UMM CURRICULUM COMMITTEE

MEETING # 4 Minutes

September 26, 2006, 10:00 a.m., Prairie Lounge

Present: Judy Kuechle (chair), Michael Korth, Jooinn Lee, Jenny Nellis, Gwen Rudney, Ferolyn Angell, Van Gooch, Harold Hinds, Escillia Allen, Isaac Linehan-Clodfelter, Sara Haugen, Clare Strand, Nancy Helsper, Jeri Mullin, Mary Elizabeth Bezanson

Absent: Two students yet to be named

Visiting: Tom McRoberts, Brenda Boever

Kuechle opened the meeting by welcoming new member Bezanson, who will attend as a non-voting member until approved by Campus Assembly. The committee was informed that all active courses are displayed online and will be in the printed catalog. Courses which will not be offered should be inactivated through the Curriculum Committee process.

Approval of Minutes from September 19, 2006

Kuechle asked for approval of minutes from the September 19, 2006 meeting.

MOTION (Hinds/Korth): To approve the minutes of September 19, 2006

VOTE: Motion passed (8-0-0)

REGULAR APPROVAL OF NEW COURSE

IS 3209H: Apocalypse Now? The Science and Policy of Preparing for a Catastrophe

MOTION (Linehan-Clodfelter/Angell): To approve the new course (IS 3209H)

VOTE: Motion passed (8-0-0)

SCIENCE AND MATHEMATICS CATALOG CHANGES

BIOLOGY

Korth presented the catalog changes in Biology and reviewed the requests for new courses.

New Course: Biol 1111-Freshman Seminar in Biological Principles.

Biology 1101-Freshman Seminar in Biological Principles is being inactivated and replaced by Biol 1111. Biol 1101 is equivalent to 1111.

New Course: Biol 3700-Biological Communication I

This is an expanded course; Biol 3701 becomes Biological Communication II.

New Course: Biol 4312-Genetics

This course replaces, and is equivalent to, Biol 3101.

Helsper asked if the paragraph on Teacher Preparation Requirements is expected to remain in the catalog with no change. The conclusion was that it would.

MOTION: To approve new Biology courses (Biol 1111, 3700, 4312) and approve catalog changes. (Rudney/Gooch)

VOTE: Motion passed (8-0-0)

CHEMISTRY

Korth presented catalog changes in Chemistry. No new courses will be offered.

MOTION: to approve Chemistry catalog changes (Nellis/Rudney)

VOTE: Motion passed (8-0-0)

COMPUTER SCIENCE

Korth presented the Computer Science catalog changes, consisting of two new courses, course description changes and course inactivation. Korth stated that with relatively new faculty, he expects that new courses and course changes will continue to develop.

New Course: CSCI 1021-Introduction to Data Visualization

Strand asked if it is intentional that this is a course for CSCI non-majors only. Korth stated that if you look at the description of the major, there is no place that it fits in. It would not count in the major or minor. Korth will take the course back to the discipline to determine if they want to add the statement that the course does not count in the major or minor.

New Course: CSCI 2601-Interactive Computer Graphics

Bezanson cautioned that the Computer Science discipline be attentive to the affect changes might have on requirements in Areas of Concentrations. This course, which is being offered less often, may be part of the Digital Media prototype.

Angell mentioned that a lot of 4000 level courses have been inactivated. She asked if the courses are being inactivated to be brought back later, or if this reflects anything significant. Korth answered that no new 4000 level courses are coming in this year; CSci added courses last year. They are just cleaning up the catalog and inactive courses that are no longer offered.

MOTION: To approve new Computer Science courses (CSci 1021, 2601) and approve catalog changes. (Linehan-Clodfelter/Korth)

VOTE: Motion passed (8-0-0)

GEOLOGY

Korth presented the Geology catalog changes, consisting of adding two courses that were already approved, and the deactivation of one course. No new courses are proposed.

MOTION: To approve Geology catalog changes (Nellis/Angell)

VOTE: Motion passed (8-0-0)

MATH

Korth presented the Math catalog changes. The major change is a simplification of the elective choices in the minor. Course revisions reflect changes in the year offered.

MOTION: To approve Math catalog changes (Angell/Linehan-Clodfelter)

VOTE: Motion passed (8-0-0)

PHYSICS

Korth presented the Physics catalog changes. The most significant change is to reduce the number of specific courses required in the major, allowing more choices among the electives. The overall number of courses required does not change. Also, the minimum GPA is changed from 2.5 to 2.0, not allowing grades below C-. The increase of courses listed consists of courses previously approved.

MOTION: To approve Physics catalog changes (Nellis/Hinds)

VOTE: Motion passed (8-0-0)

STATISTICS

Korth presented the Statistics catalog changes. There are no course changes in the major or minor. A statement was added regarding a minimum GPA of at least 2.0. There are no D grade restrictions.

MOTION: To approve Statistics catalog changes (Nellis/Rudney)

VOTE: Motion passed (8-0-0)

Kuechle thanked Korth for a well-organized presentation of courses and catalog changes from the Division of Science and Mathematics. Kuechle reminded the committee that they will consider Education’s catalog changes at next week’s meeting.

The meeting adjourned at 11:00a.m.

Submitted by Darla Peterson