Compliance Certification Report
| 3.4.2 | The institution's continuing education, outreach, and service programs are consistent with the institution's mission. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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[Compliance] |
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The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) is in compliance with Principle 3.4.2 because the mission statement of UAH reads:The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) is an autonomous campus of The University of Alabama System dedicated to excellence in teaching, research, and service. UAH is a key participant in one of the nation's major international centers for advanced technological research and utilizes its position in this environment to provide unique opportunities and creative programs for students, faculty, and the community. UAH is committed to maintaining a diverse academic community of highest quality, and to providing an environment that facilitates intellectual, cultural, personal, and professional growth. UAH fosters leadership, creative and critical thinking, clear communication, a respect for knowledge and the pursuit of truth, and an engagement in the challenge and pleasure of a lifetime of learning. UAH, through its graduates and its programs, contributes to economic advancement, health care, cultural enrichment, and the quality of life of the region, state, and nation. To accomplish its mission, UAH offers an extensive range of continuing education, outreach, and service programs. These activities are conducted within the Division of Continuing Education and by the various colleges and research centers. A list of some of these is located at the UAH website at the Service and Outreach and the Division of Continuing Education portals. Following are several examples of how these activities are consistent with the institution's mission. The Division of Continuing Education The Division of Continuing Education (CE) is committed to meeting the diverse needs of organizations, agencies, and individuals through non-credit and selected credit programs which are timely, relevant, and in accordance with the mission of UAH to "...provide unique opportunities and creative programs for students, faculty, and the community" and to contribute to "...the quality of life of the region, state, and nation." The Division provides access to quality education and training for individuals; partners with businesses and government for workforce development; enhances public awareness of the instructional and research strengths of UAH; promotes lifelong learning fostering continued growth, human fulfillment, and positive social change; and supports economic development throughout North Alabama. This mission is accomplished through four programming units: Professional Development, Health and Physical Education, Educator Programs, and the Academy for Lifetime Learning. Through these units, CE annually offers over 500 courses to approximately 8,000 participants. Professional Development provides innovative, high quality, non-credit training programs meeting the needs of commercial and governmental organizations in the areas of business, management, computers, engineering, foreign language, and technology. The department supports the use of the latest technological developments for delivery of educational programs, and provides resources and services to promote the active exchange of knowledge, specifically in areas supporting the academic and research interests of UAH. Health and Physical Education enhances the student's quality of life through activities that emphasize health, wellness, and fitness. By providing credit and non-credit courses that focus on participation, skill development, and fun, students gain a life-long understanding of, and appreciation for, the components of physical activity and its many benefits. Educator Programs designs, develops, and conducts high quality non-credit and select credit professional development programs to meet the in-service needs of K-12 administrators, teachers, and staff. Partnerships are developed with local schools, government agencies, and the private sector to design unique programs to meet institutional needs and achieve educational objectives. Specific programs may be conducted in local, national, and international settings. The Academy of Lifetime Learning (a member-governed, member-led, nonprofit volunteer group) provides life-long learning courses and enrichment activities designed to fulfill the educational needs of the mature, usually retired, residents of the Tennessee Valley. Academy programs provide members stimulating, educational, and entertaining experiences in subject areas selected by its members and approved by UAH. The College of Administrative Science In the College of Administrative Science, faculty members provide outreach and service programs through three centers, which are listed as units in the research organization. The centers are: The Center for Management and Economic Research (CMER), The Center for the Management of Science and Technology (CMOST), and the Northeast Alabama Regional Small Business Development Center (NEARSBDC). During the last five years, the College's faculty members and staff, through these three centers, have been awarded more than $2 million in contracts and grants. They have assisted businesses, government agencies, and chambers of commerce. NEARSBDC during the last five years has assisted 4,797 small business clients, conducted 328 training classes totaling 15,365 training hours, and assisted clients in receiving over $1.7 billion in government contracts. CMER has assisted NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in implementing a new accounting information system, Sanmina-SCI with software development, and the Huntsville/Madison County Chamber of Commerce with economic studies. CMOST has developed a strategic marketing plan for the US Army Strategic Missile Defense Command's Kawajalein Atoll/Regan Test Site, an economic analysis for the US Army Logistics Support Activity, and a business plan for the Army Aviation Corridor of Excellence. CMOST's outreach is fourfold. First, the center works with business, government, and other nonprofit organizations to help them achieve their strategic goals. Through the conducting of analysis and the development of market and strategic plans CMOST provides outreach to this community. Second, CMOST provides outreach through the dissemination of information via academic and practitioner publications. CMOST researchers are encouraged to publish the findings of their research in appropriate outlets. Third, CMOST provides outreach and dissemination of knowledge through the development of training programs for firms, government and institutions. Finally, CMOST matches employers and students as needed. It has matched students with firms for internships as well as for permanent employment. By providing these outreach/service programs the College of Administrative Science is helping UAH fulfill its mission to be "...a key participant in one of the nation's major international centers for advanced technological research and utilizes its position in this environment to provide unique opportunities and creative programs for students, faculty, and the community" and "...to contribute to the economic advancement ... of the region, state, and nation." The College of Engineering The College of Engineering conducts an Engineering Summer Camp for rising high school juniors and seniors. This week long camp provides the participants with the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in multiple engineering fields. This outreach program gives these students an opportunity to learn if the engineering field is appropriate for them. As such, this outreach program is consistent with UAH's commitment "to providing an environment that facilitates intellectual, cultural, personal, and professional growth." Therefore, this program is consistent with the mission of UAH. The College of Liberal Arts The College of Liberal Arts' commitment to service has resulted in an ambitious program of community outreach with a diverse set of offerings. College outreach programs can be divided into three categories: those designed specifically for the public at large, those designed to bring the university community and that of Madison Country together, and those that are essentially university centered but open to outside participation. Every April for the last several years, under the leadership of the Department of History, the College of Liberal Arts has sponsored a liberal arts tournament day. Invitations are sent to area schools to enter teams to compete in an intellectual tournament. Up to ten high schools compete in American History, World History, American Government, Psychology and Art. The purpose is to bring high school juniors and seniors to campus for a look at UAH and college life and to demonstrate that college is a place for thinking and discussion. Similarly, the Department of Political Science sponsors every fall semester the We the People program, a national contest for high school students who debate the meaning of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. The program attracts over 100 participants each year. The Department of Education is involved in several outreach programs including America Reads and America Counts, along with the Study Buddy Program. It has also long been involved in Hands-on Activities Science Project (HASP), working with local teachers to develop hands-on science lessons and providing them with appropriate curriculum materials. More traditional activities have centered on public presentations of an academic nature but designed for a general audience. Often these have a theme such as the annual History Forum that in the Fall Semester 2005 will focus on historical preservation. The program features a series of three or four speakers over the course of a month. The Department of Philosophy sponsors a two-session, annual program. The Department of Sociology sponsors a Social Issues Forum. Another on-going program is the Civil Rights in Alabama Symposium that is designed to bring together UAH and Alabama A&M communities and the community at large. Nationally recognized scholars and participants in the Civil Rights movement are brought in as speakers and to lead open discussions. Central to much of this is the Humanities Center that helps to fund many of these projects as well promotes some of its own. The Center provides annually for a Visiting Eminent Scholar who teaches a semester class and presents a series of public lectures to which the community at large is invited. Both the Departments of Music and Art feature faculty and students for public performances and gallery shows. These are well-publicized events. There are also a number of organizations that, while university-centered, are open to community involvement. The Archeology Society is a case in point. Here nationally recognized scholars are brought to Huntsville through the auspices of the national society for public lectures. These too are well-advertised events that draw a substantial community turnout. The Society for Ancient Languages sponsors an "Ancient Languages Week" to which the public is invited. The Department of English in conjunction with the Huntsville Literary Association sponsors the annual Shenandoah Shakespeare Express that draws a large community audience. It is an interactive program of theater and discussion. The College of Nursing The College of Nursing provides significant community service and outreach programs. These projects are based on a belief that health professions programs have responsibilities to work toward improvements in the health status of the communities within which they reside. These types of programs also provide excellent learning opportunities for students. In addition to many individual service contributions by administrators, faculty members, and students, the College also provides four large community service/outreach programs: Let's Pretend Hospital, Project Coalition for Health Enhancement of Elders and Referral Services (CHEERS), the University Health Fair, and public school health screenings. Let's Pretend Hospital, a joint program with Huntsville Hospital, is a program designed to help reduce fear and anxiety of children in relation to the hospital or emergency room environment. The program has been offered for 20 years and annually serves 3,000 first grade students in 60 schools. Each first grade teacher is asked to evaluate the usefulness of the materials they receive and the appropriateness and effectiveness of the experience. They are also asked to provide an overall rating of the program. The results are used for improvements in subsequent programs. Project CHEERS provides outreach services to homebound elderly. Local Area Agencies on Aging in 15 counties in North Alabama refer clients to the program. Registered nurse students, as part of a community project, follow up on these referrals and conduct health screenings using an Elder Risk Appraisal instrument designed to assess risks for loss of independent living in this population. Based on the findings, the nurses provide education, needed services, and referrals. In addition, data are aggregated and analyzed and then shared with the coalition in each county where it is used in health planning for this vulnerable population. The program has served more than 1,800 clients and more than 500 nurses have been educated about needs of the elderly through this program. This program has been recognized with an Excellence in Gerontology Award by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing and the John Hartford Foundation. Each fall, the College of Nursing offers a health fair for the University community. Health screenings and health education programs are offered. Approximately 500 individuals attend the event each fall. The newest outreach program is the health screening programs carried out in cooperation with the local public school systems. Now in its second year, students and faculty in the College of Nursing conduct vision, hearing, scoliosis, and developmental screening programs. The program is a collaborative venture with school nurses in the school systems. It was pilot tested in six schools in the 2004-2005 academic year and was so successful that it will be expanded for the 2005-2006 academic year. The College of Science The Science Olympiad is a science and mathematics competition for teams of middle school and high school students. The College of Science at UAH has hosted the North Alabama Regional Science Olympiad competition for the past decade. Winners of the North Alabama regional competition go on to compete at the national competition. Dozens of middle school and high school teams come to UAH to compete each spring. Scores of faculty members, staff, and students from the College of Science serve as event coordinators, judges, scorers, and in other roles. The state finals of the Alabama Science and Engineering Fair (ASEF) are hosted by the College of Science at UAH each spring. Winners of regional Science Fairs in the state compete for scholarships and the opportunity to go on to the International Science and Engineering Fair. The Director of ASEF is a faculty member in the College of Science and other college faculty, staff, and students help organize the event and serve as judges. Hosting the Science Olympiad and the Alabama Science and Engineering Fair is consistent with the mission of UAH, which calls for UAH to "...provide unique opportunities and creative programs for students, faculty and the community." Cooperative Education The Cooperative Education Program (Co-op) provides qualified students the opportunity to enrich their academic work with semesters of related paid work experience in business, industry, and government in accordance with the mission of UAH to "...provide unique opportunities and creative programs for students ..." Co-op students receive formal on-the-job training/mentoring, supervision, and evaluation. The Co-op Program provides service and outreach to the community by providing qualified student employees who have a positive impact on local companies' bottom lines. Businesses are recruited to Huntsville based on, among other things, the promise of an educated, available, and productive workforce. The Co-op Program contributes to this workforce with its supply of co-op students. Co-op students help reduce employers' recruiting costs, both short-term and long-term. Co-op students work on productive assignments that help companies earn profits. Co-op earnings contribute to the local and state tax base, and are spent in the local area since most co-op jobs are in Huntsville and the surrounding communities. Most co-op students receive and accept local job offers at graduation so they end up staying in the local area and becoming a part of the community. The Co-op staff interacts with CEOs, managers, professional groups, the Chamber of Commerce, and many other entities to enrich and advance Huntsville's economic development and reduce brain drain from the community. Office of International Programs The Office of International Programs (OIP), in accordance with the mission of UAH, "...contributes to economic advancement, health care, cultural enrichment, and the quality of life of the region, state, and nation." In particular, OIP addresses the following goals:
The Community Connections Program is a project of the US Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs which provides education administrators and businessmen and women of republics of the former Soviet Union with an opportunity to learn about American education and business practices and cultural values. The program also encourages community and business linkages between American cities and the cities of the former Soviet Union. During the current grant year the OIP has hosted groups from Ukraine and Uzbekistan. OIP formed a partnership with the Huntsville City Schools to design and conduct an education internship program on civic education in the US. The partnership conducts an annual session of the Partners-in-Education (PiE) Program for educators from Eurasia. Thus far, five groups of educators have participated in the PiE program from Russia and Uzbekistan. OIP collaborates with the Academy for Educational Development (AED) in organizing Huntsville sessions of the Library of Congress-based Open World Leadership Program (OWLP). The OWLP was designed to bring emerging federal and local Eurasian political leaders to the United States to meet their American counterparts and gain firsthand knowledge of how American civil society works. Since 2000, OIP has brought five groups of professional leaders from Russia, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan to Huntsville. The groups have focused either on "Women in Politics," "Media," or "Medical Practices." OIP administers the Success Through Academic Research (STAR) Project: The Independent Study Scholarship Program for the Alabama Commission on Higher Education (ACHE). The STAR Project provides Alabama teachers (K-12) with an opportunity to engage in an independent study program to enhance their understanding of the classroom subjects they teach. Since 1999, more than 60 teachers have been awarded scholarships to pursue projects in Australia, Belize, Canada, Costa Rica, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Mexico, and Switzerland. Honors Forum Programs Honors Forum Programs provides a series of lectures and performances in diverse areas of the fine arts, humanities, social sciences, mathematics, science, engineering, administrative science, and the health professions. Presentations are free and open to the UAH community and the general public, as well as Honors Program students. The Honors Forum thus contributes to the mission of UAH to provide "an environment that facilitates intellectual, cultural, personal, and professional growth." By inviting the general public, UAH provides cultural enrichment for the region and provides opportunities for lifetime learning. UAH publicizes events to the general public through the Office of University Relations and a mailing list, which includes the Academy for Lifetime Learning. |
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