College of Science

Mission/Vision/Philosophy/Goals

The College’s Mission

The College of Science is made up of academic programs in agriculture, biology, chemistry, geography, geology, nursing and nutrition. These programs are housed in the departments of Agriculture and Nutrition Science, Biology, Nursing and Physical Science. We operate or participate in the operation of several special learning environments for students that include a KECK sponsored undergraduate research lab, an observatory, a GIS lab, a certified water lab, a scanning electron microscopy lab, the Southern Utah Natural History Museum, the Cedar Mountain Science Center, the Valley Farm, and the Mountain Ranch. We serve as the center of scientific learning for the undergraduate and graduate programs offered at SUU. We also serve as the resource center of scientific knowledge and expertise for southern Utah. The purpose of the College of Science is to provide comprehensive classroom and experiential learning that emphasize critical thinking, problem solving, decision making, and communication in science for students from Utah and the Southwestern United States.

The College’s Vision

The College of Science will become the most respected undergraduate science unit in Utah and the Southwestern United States. Our graduates will demonstrate high levels of academic achievement through admission to graduate schools and professional schools and/or gainful employment. Our faculty will be renowned as educators and scholars, thereby increasing the value of our students’ degrees.

The College’s Philosophy

The values and beliefs that guide the College of Science in all activities and serve as our basic foundation are:

Undergraduate education is our highest priority.
Well-planned and executed, pedagogically sound classroom, laboratory, and outdoor educational activities are expected.
Life-long learning will be modeled by our faculty by being professionally active and productive scholars in their fields.
Undergraduate research provides opportunities for students and faculty to create new knowledge and to apply knowledge they have learned in the classroom. Research also builds proficiency in the skills of critical thinking, problem solving, decision making, and communication.

The College’s Goals and Objectives

The observable, measurable goals of the College of Science and our objectives by which we will accomplish them are:

1. GOAL: prepare students for graduate schools and professional schools.
     OBJECTIVE: offer coursework and active learning experiences appropriate to the prerequisites of specified
     post-baccalaureate programs.
     ASSESSMENT: tabulate student reportage on application/acceptance to post-baccalaureate programs.

2. GOAL: prepare students for careers using their baccalaureate degree.
     OBJECTIVE: offer coursework appropriate for employment related to departmental majors or minors.
     ASSESSMENT: require standardized, nationally-normnd tests where appropriate and student reportage employment
     at baccalaureate level.

3. GOAL: develop skills in analysis, critical thinking, problem solving, decision making and communication.
     OBJECTIVE: offer well-planned and pedagogically sound learning exercises in courses and in research projects.
     ASSESSMENT: annually examine and evaluate course syllabi, course materials, and student research experiences.

4. GOAL: provide hands-on experiences with state-of- the art scientific instruments and equipment
     OBJECTIVE: provide coursework and research opportunities that include opportunities to use equipment.
     ASSESSMENT: inventory current and continuously update need for future equipment.

5. GOAL: provide highly skilled teachers and professors that are also respected scholars.
     OBJECTIVE: recruiting Ph.D.- prepared faculty, reward good teaching, encouragr faculty to conduct funded
     research and publish results, and encourage participation in professional organizations.
     ASSESSMENT: annually evaluate faculty performances, teaching, scholarship, services, and collegiality using
     criteria and performance standards developed by departments and the college.

6. GOAL: provice special, unigue learning opportunities.
     OBJECTIVE: utilize the Valley Farm, Mountain Rancy, Cedar Mountain Science Center, SUU Observatory, Water
      Lab, Scanning Electron Microscopy Lab, the Southern Utah Natural History Museum, the GIS lab, and the
      KECK Molecular genetics and ecology labs.
     ASSESSMENT: annually evaluate the use of our specialized learning environments.

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