DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY, PHILOSOPHY, AND GEOGRAPHY
2007 ANNUAL UNIT REPORT
HISTORY
1. Develop Divisional and Departmental organizational plans on a five-year basis.
The department submitted its most recent five-year plan in the spring of 2004. The goals
listed by the History faculty and the progress made in achieving them will be listed
below.
2. Support and promote high quality general education.
The mission statement for the discipline of history was included in the original report.
This mission remains unchanged.
Goals:
In survey courses:
Students must learn how to use a library in order to find primary and secondary
sources.
Students must learn how to read these sources critically and analytically.
Students must understand how to synthesize historical theses into coherent written
statements.
All of these activities are being practiced in most survey courses, through the use of a
variety of assignments, such as book reviews, thesis statements, comprehensive essays,
and research papers. However, students in European survey courses have only minimal
opportunity to find primary sources in the MWSU library because we cannot afford to
purchase such first-hand accounts.
In upper-level courses:
Students must learn how to cite sources accurately in the traditional manner of
professional historical research.
Students must learn how to locate collections of primary sources in historical
research by using the Internet.
All of these activities are being practiced in upper-level courses, chiefly as components
for research papers, which are required in most upper-level history courses.
Our faculty wish to:
add a third survey course in American history focusing exclusively on the
twentieth century – HIS 160 (?) – thus necessitating a restructuring of HIS 140
and HIS 150.
This issue remains under discussion. The two full-time professors in American history do
not agree on all elements involved in this decision. They concur that the change is not
feasible until another full-time faculty member is hired to teach American history,
because we are already spread too thin as it is in order to teach sufficient sections of HIS
140 and HIS 150. This faculty slot could be filled by an historian who could teach
Twentieth Century U.S. History as well as Historical Preservation. (See our newest Five-
year Report, dated 2004 as well as Section 7 of this Annual Report). Philosophically,
those same two professors disagree on the overall issue itself. One faculty member thinks
that we should continue to use the end of the American Civil War as a dividing point
between HIS 140 and HIS 150. The other faculty member believes that twentieth century
American history has become such a gigantic period by itself that it would make more
sense to add a third course and divide American history at the General Studies level into
three courses covering the following chronological periods: HIS 140 – 1600 to 1815;
HIS 150 – 1815 to 1920; HIS 160 – 1914 to the Present.
consider ways to refine all survey courses in History.
This is an ongoing process in all history courses. In our view, a history course is a
dynamic rather than a static entity. The integration of new information, alternate levels
of emphasis, sequencing variations, and adjustments to depth and breadth of topical
coverage are constantly being effected with an eye toward improving students’
comprehension of the subject matter.
integrate technology as a complement to HIS instruction – not a replacement of
the traditional lecture style of teaching.
This is a matter of personal choice by each faculty member. Technology is already used
by each History professor in various ways. Dr. Jimm MacGregor uses Powerpoint to
accompany every class he teaches. He also uses WebCT in all of his classes to distribute
class materials (syllabi, readings, study guides) and to post grades. He also gives
quizzes on the textbook readings on WebCT in his survey courses. Dr. Steven Greiert
puts his course syllabi on the O-drive for students to access. If employed with precision
and skill, technology can complement the instruction of History in a positive manner.
However, it is not essential to the delivery of an excellent lecture by a highly talented
historian. An exception must be noted for HIS 365 Methods of Teaching Social Studies,
which is actually a secondary education course rather than a History course. We have
added electronic portfolio and web-based instructional components to comply with the
requirements of the National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS). The securing of
NCSS accreditation for the Teacher Education program is a high priority for the
administration.
Justification
The justification for the above goals was stated in the original report. It remains
unchanged.
3. Strengthen the connection between LAS education and the world of work.
Mission
Our History faculty intend to add more courses to the LAS Areas of Focus categories.
Goals:
Add a History course to the LAS Writing Area of Focus.
This goal has already been reached. HIS 300 (American Colonial History), HIS 302
(The Jacksonian Era, 1824-1848), and HIS 310 (English History I) are now LAS Writing
Focus Courses. In AY 2006-2007HIS 310 replaced HIS 410 (Renaissance and
Reformation England), which has been removed from the MWSU catalog. This change
assists us in streamlining our course offerings and addressing workload issues for Dr.
Jimm MacGregor, who taught both courses.
Add a History course to the LAS Computer Literacy Area of Focus.
This designation does not appear to fit the requirements of any currently-offered
upper-level History course. One possibility would be to integrate computer skills into a
proposed “capstone” course, which would contain elements such as historiography,
research methodology, and historical and professional ethics. Creation of such a course
has been under discussion for several years. Severe understaffing within the department
has virtually precluded the development of new courses during that time. With a newly
hired fourth full-time faculty member in History, we have renewed discussion of this
issue. Any such recommendation for a LAS Computer Literacy Focus Course will have
to await consideration until after more pressing curricular changes are addressed and
made.
Add a History course to the LAS Ethics Area of Focus.
While the History faculty believe that this is a worthwhile objective, the most logical
place for addressing this focus area would be in the aforementioned “capstone” course.
With a fourth full-time faculty member in History we will seek to address this issue.
Add a History course to the LAS International/Intercultural Area of Focus.
This goal has also been achieved. In AY 2006-2007 HIS 320 (English History II) was
added to this category, joining HIS 370 (History of Latin America). HIS 320 replaced
HIS 360 (The British Empire), which was deleted from the MWSU catalog. A new course
HIS 336 (The Crusades) has been approved through the Faculty Senate curriculum
process as an additional LAS International/Intercultural Focus Course. It will be added
to the MWSU catalog beginning in AY 2007-2008. These changes further assist us in
streamlining our course offerings and addressing workload issues for Dr. Jimm
MacGregor.
Emphasize the relationship between skills learned in History courses and those desired by
employers.
In our experience, the skills most desired by employers are: the ability to write clearly,
cogently, and coherently; the ability to think critically and analytically; and the ability to
utilize both inductive and deductive reasoning. Success in the discipline of History
requires all of these skills.
Justification
The justification for the above goals was included in the original report. It remains
unchanged.
4. Increase the number of students graduating with a LAS major by 25% using an
AY 1999/2000 to AY 2003/2004 comparison.
Goals:
Raise the number of graduates from an average of 15 students/year (1992-1997) to 19
students/year by 2004.
According to our newest Five-year Report, dated 2004, the History program actually
graduated annually an average of 12.6 students during the period from Fall 1992
through Spring 1997. From Fall 1997 through Spring 2003 the History program
graduated annually an average of 14.7 students. This represented a 16.7% increase in
History graduates over the last five years from the previous five years. In 2006 the
History program graduated 18 students (10 in the Spring and 8 in the Fall). This
represents a 22.4% increase from the average registered during the period from Fall
1997 through Spring 2003. The goal of 19 students/year by 2009 is a very reasonable
goal.
A variety of means for addressing this goal has been introduced. The vast majority of
History majors is “recruited” in our General Studies courses. Up to this point this
appears to be the only recruitment avenue to show moderate success. Some methods
have proven to be of negligible value in this regard, such as participation in the Majors
Fair and the Griffon Edge. Some are actually counterproductive, such as the offering of
dual-credit classes. The greatest potential for successful recruitment and retention of
higher ability History majors will come, in our opinion, not from marketing strategies,
but from offering a selection of upper-level courses significantly larger than the present
one, and one comparable in both number and variety to those of other four-year colleges
and universities in Missouri with similar student enrollment totals.
Our annual high school History Bowl competition was renewed in Fall, 2004, because
our department gained sufficient funds in its operating budget to finance it. Therefore,
we rejuvenated one method of “recruiting” students that had worked for thirteen years.
We have continued the high school History Bowl each Fall semester since 2004. For
Spring, 2005, we sought to initiate our first middle school History Bowl. That proved to
be more difficult than anticipated. For this first attempt we contacted only St. Joseph
middle schools. We were unsuccessful in attracting more than two schools for this
competition. We discussed branching out in Spring, 2006 to invite middle schools from
surrounding counties to participate. However, we decided against holding the middle
school History Bowl until Spring, 2007, because of other pressing issues that needed to
be addressed immediately. In Spring, 2007 we decided to discard this idea entirely.
Because our department operating budget is so small, we sought and received in Fall
2006 and Fall 2007 funding for the MWSU high school History Bowl through money
from the Mary Boder fund available to our department.
We have also cooperated with the recruitment efforts of the Office of Admissions at
MWSU in several ways: 1) Department faculty rotated in setting up our department
display “big board” and sending one of our full-time faculty to meet with prospective
students visiting the campus on “Open House days”; 2) Dr. Steven Greiert cooperated
with the MWSU football coaching staff by meeting prospective recruits for that team who
also were interested in teaching History and coaching football at the secondary level; 3)
In Fall, 2005 the HPG Recruiting Committee designed a letter and flier to be mailed to
high ability prospective students. Dr. Jimm MacGregor worked in conjunction with the
Office of Admissions to produce these materials, which, along with a student response
card, were mailed to these students periodically throughout the past two academic years.
Increase awareness of History major programs through promotional materials.
Our previous Annual Report of 2005 stated the following: “Our History brochure is
outdated because our departmental operating budget is so low that we cannot afford to
update it, print it, and distribute it. Fact sheets have been retained for all major and
minor programs in the department. They have been updated and are currently being
distributed. We have developed a brochure for the Summer Field School in Historical
Preservation that we undertook beginning in the Summer of 2004.”
Changes have occurred in our promotional materials during AY 2005-2006. They are as
follows: 1) We no longer use our outdated History brochures. They have been replaced
by new brochures produced with Foundation money. We ordered 500 of these brochures.
When we run out of them, however, our department faculty has already voted not to order
any more because they are too expensive and our departmental operating budget is still
too low to justify this expenditure. 2) Dr. Jimm MacGregor designed a new flier that has
been approved by our faculty and sent to the MWSU Admissions Office. Tyson Schank is
the liaison from that office to our department. He regularly distributes this flier to all
prospective History majors in MWSU recruiting efforts. 3) Although we have not
scheduled a Summer Field School in Historical Preservation for the Summer of 2006 or
the Summer of 2007, we will update the brochure for that program when it is needed in
the future.
5. Continuously refine the quality of divisional and departmental promotional materials.
Goals:
Develop a new departmental fact sheet and flier.
This has been accomplished, as stated in Section 4.
Develop a promotional video or multimedia presentation.
While the History faculty believe that this could be useful in recruiting, the threadbare
nature of the departmental operating budget makes such an expenditure an unjustifiable
luxury at this time.
Develop a document on careers in History for faculty advisors to use in promoting the
major.
Information about careers for History majors, adapted from the AHA’s document on this
subject, is presented regularly on the display “big board” at all recruiting events.
Develop an alumni network, as well as create a website and mentoring system in which
students can contact alumni for information and careers in History.
This goal not been accomplished. A departmental website has been created and is
currently operational. It needs to be updated on a monthly basis. But it has not been
maintained by our department. The American Historical Association (AHA) has
produced a document on careers in History. We have examined it and have found it
useful. In 2004 we obtained approval of our charter for a chapter of Phi Alpha Theta, a
national History honors society. With 12 members currently in this organization and 20
recent alumni, we have begun to form an alumni network and to develop a mentoring
system for students majoring in History. History alumni regularly participate in Phi
Alpha Theta events.
6. Enhance the LAS Areas of Focus in our curriculum.
See Section 3 listed above.
7. Expand international, intercultural, and interdisciplinary educational opportunities.
Goal:
Hire a full-time tenure-track History professor with an earned doctorate in Asian History.
The History faculty decided this year that this should be our top priority in hiring. We
also determined in 2006 that “Asian History” was more suitable than “Far Eastern
History.” This goal appears to be almost unattainable. We submitted a request for this
position as our top priority in AY 2005-2006. Although it was placed on the list of
positions to be considered by the College of LAS, it was not approved for advertising an
open position. Despite requesting this position every year since AY 1988-1989, we have
watched numerous other positions created – one even without having been requested by
the department involved, while this one remains uncreated year after year. We can only
conclude that the attainment of this goal remains a very low priority for the College of
LAS and for the administration as a whole. We have not received a new full-time
position in History since 1974. Other Missouri colleges and universities with whom we
compete for students employ the following number of full-time History faculty[2006
figures]: Central Missouri State University – [11]13; Missouri Southern State University
– [7]7; Northwest Missouri State University –[7]7; Southeast Missouri State University –
[13]13; and Truman State University – [15]14. Those departments, thus, have lower
professor-student ratios than we have at MWSU. Moreover, they can offer a wider
variety of courses as well as more sections taught by full-time faculty. Clearly those
universities have placed a higher priority on their History programs over the last three
decades than has Missouri Western on its own. Now that Missouri Western has gained
parity with other state supported colleges and universities in terms of state funding as
well as “university” status, we can only hope that recognition of the dismally
underfunded and understaffed department of HPG, among others, along with measures to
ameliorate these problems, become an equally high priority.
Goal:
Hire a full-time tenure-track History professor with an earned doctorate in 20th Century
United States History with the professional background to lead and develop a new
program in Historical Preservation and Archival Management.
Our History faculty have changed their minds and now list this position as their second
choice for new positions behind the one in Asian History. It would fit in well with the
new Missouri Western focus on applied learning. Although the second Summer Field
Program in Historical Preservation in the Summer of 2005 was as successful as the
initial one in the Summer of 2004 in terms of student enrollment, the History faculty
believe that this position is less important in their long-range plans for their major and
minor. A third Summer Field Program in Historical Preservation did not occur in the
Summer of 2006 because of a staffing problem.
Justification
The justification was stated in the original report. It remains, if fruitlessly, unchanged.
8. Expand off-campus learning programs.
Goal:
Develop HIS 150 distance education course.
This course has been developed and offered. At the same time, though, the only effective
method of recruiting majors to our discipline has been through our offering survey
courses on campus. If a distance education section was offered, the class size would be
reduced to 15 from the usual class size of 60 students. Considering that we have no
evidence that viewing a distance education section has caused students to become
History majors, we believe that this would not be an effective use of available resources.
At the same time, we will revisit this issue each year to reassess its likelihood of success.
Offer History courses abroad in the Summer sessions.
Unfortunately, because of a fundamental disagreement with the Western Institute over
how to finance and run a Summer Abroad History course, this program did not continue
during the Summer of 2005. A curricular change to institute permanently such a course
during the Summer session was successful in AY 2004-2005. Students will be permitted
to take this course only once, however, as fulfillment of a major requirement. This will
protect other on-campus upper-level courses from being avoided by History majors.
Unfortunately for this program and others like it within the College of Liberal Arts and
Sciences, unwise decisions made by the leader of the Western Institute have made this
program financially unfeasible for faculty and students alike. Leaders of the Western
Institute seem to be creating chaos, instead of progress, by their unwillingness to listen to
faculty who have positive track records in this area. As a result, our department
cancelled its Summer Abroad course for 2005, even though at least forty students showed
initial interest. Once the Western Institute established new policies regarding cost, that
student interest rapidly dissipated. We made no plans for a Summer Abroad course in
2006. A new approach has been undertaken, however, with a new Study Away program.
Dr. Karen Fulton from the Department of English, was appointed in 2006 to oversee this
program. We strongly support her efforts to make this program successful. We hope to
renew our Summer Abroad History course in the future (possibly as early as 2008) – but
only under academic and financial terms that are acceptable to our faculty.
Offer History courses off campus in the Summer sessions.
This has already been done with moderate success. During the Intersession of 2004 and
Intersession of 2005, we offered a Special Topics course HIS 296, titled, Historic
Preservation Field School. Each time the enrollment was 11 students. In each instance
the course was taught by a professional historian from Southeast Missouri State
University. This same person indicated that she was willing to continue as the instructor
in ensuing Summer sessions. As a result, our History faculty submitted a curricular
proposal for a new course, HIS 235 Historic Preservation Field School, which was added
to the MWSU catalog, beginning in AY 2006-2007. Unfortunately, the aforementioned
historian from Southeast Missouri State University changed her mind and committed to
another project in 2006. She is no longer interested in continuing this Summer course for
MWSU.
Justification
Historic preservation is an area of historical inquiry that is becoming increasingly
attractive to professional historians as well as to city leaders and the general public.
This course will provide a field experience in the documentation and preservation of the
built environment. It will deepen the understanding students possess of the historic
landscape. It will strengthen their skills in field observation and historical research. It
will introduce students to the knowledge and skills required of professionals in historic
preservation. The exercises and activities required in this course all fit in with the
Missouri Western emphasis on applied learning. This course will be the first step for
students into a different genre of research that they might pursue in their professional
careers as historians. Our History faculty hoped to use this course as a building block
for a program in Public History. Such a program has already received encouragement
from city officials in St. Joseph and other citizens of the area who are advocates of
historical preservation. However, funding of a fulltime faculty position in History is
absolutely necessary for us to develop a quality program in this area. See Section 7.
9. Monitor the quality of non-residence programs.
Goal:
Monitor and evaluate learning outcomes for distance education courses.
This has been done. The learning outcomes, overall, were disappointing, and interest in
teaching distance education courses among the History faculty has diminished as a
result. Two full-time faculty might be interested in teaching such courses in the future if
given sufficient latitude in teaching methodology.
10. Increase student and faculty participation in the cultural, public, and private service
and business endeavors of the community.
Goal:
Emphasize employment opportunities in state and local archive management.
During Intersession, 2005, a Special Topics course titled, HIS 296 (Historic Preservation
Field School), was taught. This was the second step toward developing such a program
of Applied Learning in History at MWSU. However, this course was not taught during
Intersession, 2006, because student interest was low and the instructor for the last two
years already had a prior commitment for that Summer. See Section 8 in this report for
more on the creation of a new course, HIS 235, which replaces HIS 296, and the current
status of this program.
Emphasize student research in local history.
A year-long project involving research on the history of transportation networks in the St.
Joseph area, sponsored by the state department of transportation, was carried out in AY
2001/2002. It was coordinated by a MWSU History graduate and was researched by two
MWSU History majors. Initial feedback on the project was very positive from all parties
concerned. The final result was very successful. The local director of the department of
transportation (Andy Clemens) sent a letter of appreciation and indicated that the quality
of work was very highly regarded at the state and local levels. We hope to be able to
coordinate more such projects in the future. No new developments, however, occurred in
AY 2006-2007.
See Section 8 and Section 10 (above) in this report regarding HIS 235.
Initiate and maintain contacts with preservation societies about internships.
Contact has been established with the head of St. Joseph Preservation. No internships,
though, have as yet been established. Note the aforementioned course, HIS 235, that has
been added to the MWSU catalog.
Initiate and maintain contacts with landmarks commission about internships.
While contacts have been established, no internships have as yet been established.
Initiate and maintain contacts with restoration exhibits about internships.
We have been unable to discover any restoration exhibits that need internships.
However, contacts have been established with government agencies, including the
department of state of Missouri.
Maintain contacts with high schools, and mentor students in their secondary teaching
preparation.
The History faculty have many such contacts. We have been visited on campus by high
school History classes, who have been guests at some of our classes. We are currently
offering five dual-credit programs at area high schools. After suspending our annual
History Bowl for high school teams for two years because of cuts in our operating
budget, we renewed hosting that event during the Fall, 2004. We have continued this
event since Fall, 2005, and fully intend to do so every year hereafter.
Serve the academic community of professional historians as well as local and regional
communities through professional research.
The History faculty have all annually published scholarly articles in refereed journals
and/or presented scholarly papers at refereed academic conferences. In this way we
have served our own academic community of professional historians regionally and
nationally. Similarly, most of the History faculty have spoken to local and regional
community groups on an assortment of historical topics – thus contributing to the
knowledge of people in those communities.
Promote student research for presentation at regional and national conferences.
From Spring, 2003 through Spring, 2005, the History faculty sponsored a renewal of
Undergraduate Historiographical Research Symposia at which two History majors each
year have read papers and expounded upon historiographical issues and research on the
following topics: 1) The American Revolution; and 2) The Jacksonian Era. The purpose
of these symposia is to prepare students to present their research at regional and
national conferences among their peers. This is one way in which History faculty can
encourage students to engage in Applied Learning, which is part of the overall Strategic
Plan at MWSC. In Spring, 2005 two more students majoring in History presented papers
at this symposium. However, one of the students, who was minoring in Geography,
delivered a presentation in that academic discipline rather than in History. No
symposium occurred in Spring, 2006, because only one paper measured up to department
standards for such a presentation. In Spring, 2007 two History majors were asked to
present their papers to a rejuvenated symposium. But other coursework and family
issues caused each of the invited students to decline the invitation to present their work.
There is a good chance, however, that the UHRS will be renewed in 2008.
11. Establish or refine assessment procedures to evaluate goal attainment.
Goal:
Keep accurate departmental historical records to document developments within the
discipline of History.
This is currently being done. The department keeps track of all majors, minors, pre-
majors, intended majors, graduates, and, where possible, employment of our graduates.
Furthermore, we keep accurate records of the scores of our students on exit exams,
including ETS scores and PRAXIS scores (for prospective high school instructors).
12. New Goal: Create a Baccalaureate Program in Historic Preservation.
Goal:
Create, design, and prepare this program for implementation.
This idea was conceived during the Spring semester, 2002. Currently, only a handful of
baccalaureate programs in Historic Preservation exist in the United States. The closest
one to MWSU is the program at Southeast Missouri State University. This program
would be particularly appropriate for the St. Joseph area, because of its large number of
historic buildings, as well as surrounding communities such as Weston, Plattsburg, and
Kansas City in Missouri and Atchison, Kansas. A committee was formed to investigate
the possibility of creating such a program. Members of this committee included
representatives from the departments of HPG and Art, as well as from the St. Joseph
community. A Foundation grant was secured for the purpose of bringing in a consultant
to advise the committee. The consultant, Dr. Bonnie Stepanoff, from Southeast Missouri
State University, visited Missouri Western in 2002 and in 2003 and met with the
committee, faculty members from several departments whose participation was deemed
necessary, and representatives from the St. Joseph community. Included among the latter
were members of the Chamber of Commerce and the city administration of St. Joseph.
Dr. Stepanoff taught the 2004 and 2005 Intersession courses mentioned above – HIS
296 (Historic Preservation Field School). Because of another commitment, she will be
unable to teach it during the 2006 Intersession. We have been unable to renew this
arrangement for 2007.
Justification
The proposed program would be multidisciplinary in nature, with many possibilities for
spinoff programs, such as archival management, museum studies, and materials
conservation. In addition, this program presents numerous opportunities for student
projects, student research, internships, and similar student-centered activities. A program
such as this would likewise promote a symbiotic relationship between the local
community and MWSU to serve a cause mutually beneficial to both communities. While
there is a great deal of interest in historic preservation in the St. Joseph community, this
interest is primarily located in several disconnected preservation societies. A program
such as this could theoretically serve as the organizing principle for uniting these groups
behind a single banner – an academic program whose impact would directly benefit the
local community. This program would also fit well with the Strategic Plan at MWSU,
which emphasizes concepts of Applied Learning.
Action Time Line, Goals Attainment, and Resource Needs
All of the specific actions outlined in the original report under this heading have been
accomplished.
PHILOSOPHY/HUMANITIES
Faculty
1. Form a new department with history and geography faculty (related to LAS Goal 1).
(1) By the Fall 2000 term, work out details of departmental practices to allow effective
new administrative unit.
The new department (History, Philosophy, and Geography) has been in existence since
Fall, 2000. A proposal to offer a Philosophy major, developed collaboratively by PHL
faculty and approved by the Faculty Senate Curriculum Committee during AY 2006-
2007, is currently under review at the state level. PHL/HUM issues are typically raised
and resolved through regular discipline “staff meetings” with the HPG department chair.
Curriculum
1. Review HUM 203 (Humanities: Ancient and Medieval) and HUM 205 (Humanities:
Renaissance to Twentieth Century) after departmental realignment (related to LAS Goal
3).
A third HUM general education course, HUM 204 (Humanities: Middle Ages to the
French Revolution), was added to the sequence beginning in Fall, 2003. As part of this
change, HUM 205 was also renamed “Humanities: American Revolution to the
Present.” Discussion sporadically continues among HPG department faculty and
between HUM faculty and those in other MWSU departments concerning how best to
communicate the “core” nature of these courses for traditional liberal arts education,
including how they both complement and supplement the parallel HIS general education
sequence: HIS 100 (Ancient and Medieval Civilization); HIS 110 (Early Modern
Civilization); and HIS 130 (Modern Europe: 1789 to the Present). Recent initiatives to
develop a relationship with the Association for Core Texts and Courses to further this
discussion – both intradepartmentally and campus wide – have, however, stalled.
2. Establish/institutionalize a sequence of ethics and public policy courses and an ethics
and public policy lecture/event series (related to LAS Goal 6).
PHL faculty now offer a minimum of 9 sections of PHL 230 (Ethics) every year – 4 per
semester plus at least 1 section every summer. PHL 312 (Contemporary Political
Philosophy), PHL 325 (Ethics of Environmental and Natural Resources Policy), and
PHL 330 (Topics in Ethical Theory) are now also regularly offered on an “every other
year” schedule. But we are working to increase the demand for these courses in the hope
that they can all eventually be offered every year. Discussion concerning the
development of additional “applied ethics” courses, e.g. 300-level courses in business
ethics and/or biomedical ethics, as well as courses concerned with issues of global justice
and/or human rights, continues.
The PHL/HUM goal of developing a public policy lecture/event series currently focuses
on establishing the Galileo’s Legacy Conference as an annual campus “signature” event.
During AY 2005-2006, these efforts focused mainly on working with the Biology faculty
to promote the Galileo’s Legacy conference series. That first installment of the
conference was successful in addressing issues at the intersection of science and the
humanities. Following on its heels, the second installment is set to occur from April 16-
18, 2007. This year’s conference will address the issue of Global Warming and will
feature campus visits by Dr. Claire Parkinson (NASA Goddard Space Flight Center), Dr.
Willie Soon (Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics), and Dr. John Nolt
(University of Tennessee). HIS and GEO faculty have joined PHL/HUM faculty in
making this an HPG departmental project, with long-term plants to co-sponsor this event
annually with the Department of Biology.
PHL/HUM faculty are also co-sponsoring (with Communication Studies/Theatre) an
April 2007 lecture by Dr. Zhenhua Yu, professor of Philosophy at East China Normal
University in Shanghai, China, and currently a visiting professor at Harvard University.
His lecture is titled, “Thick and Thin Epistemology: Some Ideas from Traditional
Chinese Philosophy and Comparisons with Western Philosophers.”
PHL 312 Contemporary Political Philosophy (cross-listed as GOV 312) was added to the
PHL offerings several years ago (and GOV 310 was cross-listed as PHL 310).
PHL 230 Ethics courses are now being offered with sub-designations, e.g., Business
Ethics, Biomedical Ethics, Globalization and Moral Obligation, and Contemporary
Moral Problems. We have initiated discussions with other departments, e.g., Nursing
and Biology, to offer PHL 360 Special Topics courses in areas of “applied ethics”
specifically selected to serve their respective majors.
Dr. Okapal has developed and implemented a plan with Biology department faculty to
include an ethics component in their courses, such as BIO 105. This involves doing a
visiting lecture focusing on ethical theory in Biology, developing ethical case study
assignments, and using surveys to track student ethical attitudes and the ability of
students to identify ethical theories and arguments. The exposure to ethics and our
faculty in Biology classes will hopefully generate additional interest and greater
enrollment in non-General Education classes
.
Demand for PHL 325 Ethics of Environmental and Natural Resources Policy remains
steady. But we anticipate increased interest in this course in the future and hope that we
will eventually be able to justify offering it every year rather than every other year.
3. Build enrollments in non-general education courses; review all course syllabi to promote
complementary courses (related to LAS Goal 4).
PHL/HUM faculty are currently developing a two-year plan of course offerings, i.e., a
plan identifying all courses to be offered during the period from Fall, 2007 through
Spring, 2009. Such a plan should aid in recruitment by allowing us to inform students
with specific interests when courses relevant to those interests may be offered. This plan
should also prove beneficial in our on-going efforts to develop cross-campus
relationships with faculty in other departments whose students might benefit from
Philosophy courses. PHL/HUM faculty look forward to having Dr. Paul Shang, MWSU
Dean of Student Development, regularly teach a section of PHL 210 (Introduction to
Philosophy), beginning with in Fall, 2007. They plan to meet with him at some point to
discuss alternative approaches to teaching this class – discussions which could prove to
be beneficial for us as well.
Dr. Phil Mullins taught an Honors Colloquium on “Religion and Violence” in Fall,
2006. He is scheduled to do so again in Fall, 2007. This course had an enrollment of 11
students in Fall, 2006. It is a non-General Education course. Offering Honors colloquia
is one way to assist us in recruitment of student enrollment in other non-General
Education courses in Humanities.
4. Develop new courses to address major deficiencies in the existing philosophy curriculum
such as twentieth-century metaphysics, epistemology and symbolic logic (related to LAS
Goal 4).
PHL 305 (Topics in Nineteenth and Twentieth Century Philosophy) was added to the
PHL course offerings in Fall, 2003. PHL 220 (Symbolic Logic) was added beginning in
Fall, 2005. Self-standing courses in metaphysics and epistemology were included in the
original PHL major proposal submitted to the LAS dean during Summer, 2006, but were
removed at his request because of his concerns that there would not be sufficient demand
in the initial years of the new major for such courses. We agreed that those courses
could, for now, be offered instead under the PHL 360 (Special Topics) course heading.
Partly as a consequence of PHL faculty involvement in the recently formed
“neurosciences reading/research group,” plans are in the works for offering a PHL 360
course titled, “Special Topics: Philosophy of Mind,” in Spring, 2008.
Program Development
1. Develop a promotional/recruitment plan to attract more students, including new
entering and/or transfer students, into our program (related to LAS Goal 5).
A discussion has been initiated with Danielle Hunt of the Instructional Media Center
about producing a segment on the new Philosophy major. This segment, when produced,
would air on MWSU’s “University News” cablevision program early in Fall, 2007.
Additional promotional/recruitment initiatives should also be undertaken after approval
of the new PHL major is secured. At MWSU, however, the most effective means of
recruiting majors and minors will likely remain superior instruction and personal
contacts with students in General Education courses.
2. Develop a better relationship with philosophy faculty at NWMSU and other area
institutions (related to LAS Goal 7).
Little effort has been made during the past year to develop further our long-standing,
close professional relationships with colleagues at NWMSU and UMKC, partly because
one of our key contact people in the UMKC Department of Philosophy is – to the best of
our knowledge – leaving to take a position at Cornell University.
Dr. Stephen Morris, however, has accepted an invitation from the NWMSU Philosophy
Club to participate during Fall, 2007 in a well-attended forum on the stem cell research
debate held on that campus.
Furthermore, plans are underway to send out fliers promoting the second annual
installment of the Galileo’s Legacy Conference Series to faculty teaching Philosophy,
Religious Studies, or Theology to most public and private universities and colleges in the
region.
3. Sponsor a regular philosophy seminar/colloquium series (related to LAS Goal 4).
See Curriculum 2.
4. New goal (2004): Explore the possibilities for adding PHL 219 Logic to the General
Studies mathematics requirement options (Category I, line 1).
Initiatives to add PHL 220 (Symbolic Logic) to the list of Category I, line 1, courses
during the last cycle of Faculty Senate General Studies Committee meetings failed.
Discussion to find a place for PHL 219 (Logic) in the General Education requirements,
e.g., as an alternative to PHL 210 (Introduction to Philosophy), PHL 230 (Ethics),
HUM 250 (Comparative Religions), ENG 210 (Approaches to Literature), and ENG 220
(Introduction to Reading Texts) on Category IV, line 2, could perhaps be initiated in the
coming year as a contribution to the new strategic plan focus on critical thinking.
GEOGRAPHY
Goals:
1. Develop divisional and departmental organizational plans on a five-year basis.
This goal has been achieved.
2. Support and promote high quality general education
Continue to update and improve GEO 100 World Geography
Continue to incorporate active learning strategies and computer technologies
when feasible and where such interventions will truly improve the presentation
and learning experience
Changes are made when they will truly improve the quality of courses. Students can now
access additional materials and information on the GEO professor’s web site and on
WebCT. This greatly streamlines the process and saves on paper.
Students also have the opportunity to participate in Supplemental Instruction (SI) with
GEO 100, and it has proven beneficial to participants.
3. Strengthen the connection between LAS education and the world of work.
Identify potential geography minors early and advise them of the many practical
applications of geography
Continue with faculty research into areas of expertise that are related to classroom
presentations and that can be beneficial to students and their careers
Promote GEO 250 Introduction to Geographic Information Systems, because of
its immediate value in the workplace
Potential minors are identified and contacted. They meet with the GEO professor and
discuss the geography minor and potential avenues of employment. Letters are sent to
first-time students who indicate an interest in geography, or a subfield of geography, to
encourage them to consider the GEO minor.
Faculty research continues in the areas of agricultural geography, alternative energy,
and migration, three topics easily integrated into GEO 100. The GEO professor’s
current research is on fuel ethanol derived from corn. This research is important
because of the potential beneficial impact of renewable energy sources like ethanol.
GEO 250 is now being taught on a regular basis and should prove to be an important
course for students in many disciplines. The GEO professor is a founding member of the
GIS-GPS users’ group formed on campus in the spring of 2002.
4. Curriculum
Promote GEO 396 (Sustainable Development and Energy)
GEO 396 is being taught for the first time in Spring, 2007. The goal is to make it a
permanent course in the Geography minor. Energy and development have become
critically important topics in the 21st century. They will undoubtedly remain significant
topics.
5. Increase the number of students graduating with an LAS major by 25% by AY
2003/2004.
This goal is not applicable to Geography, since Geography has no major.
6. Continuously refine the quality of divisional and departmental promotional materials.
Promote, and assist with, the development of a departmental flier
Continue to update the flier for geography
Continue to seek out and display materials on careers in geography
Restructure the web page for geography and for the department so they are more
informative and user friendly
The geography flier (brochure) has been updated, standardized, and made available in a
rack near the Geography bulletin board in Popplewell Hall (formerly known as the
Administration Building). Material, including maps, career information, and articles
about geography in the news, is posted on the geography bulletin board. Geography at
MWSU is integrated with the Department of History, Philosophy, and Geography and is
discussed on the department web page. The GEO professor’s web page incorporates
information valuable to potential and current students and is maintained by the
professor.
New brochures have been produced with Foundation money. We ordered 500 of these
brochures. When we run out of them, however, our department faculty has already voted
not to order any more because they are too expensive and our departmental budget is
still too low to justify this expenditure.
7. Enhance the LAS Areas of Focus in our curriculum.
• Serve on committees that monitor the level of rigor in all LAS Focus
courses
• Continue to upgrade and update the present geography Focus courses,
GEO 210 Geography of the United States and Canada and GEO 320
Geography of Europe
The GEO professor currently serves as Chair of the Computer Literacy committee and is
a member of the International/Intercultural LAS specialty area committee. The
Computer Literacy course (GEO 210) and the International/Intercultural course (GEO
320) meet/or exceed all requirements for inclusion in these LAS specialty areas.
8. Expand international, intercultural, and interdisciplinary educational opportunities.
• Reassert the inherent advantages of all geography courses in these areas.
• Work with other departments (e.g., Education, Biology, Government,
Sociology and Social Work, Criminal Justice) to increase the number of
GEO minors.
The GEO professor is currently working with the academic disciplines of English,
Physical Education, and Music in the Outdoor Semester Program. This program is
arguably the best example of applied learning on campus. The program provides an
excellent avenue for students to learn geography in the classroom and then see the reality
behind the theory by traveling and studying in the field. It is trans-disciplinary, allowing
the student to view the big picture while guided by a central organizing theme (e.g.,
Lewis and Clark Bicentennial; and American Indian culture and cultural sites). While
the GEO professor is in the field with Outdoor Semester students, other geography
classes are covered by a competent instructor (M.S. in Geography) for 5-6 class periods.
Outdoor Semester presents a unique opportunity for MWSU students and serves as an
experience in which other colleges and universities are becoming very interested. In
addition, the GEO professor serves as the faculty sponsor for the Outdoor Adventure
Club.
9. Expand off-campus learning programs.
Other than the aforementioned Outdoor Semester Program, no action has been taken in
this area.
10. Monitor the quality of non-residence programs.
Geography has no non-residence programs.
11. Increase student and faculty participation in the cultural, public and private service,
and business endeavors of the community.
• Encourage students to volunteer at the local recycling center
Student participation in recycling and conservation activities is highly recommended.
Conservation and energy efficiency are discussed and incorporated into all geography
courses.
The GEO professor continues as consultant to the Newman Club and to MWSU Young
Republicans. The GEO professor is a strong supporter of the Arts in St. Joseph.
________________________________________________________________________
Scholarly Articles
MacGregor, Jimm. “The First Crusade in Late Medieval Exempla,” The Historian.
68 (2006), 29-48.
Morris, Stephen. “Canada‟s Assisted Human Reproduction Act: A Chimera of
Religion and Politics,” The American Journal of Bioethics. 7:2 (2007),
69-70.
Morris, Stephen (co-authored with Eddy Hanmias, Thomas Nadelhoffer, and Jason
Turner). “Is Incompatibilism Intuitive?” Philosophy and Phenomenological
Research. 73:1 (2006), 28-53.
Morris, Stephen. “Neuroscience and the Free Will Conundrum,” The American
Journal of Bioethics. (forthcoming)
Mullins, Phil. “Harry Prosch, 1917-2005,” Tradition and Discovery: The Polanyi
Society Periodical. 32:2 (February, 2006), 6-7.
Mullins, Phil. “Michael Polanyi, Scientist and Philosopher: The Making of the
Biography,” Tradition and Discovery: The Polanyi Society Periodical.
32:3 (July, 2006), 8-11.
Mullins, Phil (co-authored with Struan Jacobs). “T.S. Eliot‟s Idea of the Clerisy, and
Its Discussion by Karl Mannheim and Michael Polanyi in the Context of J. H.
Oldham‟s Moot,” Journal of Classical Sociology. 6:2 (2006), 147-156.
Mullins, Phil (co-authored with Marty Moleski, S.J.). “Harry Prosch: A Memorial
Re-Appraisal of the Meaning Controversy,” Tradition and Discovery: The
Polanyi Periodical. 32:2 (February, 2006), 8-24.
Mullins, Phil (co-authored with Phil Rolnick). “Michael Polanyi (1891-1976),”
forthcoming in The Science and Religion Primer (Baker Academic Books).
Mullins, Phil (issue guest edited by Zhenhua Yu). “Comprehension and the
„Comprehensive Entity‟: Polanyi‟s Theory of Tacit Knowing and Its
Metaphysical Implications,” in Chinese, New Philosophy. No. 2 (2006).
Paper Presentations at Scholarly Conferences
Dagel, Kenneth. “Renewable Energy and Ethanol Production Scenarios,” at the Joint
Annual Meeting of the Great Plains-Rocky Mountain Division and the West
Lakes Division of the Association of American Geographers, in Lincoln,
Nebraska. (October 5-7, 2006)
Dagel, Kenneth. “Developing a Sense of Place: The Importance of the Spatial
Perspective in Landscape Appreciation,” at the MWSU Applied Learning
Conference, in St. Joseph, Missouri. (February 24, 2007)
Greiert, Steven. “Disregarded but Vindicated: The Earl of Halifax: A Solitary Voice of
Warning against the Braddock Expedition of 1755,” at the 50th Annual Missouri
Valley History Conference, in Omaha, Nebraska. (March 1, 2007)
MacGregor, Jimm. “Secularizing Saint George: Transforming a Saint into a National
Symbol,” at the 120th Annual Meeting of the American Historical Association, in
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (January, 2006)
Mikkelsen, Mark. “The Problem of Race: Beginning with Kant,” at the 12th Annual
Meeting of the Association for Core Texts and Courses, in Chicago, Illinois.
(April 14, 2006)
Morris, Stephen. “The Fundamentalist Attack on Science: A Problem That Won‟t
Just Disappear,” at the 20th Biennial Meeting of the Philosophy of Science
Association, in Vancouver, British Columbia. (November, 2006)
Morris, Stephen. “Neuroscience, Folk Psychology, and Moral Responsibility,” at
the Annual Popular Culture Association/American Culture Association, in
Boston, Massachusetts. (April, 2007)
Okapal, James. “Comparative Choice without Comprehensive Factors,” at the American
Philosophical Association, Central Division, in Chicago, Illinois. (April 20,
2007)
Okapal, James. “Ethical Case Studies,” at Ethics in Action: Sigma Theta Tau
International Nursing Honor Society 8th Annual Healthcare Seminar, in
St. Joseph, Missouri. (2006)
Okapal, James. “Ethics in an Introductory Biology Class,” at Association for Practical
and Professional Ethics, in Cincinnati, Ohio. (2007)
Okapal, James. “Respite Palliative Sedation for Refractory Symptoms at the
End-of-Life,” at Center for Applied and Professional Ethics, in Knoxville,
Tennessee. (July 20, 2006)
Okapal, James. “Rich and Poor: A Panel Discussion on the Ethics of Income Disparity,”
at Philosophy Club, in Maryville, Missouri. (2006)
Okapal, James. “A Sophisticated Orthodox Approach to Choice,” at Philosophy Club,
in Kansas City, Missouri. (2006)
Year-by-Year Comparison of Faculty, Majors, and Graduates
Calendar Year
2003 2004 2005 2006
Full-time Faculty FTE 7 8 8.50 8.50
Part-time Faculty FTE 10.75 5.67 3 2.50
Number of Majors 50 49.5 42 63
Number of Pre-Majors 37 [18.5]* 23 24 21.5
Number of BIS Majors 9 ? 1 1
Number of Intended Majors 103 [51.5]* 36.5 36 27.5
Number of Graduates 20 [28]* 13 22 18
*The figures were determined incorrectly in 2002 and 2003. They were corrected beginning in
2004.
______________________________________________________________________________
Year-by-Year Comparison of Applied Learning Activities
Calendar Year
2003 2004 2005 2006
Number of Independent 5 5 5 1
Research/Projects
Number of Practicum/Internships 2 0 0 0
Number of Performances/ 0 [2]* 2 0 0
Exhibitions
*This figure was incorrectly determined in 2003. It was corrected beginning in 2004.
______________________________________________________________________________
Year-by-Year Comparison of Community Service Activities
Calendar Year
2003 2004 2005 2006
Number of Faculty Who 7 7* 9* 9*
Gave Volunteer Service
All nine faculty contributed voluntary service to local, regional, and national
organizations. These include voluntary services to: Local Churches; Heartland Regional
Medical Center; Second Harvest Food Bank; Buchanan County; Various organs of the
City of St. Joseph; Missouri Humanities Council; The Polanyi Society; the Association of
American Geographers; the Missouri Commission on Geographic Names; the Pony
Express Museum; the Border Wars Roundtable of St. Joseph; the Daughters of the
American Revolution; the Friends of the St. Joseph Public Library; and the St. Joseph
International Guitar Festival.
Average Number of Faculty 19 15* 83* 88*
Volunteer Hours per Month
Number of Community Groups 11 13* 11* 16*
Faculty Served
Number of Hours of Student 50 to 70 50 to 70* 50 to 70* 50 to 70*
Community Volunteer Work
Facilitated by the Department
Number of Community Service 0 2* 2* 1*
Projects Involving Students and
Facilitated by the Department
In fall 2003, the department facilitated two students to work on archival projects at
Glore Psychiatric Museum. These carried over into 2004.
*These figures are private matters. Reporting these figures raises significant ethical
questions. What a person does in voluntary service is the business of that person – not
the business of his employer.