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agenda status: approved

Agenda:

AGENDA

University Committee on Academic Policy

Meeting of Thursday, January 15, 2004
10:15 a.m., Board Room, Administration Building


1. Approval of Agenda (10:15)

2. Approval of Minutes of the December 4, 2003 meeting (10:20)...............(Attachment)

3. Comments from the Chairperson (10:25)

4. Comments from the Assistant Provost (10:30)

5. Request for Change in Requirements for BA in Journalism (10:35)

6. Review of Policy on Graduating with Honor/High Honors (11:00)

7. Review of Policy on Dean’s Honor List (11:25)




Please phone or E-Mail Robin Pline (353-5380; pline@msu.edu) if you cannot be present and send a substitute in your place.


Attachment: December 4, 2003 Draft Minutes

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minutes status: not approved

UCAP Minutes for meeting held on 01/15/2004

Members Present: Henry Beckmeyer, Bridget Behe (Chair), Bhavisha Bhalsod, Jeremy Hernandez, Jennifer Hodges, Kyle Martin, Folu Ogundimu, Georgia Padonu, Helene Pazak, Rod Phillips, K. Ramesh, Jon Sticklen (for Betty Cheng), Cynthia Taggart, Chris Wheeler, Alexander von Eye, Maija Zile

Others Present: Assistant Provost June Pierce Youatt

Members Absent: Janet Bokemeier, Patricia Mullan, Sharon Senk

1. The Agenda was approved.

2. The Minutes of the December 4, 2003 UCAP Meeting were approved with a correction indicating Cynthia Taggart was in attendance.

3. Comments from the Chairperson: Welcomed K. Ramesh (replacing Steve Dilley), Chris Wheeler (replacing Jim Gallagher), and Bhavisha Bhalsod (ASMSU) to the UCAP committee. Encouraged all members to attend Lilly seminars.

4. Comments from the Assistant Provost: No comments were offered.

5. Request for Change in requirements for BA in Journalism:

UCAP considered a proposal to add the provision that another course (Journalism 306) require a 2.0 to advance in the Journalism Program. Folu Ogundimu explained that the Journalism 306 course was geared toward students focusing on broadcast Journalism and would give an alternative to those students in lieu of the current requirement that focuses only on print journalism. It allows another option to meet major requirements. It was also noted that the existing requirements (JRN 200 and 300) already call for a 2.0 minimum. A motion to recommend the 2.0 requirement for JRN 306 passed unanimously.

6. Review of Policy on Graduating with Honors/High Honors:

UCAP considered whether to recommend altering the requirement for students to attain Honors or High Honors based on evidence that the desired 20% award maximum, for such an honor, is being exceeded. UCAP reviewed honors/high honors policies at other universities, the academic strength of incoming classes, and debated the role of grade inflation in contributing to this trend. Jennifer Hodges provided a possible alternative where the Honors award is based on GPA and High Honors is based on graduation ranking. It was decided more information was needed before any decisions would be made. Item will be deferred until next UCAP meeting as June Youatt’s office will bring more information regarding profiles of students graduating with Honors/High Honors, as well as data on those graduating with GPAs of 3.6, 3.65 and 3.7.

7. Review of Policy on Dean’s Honors List:

UCAP considered whether to recommend changes to qualifications needed to be eligible for the Dean’s Honors List. The committee tended to question whether the increase in students qualifying for this honor was a problem that needed correction. It was requested that a breakdown by student standing (i.e. Sophomore) be provided before the matter is considered further. Item will be deferred until the next UCAP meeting.

10. Roundtable:

Bridget Behe indicated that there is vacancy for a second UCAP representative on the Academic Council. An e-mail will be sent to all UCAP members in hopes of filling this position.

The meeting was adjourned at 11:10 a.m.

Respectfully submitted,
Jeremy Hernandez

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