UCAP Meeting of 01/26/2012 2011-2012 agenda status: approved Agenda: University Committee on Undergraduate Studies AGENDA Thursday, January 26, 2012 10:15 A.M. to 12:00 P.M. Board Room, 4th Floor, Administration Building
minutes status: not approved UCAP Minutes for meeting held on 01/26/2012 University Committee on Undergraduate Studies MINUTES Thursday, January 26, 2012 10:15 A.M. to 12:00 P.M. Boardroom, 4th Floor Administration Building Attendees: Zarena Aslami, Mark Axelrod, Henry Beckmeyer, Jan Brady, Crystal Branta, Doug Estry, Fred Fico, Milan Griffes, Kathleen Hoag, Seung Hyun Kim, Evan Martinak, Chris McClain, Nicole McCleese, Tom Morse, Mary Noel, Justin O’Dell, Ron Perry, John Reifenberg, Patricia Rogers, Michael Scott, Ryan Sweeder, Zachary Taylor, Abraham Wheeler Absent: Laura Dillon The Agenda was approved. The January 12, 2012 minutes were approved as amended by adding one additional item to the list of potential committee names: University Committee on Undergraduate Education. Comments from the Vice Chairperson No comments were made by the Vice Chairperson. Comments from the Associate Provost for Undergraduate Education No comments were made by the Associate Provost for Undergraduate Education. Request for a New Minor in History, Philosophy, and Sociology of Science Kelly Millenbah, Associate Dean, Lyman Briggs College The committee unanimously granted voice to Associate Dean Millenbah. Associate Dean Millenbah stated that Lyman Briggs College (LBC), a residential college, faculty expertise bridges the STEM disciplines and the History, Philosophy, and Sociology of Science (HPS). Additionally most of them are jointly appointed in a disciplinary home. The study of the History, Philosophy, and Sociology of Science is an important component of the LBC undergraduate curriculum. LBC has a major in HPS and requests a minor in order for LBC students with a disciplinary major to have the opportunity to minor in HPS). The committee questioned having the minor open only to LBC students. Dr. Millenbah stated that all LBC courses are restricted to LBC students. The restriction in the minor is consistent with current practice. Voice was withdrawn from Associate Dean Millenbah. The committee briefly continued the discussion on the matter of access to minors across colleges and if this type of restriction should be mentioned as a concern in the committee’s recommendation. Consensus was that the two issues were separate and should not be included in the committee’s response to the Provost. Motion by Mark Axelrod was unanimously approved.
Request to Phase Out and Discontinue the Bachelor of Arts Degree in General Business Administration-Prelaw John Wagner, Associate Dean, Eli Broad College of Business Michael Mazzeo, Chairperson, Department of Finance, Eli Broad College of Business The committee unanimously granted voice to Associate Dean Wagner and Chairperson Mazzeo. Chairperson Mazzeo reported that students in the program had been monitored to see that none were disadvantaged. At this point, there were no students remaining in the major. For those who had been interested in the major, there were other opportunities for a generalist degree in the college. The operating assumption was that if any students recessed and returning to the discontinued program would be moved into the general management program. Voice was removed from Associate Dean Wagner and Chairperson Mazzeo. Motion by Chris McClain was unanimously approved.
Request to Phase Out and Discontinue the Bachelor of Science Degree in Child Development Tom Summerhill, Associate Dean, College of Social Science Ryan Bowles, Assistant Professor, Department of Human Development & Family Studies The committee unanimously granted voice to Associate Dean Summerhill and Assistant Professor Bowles. Dr. Bowles stated that the request addressed the change in Michigan Department of Education certification requirements in Child Development. A new major that meets the new requirements has been created and is in place. The Department is no longer enrolling students in the BS degree in Child Development. All students who might remain in the program will be moved to the new degree in order for them to graduate with the requirements that will fulfill the new mandated State requirements for certification. Voice was removed from Associate Dean Summerhill and Professor Bowles. Motion by Kathleen Hoag was unanimously approved.
University Research Organization Committee Report Paul Hunt, Sr. Associate Vice President for Research and Graduate Studies The committee unanimously granted voice to Professor Hunt. Sr. Associate Vice President Hunt provided the history of the concept of the University Research Organization (URO) in the United States. Beginning shortly after WWII, URO’s, spin off organizations or internal organizations, were created by universities to facilitate research that imposes citizenship, publication restrictions, or export control restrictions. Stanford and MIT use the spin-off model in their UROs, whereas other universities, such as Penn State and Virginia Tech, created internal organizations. Operating as an autonomous unit, a URO can have policies and procedures that align with the university’s policies and procedures but are not governed by all university policies and procedures. This will allow restricted research to be undertaken without compromising a university’s publication requirements. At the time the first UROs were being established, MSU was still MAC and had not yet focused on its research intensive mission. Given the continued intensive focus on research at this institution it seemed appropriate to consider creating an avenue for faculty at Michigan State to pursue research, grants, and contracts that have publication restrictions, citizenship restrictions, and export control. The URO Committee forwarded two competing proposals for review. Although the URO Committee recommended the university establish a URO and presented the pros and cons of each type of URO in its report; it did not recommend which type of URO might be pursued. Questions from the committee centered on the impact that a URO might have on undergraduates participating in faculty-led research. Dr. Hunt stated that the URO Committees findings and conclusions regarding student involvement are on page 8 of the report. The report based its conclusions on findings from interviews of universities with established UROs. Voice was removed from Professor Hunt. Vice Chairperson Sweeder reminded the committee that no action to be taken at this meeting but UCUS, and other governance committees, would provide feedback to the Steering Committee before spring break. Dr. Sweeder noted the Steering Committee would welcome comments from individual faculty. Renaming the University Committee on Undergraduate Studies The committee was reminded that when the names for academic governance committees were created recently, there was strong sentiment that committee names should be parallel. Additionally, as a committee name change would require review and comment by other academic governance committees and, if unopposed, the approval of the MSU Board of Trustees, a committee name change could be delayed by a year or more. Committee discussion led to the consensus that more information about the policies and procedures governing such a change be investigated before the committee spent more time discussing a possible name change. Associate Provost Estry was asked to look into the process of making such a change and report back to the committee. Roundtable Professor Perry suggested that the committee get clarification on substitute voting rights and inclusion in quorum count. Meeting adjourned. Respectfully submitted by Sandra Walther |
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