Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Upgrade/Enhancement & Outreach (STEM UP-OUT)

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  Cultural Competency Discovery Training: Developing Break-Through Educators: This program is designed to perpetuate extended cultural competency discovery training and development of break-through educators as a sustainable ongoing professional development model for all school districts in the state of Ohio (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, through the Ohio Department of Education, $949,567, 2008-09)
  

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  The Upward Bound Program serves students from Montgomery County who are low income and/or potential first generation college students and who demonstrate the need for program services. Designed to generate academic skills that will facilitate participant completion of high school, and admission to and success in a program of postsecondary education (U.S. Department of Education, $ 1,262,500, 2007 to date).
  
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  The Student Support Services is designed to increase the retention and graduation rates of eligible students; and to increase and foster an institutional climate supportive of the success of low-income and first generation college students (U.S. Department of Education, $2,509,610, 2004 to date).
  

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  Bernard Harris Summer Science Camp, This program works with underrepresented minorities and urban area youth in the STEM areas through a summer science camp (ExxonMobil and The Harris Foundation, $399,843, 2009-2013).
  

CSU’s enhanced academic quality

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  The Center for Global Education, provides leadership and direction in international education, programs, and activities, with a wide range of international study, research, service, and leadership opportunities for CSU students, faculty, and staff. The Center enables CSU to produce graduates who have appreciation for other cultures and are equipped to live and work in a global society. Staffing for the Center and improvements and updates to Language Laboratory technology were made to support this effort.
  
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  Computer Science Program Enhancement, provides faculty training, computer equipment, infrastructure enhancements, and a program restructuring that added six new courses to the curriculum, and supported installation of an advanced computer science classroom to support instruction and research.
  
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  Fine Arts Program Accreditation, prepares the University to successfully obtain National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD) accreditation, facilitated improvements to the galleries and studios, and provided updated technology for graphics design courses.
  
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  Library Resource Enhancement provides improvements to library collections, facilities, and staff, including computer labs, program-specific accreditation acquisitions, and access to OhioLink and other electronic resources.
  
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  Pre-Law Program Development yields the addition of a multi-disciplinary minor to the curriculum, supported activities, such as law school visits and LSAT preparation, to prepare students for applying to law school after graduation.
  

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  Counseling Services provides counseling staff and programming geared toward supporting student academic success through prevention, early detection, and treatment of mental health and social development issues.
  
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  The University College receives Title III fund support to provide tutoring, first year seminars, learning communities, and other academic intervention programs designed to assist entering and transfer students in making successful transitions to college and into their major of choice.
  

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  CSU-Dayton Location Enhancements enables the University to expand program offerings and grow enrollment through the development of the urban campus in Dayton, Ohio. Improvements to classrooms, laboratories, physical education facilities, and instructional technology were supported through Title III funding.
  
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  Institutional Advancement receives support for staffing and infrastructure to develop strategies for resource generation and stewardship through the University’s development activities.
  
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  Endowment Challenge provides the opportunity for the University to grow its endowment corpus by $800,000 using matching funds from Title III.
  

CSU provides its students with an enriched educational environment from the time students are admitted to the time they graduate. It does so via a number of co-curricular programs and activities, as described under 3.E.1. below.

As part of its co-curricular programs, CSU provides a numerous activities that contribute to a holistic educational experience for its students. These co-curricular activities include the following:   

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  First Year Seminar (FYS) Program, includes Learning Communities, special convocations, outside speakers, field trips;
  
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  The Freshmen Academy, organized jointly by the Offices of Student Affairs and Academic Affairs every Fall semester provides students with an experience of the culture and history of CSU while introducing students to the University's core values of Hard Work, Honesty, Caring and Excellence in order to reinforce the motto of "Academics are Central”;
  
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  Internships, permits students to apply in a real world setting what they are learning in the classroom;
  
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  Cultural and Recreational Activities, includes plays, concerts, art shows, dance shows, Homecoming, athletics and intramural sports, the CSU Chorus, CSU Marching and Concert Band;.
  
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  Student Government Association, offers opportunities for student leadership and participation in the governance and development of the institution;
  

The Student Government Association (SGA) represents the student body by serving as the liaison between the students and the administration. The SGA, faculty and staff share the responsibility of making decisions that affect campus life. The SGA has an executive and legislative board.

The SGA seeks to maintain a spirit of cooperation in the activities of the University and encourages student initiative through service. The SGA also oversees many student activities and serves as an advisory body in many areas of the University.
The SGA office is located in the Norman E. Ward, Sr. University Center. Responsibilities of the SGA and information concerning student participation in the various phases of self-governance are detailed in the Student Handbook.

The Greek letter organizations are governed by the CSU National Pan-Hellenic Council. Both governing bodies are overseen by the Dean of the University College and Student Development. Students are encouraged to seek membership and actively participate in student organizations at Central State. These student organizations enhance the campus community and provide students with the opportunity to develop responsibility and leadership outside the classroom. CSU’s Student Organizations also include Alpha Phi Alpha - Delta Xi Chapter, Kappa Alpha Psi-Delta Zeta chapter, Pre-Law Society, Daughters of Nia Anaya, Mu Phi Epsilon, Studio – C and The Black Oak Project (Drama).

CSU undergraduate students work with their faculty advisors to conduct research in their selected majors on-campus and off-campus. Students are proud to share their accomplishments through on CSU Research Day held every spring and fall semester. Examples of student research projects in which students have participated and projects students have completed are provided in Criterion Three. CSU students also participate in internships through the Career Services in the Division of Student Affairs. The following are examples of internships and sites where thirty four (34) CSU competed internships between Summer 2011 and Spring 2013.

CSU participate in service learning and civic engagement activities. Examples of service learning and civic engagement activities in which CSU students have participated in recent years are provided in the Evidence File for Criterion Three. In addition to the above, faculty and student in the College of Science and Technology work with students pursuing degrees in STEM disciplines through the Center for Excellence in STEM Education (STEM-X-ED) every summer to provide summer Science Camp for freshmen students admitted to the College in the Fall 2012.

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  Advanced/alternative energy
  
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  Sensor applications
  
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  Information technology
  
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  Advanced materials
  

The Net Incubator works in partnership with multiple strategic partnerships at the local, State, and Federal levels to help startups with the funding needed to file patents, build prototypes, and hire professional engineering staff. In conjunction with Central State University the incubator has been awarded research and development grants, equity funding, development services funding from the following agencies; AFRL, EPA, DOE, Battelle, ODNR, and the Ohio Third Frontier on behalf of member startups to:

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  Increase the quantity of high quality research that has commercial relevance to Ohio
  
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  Grow and nurture an increasingly experienced pool of entrepreneurial management talent supported by organized systems of services and networks
  
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  Contribute to the expansion of a technically competent workforce that can support innovation and company growth in specific clusters of technology
  

The Net Incubator has assisted over 30 startups from inception through profitability, helped to raise over 6 million in revenue to fund incubation thru commercialization technology transfer activities which has resulted in over 100 high technology jobs in the region. CSU uses alumni surveys to assess the extent to which it is fulfilling its mission. Details of the results from the alumni survey are provided in Criterion Four under 4.B.

The University recently started monitoring the quality of its programs through regular program review process It will expand this process to complete the review of all its undergraduate and graduate programs.

CSU demonstrates responsibility for the quality of its educational programs, learning environments, and support services on a daily basis and regularly evaluates their effectiveness for student learning. It continuously improves its programs, learning environments, and support services accordingly.

CSU demonstrates responsibility for the quality of its educational programs through processes that promote on-going assessment and program review.  Assessment data are analyzed and used to improve instruction and academic programs.  CSU demonstrates accountability to students and their parents, the public, and institutional stakeholders, including the state of Ohio and the U.S. Departments of Education.   

4. A.1. The Institution maintains a practice of regular program reviews.

CSU engages in regular program review for all of its academic programs to:

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  Enhance the academic quality of each program by assessing the curriculum, instruction, and availability of resources to support teaching, learning, research, and scholarship;
  
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  Align academic program goals with the University’s compelling priorities by planning and budgeting appropriately at the program, college, and institutional levels;
  
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  Conduct a SWOT analysis to ensure that program priorities are consistent with the University’s mission, vision, and strategic directions, and to ensure that technological, human, and fiscal resources are available to achieve program goals.
  

Twenty five (25) essential questions are used to review each program based on the following:

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  Program identity through its goals and institutional fit
  
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  Program vitality through its currency and relevance
  
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  Program assessment through its productivity in terms of student enrollment, course completion rates, learning outcomes, and graduation rates
  
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  Program budget effectiveness and efficiency
  
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  Program strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats used  to make decisions about future directions for each program.
  

A comprehensive review of all programs was conducted when CSU converted from the quarter to the semester system in 2005. This review served as the foundation for curricular revisions. Faculty in each academic department was charged with review of course content, update of course descriptions, and development of syllabi and program check sheets. In addition, faculty designed new four-year advising plans for each degree program. Each academic program was reviewed at the Department and College level prior to presentation to the University Senate. This process afforded faculty opportunities for separate reviews and discussions of curricular issues.

Results of program reviews were used as the basis for University-wide course improvements; for strengthening course content, course syllabi and student learning outcomes; for identifying technologies needed in the classroom; and for making recommendations for improved instructional practices. Additional discussions from the program reviews led to the development of instructional best practices and improved teaching and learning.  

During the 2011 academic year, the Office of Academic Affairs spearheaded another institutional review of academic programs, and in 2012, the program review template was made available to all department chairs, with the 25 Essential Questions on a virtual platform called Compliance Assistance . This electronic platform provided an opportunity for departments to launch the first cycle of program review in all 34 undergraduate programs and the graduate program in Education. The use of the electronic platform for assessment and program review will help to strengthen CSU’s culture of assessment and program review for improvement at the departmental, college and institution levels.

In addition to program reviews required by the University and the Ohio Board of Regents, CSU’s accredited programs have completed rigorous Self-Study reviews prior to their specialized accreditation visits. Accredited CSU programs were discussed in the Criterion Three Chapter and are discussed further in the next section of this Self-Study under 4.A.5. Specialized accreditation processes allow departments to complete a thorough analysis of key assessments, analyze assessment results, confirm alignment of course learning outcomes with specific content area standards, and to identify and describe implementation plans for program improvement.

Faculty and department chairs in each college are responsible for ongoing review of their respective academic programs.