1. Program Review Presentation March 17, 2016
Political Science
Program Review Presentation
March 17, 2016

2. Program Description What is Political Science?
Political science 'is the study of governments, public policies and political processes, systems, and political behavior.' (American Political Science Association)
Harold Lasswell said “politics determines the process of "who gets what, when, and how.”

3. Program Description 4 FT Faculty and 9 Adjunct Faculty
Small department—
4 FT Faculty and 9 Adjunct Faculty
served 15,304 students
Success rates average 68%
Prepare POLS majors and non majors for transfer
*Offer core Political Science courses in predictable rotations and in diverse delivery methods and varied times/days
*Each semester we offer on average 25 sections
Emphasize the study of political science in a global perspective
*The goal is to make it more meaningful to students from a wide range of backgrounds and exposing all students to many different perspectives about governance
For POLS majors POLS Department has 2 AAs
*POLS AA Degree and POLS AA-T Degree
U.S. History, Constitution and American Ideals category

4. Program Description ARC Model United Nations Club and Program
Since students have participated in this academic club at the forefront of international education
Honors Program: Courses and Mentoring
Collaboration with the Sociology Department to create the International Studies AA Degree
Will be collaborating with Sociology this fall to create a new Global Studies AA-T Fall 2017
MUN Club 2015
Brief Description of your program. Who are you? One Slide, 2 minutes
Edna Simbi MUN Alumni

5. Benchmarks Over the last 5 years the Political Science Department
Hired a FT faculty member
Created the POLS AA Degree and POLS AA-T Degree
Introduced the Honors Program, Courses and Mentoring Program
Honors Intro to Government: US
Honors Intro to International Relations
Created new course:
Women and Politics from a Global Perspective
Supported the Model United Nations Club
Through the MUN club hosted 2 High School Model United Nations Conferences at ARC

6. Benchmarks Over the last 5 years the Political Science Department
Created and funds 2 Political Science Scholarships for transferring students
In response to diverse student needs introduced Hybrid POLS 301 course
Purchased class sets of “student response” systems— i-Clickers
Participated in the 1st Year Experience Program
Mentored in the Los Rios Community College District Faculty Diversity Internship Program

7. Program -- Strengths The Political Science Department
Delivers a consistent and meaningful learning environment for students completing transfer-level college work
Offers diverse of course offerings and AA degrees
Mentors students through individual faculty contact, the Honors Program and the MUN Program
Participates in college governance
Participates in college-wide symposia
“Election Update” series
Faculty attend and participate in seminars and conferences focused on their discipline, on issues related to teaching and learning, and publish within their discipline 

8. Program -- Challenges
Need more targeted support services to help our underprepared students succeed
Especially for skill sets important for social sciences
Offer more than the basic introductory political science courses
Specialty classes such as California Government, Constitutional Rights, and Women and Politics from a Global Perspective

9. Planning Implications
Student Performance - Maintain and increase enrollment by offering classes at times/days that meet students' needs
Increase student success in the political science classes by encouraging students' use of existing academic support services
Support faculty in their efforts to participate in professional development opportunities regarding teaching and learning
Pathway to POLS Degree - Ensure students can earn a POLS AA or POLS AA-T Degree
Continue to schedule, offer and advocate for commitment to predictable rotation scheduling of specialty courses