Program Review-Agriculture & Natural Resources Management

AP Full Official:Associate of Science in Agriculture and Natural Resource Management

Campus: National Campus

Completed by: Kiyoshi Phillip, Mark Kostka

AP Review Submission Date: March 28th, 2014

AR Review Cycle: Fall 2012 – Spring 2014

1. Program Mission

   This program prepares individuals for careers in agriculture or for further under-graduate study. The curriculum is structured to offer a well-rounded education in basic and applied sciences of agriculture. The program blends comprehensive classroom instruction with practical experience. The aim of the program is to graduate skilled agriculturists who can further develop and promote agriculture across the nation. The program learning outcomes for the Agriculture and Natural Resources Management program are as follows;

2. Program Goals

   Its primary purpose is to provide students with marketable entry-level skills in the telecommunication industry or any related field/career. It is designed to qualify students to take external licensure, vendor-based, or skill standards examinations in the field. If standardized external exams are not available in the field of study, the program prepares students at skill levels expected of employees in an occupation found in the local economy.

   • Acquire fundamental concepts and principles of land resources focusing towards development and production in a sustainable manner appropriate to Micronesia.
   • Demonstrate basic competencies in the management of land resources and food production.
   • Acquire basic skills, knowledge and attitude to manage a sustainable food production enterprise or qualify for entry-level employment in a land resource management related agency.
   • Acquire a sound scientific background that will allow transfer to a higher degree program related to land resources and food systems.

3. Program History

   This program was created by an act of the Congress of Micronesia, to fulfill the long cherished goal of creating education that was suited to the needs of the island economy. In 1981 Community College of Micronesia was given a Land Grant Intuitions status by the United States Congress through the United States Department of Agriculture as part of the compact of free association between the United states and the three Micronesian entities. This fund created College of Micronesia, which included FSM, RMI, and ROP. Programs that were established include the Cooperative Extension Service (CES), Agriculture Experiment Station, (AES), and a residential agriculture instruction program (RI).The Agriculture A.S. Degree Program was established in early 1990’s and had its first graduates in 1993. Even though this program was very slow growing in its development. The FSM and the United States off American continues to support the program because they believe that agriculture is an important component of the FSM’s economic growth. Over many years the US continues to provide support to the program by providing funds to pay faculty salaries, providing support for scholarship through Agriculture development in the Asia Pacific (ADAP). Just recently the ADAP program ended and new programs did develop; one of the most recent programs that support the agriculture program was the CARIPAC program that is under our CRE program today. Today student enrollment and transfers have increased and more and more students are graduating from this program each year. Today we have two full time Faculty at the college whom are products of this program.

4. Program Descriptions

   The program offers the two year Associate of Science degree in General Agriculture. The program blends comprehensive classroom instructions with practical learning experiences through the use of the two acres College Instructional Farm that has a greenhouse, a two piggery operation, and the portable poultry rearing quarters. Students can experience practical learning in various enterprises such as: Crop production, Animal production. ANR program requirement includes a course in directed field study AG 299 which enables students to do actual day to day work with Agriculture agencies in Pohnpei and other FSM states to gain on the job work experience. ANR students also get experience through overseas summer trainings; students field schools in Saipan, GUAM and the Virgin Islands in Central America. These field schools are funded by CARIPAC funds, a program under USDA National In-studied of Food and Agriculture. The agriculture courses taught at the college are used as electives by most of the programs at the college as science with lab courses. The ANR program also contributes to the state economy by providing technical support and other resources to our partner agencies throughout the states. Some of the key examples of programs include; Distribution of breeding stock to farmers; Providing farmers with compost for vegetable production; Providing fruits and vegetables to the COM-FSM dining hall; The farm is also used as a demonstration farm to all the people of the FSM. From elementary school students to our leadership of the FSM.

5. Program Admission Requirements

   As per college policy for admission to Associate of Science programs.

6. Program Certificate/Degree Requirements

   General Education Requirements................................................29credits
   English (9 credits)
   EN 110 Advanced Reading, En 120a expository writing I (3); En 120b expository Writing II (3)
   
   Mathematics (3 credits)
   Any 100 level or Above mathematics courses (3)
   Natural Sciences (7 credits)
   A science course with laboratory or AG 101, AG 110, or AG140 (4); A non-lab science (3)
   
   Social Science (3 credits)
   SS 150 History of Micronesia
   
   Computer Applications (3 credits)
   CA 100 Computer Literacy
   
   Exercise Sports Science (1 Credit)
   Exercise Sports Science course
   
   Humanities (3 credits)
   Any course in art, Music, history, literature, philosophy, or language (3)
   
   Major Requirements........................................(36-37) Agriculture (20 credits)
   AG 101 Introduction to Agriculture (4); AG 110 Crop Production (4); AG 140 Principles of Animal Science (4); AG 290 Agricultural Project Management (4); AG 299 Directed Field Experience (4)
   
   Natural Sciences (11 credits)
   SC 230 Introduction to Chemistry (4); SC 250 General Botany with Lab (4); SC/SS 115 Ethno botany (3)
   
   Math (3 credits)
   MS 150 Statistics (3)
   
   Degree Electives (3-4 credits)
   BU 101 Introduction to Business or EC 220 Microeconomics (3); MM 225 Multimedia Design; AG 280 Food processing (3); AG 291 selected topics in Land resources and Food systems (1-2); MR 120 Marine Science; MR 201 Aquaculture (4): IS 270 Geographic Information System*
   
   *Pre-requisite is 201
   
   GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS........................................65-66 credits
   
   

   Agriculture and Natural Resource Management Suggested Schedule

   First Semester
   MS 100 College Algebra......................3
   SC 120 Biology..........................4
   EN 120A expos. Writing I.......................3
   AG 101 Introduction to Agriculture.................4
   CA 100 Computer Literacy........................3
   Total Credits................................17

   Second Semester
   EN 110 Adv. Reading...................3
   AG 110 Crop Production...................4
   SC 250 General Botany....................4
   EN 120b Expos. Writing II...................3
   Exercise Sports Science...................1
   Total Credits............................14

   Summer Session SS 150 History of Micronesia..................3
   Elective.................3
   Total Credits.........................6

   Third Semester
   Ag 140 Principals of Animal Science.......................4
   SC 230 Introduction to Chemistry.......................4
   MS 150 Statistics........................4
   SC non Lab.......................3
   Total Credits.....................15

   Fourth Semester
   Ag 290 Ag. Project Management.......................4
   Humanities.......................3
   Ag 299 Ag. Field studies.......................4
   SC/SS 115 Ethnobotany........................3
   Total Credits........................14

7. Program Courses and Enrollment

   Spring 2014

   Course	Enrollment
   AG 101/1	28 Students
   AG 101/2	27
   AG 110	10
   AG 140	11
   AG 290	11
   AG 299	5

8. Program Faculty

   1. Kiyoshi Phillip, MS Agriculture Studies
      School of Land and Food System, University of Queensland, Australia
   2. Mark Kostka, BS in Tropical Horticulture, and Certificate in Plant Tissue culture University of Hawaii at Hilo, Hawaii

9. Program Indicators

   Assessment of course student learning outcomes of program courses	https://comfsm.tracdat.com/tracdat/faces/common/reports/viewReport.jsp
   Assessment of program student learning outcomes	https://comfsm.tracdat.com/tracdat/faces/common/reports/viewReport.jsp
   Program enrollment (historical enrollment patterns, student credits by major)	Major Degree Term Chuuk Kosrae National Pohnpei Yap Student ANRM AS Fall 2011     9 7 1 17 ANRM AS Fall 2012   1 23 21 2 47 ANRM AS Fall 2013   3 33 8 3 47 ANRM AS Spring 2012     13 15 2 30 ANRM AS Spring 2013   1 26 8 4 39 Agriculture AS Fall 2011     19 12 2 33 Agriculture AS Fall 2012   1 16     7 Agriculture AS Fall 2013     4     4 Agriculture AS Spring 2011     17 10 1 28 Agriculture AS Spring 2012     13 3   16 Agriculture AS Spring 2013     8     8 The program enrollment data indicates that the total number of students enrolling into the ANR program is increasing every year throughout the states that have this program.
   Average class size	Program Term Section Enroll Max Enrollment EnrollRatio AvgClassSize Agriculture and Natural Resources (AS) Fall 2011 7 137 126 93.3% 18.0 Agriculture and Natural Resources (AS) Fall 2012 13 257 225 87.5% 17.3 Agriculture and Natural Resources (AS) Fall 2013 10 280 233 83.2% 23.3 Agriculture and Natural Resources (AS) Spring 2011 5 128 98 76.6% 19.6 Agriculture and Natural Resources (AS) Spring 2012 6 178 164 92.1% 27.3 Agriculture and Natural Resources (AS) Spring 2013 10 265 242 91.3% 24.2 This table shows that there has been an increase in enrollment since 2011 and our enrollment ratio is high. The trend also shows an increase in average class size since 2011. In 2012 the program exceeded the average class size but than going back to the original class size which is 25 students per class. The enrollment ration is fairly even thou all our classes are taught every semester.
   Course completion rate	Course Completion & Withdrawals (Major) Major Degree Term Students ABCorP% ABCDorP% W% Ag. & Nat. Res. Management AS Fall 2012 184 57.1% 69.6% 9.8% Ag. & Nat. Res. Management AS Fall 2013 75 65.3% 73.3% 4.0% Ag. & Nat. Res. Management AS Fall 2013 185 70.3% 77.8% 10.3% Ag. & Nat. Res. Management AS Spring 2012 121 51.2% 65.3% 16.5% Ag. & Nat. Res. Management AS Spring 2013 144 58.3% 72.9% 8.3% Agriculture AS Fall 2012 28 85.7% 100.0% 0.0% Agriculture AS Fall 2013 134 44.8% 56.7% 11.9% Agriculture AS Fall 2013 17 70.6% 82.4% 5.9% Agriculture AS Spring 2011 103 45.6% 62.1% 9.7% Agriculture AS Spring 2012 65 56.9% 69.2% 21.5% Agriculture AS Spring 2013 30 63.3% 80.0% 16.7% The withdrawal rate are high due to the fact that most of our majors entering into our program are students whom were under prepare in their Math, English and science before entering into our program. Course Completion & Withdrawals (Major) Program Term Students ABCorP% ABCDorP% W% Agriculture and Natural Resources (AS) Fall 2011 126 77.8% 94.4% 0.0% Agriculture and Natural Resources (AS) Fall 2012 233 83.7% 89.3% 3.4% Agriculture and Natural Resources (AS) Fall 2013 233 87.1% 93.1% 0.0% Agriculture and Natural Resources (AS) Spring 2011 102 77.5% 87.3% 3.9% Agriculture and Natural Resources (AS) Spring 2012 172 84.9% 93.6% 4.7% Agriculture and Natural Resources (AS) Spring 2013 260 73.1% 83.8% 6.9% The withdrawal rates are lower in the program because most of our courses are 100 level courses and most of the students that are taking these courses are either 2nd year students, 3rd year students, or 4th year students. Especially the AG 101 class which deals only with basic science. This is the introductory course so any student with good science background will complete this course with ease.
   Student persistence rate (semester to semester)	Major Degree New FT Students 2011_3 Students 2012_1 Students 2012_3 Persistence Spring 2012 Retention Fall 2012 Ag. & Nat. Res. Management AS 9 9 4 100.0% 44.4 Agriculture AS 8     0.0% 0.0% Major Degree New FT Fall 2012 Persisted Spring 2013 Retained Fall 2013 Persistence Spring 2013 Retention Fall 2013 Ag. & Nat. Res. Management AS 12 10 5 83.3% 41.7% Agriculture AS 1     0.0% 0.0%
   Student retention rate (Fall-to-Fall for two-year programs; Fall-to-Spring for one-year programs)	Fall 2012: 44.4% Fall 2013:41.7%
   Success rates on licensing or certification exams (CTE, TP, Nursing, etc)	N/A
   Graduation rate based on yearly number	Major Degree Cohort New Full Students Graduation Rate 100% Graduation Rate 150% Graduation Rate 200% Agriculture AS Fall 2008FT 2 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% Agriculture AS Fall 2009FT 3 0.0% 33.3% 66.7% Agriculture AS Fall 2010FT 5 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% Major Degree AY2010/11 AY2010/12 AY2010/13 Ag.& Nat.Res Management AS   2 3 Agriculture AS 3 3 2
   Student Seat Cost	N/A/ Waiting for IRPO
   Cost of duplicate or redundant courses, programs or services	N/A
   Students' satisfaction rate	N/A Waiting for IRPO
   Alumni data	N/A waiting for IRPO
   Employment data and employer feedback (employer survey)	N/A waiting for IRPO
   Program added or cancelled at nearby regional institutions (PCC, GCC, Hawaii schools, UOG, CMI, NMC)	N/A
   Transfer rate	N/A waiting for IRPO

10. Analysis

    Findings:

    1. Courses at both degree level and certificate level are not aligned.
    2. Enrollment was effected at degree level due to the fact that certificate programs are not a feeder program
    3. Some major requirement courses are not offered ever since the program started but still listed as major requirement.
    4. Current major requirement courses don't equipped students with the needed competencies.
    5. General Botany course is a graduation requirement for agriculture students but hasn’t been taught for a long time.
    6. CSLO's are mixed up. CSLO for Ag101 is under ag110.

    Recommendations:

    1. Courses at Certificate level need to be modified and align with the degree program.
    2. Need to review and fix course outline for Ag 101 and ag110 (Mark kostka will do it)
    3. Linkage between high schools and the College is highly recommended so it can improve enrollment rate. (Work with high schools to help with their curriculum (Mark and Kiyoshi to work with department of education Pohnpei state and other public high school to bridge the Cap.
    4. Remove or delete General Botany and Etno-botany, and add AG 280 (Food Processing) to major required courses.
    5. Under program requirement, chemistry and statistic must be added.
    6. Remove General Botany or find someone who can teach this course. This is Math and science course. SC 250.