Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
Our RIIA project continues to focus on three NIFA Educational Need Areas (ENA) - ENA (2) Faculty Preparation & Enhancement for Teaching, ENA (5) Student Experiential Learning, and ENA (6) Student Recruitment, Retention, and Educational Equity. These 3 ENAs are the guidestone and objectives towards our overall goals. To achieve the objectives, the methodology or steps are: to maintain a funding source for faculty; to provide financial assistance for faculty and staff professional development; to provide local and regional summer internships; to support Extension Site visit to Samoa; to provide support for students to attend and present research at national conferences; to provide Summer Institute scholarships; and to provide scholarships for students pursuing Bachelor's degrees in food, agriculture, natural resources, and human sciences. These objectives and methodology will help the American Samoa Community College- Agriculture, Community, and Natural Resources division meet its outcomes and overarching goals of increasing the number and diversity of students pursing degrees in food and agricultural sciences, and enhancing the quality of postsecondary instruction to help meet current and future workplace needs.
Animal Health Component
(N/A)
Research Effort Categories
Basic
(N/A)
Applied
(N/A)
Developmental
(N/A)
Goals / Objectives
ENA (2) Faculty Preparation and Enhancement for TeachingMethodology: Steps for achieving Objective1) Funding will continue for one full-time faculty/project director at ACNR who will teach courses in Agriculture Community & Natural Resources as well as oversee the administering of the project. Funding will also be provided for one part-time faculty teaching ACNR courses.2) ACNR will provide financial assistance towards professional development for faculty and staff.ENA (5) Student Experiential Learning:Methodology: Steps for achieving Objective1) ACNR will provide stipends for students participating in local and Samoa internships, where they will be working at different areas/field within ASCC ACNR Land Grant and the Samoa Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, including the Scientific Research Organization of Samoa (SROS). Interns are also required to complete a research project.2) Funding will support the Extension Site Visit to Samoa, which provides an opportunity for students to observe and participate in development and researches in agriculture and natural resources during Spring Break. Students will have the opportunity to travel to neighboring Samoa islands and are supervised/chaperoned by ACNR faculty and staff.3) Funding will also support students who will participate and present their research at national conferences such as the Society for Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS) and the American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES)ENA (6) Student Recruitment, Retention, and Educational EquityMethodology: Steps for achieving Objective1) ACNR will provide a "Summer Institute" with financial assistance/scholarships to 20 students. The Summer Institute focuses on recruiting recent high school graduates and newand continuing ASCC students to our ACNR program. They will enroll in either AGR 100 I or AGR 100 II (Practical Job Experiences I & II) courses for the summer, where they will be introduced to the FANH sciences fields, participate in hands on/field experiences (at ACNR and other government agencies and departments, and locally owned farms and businesses). Students will also have the opportunity to work with and learn from research and extension professional and support staff.2) ACNR will provide $35,000 ($5,000/each for 7 students) in off-island scholarships for deserving ASCC ACNR graduates who meet eligibility and merit requirements. Students have to be already accepted and enrolled in an off-island college/university and are majoring in the FANH sciences areas
Project Methods
ENA (2) Faculty Preparation and Enhancement for Teaching:Methodology: Steps for achieving Objective1) Funding will continue for one full-time faculty/project director at ACNR who will teach courses in Agriculture Community & Natural Resources as well as oversee the administering of the project. Funding will also be provided for one part-time faculty teaching ACNR courses.2) ACNR will provide financial assistance towards professional development for faculty and staff.Evaluation Method: Demonstrate that funding was used for ACNR faculty and courses that were taught. Course curriculum and degree programs are evaluated every 2 years by the Curriculum and Assessment Committees. Faculty and courses are evaluated each semester through student satisfaction surveys. Annual performance evaluations are also conducted for faculty and staff by Department Chair and Dean/Director. ACNR will also keep data, certifications, and documents related to faculty and staff professional development.ENA (5) Student Experiential Learning:Methodology: Steps for achieving Objective1) ACNR will provide stipends for students participating in local and Samoa internships, where they will be working at different areas/field within ASCC ACNR Land Grant and the Samoa Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, including the Scientific Research Organization of Samoa (SROS). Interns are also required to complete a research project.2) Funding will support the Extension Site Visit to Samoa, which provides an opportunity for students to observe and participate in development and researches in agriculture and natural resources during Spring Break. Students will have the opportunity to travel to neighboring Samoa islands and are supervised/chaperoned by ACNR faculty and staff.3) Funding will also support students who will participate and present their research at national conferences such as the Society for Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS) and the American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES)Evaluation Method: Students will submit weekly reports, final report, and provide a presentation on their research projects, experiences and lessons learned to other students, faculty and staff. Students are also required to participate and present at the ASCC Annual Science Symposium during Fall semester. Students who participate in the Extension Site Visit are required to write a trip report and present to other students. Those who are invited to national conferences are also required to provide and present a poster of their research.ENA (6) Student Recruitment, Retention, and Educational Equity: Methodology: Steps for achieving Objective1) ACNR will provide a "Summer Institute" with financial assistance/scholarships to 20 students. The Summer Institute focuses on recruiting recent high school graduates and new and continuing ASCC students to our ACNR program. They will enroll in either AGR 100 I or AGR 100 II (Practical Job Experiences I & II) courses for the summer, where they will be introduced to the FANH sciences fields, participate in hands on/field experiences (at ACNR and other government agencies and departments, and locally owned farms and businesses). Students will also have the opportunity to work with and learn from research and extension professional and support staff.2) ACNR will provide $35,000 ($5,000/each for 7 students) in off-island scholarships for deserving ASCC ACNR graduates who meet eligibility and merit requirements. Students have to be already accepted and enrolled in an off-island college/university and are majoring in the FANH sciences areasEvaluation: For the Summer Institute, ACNR will collect data on participants, ensuing fall enrollments, and the number of declared majors. Summer Institute students also have to do weekly reports, course assignments, and a final presentation. For the off-island scholarships, ACNR will track academic progress towards completion of a Bachelor's degree.