Compliance Certification Report
3.8.1 |
3.8 Library and Other Learning Resources The institution provides facilities, services, and other learning/information resources that are appropriate to support its teaching, research, and service mission. |
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[Compliance] |
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Narrative: |
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| The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) is in compliance with Principle 3.8.1 because the institution provides facilities, services, and other resources that are appropriate to its mission. UAH's Institutional Goals call for it to provide "academic programs and life-long learning activities, undergraduate and graduate education of high quality to serve the economic, social, cultural, technological, and health needs of the community and region." The appropriate facilities, services, and learning/information resources are described in the following paragraphs. Additional discussion of facilities, services and learning/information resources is included in the narrative for Principle 2.5, Standard 3.3.1, Standard 3.4.14, and Standard 3.10.7. Facilities On November 5, 2004, the Board of Trustees of The University of Alabama (UA) System approved the 2004 Campus Master Plan for the UAH. The 2004 Campus Master Plan has both short-term and long-term components to guide campus development, create a definite and strong impression to the community, and make improvements that will facilitate campus life. A collaborative approach involving students, faculty, and administrators at UAH, representatives of the UAH Foundation, and a multi-disciplinary team of planners, architects, landscape architects, and engineers was utilized. The report will guide decisions about the campus environment through the next several years. The master plan includes a Space Analysis and Projections section. A national consultant conducted a review of campus facilities to answer three fundamental questions:
The master plan review of the 1,458,999 assignable square feet in existence at the time of the study concluded that "With current projects under design and construction, UAH possesses sufficient size (i.e., square footage) of physical facilities to conduct its mission as a small teaching-oriented research university that specializes in undergraduate and graduate science and technology instruction and research programs." A detailed summary of existing assignable square feet, current needs, and projected needs was compiled for the master plan and is included in the Sources for this section. A Benchmark Comparison to other Alabama institutions was also included. The master plan includes specific recommendations related to space needs in the College of Liberal Arts and the College of Nursing. As recommended in the plan, these needs will be prioritized and addressed upon completion of the Applied Sciences Building in Fall Semester 2007, at which time most of the programs currently in Wilson Hall will move to the new facility. The space freed by this move will be available to address other campus needs as noted. A summary of some of the major facilities supporting the University's teaching, research, and service mission follows. Morton Hall houses classrooms, computer laboratories, and offices for the Dean and several of the departments in the College of Liberal Arts. It also houses the Office of Multicultural Affairs, the Honors Program, the Writing Center, and International Education. Marion Beirne Spragins Hall has classrooms and offices for Health and Physical Education and the Athletic Department, a gymnasium with a seating capacity of 2,800, racquetball courts, and other physical education, recreational, and athletic training facilities. Frances C. Roberts Hall, a two-unit complex, contains classrooms, laboratories, and offices for the art, history, and music departments in the College of Liberal Arts. The Humanities Center is located here, and there is a large auditorium/lecture room for various University programs. The University Center houses the Division of Student Affairs, Office of Admissions and Records, Student Financial Services, Academic Advisement and Information Center, Bursar's Office, Student Government Association, Wellness Center, and Exponent. It has facilities for dining, assemblies, meetings, dramatic presentations, and recreational activities as well as housing the University Bookstore and Art Gallery. Tom Bevill Center has 100 hotel rooms, a restaurant, offices for the US Army Corps of Engineers Training Division, meeting rooms, and computer laboratories. It also has sophisticated audio/visual systems, computer networking, links to Huntsville's supercomputer, and easy access to other facilities on campus and in the nearby Cummings Research Park. The Nursing Building is a contemporary triangular structure that houses the College of Nursing. Its four levels contain administration and faculty member offices, classrooms, an auditorium, laboratories and service areas, and a large and well-equipped Learning Resources Center. M. Louis Salmon Library serves as home for a growing Archives and Special Collections department that provides access to a growing collection of primary space research documents from the Huntsville, Alabama area. The Special Collections held at the Library house a wealth of information pertaining to the history of the University. This history has many aspects, ranging from the political to the scientific. Within Special Collections, the section known as Archives houses the theses and dissertations produced within the University, the history and operation of the University, the Bob Jones Collection, rare books, and the many valuable research reports produced within the University. The Bob Jones Collection reflects the political efforts of former Congressman Bob Jones, who represented North Alabama's fifth Congressional District for thirty years (1947-1976). Special Collections is also home to the world-renowned Space Collection. The history and development of the space program is preserved in a unique collection of documents and books. From the documentation of Saturn V rocket history to the works of Willy Ley, and now with the new Skylab Collection, the space effort is both celebrated and preserved for future generations. In October 2001, UAH opened a new Library wing designed to accommodate the use of new technology as well as providing useful study and service areas. In the years leading up to the construction, it had become increasingly clear to the University community that a new Library addition was needed. The emphasis of the Library's mission, the growing needs of an expanding student base, and new developments in technology, are now better served with the new addition. The new Library is a state-of-the-art facility that realizes the use of technology and varied learning environments with the following improvements:
The Library's mission and goals are reviewed and updated regularly in relationship to the University's missions and goals and in relationship to the Library's services. Wilson Hall contains classrooms, computer laboratories, and instructional laboratories for programs in biological, environmental, and physical sciences as well as offices for the Department of Biological Sciences. The Division of Continuing Education also has offices, classrooms, and computer laboratories in the building to support its programs. The Administrative Science Building contains classrooms, computer laboratories, and offices for the Dean and the departments of the College of Administrative Science. Three computer labs and dedicated computer classrooms have all the latest equipment and software including email and internet connections. Also, on the College of Administrative Science website there are links to the computer labs that serve as the center for computer assisted business instruction. This well designed teaching facility also has a large auditorium/lecture hall and several student lounge areas. The Office of Instructional and Testing Services is also housed in this building. University Fitness Center provides facilities for student recreation and physical education activities. It contains three basketball courts, weight training area, aerobic area, cardiovascular fitness area, elevated running/walking track, swimming pool, locker rooms, offices, and support areas. The facility serves UAH students and employees as well as the general public through external memberships. Madison Hall is a three-story building and contains executive administrative offices, classrooms, and the Department of Mathematical Sciences. Optics Building is a four-story building designed and constructed for research and graduate studies in the field of applied optics. The building contains research laboratories, classrooms, meeting rooms, and offices for the Center for Applied Optics and the Department of Physics. Engineering Building contains classrooms, computer laboratories, and instructional and research laboratories as well as offices for the Dean, and Chemical Engineering and Electrical and Computer Engineering. It also houses the Offices of Career Services and Cooperative Education. There are thirteen labs housed in the Engineering Building and Technology Hall. Materials Science Building contains offices for Chemistry and Materials Science, classrooms, and state of the art research laboratories for programs in chemistry and materials science, as well as administrative offices for the Dean of the College of Science and the Dean of the School of Graduate Studies. It also has a 350-seat auditorium/lecture hall. Von Braun Research Hall contains offices for Research Administration, and offices and research laboratories for the Center for Materials Research and Rotorcraft Systems Engineering and Simulation Center. Additionally, it houses the University's mainframe computer facility and Computer and Network Services (CNS). Physical Plant Building contains offices, shops, and storage areas for the Facilities and Operations Department, which include administrative offices, custodial services, public safety, facilities maintenance, grounds management services, stockroom, and the University motor vehicle pool. Central Receiving and Shipping Building houses the shipping and receiving office and storage facility, and the central mailroom. Kenneth E. Johnson Research Center contains research laboratories and offices for that Center, the Alabama Solar Energy Center, the Propulsion Research Center, and the Office of Environmental Health and Safety. WLRH Radio Station is located on the south end of the University campus and houses public radio station WLRH-FM. The University leases the facility to the Alabama Educational Television Commission but has no involvement in the operation of the radio station. WLRH frequently supports various colloquia, seminars, performances and exhibitions at UAH as well as performing top quality programming. Business Services Building houses administrative offices of the Business Services Department including Purchasing Services, Telephone Services, and the Copy Center. Technology Hall is located across Sparkman Drive and contains offices, classrooms, specially equipped distance learning classrooms, a 119 fixed seating seminar room, computer classrooms and laboratories, and instructional and research laboratories for Civil and Environmental Engineering, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Industrial and Systems Engineering and Engineering Management, as well as the Computer Science Department. It also houses the Center for Space Plasma and Aeronomic Research (CSPAR), the Propulsion Research Center, and the Information Technology and Systems Center. National Space Science and Technology Center (NSSTC) is located across Sparkman Drive and contains offices for Atmospheric Science, research laboratories, meeting rooms, and the Global Hydrology Resource Center computer laboratory to support the extensive ongoing research between NASA, UAH, and the Universities Space Research Association. All three have employees housed in the building. Services and Resources Continuing Education furnishes and maintains four classrooms in Wilson Hall and one in Madison Hall. The classrooms in Wilson Hall have internet drops to allow for internet access and all can be equipped with PC projectors and other audio/video equipment needed to support courses. The CE equips, furnishes, and maintains five computer labs on campus; four in Wilson Hall and one in the Administrative Science Building. Each lab is equipped with student machines, an instructor machine, current projectors, screens, internet access, and network printers. The smallest lab seats 20 and the largest seats 25; processors range from Pentium 3 to Pentium 4; several labs have 19 inch flat screen monitors to support classes. The CE designed, equipped, furnished, and maintains a classroom for the main purpose of production of distance learning courses and certificate programs. The CE uses many different facilities where Health and Physical Education course are offered: Spragins Hall, UAH Fitness Center, and various facilities off campus. There is a campus map located on the CE website and in the professional development catalogs. A room is located in the Administrative Science Building for use by students enrolled in the Interior Design Certificate Program. The mission of the Office of Vice President for Research is to promote and strengthen the academic mission of the University through the development of a strong research program. Through the support of research centers and faculty members in the Colleges, the office develops and expands areas of research interest. Working with government and industry the office develops research programs to respond to the mission needs of the federal agencies. The office also supports economic growth in the region through workforce development and commercialization of intellectual property. Programs and centers pertaining to research on the UAH campus are detailed below. The Office of Sponsored Programs is responsible for assisting researchers in proposal preparation and submission, award negotiation, and post award support. The office is staffed with twelve full-time contract specialists. The Office of Sponsored Programs participates in the Community of Science, which is a source for funding information. The Office of Research Security and Immigration Administration (RSIA) performs the following functions:
The Office of Intellectual Property assists University researchers disclose any new technology, invention, or discovery that might arise from his/her research. The Research Machine Shop is a well-equipped machine shop supporting research. The shop occupies over 3,500 square feet of space and has one senior machinist. The shop is governed by the Associate Vice President for Research. The UAH Glass Blower is located in the Center for Materials Research. The shop occupies over 250 square feet of space and has one senior glass blower. UAH operates a highly successful regional center for the Alabama Technology Network (ATN) assisting Alabama manufacturers to improve productivity, increase quality, and reduce cost. The Center provides Lean Enterprise, Six Sigma, and quality training and implementation. UAH successfully completed 461 projects with 134 companies between 2000 and 2003. An independent third-party, surveyed 100 of UAH's clients between 2000 and 2003. The clients reported during this three-year period: 299 jobs created/saved; $9,010,000 increased sales; $78,295,000 prevented loss of sales; $5,060,000 cost savings; and $6,665,000 investment in new plant equipment. UAH's Lean Manufacturing Program is recognized as a leader in helping companies implement lean concepts. UAH has trained over 1,000 employees at 100 companies in Lean manufacturing. BizTech Huntsville High Technology Incubator is located on Sparkman Drive directly across from the UAH campus. UAH is one of the partners of BizTech with the Director of the Office for Economic Development serving on the Board of Directors. UAH was one of the founding organizations of the Alabama Automotive Manufacturers Association (AAMA). The AAMA was formed in 2001 to provide a forum for interaction among automotive companies in Alabama to share information among its members and to provide an awareness of manufacturing trends, techniques, and concerns. Currently, AAMA has over 360 members. The Associate Vice President for Research serves as the executive director. UAH maintains the database of over 400 companies. UAH recently completed the 2003 survey of the automotive industry in Alabama. The Alabama automotive industry continues to grow. Direct jobs have increased to 31,197 (+3.4%) up from 30,180 in 2002. UAH was one of the founding organizations of the Alabama Aerospace Industry Association (AAIA) in 2002. Currently, AAIA has over 70 members. One of the staff in the Office for Economic Development serves as the executive director. UAH maintains the database of over 300 companies. UAH recently completed the 2002 survey of the aerospace industry in Alabama, 203 companies employ 36,253, federal jobs are 36,799. UAH is an active participant in the newly formed Alabama Modeling and Simulation Council (AMSC). Currently, AMSC has over 60 members. UAH maintains the AMSC database of over 300 companies. |
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