Mission Statement

The mission of Sociology at Butte College is to apply scientific and critical thinking to  study the dynamics of social systems  and their influence on humanity and the environment.

Program Description

The Sociology program fosters knowledge and critical analysis about how the societies humans create affect ourselves and the natural world. Students examine the social, political and economic institutions that humans build as well as the larger ecosystem in which we live. Courses examine topics that include the dynamics of power and inequality; gender ethnicity and resources; the growing influence of technology and mass media and need for environmental sustainability. Sociology is devoted to inspiring students to understand, appreciate and care for the world in which they live through creative, engaged citizenship. 
- Sociology courses meet the Social and Behavioral Sciences AA as well as GE transfer requirements. 
- Students can also obtain an AA-T in Sociology with over 60 graduates since the major was established in 2012.
- Sociology also established the interdisciplinary Certificate of Sustainability Studies, which is now being developed into an AA pathway.

Student Learning/Administrative Unit Outcomes

SLO Findings:
One instructor in SOC 2 reported that she is placing much more emphasis on Group Projects in an attempt to demonstrate and initiate Human Agency in each of the student in her class. In other words, she has been attempting to demonstrate to her students that they are not just observers in their society, but active participants who can make significant changes. Her topics have included sensitive areas such as human trafficking. She has encouraged her students to embed this practice and analyze it within the context of Global Inequality, NeoColonialism, World Systems Theory and Gender Inequality. Another instructor in SOC 2 reported that he is emphasizing Human Agency and Civic Engagement in his classes in an effort to demonstrate to students that their voice matters and that they can be active and effective agents of social change and social justice. His motivation is to 'empower' students as citizens, not simply consumers. He is applying theory to this project and allowing students to work on a format of 'open' quizzes, so that they will have the latitude and the time to really delve into the solutions to the problems he is presenting as active participants in society. Another instructor in SOC 8 is encouraging more journal work and research papers in their pursuit of the 'silo' effect in academia. She is attempting to point out to students that everything in social life is connected, and that we can not analyze one issue in isolation. She is also leaning into breaking down the silos of higher education in this respect by drawing connections between the intersections of gender, race, class, ethnicity, sexual orientation, family composition, age, and other 'indicators of the separation' that does not truly exist between human beings.

Standards/Goals for Student Achievement (Instruction Departments)

The FTES changes have most likely declined in the same manner seen in the reduced overall reduction in enrollments campus wide. 
 

 
Our retention rates have been holding steady and our success rates could be improved. This will be addressed during the next Program Review. 
 

 
The number of degrees confered have been steady declining as a result of reduced overall student enrollments. Recruitment and active attention given to our majors to ensure they apply for graduation should help improve these numbers. 
 
 

Standards/Goals for Student Achievement (All Other Departments)

Strategic Direction

Program Review

The Sociology Department has the following Program Review recommendations:
STILL TO BE ADDRESSED
1.  Hire a Full Time faculty member to support program strength and student success. 
 

Department Goals

Strategy 1 - Increase enrollments and FTES and support student AA-T completion

Develop and add ONLINE Soc4  
Collaborate with CSUC Sociology program

Initiatives


Enhancing a Culture of Completion and Goal Achievement
Supporting Student, Faculty and Staff Success
Maximizing Resources to Support Student Learning
Enhancing a Culture of Equity and Inclusiveness


Supporting Rationale

Supports campus wide growth initiative

Supporting Rationale Alignment
Supports the College's Strategic Direction and Priorities: Yes
Supports Program Review Recommendations: Yes
Supports Course level SLOs: Yes
Supports PLOs: No
Supports ILO - Think Critically: No
Supports ILO - Communicate Competently: No
Supports ILO - Engage Collaboratively: No
Supports ILO - Work Effectively: No
Supports Meeting Vision for Success Goal - Credentials: No
Supports Meeting Vision for Success Goal - Transfer: No
Supports Meeting Vision for Success Goal - Time to Degree: No
Supports Meeting Vision for Success Goal - Employment in field of Study: No
Supports Meeting Vision for Success Goal - Reducing Equity Gaps: No
Strategy 2 - Develop a Butte Sustainability AA Degree Pathway


 Butte College was awarded funding in 2016 from Strategic Energy Initiatives (SEI) to support sustainability education across campus for faculty and students and facilitate dialogues between ourselves and representatives from Chico State with the goal of developing a transferable AA in Sustainability at Butte College. 
An interdisciplinary campus committee invested in the program meets regularly in support.
Butte College has signed two agreements, including the United States University Presidents College Climate Agreement that articulate our college’s commitment to stand up a Sustainability degree program. 

 

Initiatives


Modeling Sustainability
Enhancing a Culture of Completion and Goal Achievement
Supporting Student, Faculty and Staff Success
Using Data-Informed Processes for Continuous Improvement
Maximizing Resources to Support Student Learning
Enhancing a Culture of Equity and Inclusiveness


Supporting Rationale


Develops an AA degree with the same title and mission of the Butte College Strategic Directive #5, Modeling Sustainaiblty by standing up the curriculum for a Sustainabilty Studies AA Degree with courses and career pathways for both transfer career focused students.
The program includes clear career pathways with quick vocational outcomes (permafarming; solar panels) as well as transfer education in a field that students can both believe in and know there will be jobs.
The Butte Certificate in Sustainability Studies was developed in 2007 and has been awarded to over 100 students. Curriculum spans both Career and Transfer with courses from Ethics to Agriculture.
Follows through on two signed commmitments by Butte College, including the United States University Presidents College Climate Agreement, that articulate our college’s commitment to stand up a Sustainability degree program. 


Supporting Rationale Alignment
Supports the College's Strategic Direction and Priorities: Yes
Supports Program Review Recommendations: Yes
Supports Course level SLOs: Yes
Supports PLOs: No
Supports ILO - Think Critically: No
Supports ILO - Communicate Competently: No
Supports ILO - Engage Collaboratively: No
Supports ILO - Work Effectively: No
Supports Meeting Vision for Success Goal - Credentials: No
Supports Meeting Vision for Success Goal - Transfer: No
Supports Meeting Vision for Success Goal - Time to Degree: No
Supports Meeting Vision for Success Goal - Employment in field of Study: No
Supports Meeting Vision for Success Goal - Reducing Equity Gaps: No
Strategy 3 - Develop career/transfer pathways materials for students in both Sociology and Sustainability

Develop promotional materials  for students that clearly identify the future of career paths in the fields of sociology and sustainabilty.
 
Initiatives


Modeling Sustainability
Enhancing a Culture of Completion and Goal Achievement
Supporting Student, Faculty and Staff Success
Using Data-Informed Processes for Continuous Improvement
Maximizing Resources to Support Student Learning
Enhancing a Culture of Equity and Inclusiveness


Supporting Rationale

Supports the college stategic direction to support completion and provide students with clear and easy to navigate inforamtion about transfer and career opportunities

Supporting Rationale Alignment
Supports the College's Strategic Direction and Priorities: Yes
Supports Program Review Recommendations: Yes
Supports Course level SLOs: Yes
Supports PLOs: No
Supports ILO - Think Critically: No
Supports ILO - Communicate Competently: No
Supports ILO - Engage Collaboratively: No
Supports ILO - Work Effectively: No
Supports Meeting Vision for Success Goal - Credentials: No
Supports Meeting Vision for Success Goal - Transfer: No
Supports Meeting Vision for Success Goal - Time to Degree: No
Supports Meeting Vision for Success Goal - Employment in field of Study: No
Supports Meeting Vision for Success Goal - Reducing Equity Gaps: No
Strategy 4 - Hire one full-time faculty to with skills in Statics for the Social Sciences

Hire a full-time Sociology faculty with expertise in Behavioral Statistics (meets math requirement) and support the programs consideration of a Social Justice pathway
 

Initiatives


Modeling Sustainability
Enhancing a Culture of Completion and Goal Achievement
Supporting Student, Faculty and Staff Success
Using Data-Informed Processes for Continuous Improvement
Maximizing Resources to Support Student Learning
Enhancing a Culture of Equity and Inclusiveness


Supporting Rationale


The addition of a SBS statistics course is projected to be extremely popular as it meets the math requirement 
The Statistics course is the CID recommended course preparation for Social Science majors (Psy, Soc, SBS). 
Because Chico State does NOT offer a Masters Degree in Sociology, finding associate faculty with this expertise is an obstacle.
Long time need for full time leadership in the program:  There has only been one full time faculty in Sociology since 2012.  

 

Supporting Rationale Alignment
Supports the College's Strategic Direction and Priorities: Yes
Supports Program Review Recommendations: Yes
Supports Course level SLOs: Yes
Supports PLOs: No
Supports ILO - Think Critically: No
Supports ILO - Communicate Competently: No
Supports ILO - Engage Collaboratively: No
Supports ILO - Work Effectively: No
Supports Meeting Vision for Success Goal - Credentials: No
Supports Meeting Vision for Success Goal - Transfer: No
Supports Meeting Vision for Success Goal - Time to Degree: No
Supports Meeting Vision for Success Goal - Employment in field of Study: No
Supports Meeting Vision for Success Goal - Reducing Equity Gaps: No
 

Future Development Strategies

Requested Non-Financial Resources

Current Financial Resources