Arts and Sciences Curriculum Committee

Meeting of February 12, 2008

Minutes

 

Present:  Steve Bayne (Chair), Sara Brill, Jessica Davis, Shannon Harding, Olivia Harriott, Danke Li, Laura McSweeney, F. Cesar Muldorado, Jim Shanahan, Ray Poincelot, Joan Weiss

 

Meeting called to order at 3:35 PM

  1. Announcements

Bayne announced that the next ASCC meeting is scheduled for March 18th 2008 at 3:30 PM in CNS 100 and that the committee may need to meet after finals in May. 

 

Bayne announced that the American Studies course approvals were going well but that he hadn't heard from Ben Fine about the Mathematics course approvals.  Weiss informed the committee that Matt Coleman was working on them.  Weiss and McSweeney suggested that Bayne contact Matt Coleman for an update.

 

  1. Approval of minutes of December 11, 2007.   Brill moved to approve and McSweeney seconded. Weiss noted typos and indicated that she would send corrections to Bayne.  The amended minutes were approved unanimously.

           

  1. Journal of Record (JR) routing procedure for new graduate programs (documents previously distributed).  Bayne gave an overview of the routing procedures described in the JR.  He clarified that undergrad program proposals go to the Curriculum Area Chair ˆ School Curriculum Committee(s)or Faculty of School(s) ˆ Dean(s) ˆ UCC ˆ EPC ˆ Academic Council, while grad program proposals go to the School Curriculum Committee or Faculty of School (bypassing curriculum areas and Deans) ˆ EPC ˆ Academic Council.

           

            Motion: 

            The routing procedure for graduate program proposals be the same as the undergraduate routing procedure except that the UCC would not play a role in the grad approval routing procedure. The motion was made by McSweeney and seconded by Li.  The motion was unanimously approved.

 

      4.  Policy/guidelines for teaching credit/compensation for mentoring students through independent study and research (documents previously distributed)

 

        Bayne had discussions with interim CAS Dean Poincelot and incoming Dean Robbin Crabtree who expressed their support for the ASCC forming a subcommittee in order to develop a  proposal for a college wide plan that would subsequently be discussed and endorsed by the entire ASCC.  The plan would be sent to the Dean and then the AVP.  They felt that the ASCC is the best place to discuss these issues.  Poincelot recommended that Beth Boquet serve on the subcommittee. 

 

      The following motion was made by Harding and seconded by McSweeney:

 

            Motion:

            For the purpose of recommending a college wide plan on how faculty should be compensated for the supervision of independent studies and internships to the Dean of Arts and Sciences, the ASCC form a subcommittee with the following specific charge and composition:

 

            Charge of the subcommittee:  To formulate a proposal for a college wide plan on how Arts and Sciences faculty should be compensated for the supervision of independent studies and internships and present this plan to the full ASCC.

 

            Composition of the subcommittee: 

a.     The Dean (or an Associate Dean appointed by the Dean) of the College of Arts and Sciences.

b.    Four members of the faculty of the College of Arts and Sciences – in this regard the chair of ASCC is directed to solicit nominations from the faculty of the college before the next meeting of the A&SCC (March 18, 2008), at which time the ASCC will elect four members from the nominations received. 

 

            If the committee approves the formation of this subcommittee, then in preparation for the subcommittee's work the A&SCC would have  permission to 1) post, under the ASCC's section of the College Secretary's  website, the previous subcommittee's survey on current departmental  practices concerning independent studies and internships, the summary of  the data collected from the survey, and plans proposed by departments (e.g.  Psychology proposal) and 2) to invite College of Arts and Sciences faculty to comment on and possibly add to the documents posted on the website

 

Bayne made a friendly amendment to include a deadline of the October meeting and the motion passed unanimously.. 

 

5.  Distribution of ASCC materials/course proposals.

The following motion was made by McSweeney and seconded by Brill:

            Motion:

            The ASCC requests submission of multiple hard copies of all proposals and materials in addition to the electronic copy and single hard copy currently requested.

            Harding made a friendly amendment to request that  copies be double-sided. 

            The motion passed unanimously.

 

6. New Course Proposals.  Course proposals, letters of support and meeting minutes were distributed via email.

 

            CH 007:  Introduction to Forensic Science

            McSweeney moved to approve and Harding seconded.  Bayne asked if the course   would require the hiring of adjuncts.  Davis reported that the course would not be offered until spring 2009 and the chemistry department would hire adjuncts.   Poincelot clarified that the course is in line with strategic goal one and would be  supported by the Dean's office.  Davis added that the course will also be supported  by the CAE NSF-CCLI grant.  The course was approved unanimously.

 

            CO 130:  Mass Media & Society

            Brill moved to approve and Li seconded.  Brill requested clarification of course requirements.  Shanahan clarified that CO 130 and CO 231 take the place of  CO230 and that all students would take CO130.  Harding asked if there was  enough demand for CO231.  Davis asked about faculty resources because one  course is being split into two courses.  Shanahan responded that they would determine the need for faculty coverage based on actual enrollment.

            Shanahan continued that the plan is to have those courses taught by full time faculty.  Bayne noted that catalog descriptions would need to be changed.     McSweeney noted that if approved, the course would have to go to UCC for core approval.  The course was approved unanimously.

 

            CO 231: Media Institutions

            McSweeney moved to approve and Harding seconded.  The course was approved unanimously.

 

            CO 346:  Communication and Spirituality

            Brill moved to approve and Poincelot seconded.

            McSweeney noted that the final examination policy was not in line with the JR.   Bayne added that according to the JR the final exam should be approximately one third of the final grade for the course and should be cumulative. 

            McSweeney recommended that the Chair send the instructor the final exam requirements based on the JR.  Shanahan added that CO346 was a topics course that is in line with the University mission and is well received by students.  The course was approved unanimously.

 

            EN 276:  Life and Print Culture in Eighteenth-Century London.

            McSweeney moved to approve and Davis seconded.

            McSweeney expressed concern about final exam information being clearly stated on the syllabus.  Bayne added that the catalog description for the course was too long and needed shortening.  Bayne stated that he would notify the instructor about the issues raised.  The course was approved unanimously.

 

            EN/W 339:  Grant and Proposal Writing

            McSweeney moved to approve and Brill seconded.

            Harding asked whom the course would be open to.  Poincelot added that as a writing course, EN/W 339 couldn't count for core credit.  Shanahan  responded that communication students could take the course as part of their  major as a related course.  Davis noted that there were 16 weeks of classes indicated instead of the typical 14-week semester.  Poincelot inquired about resources to pay the co-instructor.  Davis reported on documentation showing CAS Dean approval.  The course was approved unanimously.

 

            PH 247:  Philosophical Daoism and Zen Buddhism

            Brill moved to approve and Li seconded.

            Bayne noted that the syllabus was based on 15 weeks.  Weiss noted that she couldn't find the due date for the final paper.  Bayne noted that he would forward comments to the instructor.  The course was approved unanimously.

           

            PH 288:  Critical Race Theory

            Brill moved to approve and Shanahan seconded.

            Harding noted that the final couldn't be given on the last day of class.

            The course was approved unanimously.

 

            TA 93:  Physical Performance Lab

            Weiss moved to approve and McSweeney seconded.

            The course was approved unanimously.

 

            TA 210:  Theatre in Production

            Shanahan moved to approve and Li seconded

            McSweeney noted that the final exam is a project, which needs Dean's approval.

            Harding inquired if a letter was needed from Irish Studies or other programs for interdisciplinary cross listing.  Poincelot responded that letters were not required for cross listing.  The course was approved unanimously.

           

            SA 134:  Digital Photography

            McSweeney moved to approve and Harding seconded

            Bayne noted he would notify the instructor about the final exam policy regarding  use of a project instead of a final exam.  The course was approved unanimously.

 

            SP360:  Dictatorships and Revolutionary Movements in Contemporary Latin America

            Shanahan moved to approve and Muldorado seconded.  Bayne informed the committee that Latin & Caribbean studies provided a letter of support.

            Poincelot was concerned about course enrollment.  Weiss added that the course  would be offered to Spanish majors.  McSweeney thought the instructor should be  made aware of the final exam policy.  Bayne noticed that the catalogue description was too long.  Li said that it should be clear to students that the course is taught in Spanish.  Weiss noted that that syllabus is incorrectly based on 30  classes and 15  weeks and that the course does not yet have diversity approval.   Bayne noted that he would forward comments to the instructor.  The course was approved unanimously.

             

            AH209:  The Metropolitan Museum of Art Cast Collection at Fairfield

            McSweeney moved to approve and Weiss seconded.  Weiss commented that  AH209 was a good course and the proposal was well prepared.  The course was  approved unanimously.

 

            AN151:  New Chinese Cinema

            Li moved to approve and Muldorado seconded.

            Harding asked if the course overlapped AN150, but noted that the issue was  addressed in the department minutes.  McSweeney suggested that the instructor  contact VPA to see if the course could be cross-listed.  The course was approved  unanimously.

 

The meeting adjourned at 4:48 PM. 

 

 

 

Respectfully submitted,

Olivia Harriott