2007 Institutional Report

Reporting Institution:

University of Victoria , School of Earth and Ocean Sciences (SEOS)

Representative:

Stan Dosso, 250-472-4341, sdosso@uvic.ca

Changes

Programs/Courses

Program/Course changes in the 2006/07 Academic Year:

(1) Starting in the summer of 2007, we are offering a new Minor Program in Ocean Sciences, which can be taken along any general, major, or honours program. The program consists of four core courses in oceanography: Biological Oceanography (EOS 311), Introduction to Chemical Oceanography (EOS 312), Geological Oceanography (EOS 313), and Descriptive Physical Oceanography (EOS 314) (the latter three are new courses), as well as well as EOS 110 and 120 (Introduction to the Earth System I and II), and two other senior level courses chosen from the following: EOS 315 (Acoustical Oceanography), EOS 403 (Global Biogeochemical Cycles), EOS 408 (Marine Geology), EOS 425 (Aqueous Chemistry in the Earth and Ocean), EOS 431 (Physical Oceanography), EOS 433 (The Ocean-Atmosphere System), BIOL 446 (Advanced Aquatic Ecology), PHYS 426 (Fluid Mechanics).

(2) EOS 470 Geodynamics has been discontinued due to generally low enrollment.

Staffing

Staffing changes in the 2006/07 Academic Year:

(1) New faculty members joining the School: Kim Juniper (marine ecosystems), Jody Klymak (physical oceanography), Roberta Hamme (chemical oceanography).

(2) Duncan Johannessen has filled the position of Senior Laboratory Instructor – 100-level courses.

(3) A new position, Senior Laboratory Instructor – Ocean Sciences Minor Program, has been created and filled by Sarah Thornton.

Enrolment Trends

(1) The total number of students enrolled in Earth and Ocean Sciences (EOS) degree programs is essentially the same as last year, and up slightly from previous years.

(2) The number of students in our first-year courses is up significantly from previous years, and is generally up in most of our core second through fourth courses. However, the enrollment in our “outreach” courses designed for non-science students has decreased significantly over the past 3-4 year. The net result is a slight decrease in the total number of students.

Facilities

Construction has begun on a new Science Building that will see all of SEOS facilities (currently dispersed over seven locations on campus) brought together in on building that will also include new classroom and teaching laboratory space. Occupancy is anticipated in the summer of 2008.

Issues/Challenges

The challenge of increasing the enrollment in our undergraduate programs in a time of soft overall Science enrollment.