UCAP Meeting of 09/23/2010 2010-2011 agenda status: approved Agenda: University Committee on Academic Policy AGENDA Thursday, September 23, 2010 10:15 A.M. to 12:00 P.M. Board Room, 4th Floor, Administration Building 1. Approval of the Agenda 2. Approval of the September 16, 2010 Minutes 3. Comments from the Chairperson 4. Comments from the Associate Provost for Undergraduate Education 5. Request for a New Disciplinary Teaching Minor in Arabic .........(Attachment) 6. Request to Phase Out and Discontinue the Deaf Education Area
of Emphasis within the Bachelor of Arts Degree in Special Education .........(Attachment 1, Attachment 2, Attachment 3) 7. Request to Phase Out and Discontinue the Bachelor of Science Degree in Retailing .........(Attachment 1, Attachment 2) 8. SIRS Subcommittee Report 9. Institutional Data Policy Draft and FAQ .........(Attachment 1, Attachment 2) 10. Roundtable minutes status: approved approved at meeting of 10/07/2010 UCAP Minutes for meeting held on 09/23/2010 UCAP Committee on Academic Policy MINUTES Thursday, September 23, 2010 10:15 A.M. to 12:00 P.M. Board Room, 4th Floor, Administration Building Attendees: Gillian Bice, Crystal Branta, Lisa Cook, Laura Dillon, Doug Estry, Anita Ezzo, Fred Fico, Kathleen Hoag, Evan Martinak, Matt McKeon, Tom Morse, Mary Noel, Justin O’Dell, Helene Pazak, Ron Perry, John Reifenberg, Christopher Scales, Mike Shields, Jim Smith, Mary Kay Smith, Emily Storrer Not Attending: Paul Abramson, Chris Noffze, Chenguang Wang Chairperson Bice congratulated Dr. Estry on the birth of his granddaughter and welcomed the student ASMSU members to the committee. The agenda was approved. The minutes of the September 16, 2010 meeting were approved as corrected. Comments from the Chairperson Chairperson Bice thanked Kathleen Hoag for attending the most recent UCLL meeting and indicated that Matt McKeon will assume the role of liaison to that committee. Request for New Disciplinary Teaching Minors in Arabic Tom Lovik, Chairperson, Department of Linguistics and Germanic, Slavic, Asian and African Languages Ann Baker, Advisor, Department of Linguistics and Germanic, Slavic, Asian and African Languages The committee unanimously granted voice to Professor Lovik and Ms. Baker. Dr. Lovik stated that the Arabic program had been added as a major and a minor in the language program a number of years ago. As Michigan has the largest number of Arabs outside the Middle East and school districts are teaching Arabic as a foreign language in the schools, it made sense to add the elementary and secondary teaching minors in Arabic. After a brief question and answer period, the committee withdrew voice from Professor Lovik and Ms. Baker. Motion by Tom Morse passed unanimously.
Request to Phase Out and Discontinue the Deaf Education Area of Emphasis within the Bachelor of Arts Degree in Special Education Cass Book, Associate Dean, College of Education Richard Prawat, Chairperson, Department of Counseling, Educational Psychology, and Special Education Gary Troia, former Chairperson, College Faculty Advisory Council (2009-10) The committee unanimously granted voice to Associate Dean Book, Chairperson Prawat, and Professor Troia. Associate Dean Book reviewed two documents that had been provided to the committee prior to the meeting, the College of Education Process of Consultation and the College of Education Shortages, Alternative Models, Number of Programs, and Employment. She noted the request for a discontinuation of the Deaf Education area of emphasis was the result of a recommendation emanating from a 2009 faculty retreat at which all College of Education programs were evaluated. Dr. Book stated that the Michigan State Board of Education had called for the formation of a consortium of universities in the State to be created in order to educate deaf education teachers. The consortia model had been created as a way for the State of Michigan to take responsibility across universities to certify teachers in low enrollment, but necessary, special education areas. Professor Prawat added that the deaf education program is labor intensive resulting in 25% of the department’s resources being concentrated on 8% of the student enrollment in the department. After a brief question and answer period, the committee withdrew voice from the College of Education representatives. Motion by Crystal Branta passed with 18 members voting for the motion and one member opposed.
Request to Phase Out and Discontinue the Bachelor of Science Degree in Retailing Janet Lillie, Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education, College of Communication Arts and Sciences Steve Lacy, Associate Dean for Graduate Studies, College of Communication Arts and Sciences The committee unanimously granted voice to Associate Deans Lillie and Lacy. Associate Dean Lillie reviewed the College’s request for a moratorium, forwarded to the Provost with no concerns from UCAP on December 17, 2009, and provided a brief history of the movement of the retailing program from Human Ecology to Advertising and Public Relations in 2004. The College of Communication Arts and Sciences (CAS), in its review of all programs, determined that Retailing did not fit with its strategic direction. She reiterated that all students who had indicated a preference for retailing prior to the moratorium would have an opportunity to graduate in the program. Academic advisors prepared individual advising plans for all retailing students and placed them in ESAF. In addition to working with students currently enrolled, CAS had contacted those who had left the University without completing their degree. Of those contacted, thirteen responded that they would like to complete the degree and CAS is working with them to make sure they can receive their degree. CAS has also notified other programs that would be impacted by the elimination of the retailing program. In response to a question posed by the committee, Dr. Lillie stated that the College of Business had expressed no interest in assuming the retailing program. She noted that when Human Ecology disbanded in 2004, colleges turned down the opportunity to take on the major. The committee withdrew voice from Associate Deans Lillie and Lacy. Chairperson Bice called attention to a letter regarding the proposed discontinuance from Professor Linda Good, who attended in case the committee had questions for her. There were no questions from the committee. Motion by Fred Fico passed with 16 members voting aye and 3 abstentions.
Institutional Data Policy David Gift, Vice Provost for Libraries, Computing and Technology The committee unanimously granted voice to Associate Provost Gift. Associate Provost Gift stated that in light of the growing governmental protection of various types of sensitive data, the University data policy had been revised to broaden and strengthen its stance on data utilization and an individual’s responsibility for protecting sensitive data. He noted that MSU had been careful to train people in the stewardship of data to which they have access but there would be a greater effort to insure that all MSU employees should know data confidentiality requirements. Chairperson Bice informed the committee that it was one of three academic governance committees asked to review and comment on the policy. There were several questions from committee members regarding online SIRS. First, if students wanted a guarantee of confidentiality, would online SIRS fall under the protection of the University’s Institutional Data Policy? Associate Provost Gift responded that the Policy directly addresses legal or contractual obligations that the University had to protect data. He surmised that the SIRS issue is about making the online SIRS process effective, which does not fall under this policy. The members asked if SIRS falls under IRB protection since it was a survey. Associate Provost Estry responded that it did not. The information resulting from SIRS surveys was used by faculty members for course improvement and by the chair of the faculty’s department for faculty merit review and promotion. Committee members recommended that there be an appendix to illustrate the best practices for security of confidential data. Dr. Gift responded that a website already existed that provided that information for the University community. Members suggested that such a document be added to the policy. Dr. Gift pointed out that there was online training in place for some of the policy issues, adding that LCT will develop additional materials for new national policies and revise existing materials to reflect changes in existing policies. There was discussion that students needed to be made aware of policy issues that affected them, suggesting a tutorial such as the FERPA that is required of employees who access student data. Employees are required to review the policy and pass an online test in order to be able to access student data. This type of requirement could be put in place for students in order to access their student information. The committee withdrew voice from Associate Provost Gift. Chairperson Bice recommended that the institutional data policy item be continued at a future meeting in order to have time to hear the SIRS subcommittee report. No objections were made. SIRS Subcommittee Report Jim Smith, Subcommittee Chairperson Professor Smith provided the committee with a recap of the results of the SIRS pilot conducted in summer 2010. The results seemed to indicate that the sequestering of grades for one week unless a student completed or declined to complete an online SIRS survey had been effective in significantly increasing the student response rate. The results of the SIRS pilot would be posted on the UCAP website. The subcommittee had decided to conduct another SIRS pilot for fall 2010 to increase the number of classes and students in the test and to make sure that the excellent results could be replicated in another regular academic year semester. The meeting was adjourned. Respectfully submitted by Sandra Walther |
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