3.4.11

For each major in a degree program, the institution assigns responsibility for program coordination, as well as for curriculum development and review, to persons academically qualified in the field. In those degree programs for which the institution does not identify a major, this requirement applies to a curricular area or concentration. (Academic program coordination)

Compliance Judgment

X     In compliance     Partially compliant     Non-compliant

Narrative

To show that Francis Marion University assigns program coordination to persons academically qualified in their field, a series of tables will be presented that identify (a) academic programs by departments or schools, (b) the academic coordinators of each program, and (c) the credentials of the delegated faculty member. A field is defined as a major or concentration. The process for curriculum development and review is first described and illustrated.

Curriculum Development and Review

The University assures the integrity of its degree programs by maintaining the authority to approve all academic agreements through its usual governance processes.  The department chair or school dean supervises the department’s program of instruction as stated in the Faculty Handbook 2016 [1].

Additionally, Francis Marion has an established procedure that contributes to the process of approval and monitoring of program curriculum development and review. The procedure requires approval from the respective program curriculum committee and faculty, the university-wide Academic Affairs Committee for undergraduate programs or the university-wide Graduate Council, approval by the Faculty Senate, and approval by the General Faculty. Information about this process is provided in the Faculty Handbook 2016 [2] and summarized below in Figures 1 and 2 for undergraduate and graduate programs, respectively.

 

Figure 1. Undergraduate Curriculum Development and Review Process

Figure 2. Graduate Curriculum Development and Review Process

Whether created by individuals or by ad hoc committees, course proposals are drawn up in a standardized form [3], which organizes course information for eventual submission to the faculty at large. Course proposals must include descriptions of the course, level and number of credit hours to be assigned, and both criteria must be justified by sample syllabi and/or descriptions of course content. These undergraduate proposals [4] and graduate proposals [5] are reviewed and approved first by departmental curriculum committees and departments as a whole, before they are submitted to the university’s Academic Affairs Committee or Graduate Council.

Program Coordination

Chairs and deans have the responsibility for assuring that each major/concentration contains essential curricular components, has appropriate content and pedagogy, and maintains currency in the degree. It is their responsibility to lead faculty in the review of learning outcomes, curriculum, and assessment for their respective program. At times, chairs and deans assign qualified faculty in their departments or schools to coordinate/facilitate an academic program. For example, the chair of the Department of English, Modern Languages, and Philosophy assigns coordination of the B.A. French Program to a professor with a Ph.D. in French. Coordinators typically advise students in the major or concentration, recommend course schedules to the chair or dean, and, in some cases, accreditation reports.

All responsible faculty members shown in the tables below hold academic rank in the respective field and serve at the discretion of the department chair or school dean. The tables list all programs, the responsible faculty, and their credentials within each degree program or major area of concentration.

Department of Biology
Program DescriptionResponsible FacultyCredentials
B.A. or B.S.
Biology (General)
Vernon Bauer (Department Chair)

Ph.D. (Genetics), North Carolina State University

B.A. (Biological Sciences), Clemson University
B.S.
Biology (Medical Technology)
Gregory S. Pryor and Lorianne S. Turner (Co-coordinators)Pryor: Ph.D. (Zoology), University of Florida

Turner: Ph.D. (Microbiology and Immunology),
Temple University

Table 1. Department of Biology Program Coordinators

Department of Chemistry
Program DescriptionResponsible Faculty
Credentials
B.S.
Chemistry
LeRoy Peterson, Jr. (Department Chair)

Ph.D. (Chemistry), University of South Carolina

Table 2. Department of Chemistry Coordinator

Department of English, Modern Languages, and Philosophy
Program DescriptionResponsible Faculty

Credentials
B.A.
English
Rebecca H. Flannagan
(Department Chair)
Ph.D. (English),
Southern Illinois University at Carbondale
B.A.
Modern Language
Elizabeth A. Zahnd
(French Coordinator)
Ph.D. (French), University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
George E. Harding, III
(German Coordinator)
Ph.D. (German Language and Literature),
University of Tennessee
Wendy Caldwell (Spanish Coordinator)Ph.D. (Romance Languages), University of Georgia

M.A. (Spanish), University of South Carolina

Table 3. Department of English, Modern Languages, and Philosophy Coordinators

Department of Fine Arts
Program DescriptionResponsible Faculty

Credentials
Fine Arts ProgramD. Keith Best (Department Chair)M.F.A. (Theatre Arts), University of Louisville
B.A.
Art Education
Howard J. Frye (Coordinator)Ed.D. (Art Education), Florida State University

B.A.
Theatre Arts
A. Glen Gourley
(Coordinator)
M.F.A. (Theatre), University of Mississippi
B.A.
Visual Arts
Steven F. Gately
(Coordinator)
M.F.A. (Art/Creative Painting Concentration), Florida State University
B.A.
Music Industry
Terry A. Roberts (Coordinator)D.M. (Brass), Florida State University

M.M. (Music), Eastern Kentucky University

Table 4. Department of Fine Arts Coordinators

Department of History
Program DescriptionResponsible FacultyCredentials
B.A. or B.S.
History
Scott Kaufman (Department Chair)Ph.D. (History), Ohio University

Table 5. Department of History Coordinator

Department of Mass Communication
Program DescriptionResponsible Faculty

Credentials
B.A.
Mass Communication

Timothy L. Hanson
(Department Chair)
M.A. (Journalism), University of Montana

Table 6. Department of Mass Communication Coordinator

Department of Mathematics
Program DescriptionResponsible Faculty

Credentials
B.A. or B.S.
Mathematics
Thomas L. Fitzkee
(Department Chair)
Ph.D., (Mathematics) George Washington University

Table 7. Department of Mathematics Coordinator

Department of Physics and Astronomy
Program DescriptionResponsible Faculty

Credentials
B.S.
Physics
Derek W. Jokisch
(Department Chair)
Ph.D. (Nuclear Engineering Sciences/Health Physics Concentration), University of Florida
B.S.
Engineering Technology (Civil & Electronic)
B.S.
Industrial Engineering
Lorna R. Cintron-Gonzalez
(Coordinator)
Ph.D. (Industrial Engineering), Pennsylvania State University

Table 8. Department of Physics and Astronomy Coordinators

Political Science
Program DescriptionResponsible Faculty

Credentials
B.A. or B.S.
Political Science
David R. White
(Department Chair)
Ph.D. (Political Science), University of Arizona

Table 9. Department of Political Science and Geography Coordinator

Department of Psychology
Program DescriptionResponsible Faculty

Credentials
B.A. or B.S.
Psychology
William P. Wattles
(Department Chair)

Crystal R. Hill-Chapman
(Associate Chair)
Wattles: Ph.D. (Clinical/Community Psychology),
University of South Carolina

Hill-Chapman: Ph.D. (School Psychology), Texas A&M University
M.S.
Applied Psychology
Erica L. James
(Coordinator)
Ph.D. (Counseling and Psychology), Tift College
S.S.P.
School Psychology
Crystal R. Hill-Chapman (Associate Chair) Ph.D. (School Psychology), Texas A&M University

Table 10. Department of Psychology Coordinators

Department of Sociology
Program DescriptionResponsible Faculty

Credentials
B.A. or B.S.
Sociology
Lisa A. Eargle
(Department Chair)
Ph.D. (Sociology), University of South Carolina

Table 11.  Department of Sociology Coordinator

General Liberal Arts & Sciences Program
Program DescriptionResponsible Faculty

Credentials
B.G.S.
General Liberal Arts & Sciences

Tracy George
(Coordinator)

D.N.P. (Nursing),
Medical University of South Carolina

M.S.N. (Family Nurse Practitioner), Vanderbilt University

B.S. (Biology), Davidson College

Table 12. General Liberal Arts and Sciences Coordinators

School of Business
Program DescriptionResponsible Faculty

Qualifications
School of BusinessHari Rajagopalan
(School Dean)

Ph.D. (Information Technology), University of North Carolina at Charlotte

M.S. (Computer Science), University of North Carolina at Charlotte

M.B.A. (Business Administration), University of Delhi
B.B.A.
Business Administration
Jonathan Munn
(Coordinator)
Ph.D. (Economics), University of South Carolina

B.B.A.
Economics
Ben L. Kyer (Coordinator)Ph.D. (Economics), West Virginia University

B.S.
Computer Science
Padmaja Rao
(Coordinator)
M.S. (Computer Science), Stevens Institute of Technology
B.B.A.
Accounting
Brad R. Johnson (Coordinator)

Ph.D. (Business Administration), University of Houston

J.D. (Law),
Northwestern School of Law of Lewis and Clark College

M.B.T. (Taxation), University of Southern California

M.S. (Business Administration/Accounting Concentration), California State University
B.B.A.
Management
Hubert H. Setzler, III
(Coordinator)

Ph.D. (Information Technology), University of North Carolina at Charlotte

M.B.A. (Business Administration), University of North Carolina at Charlotte
B.B.A.
Finance
Neil F. Riley (Coordinator)Ph.D. (Finance), University of Mississippi
B.B.A.
Management Information Systems
Allen E. Smith (Coordinator)Ph.D. (Business Administration/Management Information Systems Concentration), University of South Carolina
B.B.A.
Marketing
Kay W. Lawrimore Belanger
(Coordinator)
Ph.D. (Business Administration/Marketing Concentration), University of South Carolina

M.B.A.
Business Administration

Table 13. School of Business Coordinators

School of Education
Program DescriptionResponsible Faculty


Qualifications
School of EducationTracy Meetze-Holcombe
(School Dean)

Ph.D. (Elementary Education), University of South Carolina
M.Ed. (Instructional Accommodation), Francis Marion University
B.S.
Early Childhood Education
Jeanne Gunther
(Coordinator)

Ph.D. (Education), University of North Carolina
M.Ed. (Reading), University of Albany, State University of New York
B.S.
Elementary Education
Kimberly McCuiston and Lindsay M. Sturkie (Co-coordinators)McCuiston: Ph.D. (Education), University of Tennessee Knoxville

Sturkie: M.Ed. (Instructional Accommodation),
Francis Marion University

B.S. (Elementary Education),
Francis Marion University
B.S.
Middle Level Education (Math/Science)
Kimberly McCuiston and Lindsay M. Sturkie (Co-coordinators)McCuiston: Ph.D. (Education), University of Tennessee Knoxville

Sturkie: M.Ed. (Instructional Accommodation),
Francis Marion University

B.S. (Elementary Education),
Francis Marion University
B.S.
Middle Level Education (Math/English)
B.S.
Middle Level Education (Math/Social Studies)
B.S.
Middle Level Education
(Science/English)
B.S.
Middle Level Education
(Science/Social Studies)
B.S.
Middle Level Education
(English/Social Studies)
M.Ed.
Instructional Accommodation
Michelle R. Murphy
(Coordinator)

Ph.D. (Special Education),
University of South Carolina

M.A.Ed. (Art Education),
East Carolina University
M.Ed.
Learning Disabilities
M.A.T.
Learning Disabilities

Table 14. School of Education Coordinators

School of Health Sciences
Program DescriptionResponsible Faculty

Credentials
School of Health SciencesRuth Wittmann-Price
(School Dean)
Ph.D. (Nursing Science), Widener University

M.S. (Perinatal Nursing), Columbia University in the City of New York
B.S.
Healthcare Administration
Sarah H. Kershner
(Director)

Ph.D. (Health Promotion & Education), University of South Carolina

B.S.N
Nursing/RN-to-BSN
Rhonda Brogdon
(Director)

D.N.P. (Nursing Practice), Duquesne University

M.S.N. (Nursing), University of Phoenix

B.S.N.
Nursing/RN-to-BSN
(Blended Distance Education)
B.S.N.
Nursing
Karen Gittings
(Associate School Dean)
D.N.P. (Nursing Practice), Duquesne University

M.S.N. (Nursing Education), Duquesne University
M.S.N.
Nurse Educator
M.S.N.
Nurse Educator
Karen K. Gittings
(Director)

D.N.P. (Nursing Practice), Duquesne University

M.S.N. (Nursing Education), Duquesne University

M.S.
Physician Assistant Studies
Julie D. Thomas
(Interim Chair)
M.S.P.A.S. (Physician Assistant), Medical University of South Carolina

Table 15. School of Health Sciences Coordinators

Documentation

  1. Faculty Handbook, Faculty Administrative Staff, p.2
  2. Overview of Governance Process at FMU
  3. Course Proposal Form
  4. Sample Undergraduate Course Proposal Form
  5. Sample Graduate Course Proposal Form