agenda status: approved Agenda: AGENDA University Committee on Academic Policy Meeting of Thursday, April 26, 2007 10:15 a.m., Hannah Administration Bldg. Board Room
Phone or e-mail Sandra Walther (353-5380; swalther@msu.edu) if you cannot be present. Please remember that you are asked to send a substitute from your college. Attachments: 4_12_07 Draft Minutes minutes status: approved approved at meeting of UCAP Minutes for meeting held on 04/26/2007 Present: Dennis Banks, Sekhar Chivukula, Peter Cobbett, Doug Estry, Linda Jackson, Yen-Hwei Lin, Helen Mayer, Tony Nunez, Edmund Outslay, Jerry Punch, Ralph Putnam, Jon Sticklen, Bruce Vanden Bergh, Amanda Venettis, Tom Volkening Absent: Renee Canady, Lauren Doherty, Richard Hallgren, Matthew McKeon, Philip Moon, Daniel Roth, Brandon Sethi, Michael Schechter, Colleen Tremonte, Alexander von Eye, Connie Zheng Guests: John Hudzik, Vice President, Global Engagement and Strategic Projects The Agenda was approved as amended: Motion to replace draft agenda item 9: Religious Observance with a presentation from Vice President John Hudzik regarding an MSU initiative in Dubai was approved unanimously. The Minutes for April 12, 2007 were approved as corrected. Welcome New UCAP Members and Thank Those Who’s Terms are Ending Professor Putnam thanked the UCAP members leaving the committee at the end of the academic year for their commitment and service to the committee. New members Linda Jackson, Jerry Punch and Tom Volkening were welcomed to the committee. Comments from the Chairperson Prof. Putnam reviewed the issues addressed by UCAP in the 2006-07 academic year that will continue into 2007-08:
Religious Observance Policy Undergraduate Instructional Aides Comments from the Associate Provost Associate Provost Estry thanked the departing committee members for their contributions to forward the work of the committee. Estry reported that the Undergraduate Assistant/Associate Deans (UGAAD) agreed to seek feedback from their colleges about “early major declaration” to report back to UCAP in the fall. Election of 2007-08 Chairperson and Representatives to Other University Committees The committee determined that there was not a quorum of 2007-08 new and continuing committee members in attendance necessary to complete the election process. Motion to select the chairperson by electronic vote and to postpone election of other officers to the first committee meeting in Fall 2007 passed unanimously. Professor Putnam nominated Sekhar Chivukula as chairperson. Putnam will continue the nomination and voting for Committee Chairperson by email. Request for an Extension to the Moratorium on Admission to the Bachelor of Science Degree in Apparel and Textile Design Motion to endorse the Request for an Extension to the Moratorium on Admission to the Bachelor of Science Degree in Apparel and Textile Design passed unanimously. Academic Integrity Policy Prof. Putnam distributed revised proposals for discussion purposes suggesting that after committee review of the revised materials, the committee select one of the two proposals to move forward. Associate Provost Estry relayed comments about the proposals made at the recent Undergraduate Associate/Assistant Deans meeting regarding tracking and, in proposal 1, requiring additional action be taken regardless of type academic dishonesty. Committee discussion centered on the following:
the need for improvement of the presentation of the information, i.e., all discussion of academic integrity in one place for easy reference. the importance of academic integrity education programs for both students and faculty. Motion by Jon Sticklen, with second by Peter Cobbett, passed by a vote of 8 in favor, 2 opposed:
Putnam recommended that the Academic Dishonesty subcommittee address any additional changes, such as clarification of the nature of the appeal boards and suggested parameters within which a dean may make recommendations, in a specific policy proposal for presentation to the full committee in Fall ’07. MSU Initiative in Dubai John Hudzik, Vice President, Global Engagement and Strategic Projects Motion to give voice to John Hudzik, Vice President, Global Engagement and Strategic Projects passed unanimously. Vice President Hudzik discussed an opportunity for Michigan State University to establish an academic presence in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Round Table John Sticklen requested that the UCAP year-end report be distributed to members. Meeting adjourned at 12:10 pm Respectfully submitted, Sandra Walther April 27, 2007 Since there was not a quorum of new members at the April 26, 2007 UCAP meeting and only one nomination for chairperson, Chairperson Ralph Putnam, solicited additional nominations for committee chairperson in an email sent to 2007-08 UCAP members on April 27, 2007. June 6, 2007 Since there were no further nominations, R. Sekhar Chivukula was named UCAP chairperson for the 2007-08 academic year. July 2, 2007 Request to modify implementation of Graduation Honors In an email to the 2006-07 UCAP members, Ralph Putnam, current chairperson and R. Sekhar Chivukula, incoming chairperson, presented additional data from the Office of the Registrar regarding the impact of the implementation schedule for Graduation Honors GPA requirement approved by UCAP in Spring ’07 and a recommendation for an alternative implementation schedule. Members were asked to accept or reject the alternative implementation schedule. July 11, 2007 Based on the responses from eight UCAP members in favor of the modification to phase in the higher GPA thresholds for Graduation Honors over three years, UCAP endorsed the proposed modification and by email, R. Sekhar Chivukula, incoming UCAP chairperson, instructed the Office of the Registrar to proceed to implement the modified thresholds as outlined on July 2, 2007. The modifications are reflected in a memo from the Office of the Registrar to the Adviser List Serve on July 16, 2007. “Following consultation with the University Committee on Academic Policy regarding the process for implementing current policy for graduation honors and in conjunction with the Office of the Provost, the new GPA thresholds required to achieve graduation honors will be implemented incrementally beginning Spring 2008. As written in Academic Programs, it is University policy to honor approximately the top twenty percent of each graduating class. As the overall GPA of MSU graduates continues to rise, the GPAs necessary to achieve the target of 20% must be adjusted. University policy states:
Spring, Summer, and Fall 2008: 3.82 (“With High Honor”), 3.55 (“With Honor”) Following Spring Semester 2010, data will be compiled and new GPA thresholds will be established. These thresholds will be in place for graduates in Spring, Summer, and Fall 2011. We anticipate that the thresholds will be at or above 3.87 and 3.67. The previous GPA thresholds of 3.80 ("With High Honor") and 3.50 ("With Honor") will apply for all graduates through Fall of 2007.” Respectfully submitted bySandra Walther |
Agenda/Minutes > 2006-2007 >