UCAP Meeting of 02/09/2012 2011-2012 agenda status: approved Agenda: University Committee on Undergraduate Studies AGENDA Thursday, February 9, 2012 10:15 A.M. to 12:00 P.M. Board Room, 4th Floor, Administration Building
minutes status: approved approved at meeting of 02/23/2012 UCAP Minutes for meeting held on 02/09/2012 University Committee on Undergraduate Studies Minutes Thursday, February 9, 2012 10:15 A.M. to 12:00 P.M. Board Room, 4th Floor, Administration Building Attending: Zarena Aslami, Mark Axelrod, Henry Beckmeyer, Jan Brady, Crystal Branta, Laura Dillon, Doug Estry, Fred Fico, Kathleen Hoag, Seung Hyun Kim, Evan Martinak, Chris McClain, Nicole McCleese, Ron Perry, Patricia Rogers, Michael Scott, Ryan Sweeder, Abraham Wheeler Absent: Milan Griffes, Tom Morse, Mary Noel, Justin O’Dell, John Reifenberg, Zachary Taylor The agenda for was approved. The minutes of the January 26, 2012 meeting were approved. Comments from the Chairperson Chairperson Dillon thanked Vice Chairperson Sweeder for his impromptu leadership of the January 26 UCUS meeting. In response to questions from the committee regarding committee member substitutes’ voting rights and counting toward a quorum, Chairperson Dillon reported that the Secretary for Academic Governance affirmed that, according to Academic Governance Bylaws, substitutes have voice but no vote and, because they cannot vote and are not counted in a quorum. Chairperson Dillon reported that Governor Snyder’s office would be giving a press conference on February 15 at which a new approach for education funding would be discussed. The new system will likely be rewards based. Dr. Simon had mentioned that UCUS might be asked to look into curricular requirements that negatively impact time-to-degree and possible conflict of interest when faculty requires textbooks they had authored in undergraduate classes. UCUS will also be asked to review the University’s proposed energy transition plan and provide feedback to the Steering Committee by mid-March. UCUS will also be asked to respond to the Provost Review questions by February 28. Dr. Dillon noted that Provost Wilcox will discuss the reorganization of the Office of Sponsored Programs and Contracts and Grants at the University Council meeting on February 28. Comments from the Associate Provost for Undergraduate Education Associate Provost Estry University stated that the University is looking at new instructional management systems and would like student representatives from ASMSU to participate. He asked Evan Martinak to relay that request to ASMSU and to provide the name of the ASMSU representative to Brendan Guenther. Dr. Estry noted that representatives of at least two instructional management systems would be coming to campus to demonstrate their products. Request to Change the Admission Requirement for the Bachelor of Arts Degree in Advertising Janet Lillie, Associate Dean, College of Communication Arts and Sciences Jef Richards, Chairperson, Department of Advertising, Public Relations and Retailing Associate Dean Lillie stated the intent of the change in the admission requirement was to make it easier for students, especially transfer students and those changing majors in their junior year, to admit to the major. The reduced number of prerequisite courses would also facilitate earlier entry into the major. For this reason, the department would move some courses that had formerly been prerequisites for admission, such as economics, to post-admission course requirements. Chairperson Richards stated the faculty had revised the curriculum based on desired learning outcomes and had built a curriculum to support those outcomes. Voice was withdrawn from Associate Dean Lillie and Chairperson Richards. Motion by Kathleen Hoag was unanimously approved.
Request for a New Linked Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Theatre and a Master of Fine Arts Degree in Theatre Kirk Domer, Acting Chairperson, Department of Theatre The committee unanimously granted voice to Chairperson Domer. Chairperson Domer stated that having a linked BFA/MFA degree in Theatre would allow the department to recruit highly qualified undergraduates into the BFA program. He noted that it was difficult for students moving directly from the BFA program into the MFA program to find enough courses to complete both degrees without course overlap. The committee inquired about the reasoning behind the 3.5 GPA requirement for admission into the linked degree program when the MFA does not have an admission requirement for GPA. The department’s rationale for the number of credits (15) to be counted toward the MFA was also discussed. Dr. Domer responded that the GPA requirement was consistent with that of other linked programs and the number of undergraduate credits to be counted toward the MFA was based on the University policy for linked programs. Voice was withdrawn from Chairperson Domer. The committee discussed whether the requirement of an overall 3.5 GPA for admission to the linked program should be lowered or if the GPA requirement should include courses in the major only in order to align with requirements of the MFA in Theatre. Consensus was that the GPA requirements should not be expressed as a concern in the committee’s response to the Provost. Motion by Ryan Sweeder passed unanimously.
Vice Chair Sweeder stated the committee’s discussion of overall GPA requirements for admission versus GPA in the major brings up a broader issue that should be discussed with the graduate committee, UCGS. Dr. Estry will discuss the matter with Dean of the Graduate School, Karen Klomparens, and report back to the committee. Renaming the University Committee on Undergraduate Studies Dr. Estry reported that Jackie Wright, Secretary of Academic Governance recommended the committee submit a proposal for a name change to her after the meeting and she would present it to the University Committee on Academic Governance in the afternoon. He noted that altering the acronym without changing the name would not be allowed. UCUS’s proposed name change would be reviewed by academic governance and, if there was no disagreement, it would be presented to the MSU Board of Trustees for approval. Motion by Crystal Branta was passed unanimously.
Roundtable Evan Martinak asked that the Secretary for Academic Governance provide the section of the Bylaws for Academic Governance that did not allow substitutes to have a vote or count toward a quorum. Ron Perry asked--if the Bylaws did not specifically disallow substitutes’ voting rights--if it would be possible for the committee to create its own rules regarding voting rights and establishing a quorum. Crystal Branta suggested that, rather than giving voice and removing voice several times in discussion, a middle ground might be found that didn’t require guests to be repeatedly called to the table and then excused. Abraham Wheeler noted that the UCLL Rubric Project was progressing in its preparation for a May Symposium about the Liberal Learning Goals and Rubrics for assessing them. Meeting adjourned. Respectfully submitted Sandra Walther |
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