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2014-01-28 Minutes

  MINUTES OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE BOARDS
of the General College and the College of Arts and Sciences
Tuesday, January 28, 2014

 

The meeting was called to order at 3:30 p.m. and chaired by Senior Associate Dean Bobbi Owen.

Members in attendance: Yaakov Ariel, Daniel Anderson,Navin Bapat, Jaye Cable, Li-Ling Hsiao, Deborah Jones, Erika Lindemann, Douglas MacLean, Anne MacNeil, Lee May, Bobbi Owen, Christopher Putney, Chris Roush, Margaret Scarry, Nick Siedentop, Barbara Wildemuth

Absent: Marcie Cohen Ferris, Christopher Derickson, Karen Gil, Louise McReynolds, Michael Rolleri, Mark Schoenfisch, Keith Sockman, Michael Waltman

Staff: Ben Haven

1. Senior Associate Dean Bobbi Owen welcomed Boards members to the first meeting of the spring semester and thanked them for their excellent work.

2. Undergraduate Curriculum Proposals

  • The Boards approved a new quantitative finance option in the BA major in physics, effective fall 2014.
  • The Boards approved the request to revise the BS major in physics to include the addition of new and revised courses recently approved by the Boards, effective fall 2014.
  • The Boards approved the request to create a standard core (a gateway course and 25 credit hours) within the options for the BA major in physics, effective fall 2014.
  • The Boards approved the discontinuation of the geophysical option in the BA major in physics, effective fall 2014.
  • The Boards approved requests to change requirements for the minors in astronomy and in physics, with one stipulation.  The minor in physics will be five instead of six courses, for a total of 17 required hours. These changes will go into effect in fall 2014.
  • The Boards approved requests to change requirements for the BA and BMus majors in music, effective fall 2014.
  • The Boards approved the request to revise the requirements for the minor in music, effective fall 2014.

3. Transatlantic Master’s Program (TAM III German-Turkish Studies)
The Boards approved the Transatlantic Master’s Program (TAM III German-Turkish Studies), effective with the fall 2014 semester.  Members indicated that programs similar to this for classics and archeology students would be welcome in the future.

4. Independent Study Policy Discussion
Members discussed the Independent Study Policy document and suggested revisions to clarify contact hours and the amount of time students should devote to their independent study projects.  Dean Owen explained that the minimum requirements of the learning contract must be met but that schools and departments will be able to add other elements as needed. The document and a template for an independent study learning contract will be forwarded to the Educational Policy Committee for review.  Once adopted campus-wide, a University Policy Memorandum will be developed and the standard learning contract will be attached to it.

5. Curriculum Committee Reports, Associate Dean Erika Lindemann
The Boards approved the Curriculum Committee Reports for December 2013 and January 2014 as corrected.  ENGL 105 was added to Miscellaneous Course List for January 2014; an additional sentence stating that students cannot receive credit for both ENGL 102 and ENGL 105 was added to the course description. All new and revised courses become effective in fall 2014.

6. Miscellaneous Curriculum Changes, Nick Siedentop, Curriculum Director
The Boards approved the miscellaneous curriculum changes as distributed. They become effective in fall 2014.

7. Faculty Council Updates
Owen updated the Boards on the Faculty Council meeting held on January 17, 2014.  The Council passed several resolutions forwarded by the Educational Policy Committee, 1) to increase the number of credit hours that can be declared Pass/Fail to from 11 to 16 hours, effective with the fall 2014 semester, 2) to increase the minimum cumulative GPA eligibility standard for undertaking a senior honors thesis project in any undergraduate degree program to 3.3, effective with the fall 2014 semester, 3) to comply with the two-week course drop deadline, effective for all first-time, first-year students in fall 2014, and 4) to include in the eligibility standards a standard based on a ratio of hours of coursework completed to hours taken, also effective fall 2014. In the future, Owen observed, the Educational Policy Committee may take up the Pass/D+/D/Fail Option.

The meeting adjourned at 4:06 p.m.  The meeting was shortened due to threatening weather that delayed the beginning of classes the following day until noon.

Next meeting of the Administrative Boards
Tuesday, March 4, 2014, 3:30-5:00 pm, Steele 3020

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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.