Strategic plan
DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS AND APPLIED OPTICS
1999-2000
Mission: To provide a coherent foundation of physics for all majors and a strong
foundation of physics and optics for our majors so that all students can
acquire education appropriate to their majors.
Vision: To cultivate a sense of responsibility, independence, and instill knowledge
that allows the students to be fully engaged in all disciplines, improve
continuously the curriculum, and be engaged in professional
development.
Guiding Principles:
We will exhibit integrity, collegiality, and dignity in our conduct.
We will instill a spirit of pride, cooperation, and accountability.
We will strive to be the best, provide campus support for student, faculty, and staff, and
be a model faculty, staff, and department for Rose-Hulman.
PHAO KEY STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS
These five key directions are patterned on the RHIT goals and objective.
1. Recruit highly qualified faculty/students, and placement of students.
2. Provide excellent learning environment by constantly improving curriculum and
educational resources.
3. Foster faculty and staff professional development.
4. Assess graduates’ learning and professional skills.
5. Manage resource and develop infrastructure.
1
PHAO Key Strategic Direction 1:
Recruit highly qualified faculty, students and placement of students.
PHAO 1.1 - Strategic plan for hiring and retention
Task 1. Recruit faculty who is committed to excellence in teaching.
Task 2. Recruit faculty who are and want to be active in their professional field.
Task 3. Provide suitable mentoring of new faculty members.
PHAO 1.2 - Enrollment in Physics and Applied Optics department
Task 1. Develop and implement methods to increase the number of majors by
redefining the focus of the program.
Task 2. Continue to develop interdisciplinary courses.
Task 3. Develop methods to increase the number of students in the upper division
courses.
Task 4. Develop appropriate course sequence to motivate students to enroll in
interdepartmental courses that lead to a minor or certificate.
PHAO 1.3 - Student improvement and involvement
Task 1. Increase the sense of interest and ownership among Physics and Applied
Optics majors and minors as well as increase the awareness and interest in
Physics and Applied Optics.
Task 2. Increase the activity of SCOPE (Physics and Applied Optics Student Club)
to focus on demonstration and activities in the campus and for local high
schools.
Task 3. Promote student and faculty research.
Task 4. Increase student presentation in national and international conferences.
Task 5. Create physics and Applied Optics quiz contest to increase awareness.
Task 6. Increase the activity of students to projects with high schools.
PHAO 1.4 - Job and Graduate school Placement
Task 1. Develop a network of potential employers for Physics and Applied Optics
Majors.
Task 2. Improve the preparedness of students majoring in physics or in applied
optics to excel in graduate school or in their professional position.
Task 3. Improve placement both in industry and graduate school.
PHAO 1.5 - Physics placement and diagnostic tools
Task 1. Review the physics placement methods.
Task 2. Coordinate with Catapult and Fast track.
2
PHAO 1.6 - MS in Applied Optics
Task 1. To make the MS program in applied optics a nationally recognized program
viewed as a first choice program for a terminal degree in applied optics.
Task 2. Generate national and international attention to the program.
Task 3. Review the number of GA given to PHAO.
Task 4. Develop methods to increase the GA given to the graduate program.
Task 5. Recruit promising undergraduates into the program.
Task 6. Reinforce the 5-year MS/BS program.
PHAO Key Strategic Direction 2:
Provide excellent learning environment by constantly improving curriculum and
educational resources.
PHAO 2.1 - Curriculum issues and development
Task 1. Provide a relevant and coherent foundation in physics for all majors.
Task 2. Evaluate the influence of the freshman and sophomore curriculum on PHAO
program.
Task 3. Evaluate how physics sequence may be coordinated with the math sequence.
Task 4. Review pre-requisites for Freshman/Sophomore students can take physics
electives.
Task 5. To develop outreach programs in physics, applied optics, interdisciplinary
topics, and science teaching for non-traditional students and off-campus
constituencies.
PHAO 2.2 - Physics and Applied Optics program review
Task 1. Assess the changes needed to modify the degree program as needed in the
work place.
Task 2. Continue to support and develop the effectiveness of teaching strategy and
project based courses so that they meet the global needs of the students.
Task 3. Design and implement other certificate programs with interdepartmental
needs.
Task 4. Make the documentation of applied optics syllabi available in the PHAO
home page.
Task 5. Establish on-line feedback from the graduates.
Task 6. Develop the documentation for the physics syllabi.
Task 7. Document examples of final exam materials in the home page.
Task 8. Obtain NSF and other grants to develop new laboratories.
3
PHAO 2.3 - Undergraduate research
Task 1. Increase and encourage research of faculty and students.
Task 2. Work closely with TED/TASC to foster faculty and student interaction with
industry.
Task 3. Increase the industrial involvement for the project courses.
Task 4. Work with interested departments (EE, ME, CE for example) to develop a
materials sciences center.
Task 5. Collaborate with the Center for Applied Optics Studies to develop
undergraduate fellowships.
Task 6. Support the material sciences certificate and program by encouraging
students to take it and do summer internship.
Task 7. Generate additional funds for the material science center.
PHAO 2.4 - Graduate research
Task 1. Generate external resources from industry to support GAs.
Task 2. Encourage and promote faculty to participate in the graduate program.
Task 3. Encourage graduate students and faculty to present and publish papers.
Task 4. Promote the interaction of the department and the CAOS to involve AO
graduate students.
Task 5. Generate summer funding for the graduate students.
Task 6. Review the possibility of generating exchange program with other
international schools such as University of LaPlata, Argentina.
PHAO 2.5 - Computer infrastructure
Task 1. Upgrade the computers in the undergraduate laboratories.
Task 2. Increase the number of experiments that interface with computers.
Task 3. Demonstrate the high-end computer interface in physics and optics
experiments.
Task 4. Continue to develop our use of laptop computers in the upper division
courses.
PHAO 2.6 - Campus wide programs
Task 1. Continue to actively participate and develop campus wide programs such as:
Fast-Track, Catapult, on campus visits,
Task 2. Get funding for Research experience for undergraduates
Task 3. Develop a Rose-Hulman science contest
Task 4. Restart the tips project to increase the pipeline for physics and engineering
majors
Task 5. Develop a summer project experience for high school students to motivate
them to study sciences
4
PHAO Key Strategic Direction 3:
Foster faculty and staff professional development
PHAO 3.1 - Education development
Task 1. Encourage and support curriculum innovation and development.
Task 2. Find appropriate ways to increase the time available for professional
development of faculty.
Task 3. Recognize and support the continuing educational and professional
development of faculty members.
Task 4. Establish methods to provide faculty and staff evaluation performance.
Task 5. Mentor and provide appropriate guidance for junior faculty members.
Task 6. Encourage faculty members to write grant proposals that have a global value
for RHIT.
Task 7. Support the sense of community among faculty members.
PHAO 3.2 - Professional development
Task 1. Recognize and continue to support professional scholarly activities of
faculty members.
Task 2. Mentor and support junior faculty member’s professional development.
Task 3. Support faculty to participate in RHIT sponsored projects and activities.
Task 4. Provide appropriate avenues for staff to sharpen their skills.
Task 5. Promote faculty seminars and colloquia.
Task 6. Encourage faculty to write research grants that are appropriate to the
department’s as well as the institute’s goal.
PHAO Key Strategic Direction 4:
Graduates learning and professional skills
PHAO 4.1 - Student in the majors:
Task 1. Provide the student with a global education that is needed in graduate school
and the modern work place.
Task 2. To be able to recognize their role as professionals.
Task 3. To be able to demonstrate the understanding of contemporary scientific
issues and know where to find the answers.
Task 4. Develop the ability to work in teams.
Task 5. Instill excellent communicate effectively.
PHAO 4.2 - Students in other majors
Task 1. Provide a sound understanding of the basic concepts of physics and how it is
related to their majors.
5
Task 2. Recognize the use of math, physics and chemistry in their profession.
Task 3. Support the development to nurture problem solving ability.
Task 4. Develop the student’s ability to communicate in written, graphical and visual
forms.
PHAO 4.3 - Assessment of student outcomes
Task 1. Develop and implement assessment plans for ABET and North Central
accreditation.
Task 2. Discuss the effectiveness of teaching strategy such as Studio Physics,
Physics 1,2, and 3 sequence, Catapult, and other programs related to physics.
Task 3. Develop an assessment plan for undergraduates and graduates in the PHAO
program.
Task 4. Continue to support and evaluate the effectiveness of teaching strategy and
project based courses in PHAO so that they meet the global needs of the
students.
PHAO Key Strategic Direction 5:
Resource management and infrastructure development to support the academic mission
PHAO 5.1- Space allocation
Task 1. Review faculty and staff office spaces.
Task 2. Review the stock room space and maximize its utilization.
Task 3. Continue and develop the Moench hallway for physics and applied optics
display.
PHAO 5.2 - Undergraduate laboratory
Task 1. Continue to improve undergraduate physics and optics laboratories with
appropriate renovations to be the best in the nation.
Task 2. Review office spaces for graduate students.
PHAO 5.3 - Faculty research labs
Task 1. Review and renovate laboratory spaces for faculty especially junior faculty.
Task 2. Work with Associate Dean to explore research lab spaces for faculty.
Task 3. Look for ways to equip the laboratories.
Task 4. Review the space allocation in Moench hall.
PHAO 5.4 - Discussion room
Task 1. To create an area to encourage formal discussions between faculty and
students, speakers and students, and student/student interaction.
6
WORK TO BE ACCOMPLISHED IN 1999-00 ACADEMIC YEAR
1. The task will be to set goals for the Physics and Applied Optics department and
determine the environment of the PHAO program in the next three to five years.
2. Implement an external advisory board.
3. Develop a department strategic plan that meshes with the Academic Affairs Strategic
Plan.
4. Identify any other goals as they fit within the Academic Affairs Strategic Plan.
5. The department will have ongoing assessment activities for North Central and ABET.
OVERALL STRATEGIC PLANNING ACTIVITIES
i) Develop a PHAO strategic plan by December 1, 1999 with the following:
Follow the guidelines from the previously approved goal statements.
Establish timelines and measures of success.
Establish interdepartmental activity.
Establish assessment criteria.
Identify problem areas and solutions.
ii) Establish communication with departmental stakeholders.
iii) Implement an external advisory board.
7