College of the Sciences Primate Behavior and Ecology Program

VI. Library and Technological Resources by Location

VI.A. General and Specific Requirements for Library by Location

Brooks Library subscribes to most of the major journals in primatology, including International Journal of Primatology, American Journal of Primatology, Folia Primatologica, Primates, and Evolutionary Anthropology. The library also subscribes to the database PrimateLIT (http://primatelit.library.wisc.edu/), which is important to primatology students for its comprehensive nature and its inclusion of articles published in biological, anthropological, and psychological journals. Articles and books that are not available on campus can be acquired through interlibrary loan, which has proved very efficient for getting information to students in a few days or less. The Brooks Library has a fairly extensive collection of DVDs and videotapes that, in conjunction with those housed in the Primate Reading Room and at The Chimpanzee and Human Communication Institute span the discipline.

VI.B. Information Literacy Proficiencies Expected of Students at the End of Major Coursework

VI.B.1. What instruction in information literacy is provided?, and

VI.B.2. How are these proficiencies assessed?

Students receive training in information literacy at several points in the PBE curriculum.

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  Primate Social Behavior (ANTH 313) includes a library and Internet tutorial (assessed through students’ performance on a worksheet);
  
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  Evolutionary Psychology (PSY 442) and Pongid Behavior (ANTH 416) hone students’ skills at writing research papers (assessed for appropriateness of sources, thoroughness of literature review, and writing skills using a grading rubric);
  
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  PowerPoint presentations in several courses (for example, Long Term Primate Studies [ANTH 412] and Pongid Behavior [ANTH 416]) (assessed for appropriateness of sources, thoroughness of subject coverage, and presentation skills using a grading rubric);
  
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  The Observer software in Primate Social Behavior (ANTH 313) (assessed through students’ performance on a worksheet); and
  
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  Students may use equipment, The Observer, Excel, and SPSS in research classes such as Laboratory Work in Primatology (PRIM 320), Anthropological Field Experience (ANTH 493), and Design and Analysis for Observational Field Research (PSY 498) (students are assessed for their proficiency at data collection, analysis and interpretation on research paper using a grading rubric).
  

VI.C. Information Technologies Used by Faculty in the Classroom

PBE program faculty regularly use Internet sites, PowerPoint, DVD/Videos, websites, Blackboard, and The Observer (behavioral software).

VI.D. Available Technology for Teaching and Research

The materials available to the program are generally outstanding, but it sometimes proves challenging to make these resources available to the students. Challenges in maintaining the Primate Reading Room include monitoring the collection, re-shelving items after use, and cataloging. The room is not open on a regular basis, which has limited students’ use of it.

VII. Analysis of the Review Period

VII.A. What has Gone Well in the Program?

The PBE curriculum has been smoothly and regularly offered despite the fact that three different departments are part of the program. Current methods of advisement appear to be effective in ensuring that students complete both degrees in a timely fashion. The program webpage has been updated and includes a section devoted to advisement issues, which enables program faculty to communicate course offerings to the students.

High quality research experiences are consistently available to students at several points throughout the program. Several are embedded in courses (for example, Animal Behavior [BIOL 465]), and others occur through research or independent studies courses (for example, research at CHCI [PRIM 320] or a field school in China [ANTH, BIOL 493, and PSY 498]). These offerings are stable, have cumulative databases spanning multiple years that are available for student research, and demonstrably result in publications and professional presentations for students and program faculty (see section IV.C). Program faculty view these productive research opportunities as a high point of the program, and these form the basis for our development of an MS proposal.

Starting fall quarter 2006, program faculty developed a charter which has been approved at college and university levels. The process of creating the charter helped us to clarify program goals, which was particularly important for our development of an assessment plan for the program.

Due to the program faculty’s recent success in securing grants, the program has state of the art equipment and technology available to the students and faculty (see section V.). The reading room archives articles, books, journals, and audiovisual materials specific to primatology. Challenges remain, however, in making these resources consistently available to the students.

The PBE program was initiated under the leadership of CWU anthropology professor Agustin Fuentes, with the first cohort of students in 1999. Dr. Fuentes left Central in 2002, which left a vacuum and temporarily undermined the stability of the program, particularly with respect to anthropology courses offered. His departure was followed by a one year replacement (Dr. Margie Clarke). Dr. Lori Sheeran was hired beginning in fall 2003, and the program has benefited from increased stability in personnel and course offerings. One or two respondents to the alumni survey comment on the challenges they faced being in the program during that time of transition among these three professors.

Through the National Institutes of Health Bridges to the Baccalaureate grant awarded to Drs. Jensvold and Sheeran, a recruitment plan has been developed, particularly targeting Yakima Valley Community College students. Dr. Jensvold visits YVCC at least once during fall and spring quarters and gives a PowerPoint presentation on the program in psychology, biology, and anthropology classes. Several students have enrolled in the program because of her campus visits. We plan to continue using these recruitment tools beyond the length of the grant. The Bridges to the Baccalaureate grant is intended to increase the numbers of minority students completing degrees in the sciences. It entailed the development of a plan to recruit, retain, and matriculate minority students, and its successful implementation will significantly increase the number of minority students majoring in Primate Behavior and Ecology. The development of a program brochure (included in the Appendix) and the posting of program information on Primate Info Net have helped to recruit students from states other than Washington.

The Chimpanzee and Human Communication Institute has played a vital role in attracting students to the Primate Behavior and Ecology program, and the presence of the chimpanzees on campus provides an important husbandry and research opportunity along with consideration of equally vital ethical and philosophical issues related to primatological research. Unique teaching occurs at the Institute, that includes public outreach through Chimposiums, sessions for Central students, summer apprenticeships, Earthwatch volunteers (until recently), and undergraduate and graduate research. In 2007, program faculty Roger and Deborah Fouts were awarded a Spheres of Distinction grant which will enable us to hire a full-time, tenure-track professor to teach in the Primate Behavior and Ecology program, and to serve as Assistant Director of the Institute. This position will help to formalize the relationship between the Institute and the program and is important in building the infrastructure needed for the MS program currently being proposed. The search committee was formed at the end of fall quarter 2007, and the new person will start work at Central fall quarter 2008.