MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY University Committee on Undergraduate Education AGENDA Thursday, January 15, 2015 10:15 A.M. to 12:00 P.M. Board Room, 4th Floor Administration Building
Johannes Bauer, Chairperson, Department of Media and Information Brian Winn, Undergraduate Coordinator, Department of Media and Information Ann Hoffman, Director, Academic & Student Affairs, College of Communication Arts & Sciences
Johannes Bauer, Chairperson, Department of Media and Information Brian Winn, Undergraduate Coordinator, Department of Media and Information Ann Hoffman, Director, Academic & Student Affairs, College of Communication Arts & Sciences
Status of 1/15/15 minutes: Approved
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY University Committee on Undergraduate Education MINUTES Thursday, January 15, 2015 10:15 A.M. to 12:00 P.M. Board Room, 4th Floor Administration Building
Attending: Daniel Bergan, Teresa Bitner, Giles Brereton, Patrick Crane, Kiki Edozie, Doug Estry, Peter Magyar, John Merrill, Richard Miksicek, Debra Nails, Renata Opoczynski, Helene Pazak, Ron Perry, Jesenia Pizarro Terrill, Fred Rodammer, Lorenzo Santavicca, Ryan Sweeder, Cynthia Taggart, Rachel Tate, Abraham Wheeler
Absent: Austin Jackson, Eli Kean, Matt Pontifex, Cassandra Shavrnoch
The agenda was approved as amended. Agenda item #7 should read “Action Item” instead of “Discussion Item.”
The minutes were approved as amended from December 4, 2014. Under Discussion Item, “Integrity of Scholarship of Grades,” the last item under the Committee’s discussion should read, “It is up to the faculty member to remove the report or not. Some adjuncts, fixed-term faculty, and untenured assistant professors (who see their job prospects as linked to student opinions) have said they are reluctant even to charge a guilty student with academic dishonesty because of concerns about repercussions. Such vulnerable faculty may be easier to pressure into requesting alteration of student records.”
Comments from the Chairperson Chairperson Taggart welcomed Ryan Sweeder back as the UCUE representative for Lyman Briggs.
Comments from the Associate Provost for Undergraduate Education Associate Provost Estry informed UCUE members that the Steering Committee asked UCUE to review a proposal for a new academic unit, Computational Mathematics, Science and Engineering. Lynne Frechen will send out the proposal after today’s meeting and it will be on the January 29th UCUE agenda.
Request to Phase Out and Discontinue the Bachelor of Arts Degree in Media Arts and Technology (action item) Johannes Bauer, Chairperson, Department of Media and Information Ann Hoffman, Director, Academic & Student Affairs, College of Communication Arts & Sciences
The committee unanimously granted voice to Chairperson Bauer and Ann Hoffman.
Chairperson Bauer reported that a moratorium was placed on the curriculum for Media Arts and Technology in spring, 2012. Due to new technologies and industry trends, a new curriculum has been phased in. Effective July 1, 2014, the department name was changed to Media and Information: however, the degree name was not changed at that time. Students with 56 credits or more have been given the opportunity to either pursue the old curriculum or the new curriculum. There are currently four students in the program, and they will complete their degree requirements in the Summer of 2015.
Voice was withdrawn from Chairperson Bauer and Ann Hoffman.
The following motion passed unanimously.
The University Committee on Undergraduate Education duly considered and endorsed the request to phase out and discontinue the Bachelor of Arts Degree in Media Arts and Technology.
Request to Phase Out and Discontinue the Bachelor of Science Degree in Media and Communication Technology (action item) Johannes Bauer, Chairperson, Department of Media and Information Ann Hoffman, Director, Academic & Student Affairs, College of Communication Arts & Sciences
The committee unanimously granted voice to Chairperson Bauer and Ann Hoffman.
Chairperson Bauer reported that a moratorium was placed on the curriculum for Media and Communication Technology in Spring, 2012. Due to new technologies and industry trends, a new curriculum has been phased in. Effective July 1, 2014, the department name was changed to Media and Information; however the degree name was not changed at that time. Students with 56 credits or more have been given the opportunity to either pursue the old curriculum or the new curriculum. By Summer, 2016, all students will have had the opportunity to complete their degree.
Voice was withdrawn from Chairperson Bauer and Ann Hoffman.
The following motion passed unanimously.
The University Committee on Undergraduate Education duly considered and endorsed the request to phase out and discontinue the Bachelor of Science Degree in Media and Communication Technology. Integrity of Scholarship & Grades (action item) Associate Provost Estry gave a brief history regarding the Integrity of Scholarship & Grades. He reported that consistency across campus on giving an Academic Dishonesty Report (ADR) is a problem. After one ADR, students are required to take an online Academic Integrity course, and if they receive no further ADRs during their degree programs, the ADR is removed from their records upon graduation. If a student receives a second ADR, the acts of academic dishonesty will remain on the student’s academic record forever. It is up to faculty issuing an ADR to determine whether they would like to request additional sanctions. Starting in the Fall of 2015, there will no longer be college level hearing boards. The three new University hearing boards will be: University Academic Grievance Hearing Board, University Academic Integrity Hearing Board, University Academic Appeal Board.
Fred Rodammer stated that ongoing education concerning academic integrity is necessary in order for any policy to be successful.
Discussion centered around the tension between the University’s being honest when an outside institution requests a report of whether a student has committed an act of academic dishonesty, and the need to allow students a single mistake that is subsequently remediated through education without having it follow them throughout life as a permanent part of their academic record.
The following motion passed unanimously.
The University Committee on Undergraduate Education duly considered and endorsed the Integrity of Scholarship and Grades, after accepting the suggestions from UCGS, with the following changes:
Mid Semester Formative Feedback Recommendations Teresa Bitner reported that in March, 2014, a sample survey was sent to faculty and students regarding the use of an informal course evaluation being implemented early in a semester. The response rate was disappointing. Therefore no concrete conclusions were reached from the survey results. Faculty who did respond expressed concerns regarding a mandated system. Students who responded were in favor of a system allowing anonymous feedback to faculty early in the semester. As a result, the Subcommittee suggested no formal policy changes. However, they are working with the Office of Faculty and Organizational Development and the Associate Provost for Undergraduate Education to encourage faculty to solicit anonymous feedback from students in their courses early in the semester.
Sub-Committee Report addressing Faculty Senate Issues Kiki Edozie reported that the group has not yet met. She will inform Chairperson Taggart after they have met so she can update UCUE.
Roundtable Teresa Bitner reported that the Grief Absence subcommittee met before the holiday break. They will report back to UCUE in February.
Meeting adjourned at 11:35.
Respectfully submitted by Lynne Frechen. |
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