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2011 - 03/31

UCAP Meeting of 03/31/2011

2010-2011



agenda status: approved

Agenda:

University Committee on Academic Policy
AGENDA
Thursday, March 31, 2011
10:15 A.M. to 12:00 P.M.
Room 443* Administration Building
    1. Approval of the Agenda



    2. Approval of the March 17, 2011 Minutes



    3. Comments from the Chairperson



    4. Comments from the Associate Provost for Undergraduate Education



    5. Request for a New Linked Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science-Prelaw and Master of Public Policy Degree in Public Policy .........(Attachment)
      Dr. Thomas Summerhill, Associate Dean, SSC
      Dr. Steven Kautz, Department of Political Science


    6. Request for a New Linked Bachelor of Arts Degree in Public Policy and Master of Public Policy Degree in Public Policy .........(Attachment)
      Dr. Thomas Summerhill, Associate Dean, SSC
      Dr. Steven Kautz, Department of Political Science


    7. Request to Modify the Courses Required in a Previously Approved List of Courses with a Minimum Grade-Point Requirement in the Bachelor of Landscape Architecture Degree in Landscape Architecture .........(Attachment)
      Dr. Richard Brandenburg, Associate Dean, CANR
      Dr. Mark Wilson, Associate Director, Planning, Design and Construction
      Dr. Warren Rauhe, Planning, Design and Construction


    8. Request for a New Dual Degree in Bachelor of Landscape Architecture in Landscape Architecture and Master of Arts in Environmental Design .........(Attachment)
      Dr. Richard Brandenburg, Associate Dean, CANR
      Dr. Mark Wilson, Associate Director, Planning, Design and Construction
      Dr. Warren Rauhe, Planning, Design and Construction


    9. SIRS Subcommittee Report and Recommendations to ECAC – Action item .........(Attachment)


    10. Roundtable
*Note change of meeting location for this meeting.

Phone or e-mail Diana J. Stetson (355-1528; stetsonD@msu.edu) if you cannot be present. Please remember that you are asked to send a substitute from your college if you cannot attend.

minutes status: approved

approved at meeting of 04/14/2011

UCAP Minutes for meeting held on 03/31/2011

UNIVERSITY COMMITTEE ON ACADEMIC POLICY

MINUTES

Thursday, March 31, 2011

10:15-12:00 pm 443 Administration Building


Attending: Gillian Bice, Janice Brady, Lisa Cook, Laura Dillon, Doug Estry, Anita Ezzo, Fred Fico, Kathleen Hoag, Evan Martinak, Matthew McKeon, Tom Morse, Kelly Millenbah, Mary Noel, Justin O’Dell, Ron Perry, John Reifenberg, Christopher Scales, Mary Kay Smith, Mitchell Treadwell, Christopher Schuster

Not attending: Paul Abramson, Miles Armaly, Crystal Branta, Helene Pazak, Mike Shields, Chenguang Wang


The Agenda was approved with an adjustment in the order.

The Minutes of March 17, 2011 were approved with minor corrections.

Comments from the Chairperson

In a meeting earlier this week, there was an energy policy presentation regarding the transitions being made at MSU that was both informative and inspirational. Recommends visiting the website energytransition.msu.edu.

Chairperson Bice will not be in attendance at the April 14, UCAP meeting. Vice Chairperson Christopher Scales will preside.

Comments from the Associate Provost

Regarding a procedure under consideration to be used for late and retroactive withdrawals for medical reasons; in those cases where the Associate Dean or Director of UUD deems it necessary to get a medical opinion, students will be referred to the University Physician (UP) who will review medical documentation and make a recommendation on the degree to which the condition could impact a student’s academic success. It remains the final decision of the Associate Dean or UUD to grant the withdrawal. In some cases the UP may recommend evidence of readiness to return before the student is allowed to enroll. This procedure would provide for a more uniform procedure for withdrawal when medical issues arise. The Provost is reviewing.

Request for a New Linked Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science-Prelaw and Master of Public Policy Degree in Public Policy, and, the Request for a New Linked Bachelor of Arts Degree in Public Policy and Master of Public Policy Degree in Public Policy.

Professor Thomas Summerhill, Associate Dean, College of Social Science

Professor Steven Kautz, Department of Political Science

The Committee granted voice to Drs. Summerhill and Kautz.

The proposed Bachelor of Arts degree in Public Policy for political science majors was not included in the original proposal, but should have been. The intention is for all political science bachelor degrees to be able to be linked to the Master of Public Policy Degree in Public Policy.

No substantive changes from the previous request that went to UCAP earlier.

Discussion focused on the 3.5 GPA requirement and the fact that linked degrees are aimed toward high-achieving, high-ability students.

Voice was withdrawn.

Motion by Evan Martinak passed unanimously.

      The University Committee on Academic Policy in its consultative capacity to the Provost has no concern about the request for a new linked Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science-Prelaw and Master of Public Policy degree in Public Policy, and, the request for a new linked Bachelor of Arts degree in Public Policy and Master of Public Policy degree in Public Policy.

Request to Modify the Courses Required in a Previously Approved List of Courses with a Minimum Grade-Point Requirement in the Bachelor of Landscape Architecture Degree in Landscape Architecture, and, Request for a New Dual Degree in Bachelor of Landscape Architecture in Landscape Architecture and Master of Arts in Environmental Design

Professor Richard Brandenburg, Associate Dean, CANR

Professor Mark Wilson, Associate Director, Planning, Design and Construction

Professor Warren Rauhe, Planning, Design and Construction

The Committee granted voice to Drs. Brandenburg, Wilson and Rauhe

The proposed request:


    § will modernize the program;

    § will reduce the time required to completion of the Masters degree and will couple the bachelors with the masters degree;

    § is a faculty-driven initiative to ensure better training in LA for students and create a nationally competitive program;

    § builds expertise around environmental design;

    § has been discussed across the University for many years and reviewed repeatedly;

    § enables growth in the graduate program; is an integrated program, not an add-on;

    § 8-week study abroad provides transition from BLA to MED so programs overlap and students obtain a broad international perspective.


Discussion focused on use of “dual-degree” designation as opposed to linked program. Dr. Brandenburg responded that the program terminology and requirements have been vetted extensively with UCC and the Associate Provost for Academic Services, as well as The Graduate School.

There was no further discussion and voice was withdrawn.

Motion by Laura Dillon passed unanimously.

      The University Committee on Academic Policy in its consultative capacity to the Provost has no concern about the request to modify the courses required in a previously approved list of courses with a minimum grade-point requirement in the Bachelor of Landscape Architecture degree in Landscape Architecture, and, the request for a new dual degree in Bachelor of Landscape Architecture in Landscape Architecture and Master of Arts in Environmental Design.

SIRS Subcommittee Report and Recommendations to ECAC – Action Item

The Associate Provost commended UCAP for taking up this item last year and for the UCAP SIRS Subcommittee for their exceptional effort and report.

Chairperson Bice stated that ECAC wants the UCAP report prior to the meeting next Tuesday and requested that Ron Perry or John Reifenberg attend the ECAC meeting to answer any questions.

Chairperson Bice reminded the committee that the action needed was endorsement of the Subcommittee recommendations.

Professor Perry commended the other subcommittee members, especially Sandra Walther and Jim Smith, for their work in producing this report and overseeing the pilot study.

Motion by Mary Noel passed unanimously.

      To improve student participation in teaching and course evaluation with online SIRS, UCAP supports online SIRS if grades are sequestered and units can modify SIRS to meet their needs.

Roundtable

Evan Martinak updated the committee on ASMSU events.

Justin O’Dell referenced a publication to members.

The meeting was adjourned.


Respectfully submitted,
Diana J. Stetson


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