerical increase in employment by level of education and training projected.

Fastest Growing OccupationsChange, 2010-20 Occupations having the

largest numerical increase in employment

Change, 2010-20

Percent Numeric Percent Numeric

Biochemist and Biophysicists 31% 7,700 Biochemist and Biophysicists 31% 7,700

Projected Changes in Related Occupations (2010 – 2020)

Grow much faster than average – Increase 21% or moreChanges, 2010-20

Percent Numeric


Biochemist and Biophysicists 31% 7,700

*For more information please visit: http://www.bls.gov/news.release/ecopro.toc.htm

Standard 3. Additional comments if needed: (Suggested limit 1 page)


http://www.bls.gov/news.release/ecopro.toc.htm

STANDARD 4. The program provides a high quality curriculum that emphasizes and assesses student learning and engagement.

4a. Please indicate how the program curriculum is in alignment with the following three items: (Suggested limit 1/2 page for each of the three categories below)

1. Standards within the disciplineIn the MS program, students take either ten courses and complete a research thesis, or take eleven courses and complete the comprehensive exam. Four of the courses the students take are foundational courses in chemistry and cover the four basic areas of chemistry. The remaining electives allow the students to specialize on their chosen area of chemistry. For the terminal master's degree program, this provides the students with a strong basis in all aspects of chemistry. In addition, our students complete a laboratory based course in Instrumental Analysis, whereas most institutions, this course is solely theoretical. Our students are well-prepared to enter the chemical workforce with their knowledge of chemistry and experience in the laboratory.

Going beyond the discipline standards, in the summer of 2014 we created our Summer Research Program. We decided we wanted to enhance student understanding of certain disciplinary conventions (scientific writing, oral and poster presentations) as well as safety and ethical issues in science.

We do internal periodic program review every semester/year at a faculty meeting. Additionally, each of the disciplines (analytical, inorganic, organic, physical chemistry) conducts yearly reviews.

2. Curriculum integrity, coherence, academic internships, teaching excellence, teaching vibrancy, and study abroad experiences.

As stated above, our program has been designed to provide the students with a strong foundation in all areas of chemistry and the opportunity to focus on one area in depth through coursework and research. The integrity and coherence of the program are evidenced by the success of our students after graduation in the workforce and in pursuance of further graduate degrees. Our students in nationally recognized PhD programs report that the background they have built through the M.S. program has allowed them to make immediate contributions to their research groups.

The Department of Chemistry offers a thesis track for the completion of the M.S. degree, and through this track, students conduct research in the laboratory under the guidance of a faculty member. This hands-on work provides a valuable educational benefit as it is the equivalent of an internship.

Teaching Excellence: The Department of Chemistry is committed to exploring and implementing the latest pedagogical and technological advances that allow enhancement of student learning. We were an early adopter (first use fall 2007) of personal response systems (‘clickers’), which are used in a number of graduate courses. Those who have used them have noticed a significant impact on student engagement. As the program has grown to include a cohort of students from Estee Lauder, the faculty have completed the online teaching certification program, and we are offering both hybrid and completely online graduate courses.

Dr. David Brown won the American Chemical Society’s Middle Atlantic Regional Division E. Emmet Reid Award for outstanding achievements in teaching chemical sciences at small colleges within the Middle Atlantic Region (April 2014); he was also the recipient of the 2011-2012 Dr. John W. Dobbins Professor of the Year, awarded by St. John’s College and Student Government. Our current chair, Dr. Alison Hyslop, was recently inducted into Skull and Circle.

There are 12 full-time tenured faculty members in the department of chemistry. In 2013, seven chemistry faculty published either a peer-reviewed journal article or a textbook. Our ‘Teacher Vibrancy’ ratings for ALL


full-time faculty (including contract faculty) in the Class Climate reports were 4.2, 4.3, and 4.3 for the spring 2011, 2012, and 2013 semesters, respectively.

Study Abroad programs are not relevant to the MS program in chemistry. Due to the demands of research which is carried out in the physical laboratory, studying abroad would remove the student from working on their thesis. A student could not take the necessary number of courses to graduate in a timely fashion if they do study abroad. In addition, we offer five courses per semester in New York, and we cannot afford to send our faculty abroad.

3. The University Core competencies The language of our previous Program Review still holds: the frontier core competencies are intrinsically addressed in all of our course offerings. Through course assessments, problem sets, written laboratory reports, presentations, and comprehensive examinations, students develop their abilities in critical thinking, information literacy, skillful writing, oral presentation skills, and quantitative reasoning.

Students are presented opportunities to develop, present, and defend ideas in a variety of formats in all of the graduate courses in chemistry. Every course involves oral presentations, written analysis, and/or small or large group discussions to develop these competencies.

Another addition to the above would be our Summer Research Program. This initiative addresses, with greater specificity and coherence, how the core competencies might actually be applied by chemistry professionals. Particular emphasis is places on giving oral and written technical presentations, and a deeper understanding of professional codes of conduct.

4b. The syllabi for the courses within this program incorporate the suggested elements of a syllabus – an example of which can be found at the following St. John’s University Center for Teaching and Learning link. (Suggested limit 1/3 page) http://stjohns.campusguides.com/content.php?pid=71651&sid=984766

All of the departmental course syllabi are collected and reviewed to ensure compliance with best practices (most recently in the Fall 2014 semester).

The faculty in the various sub-disciplines of chemistry annually review the syllabi for the courses in their subject area. These syllabi are posted to the departmental Digication e-portfolio, and everyone teaching in the program has access to these syllabi.

4c. Describe the assessment model currently in place for the program and indicate the extent to which disciplinary and core knowledge, competence, and values are met, as well as findings and action plans for improvement. For reference, visit WeaveOnline – https://app.weaveonline.com//login.aspx; Digication – https://stjohns.digication.com (Suggested limit 1/2 page)

The Goals for the MS program in Chemistry are:

G 1: Demonstrate an advanced understanding of the chemical principles G 2: Demonstrate ability to work in a lab independently G 3: Demonstrate the ability to disseminate scientific knowledge G 4: Demonstrate the ability to apply knowledge and skills to resolve problems, creatively and independently G 5: Address issues of ethical behavior in science G 6: Demonstrate the ability to participate in society as a scientifically literate citizen

The Departmental objectives, which are mapped to the above goals, for the students in the MS program are:

O1. Demonstrate and apply the knowledge of chemical structure, mechanisms, reactivity, and energetics (G1)O2. Plan experiments and follow experimental protocols using correct laboratory techniques (G1, G2, G4)


https://stjohns.digication.com/

https://app.weaveonline.com//login.aspx

http://stjohns.campusguides.com/content.php?pid=71651&sid=984766

O3. Demonstrate ability to independently analyze and interpret data (G1, G2, G4)O4. Demonstrate proper laboratory and chemical safety (G2)O5. Communicate scientific knowledge effectively (G3)O6. Search chemistry databases effectively and cite sources in appropriate format (G3, G5)O7. Identify ethical considerations for issues in science (G5)O8. Apply scientific thought, reasoning and knowledge to concepts and viewpoints of world issues (G4, G6)

One of the primary artifacts of our graduate program is the master's thesis. These theses and oral defense are reviewed by the masters committee for each student and utilizing a rubric that evaluates the performance and knowledge of the students for each departmental objective.

For the graduate students pursuing the non-thesis track their performance on the comprehensive exam provides a measure that can be used to evaluate the performance and knowledge of the students for each departmental objective.

The annual assessment report is submitted in the WEAVE platform. We critically evaluate our program with particular emphasis on our targets. If we have not met the target, an action plan is incorporated WEAVE to address the issue, and departmental action is taken. For example, in the 2013-2014 academic year, when we failed to meet one of our targets, an action plan was developed in WEAVE, and the department completed the action to help ensure we meet that target in the future. (It should be noted that the target was 100% compliance with a safety consideration, which is a challenging target, but not one we were willing to compromise on.)

4d. What, if any, external validations, e.g. specialized accreditations, external awards, other validations of quality has the program received? (Suggested limit 1/3 page)

External advisory board: We are in the process of developing/creating a Advisory Board comprised of external academics and industrial scientists to assist us in maintaining a program that meets our current and future needs.

Dr. David Brown won the American Chemical Society’s Middle Atlantic Regional Division E. Emmet Reid Award for outstanding achievements in teaching chemical sciences at small colleges within the Middle Atlantic Region (April 2014); he was also the recipient of the 2011-2012 Dr. John W. Dobbins Professor of the Year, awarded by St. John’s College and Student Government. Our current chair, Dr. Alison Hyslop, was recently inducted into Skull and Circle Honor Society.

The Student Chapter of the American Chemical Society has an Outstanding Student Chapter Award for the 2011-2012 academic year and Honorable Mention Awards for the 2012-2013, 2008-2009, 2007-2008, and 2005-2006 academic years. Dr. Neil Jespersen, the faculty advisor to the Student Chapter, has worked to help make this student organization one of the more successful student chapters in the American

Standard 4. Additional comments if needed. (Suggested limit 1 page)In the summer of 2014 we created our Summer Research Program, and leveraged the intense research time to foster a sense of community in the Department for the students. We addressed certain disciplinary conventions (scientific writing, oral and poster presentations) as well as ethical issues in science and safety, and we improved the integrity and coherence of our program.

We also encouraged our students to present their results at Student Research Day at St. John's University.


STANDARD 5. The program has the faculty resources required to meet its mission and goals.

5a. Below you will find the number of students enrolled as majors and minors in the program. Please complete the table by adding the number of full-time faculty assigned to the program. Then calculate the student to full-time faculty ratio.

# Majors/FT Faculty

Fall 2005 Fall 2006 Fall 2007 Fall 2008 Fall 2009

FT PT Total FT PT Total FT PT Total FT PT Total FT PT Total

Majors 8 27 35 9 29 36 10 25 35 10 8 18 13 6 19

Minors 0 0 0 0 0

Majors & Minors

Combined 8 27 35 9 29 36 10 25 35 10 8 18 15 6 21

# of FTE Students

(Majors & Minors)

8.00

9.00

17.00

9.00

9.67 18.67

10.00

8.33

18.33

10.00

2.67 12.67

15.00

2.00

17.00

# of FTE Faculty assigned to the

program 10 10 11 11 11

FTE Student/ FTE Faculty

Ratio 1.7 1.9 1.7 1.2 1.5

# Majors/FT Faculty


FT PT Total FT PT Total FT PT Total FT PTTota

l

Majors 18 10 28 10 11 21 11 16 27 11 12 23

Minors 0 0 0 0

Majors & Minors Combined 18 10 28 10 11 21 11 16 27 11 12 23

# of FTE Students (Majors & Minors)

18 3.333

21.333 10 3.66

713.66

7 11 5.333

16.333 11 4 15

# of FTE Faculty assigned to the

program 11 12 12 12

FTE Student/ FTE Faculty Ratio 1.9 1.1 1.4 1.3


Important Notes:

FTE Students = Number of FT Students + (number of PT Students/3)

FTE Faculty = Number of FT Faculty + (number of PT Faculty/3)

This methodology is used by STJ for all external reporting.

5b. Below you will find the credit hours the department has delivered by full-time faculty and part-time faculty (including administrators) and the total credit hours consumed by non-majors.

Credit Hours Fall 2005 Fall 2006 Fall 2007 Fall 2008 Fall 2009

Taught # % # % # % # % # %

FT Faculty 3647 61% 3260 54% 4745 77% 3302 52% 3866 61%

PT Faculty 2364 39% 2827 46% 1382 23% 3044 48% 2455 39%

Total 6011 100% 6087 100% 6127 100% 6346 100% 6321 100%

% consumed by Non-Majors

90% 90% 91% 92% 88%

Credit Hrs Taught Fall 2010 Fall 2011 Fall 2012 Fall 2013

Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent

F-T Faculty 7,286 95.8% 6,178 84.7% 5,089 75.9% 4,591 66.0%

P-T Faculty (inc Admin) 316 4.2% 1,113 15.3% 1,615 24.1% 2,362 34.0%

Total 7,602 100% 7,291 100% 6,704 100% 6,953 100%

% Consumed by Non-Majors 6,849 90.1% 6,582 90.3% 6,061 90.4% 6,290 90.5%

5c. Below you will find the number of courses the department has delivered by full-time faculty and part-time faculty (including administrators).

Courses Fall 2005 Fall 2006 Fall 2007 Fall 2008 Fall 2009

Taught # % # % # % # % # %

FT Faculty 21 23% 22 24% 26 26% 20 20% 27 26%

PT Faculty 69 77% 68 76% 75 74% 80 80% 78 74%

Total 90 100% 90 100% 101 100% 100 100% 105 100%

Courses Taught Fall 2010 Fall 2011 Fall 2012 Fall 2013

Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent Number Percent

F-T Faculty 43 34.1% 46 32.1% 44 27.0% 39 31.2%


P-T Faculty (inc Admin) 83 65.9% 97 67.9% 119 73.0% 86 68.8%

Total 126 100% 142 100% 163 100% 125 100%

5d. What is the representative nature of faculty in terms of demographics, tenure and diversity? (See departmental information on next page). How well does this support the program? (Suggested limit 1/2 page)

Gender The gender makeup of faculty in both the part-and fulltime faculty positions for the period of study has been in the range of 40-50% female. We believe that our department is well represented within our field since the average for physical science faculty across the US is ~25%.

Ethnicity Underrepresented minorities (Black, Hispanic, American Indian and Native Hawaiian) in our department run between 14-21%. Again this is greater than the national average for physical science of ~9%, but still low for our targets.

(Data for the above from a 2014 NSF report found here http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/wmpd/2013/pdf/tab9-25_updated_2014_10.pdf).

Tenure As a function of tenure, 7-14% of our faculty are tenure-track during the period of study. For a department to be vital and capable of growth and contribution to the university, tenure lines must be replenished continually; this rate of hire will lead to the winnowing of the tenured faculty at predicted retirement rates; also a departmental culture where everyone becomes 'senior' and then retires leads to a loss of institutional knowledge and momentum.

A winnowing of the tenure-rack faculty will lead to “faculties relative unavailability to students, the potential for limiting creativity in curricular design, and the effects on shared governance” (Adrianna Kezar and Sean Gehrke, 2014, AACU report, https://www.aacu.org/liberaleducation/2014/winter/kezar) all of which affect the student's learning environment.


Departmental Plan

2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

FT PTTotal FT PT

Total FT PT

Total FT PT

Total FT PT

Total

# % # % # % # % # % # % # % # % # % # %

Gender

Male 6 60%18 78% 24 6 60%

21 75% 27 7 64%

19 79% 26 7 64%

18 69% 25 7 64%

17 65% 24

Female 4 40% 5 22% 9 4 40% 7 25% 11 4 36% 5 21% 9 4 36% 8 31% 12 4 36% 9 35% 13

Total10

100%

23

100% 33

10

100%

28

100% 38

11

100%

24

100% 35

11

100%

26

100% 37

11

100%

26

100% 37

Ethnicity

Black 1 10% 2 9% 3 1 10% 2 7% 3 1 9% 1 4% 2 1 9% 1 4% 2 1 9% 2 8% 3

Hispanic 0 0% 2 9% 2 0 0% 2 7% 2 0 0% 1 4% 1 0 0% 2 8% 2 0 0% 1 4% 1

Asian 1 10% 4 17% 5 1 10% 7 25% 8 1 9% 3 13% 4 2 18% 8 31% 10 2 18% 9 35% 11

White 8 80%14 61% 22 8 80%

16 57% 24 9 82%

14 58% 23 8 73%

15 58% 23 8 73%

14 54% 22

Unknown 0 0% 1 4% 1 0 0% 1 4% 1 0 0% 5 21% 5 0 0% 0 0% 0 0 0% 0 0% 0

Total10

100%

23

100% 33

10

100%

28

100% 38

11

100%

24

100% 35

11

100%

26

100% 37

11

100%

26

100% 37

Tenure Status

Tenured 7 70% 7 8 80% 8 8 73% 8 8 73% 8 8 73% 8

Tenure-Track 3 30% 3 0 0% 0 2 18% 2 3 27% 3 3 27% 3

Not Applicable 0 0% 0 2 20% 2 1 9% 1 0 0% 0 0 0% 0

Total10

100% 10

10

100% 10

11

100% 11

11

100% 11

11

100% 11


2010 2011 2012 2013

FT PT Total FT PT Total FT PT Total FT PT Total

# % # % # % # % # % # % # % # %

Gender

Male 9 60% 14 50% 23 9 60% 20 61% 29 8 57% 17 50% 25 9 60% 21 62% 30

Female 6 40% 14 50% 20 6 40% 13 39% 19 6 43% 17 50% 23 6 40% 13 38% 19

Total 15 28 43 15 33 4814 34 48 15 34 49

Ethnicity

Black 1 7% 2 7% 3 1 7% 2 6% 3 1 7% 2 6% 3 1 7% 4 12% 5

Hispanic 2 13% 3 11% 5 1 7% 3 9% 4 0% 5 15% 5 0% 5 15% 5

Asian 3 20% 13 46% 16 3 20% 16 48% 19 3 21% 10 29% 13 4 27% 9 26% 13

American Indian/Alaskan Native 0% 0% 0 0% 0% 0 0% 0% 0 0% 0 0% 0

White 9 60% 9 32% 18 10 67% 9 27% 1910 71% 13 38% 23 10 67% 15 44% 25

2 or More Races 2 6% 2 6% 1 3% 1

Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander 0 0% 0

Unknown 0% 1 4% 1 0% 1 3% 1 0% 2 6% 2 0% 0 0% 0

Total 15 28 43 15 33 4814 34 48 15 34 49

Tenure Status

Tenured 10 67% 10 10 67% 1010 71% 10 11 73% 11

Tenure-Track 1 7% 1 2 13% 2 2 14% 2 1 7% 1

Not Applicable 4 27% 4 3 20% 3 2 14% 2 3 20% 3

Total 15 15 15 15 1 14 15 15


4


5e. What evidence exists that the program’s faculty have engaged in research and scholarship on teaching and/or learning in the program’s field of study? (Suggested limit 1/2 page)

All of the activities listed below fundamentally involve the Master's Program's students since they are Teaching Assistants and Adjuncts in the Department of Chemistry and as such are directly involved in any program that involves undergraduate students. In addition, their involvement in teaching is integral to the Master's Program.

For the General and Organic Chemistry courses, the faculty have developed new courses which include inquiry based laboratories and active learning courses. The graduate students are fully involved in the laboratory courses as teaching assistants.

Development of entirely new Honors and Majors Freshman Lectures and Labs for General Chemistry (A. Hyslop, G. Florio, R. Rosso, E. Megehee)

Development of entirely new Honors and Majors Sophomore Lectures and Labs for Organic Chemistry (D. Brown, P. Lukeman, Paper in Preparation)

The faculty have also published papers addressing involving students in research and teaching, and the information in theses papers can also be applied to working with master's students.

Paper published in international Journal ‘How to Mentor Undergraduates in the Lab’, P. Lukeman, Nature Nanotechnology, 2013, 8, 784-786)

Implementation of POGIL (Process Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning) systems in the recitation sections for general and organic chemistry - paper in preparation (Paper in Preparation S. Graham to be Submitted to J. Chem. Ed.)

In the time period for this program review, the faculty have applied for grants that involve improving teaching and access to science which would impact the MS students.

Accessing the Incorporation of Active Learning to Facilitate Enhanced Scientific Literacy for Non- Science Major Students in a Diverse Metropolitan University, National Science Foundation, Transforming Undergraduate Education in Science Technology, Engineering and Mathematics program, May 2012, PI: R. Hayes, Co-PI: A. Hyslop and J. Fowler. Status: Not funded.

“Utilizing touch table technology for cooperative learning environments in the sciences”, Camille and Henry Dreyfus Foundation, Special Grant Program in the Chemical Sciences, November 2013. PI: R. Rosso: Status: Not Funded

'St. John’s University STEM Scholars Program: Developing Tomorrow’s Leaders in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics”' A. Hyslop (PI, Chemistry), D. Howarth (co-PI, Biology), G. Florio (co-PI, Chemistry and Physics), D. Rosenthal (co-PI, Mathematics), and H. Xu (co-PI, Physics). NSF Total Award Amount: $632,481.00 Total Award Period Covered: 07/01/15-06/30/18. Not Funded.

‘Expanding experiential laboratory opportunities with a Raman spectrometer to enhance post graduate success of STEM students’ N. Jespersen (PI), E. Wang (Co-PI) NSF/IUSE. Total award amount: $235k. Award period 9/2015 to 8/2017. Not Funded.


5f. What initiatives have been taken in the past five years to promote faculty development in support of the program? (Suggested limit 1/2 page)

Training and materials have been made available for technology-assisted instruction: Mobile Interactive whiteboard, Online Course Tools (WileyPlus, Ace Organic, Mastering Chemistry), eInstruction Clickers and electronic Lab notebooks. These programs have profoundly facilitated faculty's ability to deliver student centered learning.

Every semester, the Department has pre-semester POGIL (Process Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning) workshops for all Chemistry instructors. In addition, in 2012, the Department hosts a three-day POGIL training for all SJU faculty.

Faculty meetings and discussions on teaching have led to multiple lecture and lab courses being restructured to reflect modern chemical practices.

Fortnightly research Discussion Group between faculty has enabled goal setting and peer feedback about grant, paper and course writing tasks; shared and "peer judgment" goals have kept faculty productive on medium and long-term goals in the face of day-to-day semester time-pressures.

5g. The table below shows the amount of external funding received by the department. If available, please provide the dollar amount of externally funded research for full-time faculty supporting the program under review. (Program dollar amounts are available through departmental records.)

Since all faculty teach in both the MS and BS programs, the amounts for the Department and program are inseparable in these cases.

External Funding

Fiscal Year

04/05 05/06 06/07 07/08 08/09

$ Amount Program

$ Amount Department

80,000 12,500 30,256 10,526

External Funding

Fiscal Year

09/10 10/11 11/12 12/13

$ Amount Program

$ Amount Department - 20,000 195,000 90,000


5h. Please comment on the table below that shows trends in overall course evaluation and instructional vibrancy for your program (if available), your college and the university. (Suggested limit ½ page)

Overall Evaluation (Spring) Instructional Vibrancy (Spring)2011 2012 2013 2011 2012 2013

Chemistry (Q) 4.26 4.79 4.15 4.53 4.76 4.20

Saint John’s College 4.23 4.26 4.19 4.37 4.40 4.40

Total Graduate 4.14 4.16 4.30 4.37 4.39 4.52

Note: Institutional Vibrancy is the average of the first 14 questions on the course evaluation, with questions pertaining to course organization, communication, faculty-student interaction, and assignments/grading. All course evaluation questions range from 1 (Strongly Disagree) to 5 (Strongly Agree).

Our chemistry Master's program exceed both the Instructional Vibrancy and Overall evaluations for the Graduate programs in SJC and across the university in 2011 and 2012. In 2013, we were between 1-5% lower than the averages in these cases.

5i. What percentage of full time faculty assigned to this program have terminal degrees or industry certifications renewed within the past 2 years? Comment. (Suggested limit 1/3 page)

Faculty Credentials: All of the full time faculty members of the Chemistry Department hold a Ph.D. consistent with accreditation standards of American Chemical Society. These are the instructors that teach the graduate-level classes.

Standard 5. Comments: Indicate to what extent the program has the faculty resources required to meet its mission and goals. Include references from 5a – 5i. (Suggested limit 1 page)

We are happy that both SJC and the University supports us (and we them) in our shared mission. We believe we are successful. We could do even better with more support; we believe that program could be enhanced by

i) More tenure-track faculty. As it stands, our department has no tenure-track Assistant professors; for a program and department to remain vital and capable of growth and contribution to the university, tenure lines must be replenished continually; the current rate of hire will lead to the winnowing of the tenured faculty at predicted retirement rates; also a departmental culture where everyone becomes 'senior' and their eventual retirement leads to a loss of departmental knowledge and momentum.

ii) Research funds for faculty’s summer research; particularly for hiring BS student assistants/trainees. This would transform the productivity of the department. Our students’ socioeconomic status limits them to working part-time in the summer - their most productive time since they have no coursework - as they often have to get external jobs. A relatively small amount of money would act as a force multiplier; having more student workers


would provide more results which in turn would produce more publications and more successful funding applications reducing the need for internal support.

Standard 5. Additional comments if needed. (Suggested limit 1 page)Faculty Disciplines: The department currently has 12 tenured full time faculty representing all of the major disciplines of chemistry (Organic, Inorganic, Physical, and Analytical). However, there is a definite need to have greater representation in other popular areas of interests, most notably in physical-organic, biological chemistry, and computational chemistry. This would allow us to integrate many interesting and employer-friendly aspects of chemistry we currently have difficultly offering such as Cheminformatics and Bioinformatics, Surface Analysis and X- Ray Methods, Materials Science, Chemical Sensors, Chemometrics.

Work Environment: The Department of Chemistry has a collegial environment with faculty who worked well together to build a department which prides itself on its student engagement, student participation in research, high academic standards, and positive outcomes for our graduates in terms of graduate and medical school placement and employment. The support staff in the department is excellent and hard working. The office space and research laboratory space is sufficient for the current number of faculty members. However much of our space is not designed for optimal research efficiency.

Instruction Load Distribution: The teaching schedules are based on faculty disciplines, and faculty are not asked to teach outside of their disciplines. Faculty are asked for their preferred teaching schedule, and the Chair and P and B committee do their utmost to follow the request.

Faculty Review, Tenure and Promotion: The Department of Chemistry has tenured two faculty members since the last program review. Each faculty member was expected to show excellence in teaching, research and service, which included strong course evaluations, publications in peer-reviewed journals, presentations at conferences, grant applications, and active participation in the department and university. The P and B committee provides feedback to the faculty members on their progress towards tenure, and works hard to mentor the junior faculty.

Orientation of Graduate Teaching Assistants: Teaching assistants in the Department of Chemistry attend an orientation session before classes begin in the fall semester. The TAs are also expected to attend regular meetings with the laboratory supervisors.

Mentoring and Evaluation for Graduate Students: All graduate students who complete a thesis for their MS degree work closely with a faculty member who directs the research. The graduate students are also advised by their mentors about coursework to make sure they graduate in a timely fashion. We also have implemented a system for students to choose a mentor after interviewing three faculty members, and outlined the procedure for completing the thesis track for the degree.


STANDARD 6. The program has adequate resources to meet its goals and objectives. And, it is cost-effective.

EnrollmentCredit

Hours Tuition FeesGross Tuition &

FeesFinancial

AidTuition

Remission

534 SJC Chemistry Combined BS Q 112 3,284 3,944,345 149,273 4,093,618 2,009,152 41,310

534 SJC Chemistry MS Q MS Q 13 207 227,700 6,596 234,296 0 0

The Department of Chemistry is cost-effective. The BS program has a contribution margin of almost $1,000,000. While the MS program has a negative contribution margin, the combined programs generate $757,534. Both programs need to be addressed in the MS program review since the BS program has a strong impact on the MS program.

The MS students provide a service to the university through teaching laboratory classes, providing tutoring and support for the undergraduate students in classes, and helping mentor the undergraduate students in the research laboratories. The eight graduate assistants teach laboratory courses, and if they did not teach, then we would have to hire adjunct faculty to teach those courses. In addition, they provide extra service to the Department since they are available outside of teaching hours to meet with students, answer questions, and tutor.

6a. Narrative/Supportive Technological Environment - Comment on classrooms and labs meeting industry-standards for quality and availability of hardware, software, and peripherals; library space, holdings and services; science laboratories, TV studios, art/computer graphic labs; etc. (Suggested limit 1 page)

The Chemistry Department uses classrooms of all sizes and configurations in D'Angelo Center, Sullivan Hall, Marillac Hall and St. John Hall. These rooms are well equipped with computers, CD and VHS players, audio systems for large rooms and appropriate number and size monitors and/or projectors for modern classroom presentations and activities. Classroom IT personnel are generally very responsive and prompt to help. Rooms are well maintained in general. There is some dissatisfaction with poor quality whiteboards that are difficult to erase, thus, impeding educational activities. In addition, there is a need for classrooms that can be configured in other manners such as recitation classrooms that have tables and chairs so that students can collaborate together in the classroom.

Software is provided to meet all normal departmental needs, and new holdings seem to be readily furnished upon request. Access to Scifinder-Scholar is a requirement of ACS program approval. This database along with many others are readily available through the library website. Other software for specific courses is located on the servers and is readily accessed by faculty and students. The Department of Chemistry has purchased chemistry specific software, ChemDraw, for the use by students, faculty, and staff throughout the University. This software is the industry standard for drawing chemical structures, and is available to all at St. John's with a @stjohns.edu email address.

The Chemistry Department has always been heavily invested in technology to operate instrumentation, control experiments and gather data. Databases for specific instruments in the department are available for both instructional and research use.


FellowshipsNet Tuition Revenues

Other Direct Revenue Total Revenue

Direct Expenses

Contribution Margin #1

534 SJC Chemistry Combined BS Q 0 2,043,156 32,201 2,075,357 1,136,841 938,516

534 SJC Chemistry MS Q MS Q 178,200 56,096 771 56,867 180,757 -123,891

Teaching laboratories have been greatly improved by recent (starting in 2000) renovations. Some are showing signs of wear and an improved institutional program of repair and remediation to keep the labs running well is needed. There is a lack of teaching laboratory space as evidenced by the need to “borrow” space from other departments and the fact that many students either share equipment or have a shoebox rather than a traditional locker. Laboratories are in operation approximately 95% of the available educational hours Monday thru Saturday.

Most chemistry research laboratories have not been renovated, except for a coat or two of paint, since construction of St. Albert Hall. In some laboratories utilities have been disconnected/capped in place of repair. Cabinetry, including hinges, locks and handles need repair. As the beautification of the external campus was seen as a positive activity for the university, our laboratories need to be renovated to indicate similar support of scientific chemical research.

The Chemistry Department has, since its inception in 1921, used active learning in the form of in-depth, thought provoking laboratory experiments and hands-on training using all instruments in the department. To continue that tradition the Chemistry Department is always seeking to maintain a suite of instruments that students will likely use upon graduation. We also seek to acquire state-of-the-art instrumentation to perform modern chemical experiments so our students are always the cutting edge of chemical research and technology. On average, one or two major pieces of new modern instrumentation must be acquired each year so that students are not working on outdated technology. Currently the department has several instruments, ranging from our 400 MHz NMR to the atomic absorption spectrometer and fluorescence spectrometer that are well beyond ten years old and need upgrading or replacing (see Table 6-1). It should be noted that Chemistry is an experimental science, and students must be familiar with a wide range of instrumentation in order to be competent in the workplace and effective in the laboratory. The new instrumentation will also require additional space.

All the departmental instruments are well maintained for optimal function and lifetime and they are shared with the Biology Department and the College of Pharmacy at no cost. New instruments such as LC-MS, X-ray diffraction and Raman spectrometers are on the high wish list to improve the quality of teaching and research. In addition, a new ICP-EAS is highly needed to replace the 20+ year-old atomic absorption spectrometer.

Table 6-1: St. John’s University Department of Chemistry Instrument Report

Instrument Date of Purchase (approx.)

Waters 600 HPLC including 996 PDA and 717plus Autosampler 9/1995

Shimadzu GCMS QP5050A 10/2005

Shimadzu AOC-20i Autosampler 7/2011

Perkin Elmer Spectrum Two FTIR 6/2011

Perkin Elmer Spectrum One FTIR 10/2003

Perkin Elmer Spectrum One FTIR 10/2003

Perkin Elmer DSC 4000 6/2011

Perkin Elmer DSC 7 1992

Perkin Elmer LS-50B Fluorimeter 1999

Aviv Cary 14 Spectrophotometer (updated with an NSF ILI grant) 7/2001

Agilent 8453 Spectrophotometer 8/2008

Agilent 8453 Spectrophotometer 8/2008


BAS Epsilon module with C3 Cell Stand 8/2003

BAS Epsilon module with C3 Cell Stand 8/2003

Perkin Elmer AAnalyst 300 Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer 1998

Bruker 400MHz NMR Spectrometer 7/2000

Fluorolog FL3 Fluorometer 7/2000

UV/Vis double beam Spectrometer, Thermo Evolution 220 7/2013

Fluoride electrode 7/2009

pH-meter with ion-selective electrodes (20 units) 9/2012

Ohaus Explorer Electrical Analytical balances (20 units) 2011-2014

Solvent purification system 2005

Glove box (2 units) 2000/2005

Ovens (6 units) 2000-2008

Flammable proof refrigerators (11 units) 2000-2013

Flammable proof solvent storage cabinet (20 units) 2004-2012

6b. Narrative/ Supportive Physical Environment - Comment on level of faculty and student satisfaction with HVAC; faculty and student satisfaction with classroom lighting, crowdedness, and acoustics; flexible teaching environments, and faculty offices, etc. (Suggested limit 1 page)

The air conditioners in some rooms in Marillac Hall are very noisy, and the room temperatures in Sullivan Hall are poorly controlled, too hot or too cold. In addition there are continuing complaints of excessive heat or cold at the change of the seasons, in general the HVAC is tolerable, but not ideal. Because of the age of St. Albert Hall, it seems that the HVAC is a patchwork of different devices. For instance virtually every hood fan is powered by a different motor resulting in weeks of delay waiting for parts, often delaying research or affecting teaching labs. Standardization of the many parts of the HVAC system may be a useful campus-wide project.

6c. To what extent has the University funded major capital projects, e.g., renovations, which are linked directly to the program during the past five years? (Bulleted list)

The only renovations in the past five years were the relatively minor renovations of the

The Department (St. Albert Hall 322) and Chair’s (St. Albert Hall 321) Offices and The Department meeting room (St. Albert Hall 346) that is used extensively for undergraduate tutoring Mar 137A had the student desks replaced with tables and chairs to facilitate small group interactions. It

has been booked almost exclusively for active-learning recitation classes. Distilled water was piped into 361, 359, 358, 351, and 315 St. Albert Hall Snorkels were replaced in 315 St. Albert Hall An additional hood was installed in 359 St. Albert Hall Cabinetry, drawers, and lock hardware was replaced in 343 and 345 St. Albert Hall

6d. If external data that describes the cost effectiveness of the program has been provided by your School/College Dean, please comment on the program’s cost-effectiveness. (Suggest limit 1 page)


FY 2009 FY2010 FY2011 FY2012$ FROM GRANTS 10,536 – 20,000 195,000EARNED INCOME FROM INSTRUCTION (By student credit hours taught)

11,492,444 12,553,708 16,004,292 15,709,868

GENERAL FEES (includes Lab Fees) 304,378 330,357 392,015 368,798DIRECT INSTRUCTIONAL COST (Departmental budget)

2,371,000 2,588,000 3,070,000 3,290,000

EARNED INCOME/DIRECT INSTRUCTIONAL EXPENSE RATIO

4.98 4.98 5.35 4.95

The external data published above indicates a very strong financial position with an income/expense ratio averaging above 5.00. This favorable ratio is of particular notice coming from a science department. These ratios at “comparable” universities and our “aspirational” universities are much lower.

Peer Universities (in alphabetical order)

DePaul University – Chicago, IL (not a MSCHE institution) Duquesne University – Pittsburgh, PA Pace University – New York, NY Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey - Newark Campus Seton Hall University – South Orange, NJ Temple University – Philadelphia, PA The Catholic University of America – Washington, DC The New School – New York, NY

Aspirational Universities (in alphabetical order)

American University – Washington, DC Drexel University – Philadelphia, PA Fordham University – Bronx, NY Georgetown University – Washington, DC Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey - New Brunswick Campus SUNY at Stony Brook – Stony Brook, NY Syracuse University – Syracuse, NY Villanova University – Villanova, PA

Standard 6. Additional comments if needed. (Suggested limit 1 page)


STANDARD 7. Effective actions have been taken based on the findings of the last program review and plans have been initiated for the future.

Comments: (Suggested limit 1 page)

At the heart of the philosophy of the Department of Chemistry is the idea that we are here to serve our students and foster their growth into exceptional scientists with a commitment to using science for the benefit of the world. We offer courses with very high academic standards; we expect our students to meet these standards. Student engagement is important to having a thriving chemistry department. Students work one-on-one with faculty members in research programs, and the department supports these endeavors through the seminar program, research symposia, and attendance at scientific conferences. It is our belief that in a thriving department, the faculty need to be present and available for students. All of our faculty are regularly available outside of office hours and commonly seen engaging with the students in both academic and casual manners.

The Department of Chemistry has worked hard over the last five years to become a program worthy of distinction. The Department has evaluated its programs through internal assessments and continually makes changes to improve the teaching effectiveness, student engagement, student retention, and student satisfaction. Recognizing the effectiveness of learning communities, the Department has worked to develop a program which forms each class into a strong cohort of learners. The M.S. program has four required courses which are offered every year, and the students take these classes in their first year. During these classes the students get to know each other and learn to work with each other. In addition, the full time students usually choose to complete a thesis to fulfill the requirements of the M.S. degree. These students choose an advisor and join a research group, which also builds the sense of community in the Department. Assessment has been incorporated into the program. We have developed rubrics for assessing theses, oral and poster presentations. As part of the feedback from the assessment, we have included discussions of ethics and plagiarism in our courses. Furthermore, we have standardized our syllabi which now state goals and objectives for the each course. Research is essential to the education of our students, and new faculty are invigorating the curriculum and providing research opportunities in cutting edge areas such as nanotechnology. Several challenges still exist for the Department. Space still is a primary concern. Another pressing issue is the need for new faculty members. As the number of chemistry degree candidates continues to increase, more graduate courses will need to be offered, and these are taught by full-time faculty members. In addition, the more students we enroll in the program, the more faculty research advisors are necessary. A major challenge facing the department is the aging of the instrumentation used for research and graduate instruction. While the situation is not critical, many of the instruments use obsolete software and hardware that cannot be readily upgraded, but will require eventual replacement.

Based the last Program Review, the Department has implemented the following initiatives:1. Increased the number of students in the master’s program from industry and other institutions2. Faculty to developed new teaching methodologies that engage students in the classroom setting3. Developed the Conference Room into a Chemistry Student Center suitable for the students to congregate,

and discuss their research and studies, and have available to them access to technology chemistry


resources.4. Hired personnel to be responsible for preparing lab rooms for organic and advanced laboratories.5. Continued to provide the necessary resources to further the faculty’s ability to publish, attend conferences,

and apply for grants.6. Streamlined the assessment of courses in the Chemistry Department so that it is a useful endeavor and not a

potentially time consuming one.

The Department of Chemistry at St. John’s University has transformed itself over the last 15 years into an exciting research oriented department. This transformation is a result of newly hired faculty engaging students through both the classroom experience and involvement in undergraduate research projects. For the next five years we intend to build upon our pervious successes concentrating on increasing our presence in the outside scientific community, raising the number of our students continuing their education in graduate and professional programs, and exploring new ways to engage our students.


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