The broad mission of educators in the Physical Sciences is to share a dynamic method of inquiry that has been trained over centuries via an iterative process of observation, modeling, prediction, experimentation and observation of the fundamental constituents of the observable universe. Although it can be argued that this tradition is as old as humanity itself, its fruits have never been more impactful to our day-to-day lives than now; both directly in the form of increasingly accelerated technological advancement, and indirectly by serving as a kind of method testing-ground for modeling systems outside of the traditional physical sciences. The broad purpose of the Community College system is to provide a mechanism to enable people to enter the workforce with specific skills required for particular types of jobs and/or to prepare people to continue on to more education and training before entering the workforce. At Butte College specifically, our mission is to provide quality education, services and workforce training to students who aspire to become productive members of a diverse, sustainable and global society. Melding these two imperative missions in a meaningful way that can be used to contextualize our plans for the future requires a split mission: Our mission for STEM career track and non-STEM career track pathways. For the STEM skills career track student (~80% of PS FTES): It is the mission of the Butte College Physical Sciences department to provide students with: a robust and program-informed schedule that allows for published pathways that we serve to be completable by a dedicated student within advertised timelines, and a maximally-inclusive and high-quality educational experience in the physical sciences dedicated to increasing the access of STEM fields to people with diverse ways of thinking and various backgrounds under the operating assumption that science is a reflection of humanity�s understanding of the cosmos not a reflection of the cosmos itself. We will know that we are successful when we have determined that all students have been afforded the achievable opportunity to take their next steps with confidence. For the GE students seeking non-STEM career tracks (~20% of PS FTES): The Butte College Physical Science department will provide our General Education students with a mindful and welcoming effort to match their changing interests and behaviors with experiences that highlight the processes, products and power of the culture of the Physical Sciences and how they will continue to play a central role in creating a sustainable future for humanity.
Overview:
The Department of Physical Sciences enjoys an excellent reputation within the campus community. The Chemistry, Geology, and Physics programs offer lower-division courses for science and engineering majors as well as preparatory courses for the nursing and respiratory therapy career programs and the Physical Science program offers general education courses for all majors. Students that have been through our programs return on a regular basis to reflect on their experiences, and the sense of collegiality they felt while in our classes. This is also reflected in student evaluations. Full-time faculty members Colin Ferguson, Penny Lillie, Jason Trento, and Bob White are former Butte College students and decided to return to the department and give back some of what they received. We work with other departments (specifically Mathematics, Biology, and Computer Science) to create a student-friendly schedule with accessible offerings in a number of different formats. Most sections in all four programs tend to close before the end of registration, many with full wait lists, reflecting a high degree of demand for our programs as well as a solid reputation for our courses.
Outside of the classroom our department is involved in a number of project/activities that serve our mission.
We work closely with Butte College�s Supplemental Instruction (SI) Program which is run with love and skill by April Hennessy and facilitated by our students to provide a community of learning around our more challenging �gateway� courses. Every semester ~5 of our instructors participate in this program. In addition to the obvious benefit of the students that use SI the training and experiences that the facilitators get often helps them get into world-renowned institutions as they move on to their educational goals.
Elizabeth Wannenmacher and our colleague from the Mathematics Department, Tierra Lloyd serve as faculty advisors for the Science and Math Club. With regular and awe inducing contributions of demonstrations and technical presentations from our Chemistry Stockroom Magician Dave Carr and periodic tours of local science-based businesses among other typical club social events the Science and Math Club offers a no-stakes opportunity to create community around a common interest.
Delving in deeper into the details of the Physical Sciences Department (~ 6% of total college FTES):
Chemistry (57% FTES of PS Department 3.4% of campus as of Fall 2017):
Recent increased Chemistry offerings were achieved through expanding sections of Chem 110 and CHEM 51 into the evening and restructuring some Chem 51 curricular details to use lab space more efficiently. These have resulted in a year over year increase of section offerings from 6 to 11 in CHEM 51. Our Chemistry faculty restructured the curriculum in Chem 1 that has expanded our available wet-lab space and going from 6 to 9 sections. Space requests and administrative approval for an additional full-time tenure track instructor starting in the Fall of 2019 have both been approved. Conversion of PS 108 from a lecture room to a lab room and a new large lecture portable will meet the needs of added sections until the much-needed new science building opens around 2027. If we continue to have waitlists in our core program offerings as we strategically build out, we will have a more reasonable assessment of demand as we begin plans for a new science building which can impact decades into the future.
The Chemistry program has two important needs: more full and part-time faculty; and more money for equipment and supplies. The money increases we are asking for need to cover cost of new hires, increased costs of chemicals, lab equipment for the new lab room, an increased need for student graders and assistants, and a need to begin purchasing and updating equipment that will not be used immediately but will, instead, be held for the new building.
Physics (17% FTES of PS Department 1% of campus):
Enrollment in the physics program has stagnated due to a lack of support in the Engineering program. Our increased offerings of PHYS 21, 22 and 43 every semester have met the current demand and now our course offering are on par with similar community colleges. The addition of a fourth physicist in the Fall of 2017 and a new hire starting in the Fall of 2019 has allowed us to meet our current demand and help teach much needed engineering courses. However, the physics program currently subsists on two lab rooms that it shares with geology and physical science programs which does not allow for any more growth due to lack of lab space. In addition, we anticipate ever increasing supply and equipment budgets to update antiquated lab technology and begin stocking up for the new science building.
Geology (6% FTES of PS Department):
The geology program is quite strong considering we only have a single full-time instructor. We have a full schedule of Physical Geology (GEOL 32) and we continue to offer Historical Geology (GEOL 34) each Fall. We added a FA/SP Earth Science with Lab (PSC 11) at the request of counseling and the Child and Family Development Department as part of an early education AS-T that filled at its first offering and is currently being taught by a part-time instructor. The program's greatest needs are a commitment from administration--in light of the recently approved AS-T degree and Geology and added demand for Geologists in service to other departments--to offer more sections and hire a full-time instructor sometime in the near future.
Physical Science (20% FTES of PS Department 1% of campus) :
Enrollments in the Physical Science program are very good--most classes fill well before the semester begins. The Weather classes (PSC 50 and 51) are very strong at both the Chico Center and the Main Campus. We finally added a new course, Natural Hazards (PSC 53), in Summer 2015. It was successful and is now being offered regularly each Fall semester. Environmental Science (PSC 10) continues to be extremely popular. We currently offer one section of 24 students that closes during the first week of registration. The interdisciplinary Introductory Physical Science (PSC 20 and 21) also has had very good enrollments but AS-T requirements have seen the introduction of two courses: Concepts in Physical Science (PSC 12) and Earth Science with Lab (PSC 11). Due to content overlap with PSC 20/21, this addition has caused a shift in offerings. As we are adding FA/SP sections of PSC 12 and PSC 11 we are reducing the offerings of PSC 20 and 21 (Reduced PSC 21 from 2 to 1 section in SP 18). Still, we lost one section and gained two lec/labs worth so we are still growing. To meet the need of the lecture-only physical science course offering, the physicists have created a lecture-only version of the Introductory Astronomy course (PSC 30) called A Survey of the Universe (PSC 27) which will be offered in Fall 2019. The goal is to meet the demand of the lecture-only physical science course previously met by PSC 20 with a popular offering that does not have the intimidating mathematical demands of the lab portion of PSC 30 and 30H and can also be offered in the online modality.
Finally, our Physical Science Senior Laboratory Technician currently works under a ten-month contract. This position is responsible for three of our four programs; lacking the summer work time makes it very difficult for the tech to handle long-term projects. The physics and physical science faculty have had to forgo several building projects because of this. The increasing number of sections in both physical science and physics will only increase the tech's workload and the continued packing will reduce the time allowed for changes between labs which changes the nature of the work making it more stressful. We feel the tech can be much more effective if the position is recharacterized as a twelve-month one.
Full-time faculty for Chemistry
Finally, Chemistry offerings are meeting the demand of students.
Our latest program review was 2013-14. The Validation Team issued twelve (12) recommendations. Their status is outlined below.
New science building: The college has recently agreed to float a bond issue which was passed by Butte County voters, part of this bond will fund a new science building.
Counseling: The department has worked closely with two counselors, Debbie Reynolds and John Soldate, so that the advice they give science students is germane to their majors and helps them navigate our courses efficiently and successfully. We would like a dedicated STEM counselor with the implementation of AB 705.
Fees: We used to collect profits from the sale of lab manuals, but the college rescinded this ability four years ago. The Validation team recommended that if the administration does not allow us to reinstate these profits, then they should make up the difference in our supply budgets. Recent policy changes by administration have enabled us to resume adding a small mark-up to our lab manuals provided we offer free online versions to students. We shall continue to report on the impacts of these policy improvements.
Long-term savings: With the resumed source on ongoing augmentations from the sales of the lab manuals which should provide an aspect of our budget that will scale with the amount of use of our materials we can create a plan to save for critical equipment failure. Its difficult to plan for that at this time since our department has yet to normalize. We will know more next year.
Hire an additional chemist: Due to a failed hire and intense demand we currently have 1 Full-time Temporary Chemist. We are in process of hiring 1 tenure track Chemist and we need one more the following year to meet growth demands. This will allow us to increase our student access further to meet still apparently latent demand.
Smart room upgrades: With the reality that our new building is approximately a decade away, we are requesting Smart-room upgrades to bring us up to the institutional norm of classroom technology.
Prerequisite enforcement: Done.
Improved scheduling using all five days: This is something we have no control over. The faculty outside of physical sciences at large have convinced themselves that by only meeting their students four days per week instead of five somehow improves student success and access.
Tracking graduates: In progress. This will be closer to completion as the campus shifts from course to program thinking.
Chemical Hygiene Officer stipend: Done
Projects involving students: In our engineering physics series we have been implementing two project based aspects of the curriculum: In Physics 41 the students have a semester project called the Group Goldberg machine. It is an extended Rube Goldberg Machine that the whole class participates in. In Fall 17 the Group Goldberg machine was triggered in the basement level of the library and it was a public success. In Physics 42 students have an individual “motor challenge” where students construct an electric motor out of a specified set of materials then get points for speed of rotation. Both of these projects are well liked by the students, provide a opportunity for community outside normal curriculum and it is a low risk way to get experience with the frustrating and fulfilling process of creation moderated by the real constraints of nature …not arbitrary human assessment.
Elimination of CHEM 110 and creation of CHEM 11: CHEM 110 has been a non-transferable course designed to prepare students for CHEM 1, CHEM 51 or to meet the prerequisite for Biology courses. Biology is now changing the prerequisite to CHEM 51 or CHEM 1. The new course will now be taken to prepare for CHEM 1 or CHEM 51 but also be transferable.
To continue to expand our program until student demands are met.
Lecture and laboratory space. We would like the college to consider remodeling unused space (e.g., automotive) into labs or possibly lecture rooms. Since there is no other appropriate space on main campus for physical science and physics labs, this seems a sensible solution. If not, then consider moving some labs into temporary portable spaces that could also serve the Life Sciences department until the new science building is finished.
The department currently has NO external funding sources.
| Original Priority | Program, Unit, Area | Resource Type | Account Number | Object Code | One Time Augment | Ongoing Augment |
| Description | Supporting Rationale | Potential Alternative Funding Sources | Prioritization Criteria | |||
| 1 | Chemistry | Personnel | 11.000.621.1.190500.51240 | $0.00 | $120,000.00 | |
| New Full-time Faculty Hire | With added space for the build out, we have the ability to offer more sections in CHEM 1,2,51,52. Currently we have offerings that require the need of another chemist without adding any more sections. Not only do we surrender potential FTES, but we are also out of compliance with the stated goals of the college for increased transfer and completion rates. |
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| 2 | Chemistry | Operating Expenses | $9,400.00 | $14,500.00 | ||
| Student Grader and Assistant Money | Graded assignments are at the core of how Chemistry is taught. Students must receive feedback on assignments to correct errors in technique and concepts. Course content builds on previous understanding, so this process of learn, apply, correct, and understand is then applied to additional topics. The College�s support for student grading did not keep pace with increases in enrollment, so faculty began to add a small surcharge to faculty-produced lab manuals (with the blessing of the College�s administration) and used these funds to support the demand for grading. In 2014, this practice was suddenly stopped by the College administration. However, in spite of promises to replace the funding, no permanent solution to the loss of this support has come forward. This has had a significant negative impact on our educational programs, affecting our ability to achieve our Program Student Learning Outcomes. Laboratory reports and homework assignments are two major categories of graded assignments used to support student these SLOs. Laboratory experiments are critical for Chemistry Program SLOs #1 and #2. Students prepare for each experiment by reading the experimental introduction and procedure (including safety warnings). Many classes require that students complete a �pre-lab� that includes sample calculations and concept questions. The students then complete the experiment, and data is then used to determine the experiment�s results, which involves graphing and/or calculations using the data on the report. Finally, students are asked to interpret data, reflect on the experimental procedure, and answer concept questions based on their results (which applies to SLO#3). These reports provide the student important feedback on their understanding of the experiment and its concepts. Homework assignments address SLOs #2 and #3. Students are assigned reading in their text, and then directed to answer questions (in writing) about what they have read. Collecting and grading homework assignments is especially critical in entry-level chemistry classes, since the students may not yet understand the essential nature of hands-on learning in the natural sciences. In November 2015, an affective survey was administered to five different chemistry classes (310 responses) to assess the value of graded assignments to the students in those classes. These courses varied in whether homework was simply assigned (and not collected) or collected and graded and not all courses required pre-lab assignments. The results indicated that feedback is seen as being extremely important to students (80-100% responded this is always or sometimes true), and comments are especially helpful to them (87-94%). Timely feedback is critical to the students (90-100% as very important or important). Homework is also universally seen as essential in preparing for examinations (95-100% as true). Finally, pre-labs and especially graded lab reports are seen as valuable teaching and learning tools (80-97%). Select comments included: � When teachers write comments on my paper it really helps me to see what I have done wrong in the problem. � Having homework being fully graded, rather than only partly graded would be fantastic. It helps hone in on study issues. � It is concerning not to receive corrected assignments in a timely manner because it is hard to compare any progress. It is clear homework and reports that are graded, include comments, and are returned in a timely fashion, are at the core of student success in chemistry courses. It is not physically possible for instructors to fulfill this responsibility without help. A core part of our instructional program, fundamental to achieving student learning outcomes. In addition, increased lab offerings have lead to more glassware that student assistants wash freeing up time for lab techs. Minimum wage continues to increase as well. |
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| 3 | Chemistry, Physics, Geology, and Physical Science | Equipment | $10,000.00 | $0.00 | ||
| 2nd Projector for PS 131 | Effective use of technology and best pedagogical practices need the use of multiple media sources to be projected simultaneously. Students need to be engaged with lecture notes, videos, diagrams, and multimedia demonstrations to stay actively engaged in science content. |
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| 4 | Physics, Physical Science & Geology | Personnel | $11,000.00 | $11,000.00 | ||
| Twelve-month Senior Physical Sciences Laboratory Technician | Our Physical Sciences Senior Lab Technician is currently on a ten-month contract. He is unable to utilize the summer months to work on badly needed long-term projects. We want to recharacterize this position into a twelve-month one. Since we've added sections to the summer schedule and spring schedule and we plan to continue adding, we need to have a full-year technician. While Rusty is very good at juggling his various duties and assignments, he lacks to time to work on long-range projects over the summer. We have a growing list of physics and physical science demonstration equipment that we would like to have Rusty build and test and given the constraints he has during the normal academic year, these assignments can only be realized in a summer setting. |
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| 5 | Chemistry/Physics/Physical Science/Geology | Facilities | $60,000.00 | $0.00 | ||
| Smart Classroom Updates | Three Chemistry Lab spaces, One Physical Science Lab, One Physics Lab and Two lecture spaces needs computers, Projectors, Document Cameras and associated setup. Specifically, Document Camera in PS 105, Reworking of projector and layout in SSG 102, 14 computers (PC�s) and a Black and White Printer for Chemistry activities. Adjustable controls on lighting that work with the smart room technology. |
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| 6 | Physics, Physical Science | Equipment | $5,000.00 | $0.00 | ||
| High Speed Camera | To achieve the analysis of many types of motion a high speed camera is needed to observe phenomena that happen of milliseconds. A camera with 4000 fps is versatile enough for these observations. This camera would be used in all physics and astronomy labs. |
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| 7 | Geology | Operating Expenses | $0.00 | $1,800.00 | ||
| Increase in annual supply and travel budgets | The current Geology budget is $643 for supplies and $290 for travel. This amount has not changed in at least six years. We seek an ongoing increase of $767 ($357 for supplies and $410 for travel) as well as the creation of a dedicated equipment budget (there currently isn't one) funded at $1000. Maps, scratch pads, glass plates, and other consumables continue to increase in price. The program also wants to slowly purchase microscopes and balances for the new building. We ask for a travel money increase since the field trips are very popular with the students and assessments have shown that they improve student success. |
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| 8 | Physics and Physical Science | Equipment | $3,200.00 | $0.00 | ||
| Six Dynamic track systems(1.2 meter frictionless tracks, wireless smart carts, etc.) | This equipment is a part of ongoing update to outdated technology. This equipment brings data collection into the 21st century and allows students far more opportunities for learning. |
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| 9 | Physics and Physical Science | Equipment | $3,000.00 | $0.00 | ||
| MacBook Pro (to make a total of 6) | We need another MacBook Pro to allow for six lab groups. The computers are used in multiple experiments. |
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| 10 | Physics and Physical Science | Equipment | $9,000.00 | $0.00 | ||
| Six Speed of Light Systems | Updating this lab to modern technology. Our old measuring systems are unreliable and do not give acceptable results. |
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| 11 | Physics and Physical Science | Equipment | $6,300.00 | $0.00 | ||
| Three Adiabatic Gas Law Apparatus and 850 Universal Interface | We do not currently have an all-in-one device that allows experimenting on the Gas Laws. The equipment and interface allow data to be collected in real time for the students. |
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| 12 | Physics and Physical Science | Equipment | $3,500.00 | $0.00 | ||
| Six hot plates and stirrers | With increased lab offering, we need additional hot plates and stirrers. We can not fully equip labs at the present time. |
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| 13 | Physics | Equipment | $5,000.00 | $0.00 | ||
| Six Faraday's Law Apparatus | Currently we do not have an experiment that allows students to explore Faraday's Law. This new equipment will provide that opportunity. |
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| 14 | Physics | Equipment | $24,000.00 | $0.00 | ||
| Six Electron Charge to Mass Ratio System (Helmholtz coils, Tube, Power supplies) | Currently we do not have enough equipment to properly run this lab. Students need to work in groups of 3-4 per system. We need the addition of six more systems to operate this lab effectively. |
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| 15 | Physics | Operating Expenses | $0.00 | $4,517.00 | ||
| Increased supply, grader, and equipment budgets | The current Physics budget is $5708 ($2763 for supplies, $2720 for student graders, and $225 for student assistants). The program has NO dedicated equipment budget. We ask for ongoing increases in the supply and student grader budgets of $237 and $280, respectively, and the creation of a dedicated equipment budget of $4000. The increases for supplies and graders reflect increases in the costs of consumables and increases in the minimum wage. Also, as we add sections to the schedule and full-time faculty take on overloads, they need more student graders. The new equipment budget will help us begin purchasing expensive, yet necessary, equipment for the new science building. (Some of this equipment is listed as separate augmentation requests.) Also, current equipment costs are covered by the supply budget or offset by using Foundation money (since we no longer receive profits from the sale of lab manuals, our Foundation accounts inexorably decrease). Examples of new equipment include: optics benches; liquids lab materials; and circuit labs. Finally, more sections means increases in printing costs, which are currently covered by the Chemistry program. |
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| 16 | Physical Science | Operating Expenses | $0.00 | $3,336.00 | ||
| Increased budgets for supplies | Like Geology and Physics, this program has NO dedicated equipment budget. The current budget is $1304 ($824 for supplies, $340 for student graders, and $140 for travel). We seek ongoing increases of $676 for supplies, $660 for student graders, and the creation of an equipment budget funded at $2000. These increases cover the increase of printing and student grader costs as we continue to add sections. The new equipment budget will help us begin purchasing equipment for the new science building. |
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| 17 | Chemistry | Equipment | $9,300.00 | $0.00 | ||
| Organic Chemistry Glassware | Organic Chemistry courses have special glassware requirements. We want to secure a dedicated set of glassware for use in CHEM 21 and CHEM 22 without having to worry about the attrition of the general glassware in the other Chemistry classes. This glassware is necessary for students to perform experimental work and supports the following course level SLOs: CHEM 21: D, E; CHEM 22: D, E. |
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