Updated Zoology and Aquatic ecology Team Charter

1. Purpose of the team Charter

With the commencement of BPR in the Mekelle University various teams are established to handle the work process. As part of this team establishment three teams are established with in department of Biology of the College of Natural and computational Sciences. The Zoology and Animal Ecology academic and research team is one of the teams established to handle research and provide zoology courses to undergraduate and post graduate students emphasizing on critical thinking and conceptual skills that come from understanding of how scientific information is obtained and evaluated. Furthermore, the team is entitled to conduct research and community service with various objectives.

As team and team work are new concepts introduced by the BPR into the work culture of the Mekelle University, it is necessary to develop team-work guideline (team charter). This is the reason why this team charter is developed. Specifically this team charter serves the following purposes

• To document the teams purpose and clearly define team members’ roles, responsibilities, and operating rules.

• To establish for the team and the management, communicating, reporting, and decision-making procedures

• To lay-out a blue-print for conducting the teaching-learning and student advising process

• Defining how the course team works in an empowered manner including setting its responsibility and authority

• The charter will also help in facilitating stakeholder by including key members (such as the university and college, and Department management, students and others) in the decision-making process and obtaining their concurrence along the way.

1.1 Vision of the team

The vision of our Course and Research team is becoming

• The leading team (getting first rank) in providing quality teaching-learning and research services in our university;

• A role model of teamwork in our university.

1.2 Objectives:

The objective of our team is:

• To provide research based education in the area of Zoological sciences;

• Achieving the objectives of the course/module stated in the curriculum

• Provide training and consultancy service for government offices, non-government offices, farmers as well as individuals;

• Organize seminars and conferences under thematic area of interest.

• Achieving the stretch objectives, targets and working standards of the teaching-learning process as recommended by the BPR team.

1.3 Anticipated output/outcomes of the team

• Course/module plan prepared in a participatory manner

• All lessons properly planned

• Formative assessment implemented throughout the course and feedback regarding student progress continuously collected and analyzed

• Depending on the feedback obtained from formative assessment, timely remedial support provided to students

• Course progress regularly evaluated against student progress, the calendar and schedule

• Team’s overall progress regularly (once per two week) evaluated and the way forward outlined

• Student academic advising conducted as per schedule

• Course-self assessment formally conducted and improvements planned

• More than 95% of students registered for the course passed (get at least 50%) the formative assessment

• Course attrition rate reduced to less than 5%

• Student satisfaction rating on the teaching learning process and academic advising near 100%

• Organize seminars and conferences under thematic area of interest at least once per semester

2. Background
Mekelle University in general and the department of Biology in particular was that not fully involved in research and community service. In addition courses were offered by individuals not by team. In response to the Mekelle University BPR and its work processes this team is formed to promote the objectives set during the BPR. All the activities of the team will be reported to the department and the college.

3. Scope of the team
This Research and Course team is established to conduct research, community service and the teaching-learning process of Zoological courses offered to students of the Department of Biology. All the activities are targeted towards satisfaction of customer (community and students). This team is responsible for planning and implementing the course teaching-learning process, research and community service. The team members including the support staff are responsible for achieving course objectives/outcomes as well as research and community service.

To achieve its objectives the team needs both material and financial resources. Classrooms should be well equipped with all teaching learning facilities recommended by the BPR team. Materials like white board markers, dusters, gowns etc shall be made available urgently.
Laboratories and chemical and equipment stores shall be reorganized in such a way that they can serve our purposes.
4. Team composition

• The Team is composed of the following local members

• Dawit Kidane(MSc) (dawitom14@yahoo.com)
• Gebremeskel Teklehaymanot( PhD Fellow)
• Kiros Weledegerima(MSc) (lezelalem16@yahoo.com)
• Kokeb Girmay (kokeb_girmay@yahoo.com)
• Mehretu Yonas ( PhD ) meheretu@yahoo.com
• Mekonen Teferi (PhD ) senaymt@yahoo.com
• Tsegazeabe Hadush (Msc) (hilinatsegazeabe@yahoo.co.uk )

• The team also is composed of the following expatriate members

• Seethurahaman
• Ekwal Immam

• Department’s case manager and data base

• Ghenet Tefferi (genihoney@ymail.com)
• Tesfay Kiros