Zoology Review Report.pdf

The Department of Zoology at Weber State University was reviewed by a team consisting of Dr. Kimberly Bates and Dr. Mark Stevenson on March 1-2, 2023. The department has 13 tenured or tenure-track faculty and approximately 300 majors.

Commendations:

Curriculum and learning outcomes are well-aligned with the program's mission.
Faculty are engaged in teaching, scholarship, and service.
The department has strong relationships with external communities.

Concerns and Recommendations:

Assessment of the program needs improvement.
Academic advising is inadequate.
Lack of an advisory committee for external community relationships.
Sustainability of support staff is a concern.
The department should focus on advising and program assessment.
A more formal advising strategy should be designed to help students choose courses aligned with their career choices.
Program assessment should be implemented to drive curriculum development and changes.
The institution should secure additional funds for transportation to field sites and consider purchasing an off-campus field station.
Faculty should be given more credit for student research, and the current model of 0.25 credits/student is insufficient.

Ratings:

Mission Statement: Strength (S)
Curriculum: Strength (S)
Curriculum consistency with mission: Good (G)
Resource allocation: Good (G)
Course offerings: Concern (C)

Action Items:

Develop a formal advising strategy.
Implement program assessment.
Secure additional funds for transportation and field sites.
Increase credit for faculty involved in student research.
Consider hiring more faculty to support research efforts.
Provide more information on topic-based pathways for students not on the research/graduate school track.
Offer multiple curriculum maps to help students achieve specific career goals.