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2013 - 09/12

MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
University Committee on Undergraduate Education
AGENDA

Thursday, September 12, 2013
10:15 A.M. to 12:00 P.M.
Board Room, 4th Floor Administration Building

 

  1. Motion to Establish Taking of the Minutes (Action Item)

  2. Approval of the Agenda (Action Item)
  1. Welcome and Introductions
    Cynthia Taggart, UCUE Chairperson
    Doug Estry, Associate Provost for Undergraduate Education

  2. Comments from the Chairperson
    1. UCUE Bylaws and Role in Academic Governance (Information item)
    2. Elected Committee Positions and Subcommittees (Information item)
    3. Committee Operating Procedures (Information items)
    1. Committee Operating Procedures (Action items)
      • Voting (conducting business) via email or online survey
      • Procedure for granting and removing voice for visitors
      • Public comment procedure
      • UCUE Member Substitutes - Voting Rights
    1. UCUE Business Review and Preview (Information) 
  1. Comments from the Associate Provost for Undergraduate
    • Role of UCUE in reviewing New Programs (Information item)
    • Role of UCUE in reviewing Moratorium and Discontinuance Requests (Information Item)
  1. Approval of the April 25, 2013 UCUE Minutes (Action Item)

  2. A. Request for a New Linked Bachelor of Arts Degree in Advertising and Master of Arts Degree in Health and Risk Communication (Action Item)
    B. Request for a New Linked Bachelor of Arts Degree in Communication  and Master of Arts Degree in Health and Risk Communication (Action Item)
    C. Request for a New Linked Bachelor of Arts Degree in Journalism and Master of Arts Degree in Health and Risk Communication (Action Item)
    D. Request for a New Linked Bachelor of Arts Degree in Media and Information and Master of Arts Degree in Health and Risk Communication (Action Item)
    Associate Dean Kami Silk, College of Communication Arts & Sciences 




minutes status: approved

amended and approved at the 10/3/2013 meeting

UCUE Minutes for meeting held on 09/12/2013

University Committee on Undergraduate Studies
Draft MINUTES

Thursday, September 12, 2013
10:15 A.M. to 12:00 P.M.
Board Room, 4th Floor, Administration Building


Attendees: Eric Aronoff, Henry Beckmeyer,  Dan Bergan, Jan Brady, Laura Dillon, Doug Estry, Richard Miksicek, Debra Nails, Renata Opoczynski, Coretta Patterson, Matt Pontifex, Lynmarie Posey, Frederick Rodammer, Ryan Sweeder, Cynthia Taggart, Jesinia Pizarro Terrill

Absent: Nicole Dandridge, Rita Kiki Edozie, David Schweikhardt, Abraham Wheeler


Motion by Laura Dillon passed unanimously:

The secretary for the Associate Provost for Undergraduate Education shall attend Committee meetings and prepare minutes for review and approval by committee membership.


The Agenda was approved.


Welcome and Introductions

Chairperson Taggart and Associate Provost Estry welcomed the new and returning committee members. UCUE members introduced themselves.

The Minutes from April 25, 2013 were approved.

Comments from the Chairperson

Chairperson Taggart reviewed the UCUS bylaws and its role within new academic governance structure. Dr. Taggart reviewed the elected committee positions and introduced the incumbents.

Dr. Taggart reviewed the subcommittees, the subcommittee for the APUE 5-year review and the Grief Absence Policy subcommittee.

Members of the subcommittee for the APUE 5-year review are:

Eric Aronoff
Fred Rodammer
Ryan Sweeder
Cynthia Taggart.

Chairperson Taggart stated that the committee had completed the first draft of the survey and would present it to the UCUE members at the next committee meeting on October 3 for input.

Members of the subcommittee for the Grief Absence Policy are:

Laura Dillon
Matt Pontifex
Lynmarie Posey

Chairperson Taggart stated that an ASMSU student would be added to the Grief Absence Policy subcommittee when the ASMSU representatives join the committee.

Associate Provost Estry stated that UCUE had been asked to provide representatives to a committee being organized jointly with the University Graduate Committee to consider whether MSU will accept MOOC credit transfers. He distributed a draft of issues to be considered by faculty governance. Dr. Estry explained that the issue of University participation in the MOOC phenomenon emanated from four MSU strategic priorities proposed by Acting Provost Youatt in spring 2013.

The following UCUE members volunteered to serve on the MOOCs Committee:

Richard Miksicek
Debra Nails
Lynmarie Posey

Chairperson Taggart suggested the committee use Robert’s Rules of Order as a guide for conducting the committee’s meetings. She suggested http://parlipro.org and its companion site, http://rulesonline.com, as excellent references.


Chairperson Taggart reviewed member responsibilities. She asked that members, if unable to attend a meeting, find a substitute from their college and notify Sandra Walther of the substitution. She stated that it is important for the college UCUE representatives to keep communication flowing between UCUE and the units. Member substitutes would be able to represent the views of their college constituents in the meeting and share committee business of interest with their constituents. Dr. Taggart noted that there was Wi-Fi available in the Administration Building, therefore members could bring a laptop to refer to UCUE meeting materials online or print and bring materials with them.

Chairperson Taggart stated that it might become necessary to hold additional meetings in order to allow due consideration of all slated agenda items. She asked the committee members to reserve every Thursday not scheduled for regular committee meetings to accommodate possible additional meetings or subcommittee meetings. She requested the authority and autonomy to call additional meetings if necessary

Motion by Ryan Sweeder passed unanimously.

The committee agrees to allow the chairperson the authority and autonomy to call additional meetings.

Chairperson Taggart recommended the committee consider accomplishing some business electronically. Examples would be crafting final language for motions and voting by email on issues previously discussed. She asked the committee to allow conducting such business electronically.

Motion by Debra Nails passed unanimously.

The committee agrees to allow the chairperson the flexibility to craft final language for motions and documents and to take votes by email on issues already discussed with the provision that, if any one member objects, the issue will return to the agenda at the next meeting. A quorum is required for the vote to be valid.

Chairperson Taggart described the streamlined procedure to grant and remove voice for visitors to UCUE meetings used in past years. She requested that the committee adopt the procedure allowing the chair to grant and remove voice without a formal committee vote, i.e., hearing no objections, for the current year.

Motion by Matt Pontifex passed unanimously.

The University Committee on Undergraduate Education agrees to allow the chairperson to grant and remove voice for visitors to UCUE meetings without a formal committee vote.

Chairperson Taggart reviewed the public comment procedures created by UCAP in 2009 and renewed by the committee in each subsequent year.

Motion by Laura Dillon passed unanimously.

The University Committee on Undergraduate Education will continue to use the Procedure Regarding Public Comment as approved by UCAP on November 19, 2009, to guide public comment in UCUE meetings 2013-14.

Chairperson Taggart noted that currently member substitutes have voice but no vote and do not count towards a quorum. Although the subject of voting rights has not been an agenda topic in past committee discussion, several individuals have commented that they think substitutes should be able to vote. Chairperson Taggart opened the topic for discussion to hear member’s thoughts about giving substitutes voting rights when attending a UCUE meeting.

In its discussion the committee members expressed two concerns about granting voting rights to member substitutes. First, if a member is charged with finding a substitute among those in his/her constituency, the substitute will not have been selected in a manner that is consistent with the constituency’s bylaws. The other concern was a substitute’s lack of background or context on the topic to be voted upon. The consensus was that each organization would be notified that they would be responsible for determining how UCUE substitutes would be selected. It would be incumbent on a particular organization’s representative to adhere to the decision of the organization in determining the appropriate substitute.

Motion by Debra Nails passed with two dissenting votes.

Member substitutes--i.e., members of faculty or students who are a part of the same constituency as the elected member--shall be allowed the same voting rights as the committee members at that meeting.  Constituencies will determine how committee substitutes are chosen.

Chairperson Taggart noted that most of the business she had planned to mention in UCUE business review and preview had already been discussed (MOOCs and the Associate Provost’s review). She added that the subcommittee for the Associate Provost’s review would propose a process for the review at the next committee meeting. Dr. Estry added that a small change in Scholarship and Grades would be brought to the committee as well as a proposal by ASMSU for mid-semester formative feedback. The proposal suggests mandatory student instructional rating evaluations for all instructors.


Comments from the Associate Provost for Undergraduate Studies

Associate Provost Estry pointed out that two years ago the University’s bylaws were revised and now require that all program changes must be reviewed by UCUE as well as UCC. The purview of UCUE is to review anything in a new programmatic request that brings up issues with undergraduate grades or undergraduate policies that UCUE members see as they review the program. He noted that in the past it has been difficult to divide out policy issues versus issues with the program. The committee’s role is to focus on issues related to grades and policy, although the committee can add comments to UCC.

Associate Provost Estry stated that a moratorium would be on the agenda at the next UCUE meeting. He distributed copies of the guidelines for considering a moratorium to the committee members. Associate Provost Estry explained that moratoriums are not to be confused with discontinuances. Often the purpose of a moratorium is to slow down admissions to the program while substantive changes to the program are being considered by a department or college. Recently, most moratorium requests have been for programs that have only a couple of students enrolled. In some cases a unit may ask for extensions to moratorium deadlines if the unit is not ready to proceed.


Request for a New Linked Bachelor of Arts Degree in Advertising and Master of Arts Degree in Health and Risk Communication
Request for a New Linked Bachelor of Arts Degree in Communication  and Master of Arts Degree in Health and Risk Communication
Request for a New Linked Bachelor of Arts Degree in Journalism and Master of Arts Degree in Health and Risk Communication
Request for a New Linked Bachelor of Arts Degree in Media and Information and Master of Arts Degree in Health and Risk Communication 

Associate Dean Kami Silk, College of Communication Arts & Sciences
Director of Undergraduate Affairs, Ann Hoffman, College of Communication Arts & Sciences

The committee unanimously granted voice to Associate Dean Silk and Director of Undergraduate Affairs Hoffman.

Associate Provost Estry stated that the requests for new linked programs were an example of issues that come before the committee in which it may be difficult to sort out UCUE’s role. Linked programs are primarily a graduate council issue and the UGC has already reviewed and approved these requests. The issue for UCUE is if there are any undergraduate concerns about the programs.

Associate Dean Silk stated that the Health and Risk Masters is a college-level graduate program. Applicants are drawn from all majors offered in the college. As a college-level graduate program, it made sense to the college to link the Masters with all undergraduate degree programs offered in the college. The College of Communication Arts and Sciences has several linked programs already and they are working very well.  

The committee questioned allowing a 3.0 grade in a 400-level course to transfer to the Master’s degree. Dr. Silk responded that a 3.0 is an appropriate minimum for transfer in a Master’s degree and that Master’s programs in the University allow Master’s candidates to take 400-level courses as part of their coursework. She pointed out that all Master’s students’ coursework has to be approved through the student’s committee.  

The committee asked what mechanism is used for evaluating outcomes of the linked programs. Associate Dean Silk responded that the college tries to attract high achievers to remain at the institution and they track how many of these individuals pursue a doctorate. Associate Provost Estry pointed out that the UCC requires an assessment plan for all program requests that has been vetted and approved and that the UGC had no concerns.

Voice was withdrawn from Associate Dean Silk and Director of Undergraduate Affairs Hoffman.

Chairperson Taggart asked that the committee consider the four requests at the same time because the policy issues were the same for all 4 programs.

Motion by Laura Dillon was approved unanimously.

The University Committee on Undergraduate Studies, in its consultative capacity to the Provost, has no concerns about the: A. Request for a New Linked Bachelor of Arts Degree in Advertising and Master of Arts Degree in Health and Risk Communication; B. Request for a New Linked Bachelor of Arts Degree in Communication  and Master of Arts Degree in Health and Risk Communication; C.  Request for a New Linked Bachelor of Arts Degree in Journalism and Master of Arts Degree in Health and Risk Communication; D. Request for a New Linked Bachelor of Arts Degree in Media and Information and Master of Arts Degree in Health and Risk Communication.


Roundtable

Fred Rodammer asked: 1) if an honor code for undergraduates is within the scope of the committee, and 2) if the scope of the committee is to deal with the influx of international students to help them to succeed at MSU. Associate Provost Estry responded that the committee could decide to take up the issue of an institutional honor code. Any specific policies or policy recommendations relative to international students should come from UCUE.


Chairperson Taggart reminded the committee that the meeting on September 19, 2013 had been cancelled. The next committee meeting is on October 3, 2013.

Meeting adjourned. 

Respectfully submitted by
Sandra Walther


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