Present: Jane Atkinson, Jack
Hart, Curtis Johnson, Curt Keedy, Bob Owens, Anne Price, Bill
Randall, David Savage, Tom Schoeneman, Phyllis Yes. Student
Representatives: Eric Johnson, Elizabeth Thiel. Recorder: Eleanor
Leonard.
Absent: Mine Eder, Roger Paget.
Call to Order
1/ The meeting was called to order at 3:20 pm.
Approval of Minutes
2/ Bob Owens moved to accept the Nov. 12, 1997, minutes. Elizabeth Thiel seconded. Vote to accept unanimous.
Subcommittee Issues
Course Proposal Subcommittee
3/ The Course Proposal Subcommittee recommended the approval of the following courses:
4/ 97.20 and 97.21 F98 All 6 Foreign Languages. Renumber all courses currently numbered 305-306 to be 251-252 for all 6 languages (Chinese, Japanese, Russian, German, French, Spanish). Also renumber cross-listed courses: old Chin 305-306 cross listed as old EAS 323-324 to be cross listed as new EAS 253-254; and old Japn 305-306 cross listed as old EAS 326-327 to be cross listed as EAS 257-258. This change will not affect the general education language requirements. Jack Hart moved to accept approval. Phyllis Yes seconded. Vote to approve unanimous.
5/ 97.61 +GE F98 Hist 347 Modern Mexico: Culture, Politics and Economic Crisis (Young). Alternate years. Proposed to fulfill Area/Culture Gen Ed requirement. Counts towards History major. Intended to be cross-listed with LAS. David Savage explained that this course represents the third upper-division Latin American History course in professor Young's repertoire. Short discussion. Bob Owens recommended approval. Vote to approve unanimous.
6/ Due to malfunctions with the e-mail system and with the electricity throughout the day (Nov. 19) much of the information needed to discuss the Econ, Psy, Comm, and Gend classes was not transmitted to CC members. It was therefore decided to wait until the next CC meeting to discuss these courses. Cover sheets are available for the Econ courses and the Psy courses and will be circulated among CC members before the Nov. 26th meeting.
Biology 115
7/ Curt Keedy handed out a memo from the Division of Mathematical and Natural Sciences in which Biology 115, Explorations in Regional Biology, has been recommended and unanimously approved by the MNS Division to fulfill the MNS requirement for those majoring in mathematics and computer science and mathematics. Approval of this proposal will encourage students with these two majors to broaden their science experience by taking a lab course and make it easier for them to participate in overseas programs. The MNS requirement is automatically satisfied through major requirements for all other majors in the MNS Division. There was a brief discussion about what was covered in BIO 115. Bob Owens moved to approve. Tom Schoeneman seconded. Vote to approve unanimous.
Meet with the students from SAAB--Review of General Education Program
8/ Elizabeth Thiel invited members of SAAB to come to the meeting to express their thoughts regarding the general education requirements and to determine ways to collect student information regarding these requirements. Kathy Carlson and Klaus Engelhardt (SAAB-Board Advisor) attended.
9/ David Savage explained the review process to the SAAB members. He said that the CC was in the process of designing a way to collect information from faculty and students. He suggested discussion groups and working with student groups. He also asked if the CC could use the SAAB board as representatives of the student body.
10/ Bill Randall asked about other students groups that could be invited to participate.
11/ Eric Johnson suggested that SAAB students will represent a certain type of student but not a cross-section of students. So the question was raised: How do we include all types of students.
12/ Tom Schoeneman suggested taking a random sample from the student body and send out a questionnaire. Bill Randall suggested randomly selecting students from select groups.
13/ Tom Schoeneman also commented that studies show that the response rate will be about 30% and that each methodology will have its draw backs and advantages. He feels that it will be difficult to select certain students and then expect them to participate. At least SAAB is a group that can be easily targeted.
14/ Bob Owens said that he had not heard an argument made to the effect that SAAB would not include the broad spectrum of views on the gen. ed. program.
15/ Klaus Engelhardt suggested getting help from Student Advocacy, and also suggested including a short questionnaire regarding the gen. ed. program along with student evaluations at the end of the semester.
16/ Jane Atkinson asked if there was any thought given to how far along individual students are in the gen ed program. Seniors or recent grads may have a different opinion about gen ed vs. First-Year Students.
17/ David Savage suggested that SAAB be the focus group. Then, in order to get a larger general student body opinion, design a questionnaire that is short but philosophical. Bill Randall asked if it would be possible to extend the focus group by asking each SAAB rep. to have a similar focus group meeting with students in their department.
18/ Klaus Engelhardt suggested that members of the CC could come to a SAAB meeting on Monday night to clarify the CC intentions with regard to the gen ed review. Bill Randall agreed that a CC rep. should attend a SAAB meeting.
19/ Jack Hart asked the SAAB members what parts of the gen. ed. requirements were raising questions.
20/ Some of the issues raised at a recent meeting of SAAB were:
Quantitative Reasoning
21/ SAAB members asked if the courses should be more regulated? Should there be more courses? Are students gaining enough proficiency? Tom Schoeneman asked if students felt the standards were too low or irrelevant. Elizabeth Thiel said that students felt the math requirements were too low and that perhaps more information should be given to students earlier in their education so that they will be aware of what graduate schools are looking for.
Inventing America
22/ Why are 8 credits required? Why is the course required to be taken all year and not just one semester? Transfer students are allowed to choose alternative courses to fulfill the Inventing America requirement why can't First-Year students? And, why can't transfer students take Inventing America if that fits into their schedule better than the alternate courses? Students also felt that faculty members didn't get to choose whether or not they wanted to teach Inventing America and that some faculty are not motivated because it is not in their field. Klaus Engelhardt also mentioned that Inventing America can be a drain on department resources.
Course availability in the sciences for non-majors
23/ Some non-majors would rather be in a more challenging science class but can not get in because they are not a major in the department (Biology).
Foreign Languages
24/ Students would rather have a four semester foreign language requirement than three semester.
Writing and Speaking
25/ SAAB members did not talk about the Writing & Speaking requirements.
International Studies
26/ It was generally felt that students like the international studies requirement but that there was some disappointment that not all the overseas courses fulfill this requirement. There seems to be confusion about which courses count and which do not. Curtis Johnson read from the Report of the General Education Task Force dated June 4, 1993, (p. 139) which seems to suggest that not all overseas programs count toward the international studies requirements. Then he read from the 1997-98 Lewis & Clark Catalog (p. 14) which makes it seem like all Lewis & Clark overseas programs do count. A confusion that needs to be clarified.
27/ Jack Hart felt that if it was a Lewis & Clark program then it should count towards the requirement.
28/ Jane Atkinson said that the overseas office is very clear about what meets requirements. Elizabeth Thiel felt that this was not always true. There are students who are confused because they are receiving different answers from different areas involved in the overseas preparation: registrar, overseas office, and group leader may all have a different response about how a program will count.
Physical Education
29/ Why can't students take two gym classes at the same time? Why are students only allowed to count varsity sports once even if they are involved in the sport for all 4 years? Eric Johnson felt that these varsity athletes are representing our school and should be able to count it twice. Jane Atkinson mentioned that the PE requirements could be changed fairly easily and said that she would speak to Steve Wallo about this.
Declaration of Major
30/ Students are concerned about when the declaration of major requirement must be met. Some feel that it is far too early in their college career. They are worried that if they don't declare at the right time they will be penalized by not being able to register for classes. David Savage said that the faculty will be debating the major declaration situation at its next meeting.
Music Courses
31/ Why are most music courses worth only 1 credit when they take up so much of your time? 44 credits are needed for the major and most of the courses are 1 credit.
Studio/Art Experience
32/ Students felt that it was almost impossible to get into studio/art courses and wanted to know why? There are some students who have tried repeatedly to get into one of these courses and have not been able to.
33/ Bill Randall suggested that the CC meet with SAAB at the end of January 1998 and asked SAAB to continue to gather information from their group.
34/ Eric Johnson felt that SAAB may be a good focus group but also felt other things needed to be done. Perhaps a table could be set up outside the Trail Room to pole students.
35/ The CC talked about students preparation for graduate school. Eric Johnson said it would be helpful to add something to the catalog that says, "Those intending to go to graduate school should look into taking these classes," and list them. David Savage said he would discuss this for consideration for the new catalog copy at the next Arts & Humanities chairs meeting. Jane Atkinson also stated that as advisors, faculty members needed to make sure that are getting the requirements they need to go on to graduate school whether it be the year after they graduate or 5 years after.
36/ Curtis Johnson asked who was responsible for reviewing the catalog copy for the general education requirements. Jane Atkinson will talk to Anne Price about who should be responsible for this.
Review of new "corrected" data and memorandum to the Faculty on grading practices
37/ Bill Randall handed out the new report from Mervyn Brockett which still contained some errors. The material was put aside and Bill Randall asked the CC for suggestions regarding the memo to all CAS faculty on the subject of grade distribution in the College of Arts & Sciences.
38/ Tom Schoeneman and Bob Owens did not like the wording of the second paragraph, second sentence where it says, "...surprised at the large range of averages..." The averages range from 2.77 to 3.63 and they felt that this was not a wide range. Curtis Johnson felt that this was a large range especially when students are looking into graduate schools. He felt that an historical statement about why the CC was sending this memo to faculty was needed. Perhaps the explanation to faculty should inform them that 1. the CC was charged with looking into grade distributions for the possible resurrection of Latin Honors and 2. the grade distribution data generated a good deal of discussion in the CC.
39/ David Savage suggested adding a couple of questions at the bottom of the memo. 1. Do you think the range of GPAs is too wide to go to a Latin Honors system? 2. Do you feel that your own department program is too far out of line and would like to see some adjustment?
40/Jane Atkinson noticed that there seemed to be a range for different divisions. Sciences were in the lowest 3rd, arts were in the top 3rd, and social sciences ranged all over. Bob Owens pointed out that of the four programs with the highest GPAs three are not departments and enroll very few students.
41/ Bill Randall asked the CC to get suggestions regarding this memo to him as soon as possible. He would like to distribute this memo to the faulty by the next faculty meeting (12/3/97).
42/ Bill Randall handed out copies of the Definitions of Grades from the 1993-94 catalog (p. 20) and from the current catalog (p. 25). He wanted the CC members to know his reference to these in the memo.
Other Matters
43/ Jane Atkinson announced that she would be discussion grading procedures at the next FAT lunch.
44/ Meeting adjourned at 5:05 pm.
Approved 11/26/97