Equestrian department saddled first with program review

When Karen Hansen stepped onto campus just five days after classes began Monday, Jan. 9, she was welcomed by spotless barns; clean, clipped horses and high-energy classes as students settled into their daily routines.

"The students are a huge part of how the department comes across to visitors," said instructor Sarah Linde.

Though the high for the day was only twenty-four degrees, students spent Thursday cleaning classrooms, washing blankets and grooming horses in preparation for Hansen's arrival.

Dr. Karen Hansen, an equine nutritionist at Colorado State University, spent Friday, Jan. 13 and Saturday, Jan. 14 touring, observing, and interviewing the Equestrian department in a much-anticipated review—a review the department will use to hone program efficiency, communication and appeal.

Nancy Cornwell, interim Vice President of Academic Affairs, put the process in perspective for readers who, at the words "program review," may have felt the sudden weight of Christmas-fattened monkeys on their backs.

"They [reviewers] don't come in with preconceived ideas—that's not what they do," she said. Their job is to help you see what's valuable about your programs."

So it's not a test, then, with a fat red pen ready to draw a dramatic A or—heaven forbid—F on a department's forehead.

Cornwell said it's an opportunity to step back, look at a program critically, and generate suggestions for improvements. Polishing, really.

Cornwell's assurance should calm any still-fluttering hearts and prepare them for their own program's review which—if nothing bends or breaks—will happen soon.

"There was a decision made this year that we just had to do it," Cornwell commented. Every major department at Stephens will host a visiting professional before commencement in May. Reviews of this caliber haven't been conducted for several years so, according to Cornwell, a curriculum-wide assessment is overdue.

The equestrian department is just leading the charge.

And, according to Linde, the result will be worth some frozen fingers. Though an official report will be given to administration shortly, Linde said Hansen seemed pleased with the department's use of the facilities at hand and offered some tasty academic food for thought.

Hansen appreciated that the program has not regressed into one school of thought, as many colleges have. Instead of teaching one or two types of "seats," or riding disciplines, Stephens teaches five: western, hunt, saddle seat, driving, and reining.

The fact that Hansen is well versed in all of them made her the best choice to conduct the review, Linde said.

Ellen Beard, assistant professor and coordinator of equestrian events, said so, too. She explained that Hansen chaired the equestrian department at William Woods University for several years before migrating west. William Woods, located thirty minutes southeast of Columbia, is like Stephens in that it maintains a performance-driven, horsemanship and riding-oriented program—instead of one focused mostly in animal sciences, which is most common today among schools with equestrian departments.

Still, as an equine nutritionist at Colorado State, Hansen is also well-versed in the biological aspects of equine study.

"Karen [Hansen] is very much a professional," Beard said, glad to be able to "hold the equine conversation."

She said that her talks with the reviewer were poignant and valuable and that they talked about everything from academics to marketing to strengthening the relationship between equestrian students and the rest of campus.

"People don't really understand what we're doing," Beard said. "We don't fit into anyone's mold. You take a little bit of everything and add a horse to it, and that's what we have."

Michelle Schultz, a senior in Equine Business Management, shares Beard's concern.

She said, "It's like we're our own entity. We want to find a way to have more students come over and see what we do."

That is exactly the kind of guidance Hansen's report will provide the program, Shultz hopes.

The review officially began the morning of Friday, Jan. 13 as Hansen visited with administration. Then she toured the department's facilities, sat in on classes and spent an hour interviewing each instructor. On Saturday, Jan. 14 she met with equestrian faculty and interviewed students about their experiences in the program, collecting suggestions for improvement.

Becky Clervi, the equestrian department Chair, said Hansen complimented the program's focus on placing students in strategic internships and finding them jobs after graduation. Most of Hansen's time, however, was spent in observation.

"She didn't talk much," Linde said of Hansen. "You could tell she was really listening."

Non-equestrian students should warm up to the idea of this review process, because their departments are next.

Those who think their academic program deserves a boost or serious critique won't have long to wait. Nancy Cornwell said that the fashion and theater departments are next in line, with reviewers coming in February.