agenda status: approved Agenda: MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY University Committee on Academic Policy Revised AGENDA Thursday, April 24, 2008 10:15 A.M. to 12:00 P.M. Board Room, 4th Floor, Administration Building
minutes status: approved approved at meeting of 08/28/2008 UCAP Minutes for meeting held on 04/24/2008 MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY University Committee on Academic Policy Thursday, April 10, 2008 10:15 A.M. to 12:00 P.M. Board Room, Administration Building Minutes Attendees: Dennis Banks, R. Sekhar Chivukula, Peter Cobbett, Marty Crimp, Doug Estry, Ruba Farah, Caroline Hartig, Linda Jackson, Carolyn Loeb, Helen Mayer, Brad McDonald, Ed Outslay, Jerry Punch, Ralph Putnam, Henry Reinart, Michael Schechter, Parita Shah, Jim Smith, Thomas Volkening Absent: Richard Hallgren, Jeremy Harrison, Michael Shields, Chris Wenstrom The Agenda was approved with the addition of item (9) Procedural Recommendations for UCAP consideration in 2008-09, prior to roundtable (now item 10). Minutes from April 10, 2008 were approved. Comments from the Chair Chairperson Chivukula thanked the outgoing members of UCAP for a productive year. Members leaving the committee: Ralph Putnam, Jeremy Harrison, Helen Mayer, Ruba Farah, Henry Reinart, and (possibly) Parita Shah. Comments from the Associate Provost for Undergraduate Education Associate Provost Estry thanked the committee for its productivity and for completing several issues that had been on the committee’s agenda over a period of years. Professor Estry reported that, at the last meeting of the Academic Council, the Provost thanked UCAP for its comments regarding proposed changes to the Fall Welcome. In addition, the Provost indicated appreciation for the suggestions from UCAP regarding alternatives to the proposed calendar changes and stated that another group would review calendar changes to determine what would work best for the university. The Provost stated he would proceed with the issue of changes to the Fall Welcome and tasked Dr. Estry to lead a group in exploring the implementation of a shortened Fall Welcome in Fall 2009 with a report date of early Fall 2008. The group will also look at connections with AOP and other aspects that affect the freshman experience. Dr. Estry will constitute the members of the group, which will include students, administrators, faculty, and staff. Election of 2008-09 UCAP Chairperson and Representatives to other University Committees Chairperson Chivukula noted only 13 of the 24 committee members for 2008-09 were present at the meeting. He suggested that, although there was a quorum, the 2008-09 committee members present might elect a chair but defer election of other positions to the first meeting in the fall. The 2008-09 committee members expressed agreement. Linda Jackson nominated, and Michael Schechter seconded, R. Sekhar Chivukula for Chairperson of UCAP. With no further nominations, Dr. Chivukula was elected UCAP Chairperson for 2008-09. Sustainability Subcommittee Report Michael Schechter, Subcommittee Chair Subcommittee Chair Schechter noted that the subcommittee was asked to look at the sustainability specialization proposal as a prototype of a program that could be housed in a non-disciplinary unit, a change to the traditional practice housing academic programs in academic units. The subcommittee recommends that no change in MSU procedures be made – and that specializations should continue to be housed exclusively in academic units. Furthermore, the subcommittee found that given the core courses in the sustainability specialization proposal are not housed in an academic unit, the sustainability specialization is particularly unsuited to be housed in a non-academic unit. The subcommittee voiced strong support for the sustainability specialization, and recommended that the proposal move forward through traditional channels (i.e. review by the appropriate college committee(s), followed by UCC) after the sustainability specialization formalizes an affiliation with a lead college. Subcommittee member Dr. Smith added that the subcommittee found the proposal cutting-edge and academically sound. There was concern among the subcommittee members that the proposal should not suffer because it is a case study for a larger issue. Motion by Subcommittee Chair Schechter passed unanimously. The committee recommends that the Sustainability Specialization and future proposals of this type be housed in academic units, presumably a consortium of colleges, with a single college as the lead academic unit. That is, no change in Policy is recommended at this time. Accordingly, the committee strongly urges that those who have developed the Sustainability Specialization be informed immediately of this decision and be encouraged to submit the proposal to the relevant college curriculum committee(s) so it can be considered by the University Committee on Curriculum (UCC) in the near future. The Subcommittee believes that the University would be well served to have a Sustainability Specialization and thus further delays in processing of this request are undesirable. Request to Change the Admission as a Junior in Business Administration Statement Michael Mazzeo, Associate Dean, Eli Broad College of Business Eileen Wilson, Assistant Dean, Eli Broad College of Business Ernest Betts, Assistant Dean, Eli Broad College of Business The committee unanimously granted voice to Drs. Mazzeo, Wilson, and Betts. Associate Dean Mazzeo stated that the College of Business is an enrollment management college. Enrollments are based on accreditation requirements for faculty/student ratios. The size of the faculty determines the student enrollment, currently 1050 students. In reviewing the undergraduate program and its admission process, the College of Business faculty requested a change in pre-core requirements in order to evaluate applicants in the same pre-core courses rather than a varied group of pre-core courses. Dr. Mazzeo emphasized that it is not nor has ever been the intention of the administration of the College of Business to exclude or disadvantage any group by policies and practices in the unit. Dr. Mazzeo presented a revised request modified based on feedback from UCAP. The revision, approved by the faculty of the College of Business, accomplishes the goals of the faculty and responds to concerns raised by UCAP. Associate Dean Betts stated that he was more comfortable with the revised proposal. He maintained the original proposal was detrimental to creating the type of leaders the college should produce. The revised proposal provides an opportunity for a more diverse group of students to be admitted to the college. Chairperson Chivukula told the committee that Dr. Matthew Anderson and Dr. Kathy Petroni, who had appeared at the March 27 meeting to express their opposing view to the original proposal, had indicated in separate emails their support of the revised proposal. The committee’s discussion centered on:
Dr. Betts was granted voice in order to respond to the question regarding the elimination of the possibility for a student to take additional pre-core courses to raise his/her pre-core gpa. Dr. Betts acknowledged the ability for a student to have a “second chance” by taking additional pre-core courses had been diminished. He stated that the College of Business advisers would work with students to utilize some of the flexibility allowed through the transfer credit process. Advisers would continue to plan strategically with students as they approach entry into the major. He reiterated his support the revised proposal, stating that it would not disadvantage students entering MSU less prepared by their high school system to succeed in math and writing. Motion by Linda Jackson passed unanimously. The committee endorses the modified proposal of the request to change the admission as a junior in Business Administration statement as submitted to UCAP on April 24, 2008 by the Eli Broad College of Business. Request to Change the Admission Requirement for Advertising Janet Lillie, Associate Dean, College of Communication Arts and Sciences Linda Good, Associate Chair, Department of Advertising, Public Relations, & Retailing The committee unanimously granted voice to Drs. Lillie and Good. Dr. Good explained that the requested change would eliminate a course currently required for admission to the major. The faculty for the creative concentration in Advertising determined that the course content was not critical for this concentration and recommended the prerequisite be removed. Students in both concentrations offered by Advertising may take the course as an elective. Motion by Michael Schechter passed unanimously. The committee endorses the request to change the admission requirement for Advertising as requested in the memo of March 21, 2008. Procedural Recommendations for UCAP Dr. Schechter suggested recommending to Academic Council that the word “Policy” not be removed from the new name for what is currently UCAP as proposed in Faculty Voice Task Force I. As policy will be the purview of the committee, it should be part of the committee’s name. Dr. Cobbett suggested that the committee membership still include professional schools since they offer undergraduate courses. Dr. Chivukula remarked that committee members from the professional schools have been helpful in adding an important dimension to policy considerations. Professor Chivukula asked the committee members if they had recommendations regarding the committee’s structure in 2008-09. Discussion yielded the following results:
Additionally, committee members suggested that the committee:
Roundtable Dennis Banks reported that the MSU Athletic Council met on April 17, 2008 at the Henry Center. Mark Dantonio, Football Coach, was the guest coach. After approval of the minutes and committee reports, Dr. Banks provided a UCAP report. Mark Hollis, Athletic Director, updated the group on several issues including the Big Ten Network. Jim Pignataro, Associate Athletic Director/Academic Services, reported on the academic data analysis for 2007-2008 generated from Student Athlete Support Services. Mike Kasavana (FAR) reported to the council on minor changes in the NCAA requirements, the MSU Academic Awards banquet, and the report from ECAC regarding the COIA. Athletic Council also discussed the recent report in the Ann Arbor News concerning COIA and University of Michigan athletics. While it appears that the University of Michigan did not violate NCAA or Big Ten rules, the academic programs at MSU are different and the practices at University of Michigan would not be possible within the academics of athletes at MSU. Dr. Banks suggested that UCAP consider meeting with the Athletic Compliance subcommittee in 2008-09. Dr. Smith noted the large amount of documentation that must be printed by committee members and recommended that student members be allowed to submit reimbursement requests for the cost of printer ink cartridges. The meeting adjourned at 11:25 am. Respectfully submitted by Sandra Walther |
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