Department Of Forestry Self-Study Report 2015-2016 Program .

Self-Study Report ChecklistCollege of Agriculture, Food and Environment Department of Forestry Self-Study ReportChecklistPage Numberor NAAcademic Department (Educational) Unit Overview:12345Provide the Department Mission, Vision, and GoalsDescribe centrality to the institution’s mission and consistency with state’s goals: A programshould adhere to the role and scope of the institution as set forth in its mission statementand as complemented by the institutions’ strategic plan. There should be a clear connectionbetween the program and the institutions, college’s and department’s missions and thestate’s goals where applicable.Describe any consortial relations: The SACS accreditation process mandates that we“ensure the quality of educational programs/courses offered through consortial relationshipsor contractual agreements and that the institution evaluates the consortial relationship and/oragreement against the purpose of the institution.” List any consortium or contractualrelationships your department has with other institutions as well as the mechanism forevaluating the effectiveness of these relationships.Articulate primary departmental/unit strategic initiatives for the past three years and thedepartment’s progress towards achieving the university and college/school initiatives (besure to reference Unit Strategic Plan, Annual Progress Report, and most recentImplementation Plan)Department or unit benchmarking activities: Summary of benchmarking activities includinginstitutions benchmarked against and comparison results: number of faculty number of students etc.Faculty and Graduate Students:6Number of faculty and FTE breakdown by DOE, faculty list, brief bios or CVs7131415Overview of current research program and plans. Describe primary faculty contributions tothe three-four strongest research and creative areas in the department.Describe primary faculty contribution to teaching and service at the department level thathave enhanced college and university strategic initiatives.Describe attrition (cumulative number not tenured, resigned, retired, or other) of the programfaculty over the past three years. Discuss the expected effect on program under review andother issues related to ability to retain qualified faculty during the past three years.List current number of unfilled lines and discuss current actions or plans to fill line. Includegeneral description of “start-up” packages.Number of graduate students and departmental-level TAs and RAs. List the salary range forTAs and RAs and estimate the number on fellowship for the current or most recent fallsemester.Describe the reasons students reject fellowships or assistantship offered from the university,college, or department/unit.Number of postdocsList of grants and contracts for the period of review, including funding amountsFaculty fellowships161718Faculty honors & recognitionPublication list for period of review, including graduate and undergraduate publicationsUndergraduate research activities & initiatives (if applicable)89101112UK Department of Forestry Program Review 2015-20161313-171812-17;App. I-A21-22;31;38-3917-22,App. 2-A15-22;58-6517-22;34-581918-2031-3332-3331App. 1-H28-3028-30App.1-I64Page 9 of 76

192021222324252627282930313233343536Documentation of Implementation of Policies & Procedures: Identify the educationalpolicies and procedures established through faculty governance and responsible parties forimplementation. Explain dissemination and transparency.Evidence of adherence to educational policies and procedures established through the facultygovernance process, including consistency in applying policies related to grading, probation,admissions, terminationEvidence of consistent review and monitoring of course substitution, course equivalencycredits, course substitutions, course transfers toward degree completion, and vetting ofexceptions, degree requirementsEvidence of adherence to unit procedures on faculty personnel actions (e.g., appointment,promotion and tenure) and budget request preparationEvidence of course scheduling and teaching assignmentAcademic (Degree) Program Description:Program demand/unnecessary duplication: Number of UG and G students enrolled and credit hour production Number of UG and G degrees conferred Explanation of how curriculum is different from existing programs at other stateinstitutions or that access to these programs is limited Explanation of pursuit of collaborative opportunities with similar programs at otherinstitutions and how collaboration will increase effectiveness and efficiencyProgram history and background/organizational structure: Critical events/backgroundinformation which will help in understanding the program currently.Program uniqueness: Unique components, distinctive innovations. Is the program aresponse to changes in the discipline or other academic necessities?Describe how the program is administered (e.g., is there a program coordinator and/orprogram committee? What is his or her role or function? How do the administrators of theprogram operate?)Describe the recruitment and development plan for the program (include attention to faculty,staff, and students).Program delivery: Review of distance learning course offerings, services and outcomes toensure compliance with best practices, SACS policies, and federal rules, University Senateand college curriculum committees. Describe flexibility of program delivery. Are classesavailable at convenient times and in convenient formats for non-traditional students, etc.Program contributions to undergraduate general education or UK General Education CoreProgram Quality and Student Success: The curriculum should be structured to meetthe stated objectives and student learning outcomes of the program.Student Learning Outcomes Assessment Evidence of attainment of student learning outcomes for all program delivery, asapplicable (e.g., traditional, online, distance education, etc.) Program assessment of Student Learning Outcomes for graduate programs andundergraduate programs Assessment results reports and findings for improvement (include evidence) Evaluation of students’ post-graduate successExternal awards or other recognition of the students and/or programSix-year graduation rateEmployer satisfaction with graduates as measured by surveys and/or alumni satisfactionJob placement for undergraduate and graduate students or graduate school admissionPass rates on licensure/certificationDescribe processes used to ensure currency of curriculum (industry advisory boards, passrates on licensure, standardized tests, etc.)UK Department of Forestry Program Review 2015-2016Page Numberor NA76-7776-7776-7744-47; 7634-5712-1734-5741; 43-4442-57N/A. Distancelearningcourse notoffered as offall 2015.43-4446-47;App 1-F;50-5252-564257-5850-52N/A43-48Page 10 of 76

37Describe quality of orientation, advising, other student services/developmental programs,effectiveness of advising, innovations in advising and efforts to improve41-43;47-56Instruction: Overview of current instructional program(s) and plans; describe measures ofteaching effectiveness and efforts to improve (e.g., faculty development initiatives forinstruction, teacher mentor programs) Class sizes and faculty nucleus for program instruction Instructional equipment Faculty credentialing to support core/elective course offering Internship/independent studies/ co-curricular34-57Program qualifications/standards for incoming students, program admission41-42Program Resources:Cost and funding of program. Please show detail. Student credit hour per instructional faculty FTE Budget summary information and adequacy. Include external funding.20;41;68-72;41Facilities (description and adequacy)74-75424344Equipment (including IT capacity) description and adequacyPersonnel summary and adequacy (faculty and staff numbers, demographics)Support from other university units such as college, research, administration, humanresources, development and alumni affairs7472-7338394076Input from Affected Constituents:Evaluation data from staff, faculty, students, (e.g., surveys, focus groups, interviews, etc.)Information gathered from accreditation visit/external reviewers and progress updates sincelast program review (append external review comments for accredited reviews).Operations:Quality of faculty & staff communications and interactions, such as awards/recognitions,46 opportunities for input, unit meeting schedule, unit retreat schedule, opportunities for facultyand staff to interact, organizational chart Service, Extension and Non-Extension Programs:4557-582748495051Summary of quantity and quality of outreach and community service; interrelationship ofpublic service with research and other aspects of the program; nature and quality of service tothe university and disciplineSummary of extension programs by topicSummary of county-level programsSummary of youth programsSummary of community-based programs and training5253Extension publications, videos, etc.Evidence of public service activities such as congressional testimony, service on boards54Number of FTE extension faculty and extension specialists475556Description and evaluation of outreach, service, and engagement activitiesNumber of clientele served, programs, and training opportunitiesOther Areas: Quality Enhancement Plan (Multimodal Communications Across the Discipline): Please57indicate program contribution to the goals of the QEP. See http://www.uky.edu/presentationu/University Diversity Plan: Please indicate ways in which the program contributes to the58University’s Diversity Plan. See http://www.uky.edu/DiversityPlan/diversity plan.htmlUK Department of Forestry Program Review 2015-201664-6865-6864-6864-6864-6867-6864-6817-18; 20;23-2464-68654433Page 11 of 76

Introduction and Department OverviewThe Department of Forestry (UK Forestry) is one of 14 academic departments within theCollege of Agriculture, Food and Environment (CAFE) at the University of Kentucky. It isone of several professionally accredited degree programs in the college and the onlyaccredited forestry program in the state. As such, the department is responsible forservicing all demand for forestry undergraduate and graduate programs, the majority ofresearch, and all forestry-related Cooperative Extension programming in theCommonwealth of Kentucky. Approximately 47% of Kentucky is forested and there arenearly 470,000 woodland owners in the state. According to the latest estimates, thestate supports the forest products industry with cumulative impacts nearing 13 billion.Forestry-related industries employ around 30,000 workers, not including supportingindustries. Kentucky is typically one of the top three hardwood-producing states in thecountry. The stated mission of the department is to enhance the ecological, economic,and social benefits of forests and related natural resources to elevate the quality of lifefor Kentuckians and beyond (Figure 1).HistoryThe seeds of UK Forestry were initially sown in 1923 on a 15,000-acre tract of forestoccupying portions of Knott, Breathitt, and Perry Counties donated to the University ofKentucky by Cincinnati businessman E.O. Robinson. Eventually becoming RobinsonForest, this gift was provided for the purposes of agricultural experiments, teaching, andthe demonstration of reforestation in the Central Appalachian Region. The ensuingyears witnessed a great deal of activity at Robinson Forest and in 1963 a thriving andgrowing forest and wood products industry encouraged the establishment of a Forestand Wood Technician School in nearby Quicksand, Kentucky. This program trainedhundreds of forest technicians and sawmill operators, functioning until 1982.Eventually, the need for professional foresters who could help responsibly andsust

2015-2016 Program Review Degree Programs under Review Bachelor’s Degree in Forestry Master’s Degree in Forestry Name of Accreditation Agency Society of American Foresters Accredited Program – Bachelor of Science in Forestry Las