College
of Arts
and Sciences Curriculum Committee Meeting
October
20, 2009
Present: Bob Epstein (Chair), Shannon Harding, Manyul Im, Danke Li, John Miecznikowski, Elizabeth Petrino, Les Schaffer, Roxana Walker-Canton, Joan Weiss, Qin Zhang
Meeting was called to order at 3:36 in CNS 100.
The Chair thanked Miecznikowski for taking minutes at today's meeting.
The Chair announced that he e-mailed two Arabic course proposals to everyone on the committee and that these proposals will be discussed as new business at today's meeting.
The next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, November 10, 2009 at 3:30 p.m. in CNS 100.
MOTION: To approve the minutes with minor
changes (Harding, seconded by Li).
Changes included:
á
Petrino noted that we should not include
the names of
the people who abstained from approving the minutes from the April 14,
2009
meeting.
á
Miecznikowski stated that "member" should
be
added after "new faculty" in the discussion of AY100.
He also mentioned that Schaffer's last
name was misspelled in the discussion of AS410.
Vote to approve: 7 in favor, 0 opposed.
The Chair reminded everyone that there is a special course approval form for one-week courses. An instructor will have to complete a new course proposal form for each one-week course that he/she would like to teach. Once the ASCC approves the one-week course, only the instructor who applied may teach the course as a one-week course.
The Chair mentioned that all College Faculty will be reminded in the Spring that one-week courses need to get approved by the ASCC. Weiss pointed out that there is a separate course proposal form for graduate courses. Petrino mentioned that all Faculty who teach graduate courses in the College should be alerted that this form exists.
The Chair passed out the schedule for the five-year review of new programs. Weiss stated that the ASCC reviews new majors and minors and that the Chair of ASCC needs to remind each program that a review is due. The program submits a review to the ASCC Chair. The five-year program review guidelines can be found on the CAS website (http://faculty.fairfield.edu/cas).
Harding asked the Chair to remind New Media Film, Television, and Radio that their five-year review is due.
Petrino asked what is the process by which the program is notified that their five-year review is due. Weiss responded that the program chair is notified by the Dean's office and the Chair of the ASCC.
Im mentioned that he will forward the five-year program review guidelines to Elizabeth Haas, in the Department of New Media Film, Television, and Radio.
Weiss mentioned that at the end of the Spring 2010 semester, the program directors or chairs of Irish Studies, Catholic Studies, and the Master of Arts in Communication Corporate Cohort Program need to be contacted and reminded that their five-year program review is due in May 2011.
Li asked about the review of the individual designed major. Weiss mentioned that when a student designs his/her own major, the student lists courses that they would like to take. The student works with their advisor to pick courses. The list of courses for the individual designed major is sent to a committee of three Faculty who review the courses and either accept the course list, reject the course list, or offer suggestions. The student completes a portfolio at the end of their four years of study.
5. New
Business
AR220 – Advanced Modern Standard Arabic I
Discussion:
Im asked if we are trying to approve AR220 and AR221. At the September meeting, the ASCC discussed a one semester six credit accelerated Arabic course. The ASCC is not considering this accelerated course at this time.
Harding mentioned that the first sentence of the catalog description for AR 220 needs to be changed. Im suggested changing the first sentence to "This course continues to build on work completed through the intermediate level." The Chair will suggest this change to the Chair of the Department of Modern Languages and Literature.
Weiss added that in Fall 2008, there were 12 students in Elementary Modern Standard Arabic I and in the Spring 2009, there were 12 students in Elementary Modern Standard Arabic II. During the Fall 2009, there are 4 students in Intermediate Intensive Modern Standard Arabic.
Weiss mentioned that the time code for the course is non-standard, MWR, 3:00 to 4:10 p.m. She mentioned that she would like the instructor to use a standard time code or explain the choice of the non-standard time code.
Harding noted that the syllabi for AR220 and AR221 are identical. Weiss also noticed this.
Miecznikowski added that the Professor should be reminded that there are 14 weeks of classes and the fifteenth week is for final exams.
Im wondered if the mandatory lab session should be mentioned in the catalog description. Petrino commented that the lab should be mentioned in the catalog description. Weiss mentioned that Italian has an on-line component and that this on-line component is stated in the catalog description.
Im stated that there is a discrepancy in the amount of time spent in class and the number of course credits. Weiss mentioned that all of the elementary and intermediate language courses are offered for four credits. The higher-level advanced courses are offered for three credits.
Weiss mentioned that the Department did address some of the ASCC's earlier comments. For example, the Department did break up a six-credit course into two, three credit courses.
The Chair added that he will write the Chair of the Department of Modern Languages and Literature and ask the Department to include the lab requirement in the catalog description. The Chair will ask the Department to decide whether the course should meet for 150 minutes per week for three credits or for 200 minutes per week for four credits. The Chair will ask the Department to change the first sentence in the catalog description and to modify the syllabus to reflect a fifteen week semester.
MOTION: Petrino moved to provisionally accept
AR 220, Harding seconded. 9 approved, 0 opposed.
AR221 – Advanced Modern Standard Arabic II
Discussion:
Walker-Canton mentioned that she would like to see more details in the syllabus. Specifically, she would like the instructor to state what material will be covered each week. She does not see where the instructor will cover poetry, historic culture background, etc. These topics are stated in the catalog description. She would like to know what vocabulary and culture will be taught in AR220 and in AR221. She also added that the instructor should mention specific goals in the syllabus.
Schaffer mentioned that the catalog description does not match up with the course syllabus.
Weiss added that the course will develop as the instructor is teaching the course.
MOTION: Petrino moved that we ask the
Department of Modern Languages and Literature to submit a more
developed
syllabus that reflects the course goals for AR221.
Seconded by Schaffer.
9 approved, 0 opposed.
6. Adjournment
MOTION TO ADJOURN: Miecznikowski, seconded by Harding at 4:35 p.m. Approved by a show of feet.
Respectfully submitted,
John Miecznikowski