Growing Geography:A View from “The Beach”

Strategies for Healthy DepartmentsStrategies for Healthy DepartmentsSpecial Panel SessionSpecial Panel Session

Association of Pacific Coast Geographers, Association of Pacific Coast Geographers, Eugene, OR, September 2006Eugene, OR, September 2006

Christine M. RodrigueChristine M. RodrigueChair, Geography, CSULBChair, Geography, CSULB

http://www.csulb.edu/geography/http://www.csulb.edu/geography/

Geography Major Enrollments in the Geography Major Enrollments in the California State UniversitiesCalifornia State Universities

Undergraduate Geography Majors in the California State Universities

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Geography in the Geography in the CSU slid 30% CSU slid 30% from 1,184 in F/92 from 1,184 in F/92 to 829 in F/02to 829 in F/02

Geography major Geography major enrollments in the enrollments in the CSU have eased CSU have eased back up 10% from back up 10% from F/02 to 910 in F/02 to 910 in F/05F/05

Geography Major Enrollments at Geography Major Enrollments at California State University, Long BeachCalifornia State University, Long Beach

Geography at the Geography at the Beach dropped even Beach dropped even more, 44%, from 107 more, 44%, from 107 majors in F/92 to 60 majors in F/92 to 60 in F/00in F/00

Since then, Since then, Geography Geography enrollments at enrollments at CSULB have CSULB have rebounded fully 93% rebounded fully 93% from F/00, reaching from F/00, reaching 116 in F/05!116 in F/05!

We are now the We are now the largest CSU largest CSU undergraduate undergraduate programprogram

Undergraduate Geography Majors at California State University, Long Beach

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Geography at CSULB Compared with AllGeography at CSULB Compared with AllCalifornia State UniversitiesCalifornia State Universities

Geography @ The Geography @ The Beach dropped from Beach dropped from 9% of all CSU 9% of all CSU geography majors in geography majors in F/92 to 7% in F/00F/92 to 7% in F/00

CSULB relative CSULB relative enrollments have shot enrollments have shot up to 13% of the up to 13% of the whole in F/05whole in F/05

CSULB accounts for fully 64% of the total system growth in geography from F/02 to F/05!

Undergraduate Geography Majors at CSULB compared with CSU System

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CSU

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Geography Enrollments at CSULB Geography Enrollments at CSULB and Diversity among the Majorsand Diversity among the Majors

About 12-15 of our 65-About 12-15 of our 65-77 majors were minority 77 majors were minority students from F/97 to students from F/97 to F/02 (about 22-26%)F/02 (about 22-26%)

Non-Hispanic white Non-Hispanic white majors dropped from 48 majors dropped from 48 to 31 in that timeto 31 in that time

Both groups grew from Both groups grew from F/02 to F/05, minority F/02 to F/05, minority students more than students more than doubling and white doubling and white students increasing students increasing nearly 2/3nearly 2/3

Minority majors have Minority majors have climbed to 30-40% of climbed to 30-40% of our majors in that timeour majors in that time

Minority Geography Majors, Those of Known Ethnicity, Total Majors

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Total GEOGBA majors

Majors ofknownethnicity

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Geography at CSULB: A Healthy DepartmentGeography at CSULB: A Healthy Department

Majors have more than doubled since S/01 and become much more diverseMajors have more than doubled since S/01 and become much more diverse

Our M.A. program has held ~ 50 graduate students, and new graduate Our M.A. program has held ~ 50 graduate students, and new graduate students tend to come from other programs: 1/3 out of state, 1/3 from the students tend to come from other programs: 1/3 out of state, 1/3 from the UC system, and 1/3 from CSU programs among the 12 entering in F/05UC system, and 1/3 from CSU programs among the 12 entering in F/05

Full-time faculty have grown from 9 in 1999 to 12 at present to 14 by F/07Full-time faculty have grown from 9 in 1999 to 12 at present to 14 by F/07

The research productivity of the faculty has increased 500-700% in that timeThe research productivity of the faculty has increased 500-700% in that time

Department grant activity has recently included NSF, NSF, National Park Department grant activity has recently included NSF, NSF, National Park Service, and METRANS funds, as well as several local grants and contractsService, and METRANS funds, as well as several local grants and contracts

Faculty distinctions include a Glenda Laws Award, Nystrom Finalist, a Faculty distinctions include a Glenda Laws Award, Nystrom Finalist, a Commonwealth Scholar, two Social Sciences and Humanities Research Commonwealth Scholar, two Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada Postdoctoral Fellowships, and a visiting Fulbright Council of Canada Postdoctoral Fellowships, and a visiting Fulbright ScholarScholar

Why So Healthy?Why So Healthy?

Civil culture among the faculty going back decades: The new faculty value Civil culture among the faculty going back decades: The new faculty value this and perpetuate itthis and perpetuate it

We try to create an environment that students enjoyWe try to create an environment that students enjoy

We work at diversifying our majorWe work at diversifying our major

We partner with geographers at “feeder schools”We partner with geographers at “feeder schools”

We actively seek resources to support our students and researchWe actively seek resources to support our students and research

We have a large and well-organized internship programWe have a large and well-organized internship program

We publicize our doings to the CSULB administrationWe publicize our doings to the CSULB administration

Our web page is actively maintained and promoted on listserversOur web page is actively maintained and promoted on listservers

Student-Centered ActivitiesStudent-Centered Activities

Advising:Advising:

One undergraduate advisor (Paul Laris) who gets departmental released timeOne undergraduate advisor (Paul Laris) who gets departmental released time

He is always available, even for drop-in visitors without appointmentsHe is always available, even for drop-in visitors without appointments

He has come up with advising “5 step plans” and “roadmaps”He has come up with advising “5 step plans” and “roadmaps”

He and I developed a suggested pathway through General EducationHe and I developed a suggested pathway through General Education

We met with Academic Advising (first department to do so) to provide major We met with Academic Advising (first department to do so) to provide major information and the pathway, and they promoted our GE coursesinformation and the pathway, and they promoted our GE courses

He advises the student clubHe advises the student club

Geography Student Association:Geography Student Association:

Energetic group nowEnergetic group now We encourage them to mentor juniors into club positions for continuityWe encourage them to mentor juniors into club positions for continuity They developed an alumni newsletter for usThey developed an alumni newsletter for us They host “cultural nights out,” field trips, and wine-tasting fund-raisersThey host “cultural nights out,” field trips, and wine-tasting fund-raisers They actively support Geography Awareness Week/GIS DayThey actively support Geography Awareness Week/GIS Day They have a very active student listserver They have a very active student listserver

DiversityDiversity

Geography participated in the NSF-funded Geoscience Diversity Geography participated in the NSF-funded Geoscience Diversity Enhancement Project at CSULB (GDEP)Enhancement Project at CSULB (GDEP)

Collaborated with Geological Sciences and Anthropology departmentsCollaborated with Geological Sciences and Anthropology departments

Partnered with several local community college and high school faculty Partnered with several local community college and high school faculty

Mentored 29 underrepresented CC & HS students into geoscience summer Mentored 29 underrepresented CC & HS students into geoscience summer research projects at CSULB from 2002-2004research projects at CSULB from 2002-2004

Faculty got a better understanding of challenges poorer, urban, minority Faculty got a better understanding of challenges poorer, urban, minority students face, which has altered our paedagogystudents face, which has altered our paedagogy

There is a lasting geosciences community of geographers, geologists, There is a lasting geosciences community of geographers, geologists, archaeologists at CSULB, several local community colleges, and the LBUSDarchaeologists at CSULB, several local community colleges, and the LBUSD

We have seen an uptick in transfers, and the geography major diversified We have seen an uptick in transfers, and the geography major diversified during GDEPduring GDEP

GDEP was funded by NSF GEO 01-19891GDEP was funded by NSF GEO 01-19891

Feeder SchoolsFeeder Schools

Community colleges are disproportionately important as gateways into Community colleges are disproportionately important as gateways into higher education for underrepresented studentshigher education for underrepresented students

Geography is a “late-bloomer” major, so we depend on geography Geography is a “late-bloomer” major, so we depend on geography instruction at the CCsinstruction at the CCs

Geography at CSULB cultivates ties with CCs and HSsGeography at CSULB cultivates ties with CCs and HSs

GDEPGDEP

Geography Awareness Week/GIS Day programs at CSULB and at CC Geography Awareness Week/GIS Day programs at CSULB and at CC campusescampuses

Community college luncheons and workshops at CSULBCommunity college luncheons and workshops at CSULB

Several community college faculty now serve as part-time adjunct facultySeveral community college faculty now serve as part-time adjunct faculty

Two faculty gave a campus-wide demonstration of GIS and remote sensing Two faculty gave a campus-wide demonstration of GIS and remote sensing at Lakewood High organized by two of our GDEP partnersat Lakewood High organized by two of our GDEP partners

Community college transfers at our campus orientation program have Community college transfers at our campus orientation program have increased from 1-2 per summer to 7-8increased from 1-2 per summer to 7-8

ConclusionsConclusions

Geography @ The Beach is successfully swimming against the trends Geography @ The Beach is successfully swimming against the trends in CSU System geographyin CSU System geography

The health of Geography@ The Beach may reflect:The health of Geography@ The Beach may reflect:

A geography faculty that has avoided factionalization and the consequent A geography faculty that has avoided factionalization and the consequent loss of energy: This is centralloss of energy: This is central

A research-active and grant-seeking faculty, who seek out research A research-active and grant-seeking faculty, who seek out research opportunities and funding for undergraduate and graduate studentsopportunities and funding for undergraduate and graduate students

Acknowledging the many contributions that community college geography Acknowledging the many contributions that community college geography programs make to our program:programs make to our program:

Recruiting majors for usRecruiting majors for us

Providing access to higher education for underrepresented and poorer studentsProviding access to higher education for underrepresented and poorer students

Interdepartmental collaborations, such as GDEP, that have built friendly Interdepartmental collaborations, such as GDEP, that have built friendly ties and mutual assistance among departments that are often rivals on ties and mutual assistance among departments that are often rivals on other campuses and connected us with local CCs and HSsother campuses and connected us with local CCs and HSs

Seeking out Academic Advising, which handles all advising for undeclared Seeking out Academic Advising, which handles all advising for undeclared majors on our campus, and getting them information about geography, majors on our campus, and getting them information about geography, careers in geography, and how to utilize general education to deepen the careers in geography, and how to utilize general education to deepen the geography majorgeography major

Acknowledgments and More InformationAcknowledgments and More Information

I would like to acknowledge NSF GEO 01-19891 for supporting GDEPI would like to acknowledge NSF GEO 01-19891 for supporting GDEP

http://www.csulb.edu/geographyhttp://www.csulb.edu/geography

Other related papers are available from Other related papers are available from http://http://www.csulb.edu/~rodrigue/research.html#educationwww.csulb.edu/~rodrigue/research.html#education

Geography @ The Beach welcomes the APCG to Long Beach in Geography @ The Beach welcomes the APCG to Long Beach in October 2007!October 2007!