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2016-09-20 Minutes

MINUTES
MEETING OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE BOARDS
of the General College and the College of Arts and Sciences
Tuesday, September 20, 2016
3:30–4:38 PM, 3020 Steele Building

Members in attendance: Rita Balaban, Rob Bruce, Claude Clegg, Kelly Giovanello, Amy Herring, Richard Langston, Cary Levine, Doug MacLean, Lee May, David Mora-Marin, Ted Mouw, Abigail Panter, Vladas Pipiras, Valerie Pruvost, Nick Siedentop, James Thompson, Louise Toppin

Absent: Chris Derickson, Kevin Guskiewicz, Fabian Monrose, Christian Lundberg, Keith Sockman, Charlie Tuggle, Jonathan Weiler

1. Welcome by Abigail Panter, Senior Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education
Senior Associate Dean Panter welcomed the Boards to the first meeting of the academic year and began by discussing the role and function of the committee and its responsibility to the curriculum and policies in the College. She thanked members for their service to the College and invited everyone to share feedback during the meetings. Next Dean Panter provided several updates.

  • After being removed from probation earlier in the summer, the University began the process of preparing the decennial SACSCOC report; the report was completed earlier this month. A campus review will be conducted in February or March, 2017.
  • A student learning outcomes (SLO) assessment report is required for every degree awarded at the University, to be submitted annually. In addition, each degree should maintain an Outcomes Assessment Plan which includes the expected student learning outcomes, the assessment methods to be used, performance targets, and the implementation schedule (e.g., annual, every three years, etc.). The next deadline is October 3, 2016, and it is expected that the provost will select a University-wide yearly deadline in October to begin next year. Additional information and resources can be found on the following website: http://oira.unc.edu/institutional-effectiveness/unit-level-assessment/assessment-in-academic-programs/.
  • The University has begun the process of revising the General Education curriculum. This is the 11th year of the Making Connections curriculum. General education reflects the core-set of expectations for all undergraduate students at Carolina. The focus of this revision is a return to first principals, asking “What skills and knowledge should all UNC undergraduates possess by the time they graduate?” There is a small planning committee meeting this semester. Members of the Administrative Boards, directors of undergraduate study, and faculty across the University will be involved in the development and review process. Implementation is projected for Fall 2019.
  • The Quality Enhancement Program (QEP) report is part of accreditation process. This is a five-year, $2 million grant from the provost. The working title for the QEP is “Creating Scientists: Enhancing Learning in the Sciences” and has several aims: increasing high structured learning practices (including AAU projects), how incorporating the humanities can improve science learning, increasing undergraduate research experiences (including Classroom Undergraduate Research Experiences, or CURE courses), incorporating use of our new Maker Spaces, increasing abroad opportunities in the sciences, and encouraging all students to take advantage of these high impact experiences. QEP marketing will begin soon and the goal is to have every campus community member aware of the QEP. The broader goal of the QEP is to improve learning and increase participation in high impact experiences.

In reference to the development of the revised General Education curriculum, a member asked for advice about whether departments should put a hold on making large-scale changes to their department’s undergraduate curriculum. Dean Panter recommended not waiting for the revised General Education curriculum approval before moving forward with internal curriculum revisions.

2. Burch Field Research Seminar on Entrepreneurship, Gina Difino, Director, Honors Study Abroad and Burch Programs.
Ms. Difino presented the Burch Field Research Seminar on Entrepreneurship in Silicon Valley, California. This is a joint project of the minor in entrepreneurship (in the Department of Economics) and Honors Carolina. This program is part of a wider University initiative to establish an enlarged presence for Carolina in the San Francisco Bay area. With this program, more students will be able to pursue this minor, which is currently having to turn away qualified students from the on-campus version. Alumni and students are excited about this high-impact learning experience that will give students an intellectual framework for entrepreneurial thinking and the practical skills critical to entrepreneurial success. The initial program will include 18-20 students in spring 2017 and will include 12 hours of UNC credit: ECON 325H (3 credits), ECON 327H (3 credits), ECON 393H (6 credits). Note: the revised proposal confirmed that ECON 393H will be run as HNRS 393 in the first year.
Several questions and comments were raised.

  • ECON 325H will be offered as a two-week intensive course of study at the beginning of the program. Several members raised concern about the truncated schedule and how students will be able to digest, process, and synthesize course material that is normally offered during a 15-week semester. The University offers Maymester courses on a three-week schedule, which is the shortest schedule at the University. There may be short-term immersion program through the Business School, but this was not confirmed.) One solution is to extend the ECON 325H class to the same number of classes offered in Maymester.
  • The on-campus program is very sequential, so it was important to create a similar model for the one-semester off-campus program. Students must complete ECON 325H before starting the practicum experience. Some members felt the program is too abbreviated.
  • Several members encouraged the program directors to find ways to include and encourage under-represented student groups to participate in this program. Ms. Difino mentioned that scholarship opportunities through Honors Carolina are available, and that the program is not restricted to Honors student.
  • Burch funding reduces the overall cost of the program. Total cost is approximately $15,000, including tuition. Generally, this is less than out-of-state tuition and more than in-state tuition.
  • The Burch fund, through Honors Carolina, is used to start up these types of opportunities. The goal is to establish programs that will eventually become self-sustaining.
  • A member asked what constitutes an Honors “H” course and are the syllabi significantly different from the non-honors version offered on-campus.
  • A more detailed description of the role of the directors and their on-site presence would be helpful.
  • Several members commented that this will be a unique and wonderful opportunity for students.

The Office of Undergraduate Education shared the committee’s feedback and concerns with the program directors. The directors provided a revised proposal with a summary of the revisions. The revised proposal was sent by email to Boards members on 9/27/2016 with a request for feedback by 5pm on 9/28/2016. No additional concerns were raised, so the proposal was approved on 9/28/2016.

3. 2016-2017 Subcommittees, Abigail Panter, Senior Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education
Dean Panter explained that in addition to the two standing subcommittees of the Administrative Boards (Academic Appeals and Curriculum Committee), this year there will be two additional committees.

  • Faculty Guidelines for Academic Appeals – this committee will review the current Faculty Guidelines for Academic Appeals, examine scenarios and problem points, and then make recommendations for revision. Recommendations should be submitted at the end of the fall 2016 term, or by mid-March 2017 at the latest.
  • Learning Assistants in the Classroom – this committee will review current practices and models of undergraduate learning assistants at UNC-Chapel Hill, with the goal of providing guidelines, best practices, and recommendations on how and when undergraduate students should be involved in undergraduate courses at Carolina. A report should be submitted to the Boards by mid-March 2017 or earlier.

In addition to these Administrative Boards subcommittees, the Office of Undergraduate Education is also involved in two University-wide working groups that may need additional faculty members.

  • Review Independent Study Policy
  • Review Attendance Policy

Dean Panter asked members to volunteer for one of the six groups.

4. Revision to Distance Learning Policy, Nick Siedentop, Director, Office of Undergraduate Curricula
Nick Siedentop explained the changes to the policy, point by point. Siedentop requested that one additional category of section numbers be added to the revised policy: 01W-09W, which are used for online courses offered through Summer School. These section numbers were confirmed by Dean Yopp in Summer School. The policy changes were approved, with the noted change.

5. Revision to Undergraduate Catalog–Foundations Description, Nick Siedentop, Director, Office of Undergraduate Curricula
Siedentop explained the changes to the policy. The policy changes were approved as distributed.

6. Curriculum Committee Report, James Thompson for Undergraduate Curricula
Associate Dean Thompson began by thanking the members of the new Curriculum Committee for a terrific first meeting of the semester. Members provided excellent feedback and suggestions which have been sent to the instructors. The Curriculum Committee Report was approved as distributed.

The meeting adjourned at 4:38 PM.

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The Administrative Boards of the General College and the College of Arts and Sciences are responsible for advising the Dean of the College about the undergraduate curriculum, including changes in that curriculum, approving individual courses offered in Departments and Curricula of the College, and making decisions when requested on specifications for degrees.