Recommendation #1: Improve lab quality and safety to ensure students can meet instructional objectives in a safe environment.

FY 00

RGC urgently needs new hoods, emergency gas cut off valves and gas shut off valves at the student stations. Modifications must be completed before classes begin in January.

Safety committee forms and begins discussing issues surrounding lab safety including facility quality, safety measures at each campus, safety instruction, lab limits, etc.

Develop safety classes for instruction of staff, standardize safety lectures for students at each campus. Clean up chemical storerooms and collect appropriate chemical data (i.e., MSDS sheets).

Develop a plan for improvements/renovations to labs that increase safety within the labs.

Make budget requests for the most urgent and necessary improvement of facilities at each campus.

Task Force Chair, Dean, Facilities

 
Task Force, Safety Committee and Risk Manager

Task Force, Safety Committee and Risk Manager

Task Force

Task Force Chair, Dean, Facilities

FY 01

Begin safety training for all staff and faculty at all campuses.

Offer safety classes for new staff and faculty on a yearly basis. Refresher courses may be required of existing staff and faculty.

Evaluate the effectiveness of our safety courses and make necessary modifications.

Continue refinement of safety measures.

Request funds for the next priority-level facilities improvements.

Develop a plan for separation of lab rooms for biology and chemistry at the affected campuses (RVS, CYP, EVC). Submit the appropriate budget requests.

Task Force

Task Force

 
Task Force

 
Task Force

Task Force Chair, Dean, Facilities
Task Force and Dean

FY 02

Safety classes to be held for new staff and faculty on a yearly basis. Refresher courses may be required of existing staff and faculty.

Request funds for the next priority-level facilities improvements.

Request separate lab rooms for biology and chemistry at the affected campuses.

Task Force

 
Task Force Chair, Dean, Facilities
Task Force Chair, Dean

FY 03

same as FY 02

FY 04

same as FY 02

Recommendation #2: Ensure all campuses have at least the minimum amount of capital equipment necessary for proper instruction. Raise the minimum equipment standard to a higher level by purchasing modern equipment. The goal is to ensure quality instruction in the labs.

FY 00

Request funds of an Infrared Spectrophotometer to be housed at NRG along with a service contract. NRG does not have this instrument that is essential to instruction of Organic Chemistry ($27,000).

Request funds for a service contract for the Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrophotometer at RGC ($2,000).

Develop a technology plan which outlines equipment costs, lifetime of equipment, service costs, etc., necessary for maintenance of all ACC chemistry labs.

Request that the college supply a contingency fund to replace broken/obsolete equipment.

Task Force Chair

 
Task Force Chair

 
Task Force

 
Task Force Chair

FY 01

Request funds for a new Gas Chromatograph to be housed at RGC along with a service contract. This is a move toward modernization of existing equipment. ($30,000)

Task Force Chair

FY 02

Request funds for a new Gas Chromatograph to be housed at NRG along with a service contract. This is a move toward modernization of existing equipment. ($25,000)

Task Force Chair

FY 03

Request funds to replace obsolete equipment along with service contracts.

Task Force Chair

FY 04

same as FY 03

Task Force Chair

Recommendation #3: A pre-test will be devised for the purpose of advising students wishing to register for General Chemistry I (CHEM 1411).

FY 00

Develop the test. Determine the exact uses for this test. Make arrangements with the testing centers, counselors, etc.

Task Force

FY 01

Implement testing.

Evaluate success of test, edit and try it again, if necessary.

Chemistry Faculty

Task Force, Chemistry Faculty

FY 02

If the test yields positive results, continue with its use.

Chemistry Faculty

FY 03

same as FY 02

Chemistry Faculty

FY 04

same as FY 02

Chemistry Faculty

Recommendation #4: Offer Math for Chemistry (CHEM 0143) in the course schedule. Students can take this course prior to or along with CHEM 1405 and CHEM 1411.

FY 01

Revise the curriculum to include time for both instruction and problem solving.

Present our revised version to the Curriculum Committee.

Task Force Chair, Dean

 
Task Force

FY 02

Offer the course in the schedule and evaluate the results of the course.

Task force

FY 03

Based on the results of the evaluation, continue to offer the course at more locations or maintain the current level of offering

Task Force

Recommendation #5: Schedule some Introduction to Chemistry (CHEM 1405) as 12 week courses in the Fall and Spring sessions. The purpose is to target students who drop General Chemistry I (CHEM 1411) early in the semester.

FY 01

Try one class and determine its success and utility.

Task Force Chair, Dean, and Provost

FY 02

Make a decision, based on the results of the previous year. Possible actions would include, omit the 12 week course, keep the same number of 12 week courses, or add more 12 week courses.

Task Force Chair, Dean, and Provost

FY 03

Continue with Year 2 modifications.

Recommendation #6: Approve course objectives for all chemistry courses and establish a cycle of periodic review.

FY 00

Approve course objectives for Introduction to Chemistry, and General Chemistry I and II.

Task Force

FY 01

Approve course objectives for Organic Chemistry I and II

Task Force

FY 02

Establish a cycle in which review of all materials occurs on a 3-year cycle.

Review course objectives for Introduction to Chemistry

Task Force

 
Task Force

FY 03

Review course objectives for General Chemistry I and II

Task Force

FY 04

Review course objectives for Organic Chemistry I and II

Task Force

Recommendation #7: Prepare chemistry-related faculty development seminars to assist instructors with preparation of chemistry web pages, use of Power Point and other instructional aids.

FY 00

Poll the faculty and determine what special skill each has.

Poll the faculty and find out what topic each wants to learn about most.

Task force

 
Task force

FY 01

Present one or two seminars, pending approval of FDO.

Chemistry faculty

FY 02

Evaluate success of our own faculty development, and make decisions based on evaluation.

Task force

Recommendation #8: Collaborate with UT in order to establish Peer Teaching Assistants at ACC.

FY 01

Begin using PTAs in one or two classes.

UT will provide PTAs.

FY 02

Evaluate the results of the previous year.

Expand by adding more PTAs

Make plans and develop the program at ACC.

Make budget request to support PTA program.

Task Force

 
UT

Task Force, Dean

 
Task Force Chair

FY 03

Begin implementation of our own program with provided funds.

Chemistry Department

Recommendation #9: The Task Force would like to duplicate their own lab book for Introduction to Chemistry and pass it out to the students for free.

FY 00

Request funds for duplication of the Introduction to Chemistry lab manual developed by the faculty.
($3,500 per year)

Task Force

FY 01

Begin duplication and distribution of our lab manual, pending distribution of funds.

Task Force

Recommendation # 10: The Task force would like to schedule adjunct faculty for classes.

FY 00

Develop a plan and submit the proposal to Dr. Allie.

Task Force Chair