[Phys-L] Re: SACS question

[Rick Swanson <swansonr@SANDHILLS.EDU>]

At Sandhills Community College we took this issue head on a couple of
years ago.  We shared our results with through AAPT and our
two-year-college network.

I have included below a summary of what we did in preparation for the
accreditation visit.

I will be happy to share other information off-line if anyone is
interested.

Cheers,

Rick Swanson

Here is the summary:

November 17, 2003

Note from Richard E. Swanson, Physics Ph.D., Dean of Instruction,
Sandhills Community College.

Subject:  Physics teachers teaching introductory astronomy classes

This note contains a summary of actions taken and items included in a
physics faculty member's file to justify a master's level physics
education as being proper credentials for teaching introductory
astronomy classes.  The justification provided in the faculty member's
file was accepted by the spring 2003 SACS visiting team to Sandhills
Community College as appropriate justification for our professor
teaching the North Carolina Community College System course, AST 111,
Descriptive Astronomy.

We did the following four things to support the justification:

1.      As part of "other evidence" in the SACS table of faculty
credentials (and included in the credentialing information in the
individual faculty file), we included a statement that describes the
physics nature of the course and highlights graduate-level content
accomplished by the faculty member that is needed for teaching
introductory astronomy.  The statement we used is: "Teaches AST 111,
Descriptive Astronomy.  Emphasis for course is 'fundamental physics
concepts underlying topics studied.'  Course is descriptive, science
literacy course for non science majors.  Astronomy is a branch of
physics.  NC State, Stanford, NC A&T, UNC Charlotte and others teach
introductory astronomy as a physics prefix course.  Course descriptions
on file.  Prof ________ has graduate education in kinematics and
dynamics, Newton's laws, optics, electromagnetic radiation, and plasma
physics; all are important to teaching introductory astronomy.  Letter
from the American Association of Physics Teachers confirming the
appropriate qualifications on file."  If the faculty member has
graduate work in astronomy or other evidence of interest and
accomplishments in astronomy, a mention of these would strengthen the
statement.
2.      We included in the faculty member's file a letter from Bernard
Khoury, executive officer of the American Association of Physics
Teachers.  The second paragraph of the letter states, "Let me start by
addressing the specific question, 'Does a degree in physics qualify a
person to teach introductory astronomy?'  The answer to this question
is an emphatic 'Yes.'  Let me elaborate a bit."  The three
paragraphs that follow make a very strong case.  He will provide an
individualized letter for your school, which you can request by email:
aapt-exec@apt.org .
3.      We made sure that the course description for the astronomy
course included specific reference to the physics content.  In North
Carolina, all community colleges use the same three sentence course
description for AST 111, Descriptive Astronomy, and each college may add
a fourth sentence.  We added the sentence, "Emphasis will be on the
fundamental physics concepts underlying topics studied *"
4.      We included course descriptions of introductory astronomy
courses from well-known institutions where introductory astronomy is
still taught with a physics prefix and is listed with other physics
courses.  We used:
a.      PY 123, Stellar and Galactic Astronomy, from NC State
University
b.      PHYSICS 15,16, Topics in Modern Astronomy, and PHYSICS 27,
Evolution of the Cosmos, from Stanford University
c.      PHYS 101, Introduction to Astronomy, from NC A & T State
University
d.      PHYS 1130, Introduction to Astronomy, from the University of
North Carolina at Charlotte


Richard E. Swanson, Ph.D.
Dean of Instruction
Physics Professor
Sandhills Community College, Pinehurst, NC 28374
swansonr@sandhills.edu (910) 695-3715

> > > titus@MAILAPS.ORG 6/21/2005 11:38:53 AM >>>
We are undergoing accreditation review by SACS. We have to document
the qualifications of various faculty for teaching certain courses. I
personally teach astronomy and I often hire physicists to teach
astronomy.

How have others argued that physicists are qualified to teach
introductory astronomy?

Aaron
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