Issue 1: Department Goals and Priorities

Issue 1: Department Goals and Priorities

Key Indicator 1.0: Departmental emphasis on undergraduate instruction

The purpose of this key indicator is to help determine the extent to which undergraduate mathematics education is a priority for the department. Does the department provide for senior faculty to teach lower division courses, and does it provide adequate facilities for such instruction?

(Click the indicator number for record detail.)

Indicator Number
Sub Indicator

Description

1.1

FTE's committed to undergraduate instruction; graduate instruction; service and research

Percentage of instructional load (FTEs) devoted to undergraduate instruction, graduate instruction, research, and service, as estimated by the departments.

1.2

Instructional staff by tenure status teaching lower-division courses

This indicator is intended as a measure of emphasis a department places on undergraduate mathematics teaching, as reflected to teaching assignments by faculty rank. The experience and insight senior faculty bring to the classroom are presumably beneficial to students. Thus, placing senior faculty in teaching roles in undergraduate classes suggests that the mathematics department values instruction at the undergraduate level.

1.3

Instruction takes place in flexible settings

This is intended to reflect the types of settings in which mathematics instruction takes place. Specifically, the data related to this indicator report the extent to which instruction takes place in classrooms with movable tables and/or desks. Although instructional setting does not entirely determine the type of classroom instruction that takes place, the nature of the setting does set certain boundaries upon instructional practices.

1.4

Facilities are available to enable the best possible teaching methods

The purpose of this indicator is to report what facilities the department makes available to its instructors, thereby allowing for a variety of teaching methods using an array of various resources.

Indicator Number	Sub Indicator	Description
1.1	FTE's committed to undergraduate instruction; graduate instruction; service and research	Percentage of instructional load (FTEs) devoted to undergraduate instruction, graduate instruction, research, and service, as estimated by the departments.
1.2	Instructional staff by tenure status teaching lower-division courses	This indicator is intended as a measure of emphasis a department places on undergraduate mathematics teaching, as reflected to teaching assignments by faculty rank. The experience and insight senior faculty bring to the classroom are presumably beneficial to students. Thus, placing senior faculty in teaching roles in undergraduate classes suggests that the mathematics department values instruction at the undergraduate level.
1.3	Instruction takes place in flexible settings	This is intended to reflect the types of settings in which mathematics instruction takes place. Specifically, the data related to this indicator report the extent to which instruction takes place in classrooms with movable tables and/or desks. Although instructional setting does not entirely determine the type of classroom instruction that takes place, the nature of the setting does set certain boundaries upon instructional practices.
1.4	Facilities are available to enable the best possible teaching methods	The purpose of this indicator is to report what facilities the department makes available to its instructors, thereby allowing for a variety of teaching methods using an array of various resources.