agenda status: approved

Agenda:

1. Approval of the Agenda (Action Item)
   
   
   
2. Approval of the September 22, 2011 UCUS Minutes (Action Item)
   
   
   
3. Comments from the Chairperson
   
   
   
4. Comments from the Associate Provost for Undergraduate Education
   
   
   
5. Acceptable Use Policy for MSU Information Technology Resources (Action Item) .........(Attachment)
   TBAJeff Dwyer, Associate Dean, College of Human Medicine
   Joseph Gardiner, Professor, Department of Epidemiology
   
   
   
6. Department Name Change Request for Epidemiology – (Action Item) .........(Attachment)
   Jeff Dwyer, Associate Dean, College of Human Medicine
   Joseph Gardiner, Professor, Department of Epidemiology
   
   
   
7. Roundtable

minutes status: approved

approved at meeting of 11/03/2011

UCAP Minutes for meeting held on 10/20/2011

The Agenda was approved as amended by changing the Acceptable Use Policy item from an action item to a discussion item.

The September 22, 2011 minutes were approved.

Comments from the Chairperson
Chairperson Dillon welcomed the new ASMSU members.
Professor Dillon provided an update on the most recent meetings of the Steering Committee and the University Council. At the University Council President Simon called attention to the recent racial incidents on the MSU campus. She emphasized that when discussing these issues it is important to balance the issues of free speech with the goal of creating an inclusive learning environment. Provost Wilcox reported on the academic review process that requires every program to be reviewed on a seven year cycle. The IRB has recommended changes in rules for public research in order to streamline the IRB process at MSU. Comments should be sent to the IRB office. At large members of the Steering Committee will convene an open faculty forum on October 25, 2011. Faculty can attend in person, call in, or email questions.

Comments from the Associate Provost for Undergraduate Education
Associate Provost Estry mentioned that the issue of customizing SIRS Online forms at the course level had been raised at the Steering committee meeting. This may be an issue in a future review of Student Instructional Rating.

Dr. Estry commended MSU students on doing an outstanding job of finding ways to extend conversation about the recent racial incidents on campus. He was impressed with the approach that students took in addressing this issue.


Acceptable Use Policy for MSU Information Technology Resources (Discussion Item)

Chairperson Dillon informed the committee that although the USCA/UCFA will act on the proposed changes to the MSU Acceptable Use Policy, input was also being sought from the academic community. The item was added to the UCUS agenda to offer the committee the opportunity to discuss and forward questions or feedback about the policy changes to the Office of the General Counsel.

After beginning discussion it became evident that clarification was needed for many of the issues raised. The committee decided to table further conversation until representatives from Libraries, Computing, and Technology and the Office of the General Counsel could attend to answer committee questions. Some of the issues requiring further clarification related to personal and professional use of MSU computing and technology systems by students and faculty. Other issues regarded first amendment rights, copyright issues, and the ramifications of selective enforcement of the new policy.

Department Name Change Request for Epidemiology – (Action Item)
Jeff Dwyer, Associate Dean, College of Human Medicine
Joseph Gardiner, Professor, Department of Epidemiology

The committee unanimously granted voice to Associate Dean Dwyer and Professor Gardiner.

Professor Gardiner told the committee that the request to change the name of the Department of Epidemiology to the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics would reflect the fact that half of department faculty and academic staff in the department were biostatisticians. The name change would also reflect naming conventions for units of this type in other universities.

After a brief question and answer period, voice was withdrawn from Dean Dwyer and Professor Gardiner.

Motion by Patricia Rogers was unanimously approved.

The University Committee on Undergraduate Studies, in its consultative capacity to the Provost, has no concerns about the request to change the name of the Department of Epidemiology to the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics.