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2004 - 03/18

UCAP Meeting of 03/18/2004

2003-2004



agenda status: approved

Agenda:


      AGENDA REVISED 3/17/04
University Committee on Academic Policy

Meeting of Thursday, March 18, 2004
10:15 a.m., Board Room, Administration Building


1. Approval of Agenda (10:15)

2. Approval of Minutes of the February 26, 2004 meeting (10:20)..........(Attachment)

3. Comments from the Chairperson (10:25)

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

5. Title Change for Assistant Provost for Undergraduate Education (10:35)..........(Attachment)

6. Integrative Studies Merge (10:40)...............(Attachment)

7. Phase II of the School of Planning, Design & Construction (10:45)

8. Grade Inflation Subcommittee Report (10:55)...............Bridget Behe.....(Attachment)

9. Review of 1/29/04 Decision on Policy on...............Roberta Kelley
Graduating With Honor/High Honor (11:05)...............(Attachment)

10. Learning Importance Subcommittee - (11:35)...............Rod Phillips
UGC Response to Syllabus Requirement...............(Attachment)
Exam Distribution Policy



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


Attachments: February 26, 2004 Minutes
Title Change for Assistant Provost for Undergraduate Education Documents
Integrative Studies Merge Documents
3/15/2004 Grade Inflation Subcommittee Report
      Excerpt from 1/29/04 UCAP Minutes regarding Dean’s Honor List
Memo from UGC regarding Syllabus Requirement


minutes status: approved

approved at meeting of

UCAP Minutes for meeting held on 03/18/2004

Approved 4/15/04
University Committee on Academic Policy
March 18, 2004
Meeting Minutes

Members Present: Bridget Behe (Chair), Henry Beckmeyer, Janet Bokemeier, Betty Cheng, Ernest Drake, Jeremy Hernandez, Jennifer Hodges, Folu Ogundimu, Georgia Padonu, Helene Pazak, Rod Phillips, K. Ramesh, Sharon Senk, Alexander von Eye, Dan Weber, Chris Wheeler, Maija Zile

Others Present: Assistant Provost June Pierce Youatt, Associate Registrar Roberta Kelley, Director Robert Von Bernuth (Construction Management Program)

Members Absent: Bhalsod Bhavisha, Tim Howes, Patricia Mullan, Cynthia Taggart

1. Meeting was called to order at 10:16 am.

2. Agenda for March 18, 2004 was approved.

3. Minutes of February 26, 2004 were approved.

4. Comments from the Chairperson: Behe indicated that she plans to request current and next year UCAP members to nominate one or more persons to take on the chair position of UCAP for next year.

5. Comments from the Assistant Provost: As an information item Youatt mentioned that the University Committee on Research Involving Human Subjects (UCRIHS) has reviewed the international studies instructor ratings form.


6. Title Change for Assistant Provost for Undergraduate Education: Behe indicated that Provost Simon would like UCAP to review the title change for the Assistant Provost for Undergraduate Education. Youatt indicated that the change in title would be consistent with her role in coordinating the various dimensions of undergraduate education and also would parallel the arrangement at the Graduate School. After discussion, a motion to endorse the title change from "Assistant Provost for Undergraduate Education" to "Assistant Provost for Undergraduate Education and Dean of Undergraduate Studies" was made and seconded. The motion passed.

7. Integrative Studies Merge: Behe discussed the proposal to merge the three Integrative Studies Centers at MSU. Youatt discussed the immediate proposal to merge the administrative components of the three centers as a prelude to a comprehensive study of the integrative studies at MSU, with the goal of long-term pedagogical and programmatic benefits. Any financial savings could be invested in the Integrative Studies program. The discussion of the committee focused on the process that would lead to the review of the overall program rather than on the immediate plan to merge the administrative components of the existing centers. The motion to support the merger of the administrative components of the three Integrative Studies Centers was withdrawn. A new motion was made and seconded to endorse the proposed process of developing a comprehensive review of the integrative studies program at MSU. This motion passed.
8.
9. Creation of the School of Planning, Design & Construction: Behe indicated that last year a proposal for phase 1 of this plan was reviewed and approved by UCAP, but the Provost did not act on that proposal. Since then additional academic units have decided to join the proposed School of Planning, Design & Construction. Bob von Bernuth, Director of the Building Construction Management Program, gave an overview of the revised proposal to UCAP, and discussed the changes that were to be made since Phase I was approved by UCAP. Bob indicated that all four academic units have voted to join the school and the proposal has gone through the required steps in the college governance process. He also indicated that each of the academic units have and expect to maintain their separate accreditations of their undergraduate programs. A motion to approve the recommended merger and creation of the school was made and seconded. The motion passed.

10. Grade Inflation Subcommittee Report: The item was tabled for discussion at the next meeting.

11. Review of 1/29/04 Decision of Policy on Graduating With Honor/High Honor: Behe indicated that Roberta Kelley from the Registrar’s Office was invited to the meeting to provide some feedback to UCAP on this topic. Youatt indicated that UCAP had passed a motion in its January 29, 2004 meeting that recommended adding a percentile rank in students’ grade reports at graduation. Kelley discussed the various reasons for the rolling nature of MSU’s graduating class, and indicated that because of this it may not be possible to identify a methodology that would provide consistent percentile ranks of graduating students. After some discussion, no action was taken.

12. Learning Importance Subcommittee: After an introduction by Behe, Rod Phillips discussed his subcommittee’s work on the following two topics.

a. UGC Response to Syllabus Requirement: The members agreed to table the topic for next meeting, where a proposal to add specific language to the Code of Teaching Responsibilities would be made.

b. Exam Distribution Policy: Phillips indicated that his subcommittee agreed that it was important for both instructors and students to make efforts to maintain integrity of student evaluation tools. A proposed change to point #3 of the MSU Code of Teaching Responsibility is as follows: (The new language is in bold text)
          The instructor is responsible for maintaining the integrity of the examinations and other assignments as evaluation tools. Examinations and other assignments submitted for grading during the semester should be returned with sufficient promptness to enhance the learning experience. Unclaimed final examination answers will be retained by the instructor for at least one semester so that they may be reviewed by students who desire to do so. Examination questions are an integral part of course materials, and the decision whether to allow their retention by students is the responsibility of the instructor. If instructors choose to allow students to retain examination materials, these materials should be accompanied by guidelines for how they may be used. Term papers and other comparable projects are the property of students who prepare them........
        After discussion, a motion to accept the proposed changes to Code of Teaching Responsibilities emphasizing the responsibility of instructors to preserve the integrity of examinations and other evaluation materials was made and seconded. The motion passed
The meeting was adjourned at 12:00.

Respectfully submitted by,
K. Ramesh

3.18.04UCAPMinutes.doc



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