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Minutes of the Administrative Boards
of the General College and the College of Arts and Sciences
Tuesday, April 17, 2012

The meeting was called to order at 3:35 p.m. and chaired by Senior Associate Dean Bobbi Owen.

Members in attendance: Yaakov Ariel, Chris Derickson, Deborah Jones, Erika Lindemann, Lee May, Bobbi Owen, Steve Reznick, Daniel Sherman, Nick Siedentop, Keith Sockman, Dulcie Straughan, Mike Waltman, Barbara Wildemuth, Heather Williams

Guests: Robert Miles, Friederike Seeger

Absent: Allen Anderson, Jaye Cable, Karen Gil, Juan Carlos Gonzalez-Espitia, Li-Ling Hsiao, Jordynn Jack, Louise McReynolds, Krista Perreira, Gary Pielak, Chris Putney, Jane Thrailkill

1. Welcome by Senior Associate Dean Bobbi Owen

Senior Associate Dean Owen welcomed members and thanked them for a good year. She extended appreciation to Allen Anderson, who retires from the Boards; congratulated Heather Williams on receiving a Mellon Fellowship for next year; and announced that Yaakov Ariel has agreed to serve a second term.

2. Study Abroad Advisory Board Report and Proposals

Robert Miles, Associate Dean for Study Abroad and International Exchanges, and Friederike Seeger, Director of Burch Programs and Honors Study Abroad, responded to members’ questions concerning five study abroad proposals, which the Boards approved:

Some members found the description of the German Summer Program parochial, even patronizing, in comparing Bremen to Berlin and asked Miles to convey their support for continuing the Berlin program to the Department of Germanic and Slavic Languages and Literatures. In response to a question about whether departmental faculty members are consulted when study abroad proposals are developed, Owen agreed to follow up with chairs, recommending that they discuss proposals with their faculty colleagues before approving them.

3. Proposed NUS-UNC Joint Degree Program in Biology

The Boards approved the proposed program, which will be small initially and which maps well as a track in the B.S. major in biology. The program will be effective with the fall 2013 semester.

4. Independent Study Task Force Report

The Boards approved the report with one correction. In response to a question about whether a minimum GPA would be desirable for students undertaking independent study, members agreed that it was unnecessary, as most students were highly motivated and faculty would say no to students who were not qualified or prepared for the work. Also discussed were how many hours of outside work could be expected for each contact hour and how honors courses counted in a faculty member’s course load.

5. Curriculum Committee Report

Associate Dean Erika Lindemann addressed questions about the 13 new and revised courses and 23 miscellaneous course changes listed in the report, which was ratified.

6. Miscellaneous Curriculum Changes

The Boards ratified changes to programs in the Departments of Communication Studies, English and Comparative Literature, Religious Studies, Women’s and Gender Studies, and in the School of Education’s education minor.

7. New Business

Owen explained that the Departments of Military Science, Naval Science, and Aerospace Studies had developed a policy and procedure for awarding a maximum of 12 hours (more likely 3 to 6 hours) of transfer credit toward the major for educational training in leadership schools during military service. Students are eligible for such credit if they are currently serving in the military or have been honorably discharged. In the unlikely event that active duty or retired military personnel seek one of the ROTC minors, campus policies apply (half the courses have to be taken on campus).

8. Adjournment

The meeting adjourned at 4:50 pm to the Porch at the Carolina Inn.

2012-2013 Administrative Boards Meetings

  • Fall Semester: September 18, October 30, November 27; no meeting in December
  • Spring Semester: January 22, February 26, April 16; no meeting in March
  • All meetings will be held on Tuesdays at 3:30pm in Steele 3020