UMM CURRICULUM COMMITTEE

MEETING # 9 Minutes

January 29, 2008, 3:00 p.m., Behmler 130

Present:     Roland Guyotte (chair), Escillia Allen, Ferolyn Angell, Van Gooch, Harold Hinds, Michael Korth, Judy Kuechle, Pareena Lawrence, Jenny Nellis, Gwen Rudney, Nate Swanson, Laura Thoma, Kim Ukura, Sara Haugen, Nancy Helsper, Jeri Mullin, Clare Strand

Absent:      None

Visiting:    Brenda Boever

In these minutes: Requests for GenEd designators on two Directed Studies, Decision to resubmit the proposal to remove the 48-credit limit in a discipline

 

 

Chair Guyotte welcomed back to the Committee Judy Kuechle, who was on leave fall semester, and Jenny Nellis, replacing Janet Ericksen, who is on leave spring semester.  He also mentioned that Barbara Burke has resigned from the Committee due to other commitments.

 

 

1.  APPROVAL OF MINUTES

 

Guyotte asked for approval of minutes from both the December 6 and December 10, 2007 meetings.

Amendments: Swanson asked that a correction be made on page 3, line 5, to change the name Swanson to Swenson.  Lawrence asked that the word group be changed to force on page 6, paragraph 3, line 1.  Hinds asked that the word institutional be changed to intellectual on page 7, paragraph 1.

         MOTION:   (Korth/Angell) To approve the minutes from December 6, 2007 and December 10, 2007, as amended.

         VOTE:        Motion passed unanimously

 

2.  REQUESTS FOR GENERAL EDUCATION DESIGNATOR ON DIRECTED STUDIES

         Mus 3993-Mozart Symphonies in Context of Culture and Practice (FA)

         Spch 3993-Uses of the Media: a Study of Journalism and Public relations (E/CR)

 

Guyotte reminded the committee that beginning in 2005-2006 Campus Assembly specified that the Curriculum Committee became the approver of the use of directed studies to fulfill General Education Requirements.

 

         MOTION    (Korth/Angell): To approve the two proposed Directed Study General Education Requirement designators as requested.

         VOTE:         Motion passed (11-0-0)

 

 

3.  FINAL VOTE ON PROPOSAL TO ELIMINATE THE 48-CREDIT LIMIT IN A DISCIPLINE

 

Guyotte explained that on October 25, 2007, the Curriculum Committee voted in favor of removing the 48-credit limit in a single discipline.  The proposal was forwarded to the Executive Committee for consideration by the Campus Assembly.  After much debate, the Campus Assembly sent it back to the Executive Committee, which tabled the proposal.  The Curriculum Committee invited Dave Roberts and Bert Ahern, two faculty members with opposing views, to speak to the Curriculum Committee on December 6, 2007.  Now the Curriculum Committee must decide whether to leave it on the table or to send it back to the Executive Committee.

 

         MOTION    (Lawrence/Swanson): That the proposal to eliminate the 48-credit limit in a discipline remain tabled at this time.

         VOTE:         Motion failed to pass (2-10-0)

 

Discussion:

 

Thoma asked if someone could explain why the Campus Assembly did not believe in it after the Curriculum Committee passed it with overwhelming support.  She asked if members of the Committee had spoken to people in their disciplines about it.  Lawrence answered that she would vote to leave the proposal tabled because it needs to be looked at holistically, including a look at the Gen Ed requirements and everything that might be affected by such a change.  Instead of fixing something piecemeal, it makes more sense to talk about everything.

 

Angell stated that it is significant to remember that the 48-credit limit is in a discipline and not in a major.  She questioned whether students would be able to complete a major in four years if they were expected to take more than 48 credits in a discipline.  Angell offers a one-credit performing arts course twice a semester.  ItÕs filled every semester with people trying to fill a GenEd requirement.  However, she is considering changing this course to two credits.  She questioned what would happen if the opportunity to fill GenEd requirements with one-credit courses is no longer available.  Guyotte replied that Dave Roberts had stated in his support for the proposal that it is about opportunities, not requirements.

 

Gooch stated that he will vote against the motion to keep the proposal tabled.  The Committee came to the agreement that the limit is unfair. After listening to Bert Ahern talk quite a while at the December 6 Curriculum Committee meeting, it seemed that most of his argument centered on that idea that we need to look at the issue holistically.  Since it may be several years before that process is completed, Gooch did not see any harm in fixing this issue now, and stated that itÕs an obvious slam-dunk.

 

Swanson asked if there had been any discussion about looking into the General Education curriculum review since the issue of the 48-credit limit has been raised.  Strand answered that she had prepared a document for the dean listing all of the idiosyncrasies of the 120 credits required for graduation.  The document shows clearly that the 120-credit requirement is an irrational requirement.  She agreed that there be a broader look at requirements, although she would encourage a vote for forwarding the proposal now.  This could impact whether some students will be able to graduate this spring.  Guyotte replied that, if the Assembly reverses itself and votes in favor of the proposal, there would be no guarantee it would be approved in time to be in effect this spring.

 

         MOTION    (Gooch/Thoma): Vote to move the original proposal (to remove the 48-credit limit in a discipline) formerly tabled by Campus Assembly back to the Executive Committee with a request to send it back to Campus Assembly with more information (a paragraph summarizing the discussion).

         VOTE:         Motion passed (10-0-2)

 

Discussion:

 

Lawrence stated that removing the limit would have an impact on class schedules.  It would allow faculty to go deeper into their discipline and teach more courses in their expertise.  That would be fine if we did not have other obligations to fulfill, such as honors courses and the First Year Seminar.  If students can go deeper and count it, it creates more repercussions than we are thinking about right now.  Hinds stated that he will vote against the motion to keep the proposal tabled.  It has a decidedly unfair impact depending on the major in consideration.  The limit doesnÕt make a difference in the history discipline, but there is evidence that it adversely affects majors in the sciences.

 

 

4.  OTHER

 

Guyotte stated that if he receives an electronic copy of the First Year Experience Disappearing Task Force Report in time to forward it to the Curriculum Committee (electronically), it may be the agenda item for next weekÕs Curriculum Committee meeting.

 

 

Meeting adjourned at 3:37 p.m.

Submitted by Darla Peterson