ASCRC Year-End Report 2005 – 2006
	Membership		Term Ends
	Jean Luckowski, Chair	Curriculum & Instruction	2006
	Don Potts	Forestry	2006
	Joe Campana	English	2006
	Dennis McCormick	Languages	2006
	Craig Johnston	Pharmacy	2006
	Valerie Hedquist	Art	2007
	Sebastian Derry	Mansfield Library	2007
	John Eglin	History	2007
	Holly Thompson	Chemistry	2007
	Colin Henderson	College of Technology	2007
	Matt Roscoe	Mathematics	2008
	Allen Szalda-Petree	Psychology	2008
	Students
	Rob Welsh (fall)
	Vinny Pavlish(fall)
	Chris Healow(fall) Jessica Prongua(spring)

Agenda Items and Actions

1. Annual Curriculum Review

The ASCRC acted on a total of 256 curriculum proposals, including 9 Level 1 changes and 5 Level II changes. The proposals appear on the Faculty Senate’s consent agenda, beginning 11/10/05.

Level I
Eliminated Scientific Applications option in Computer Science
Changed department name from Geology to Geoscience
Eliminated several inactive programs at COT

Eliminated the education major with an option in business and information
Revised History teaching major/minor
Eliminated Health and Human Performance teaching minor
Eliminated the Drama teaching minor endorsement
Approved new GIS Certificate

Approved new option in Forest Operations and Applied Restoration

Level II
Changed options to majors in the School of Business
Approved new BA in Media Arts
Approved new Irish Studies minor
Approved new major and minor in Restoration Ecology
Did not support new BA in Communicative Sciences

Curriculum subcommittees were revised. The College of Technology proposals will be reviewed by the subcommittee that best represents the proposal and subcommittees were renamed to reflect the units they serve: Business and Journalism (previously Professional Schools I) and Forestry and Biomedical Science (previously Professional Schools II).

Professor Hayden Ausland, expressed concern about ASCRC’s order of business. Members reviewed the system currently used and found it meets their needs. No changes were made.

2. General Education Course Review

Following the schedule established for annual review of portions of the general education requirements, Perspective 5 Ethics and Human Values and Perspective 6 Natural Sciences were reviewed. The chairs of both subcommittees expressed concern over the redundant, unclear student outcomes and criteria for inclusion under each perspective. They recommend that the outcomes and criteria be revised before the next review. The Committee recommends that this become a major focus of the General Education Subcommittee’s work next year. The lists of approved courses appear as an information item of the 3/9/06 and 4/9/06 Faculty Senate meetings.

3. Writing Course Review

ASCRC’s Writing Subcommittee reviewed courses submitted for General Education writing courses. The list of approved courses appears as an information item of the 12/8/05 Faculty Senate meeting. The Subcommittee heard one appeal from Political Science to include PSC 300 as an upper-division writing course. The course was subsequently approved as a writing course.

4. Graduation Appeals Committee

ASCRC proposed a change to this committee’s structure. Faculty Senate approved the following bylaw amendment 11/10/05:

V. Committee Membership

B. Academic Standards and Curriculum Review Committee

(2) The committee shall create a standing subcommittee, the Graduation Appeals Committee, which has power to grant exceptions to the faculty rules for graduation, admission, retention, and readmission. The subcommittee shall consist of two three faculty members and one student. The current chair and vice chair of the ASCRC and one student will serve as voting members. The immediate past chair of the ASCRC will serve as a non-voting member. The Registrar, or a deputy appointed by him or her with the concurrence of the subcommittee, shall serve as non-voting Recorder. The committee may create other standing subcommittees.

5. Oversight of Internet Courses

ECOS asked the Committee to review the process of overseeing the Internet courses offered through UM’s Continuing Education. Information was presented and after discussion it was determined that Continuing Education manages the delivery system but leaves the curriculum standards and integrity of the courses up to the departments. It remains to be determined the overall effectiveness of on-line instruction. After lengthy discussion, it was suggested that in the future, ASCRC should raise questions about the quality of online education and possibly play a role in the approval process for online courses. Preliminary research showed that the University of Texas Telecampus might provide a good example of how an online program can be structured and managed. This issue is unresolved and should remain on ASCRC’s agenda.

6. University College courses

ECOS expressed concern about the existence of upper-division courses offered through University College. Associate Provost Walker-Andrews reported that those courses, with the exception of UNC 380 FIG Leader Training Seminar, are in the process of being deleted.

7. Cooperative Education Internships

ECOS asked the Committee to review the Cooperative Education Internship Program. Concern was expressed about the number of credits students could take as X98, for traditional letter grade or not, and present as part of degree requirements. The Committee heard from the Director of Internship Services and several faculty from different departments. Following months of information gathering and discussion, the following policy was proposed to the Faculty Senate; it was approved 2/9/06:

Internships: Students may count toward university graduation requirements up to 6 total credits of internship credit in 198, 298, 398, and 498 courses. All 198, 298, 398, and 498 courses will be titled “Internship.”

The policy leaves the grading option decision up to the department and/or faculty member.

8. Graduating Catalog

Associate Provost Walker-Andrews asked the Committee to study the issue of students choosing different catalogs for different parts of their degree (general education, major, minor, second major). After study and discussion of the issue, the Committee determined that the students are not abusing the present policy and any new policy would be more confusing to students than helpful. As there does not appear to be a problem, no change was made.

9. Dormant course review

As requested by the Registrar’s Office, an ad hoc subcommittee was formed to review the list of dormant courses and recommend those that should be dropped from the catalog. The policy of ASCRC is to delete from the catalog those courses that have not been offered for three or more years unless the department verifies that the course will be offered within a year. The subcommittee reviewed all courses and requests and determined which courses should be deleted and which should be retained. A list of these courses was forwarded to the Faculty Senate as an information item 2/9/06.

10. Declaration of Major

The academic deans asked ASCRC to consider a change in policy to require students to declare a major at 30 credits (or after two semesters) rather than the current 60 credits. After lengthy study and discussion, the Committee approved the following policy and forwarded to the Faculty Senate, 2/9/06:

Declaration of major: Students must declare a major prior to completion of 45 credits or after three semesters, whichever occurs first.

11. New Chair-Elect

Following the resignation from UM of Vice-Chair Craig Johnston, Professor Allen Szalda-Petree agreed to serve as vice chair.

12. Writing Center

Writing Center Nancy Mattina provided the Committee with an extensive update on their new location and walk-in traffic; use of writing assistants; course offerings (UNC 270 Critical Writing); the new mentoring program; and administration and results of the Upper Division Writing Proficiency Assessment.

13. Oversight of “Preceptorships”

ECOS asked the Committee to study the presence of courses known as “preceptorships.”

There is some concern about undergraduate students grading other students as part of their assistance to faculty in lower-division courses. After study and discussion of the issue, it was determined that the departments that offer this kind of an experience (chemistry, geography, anthropology, psychology, and sociology) carefully oversee the programs. The Committee suggests that the programs avoid the use of “preceptorship” because it can be misleading to refer to peer leaders and aides to faculty as “preceptors.”

14. Process for submitting proposals for MUS approval

ECOS asked ASCRC to improve the process by which curriculum proposals are submitted for approval by the MUS chief academic officers and the Board of Regents. In an effort to meet Board of Regents agenda deadlines, there has been confusion about whether or not a proposal has already been approved by the Faculty Senate. ASCRC asked the provost’s office to clarify on documents, by means of signatures and dates of approval, when UM campus approvals take place.

15. Assessment Advisory Committee and General Education

Associate Provost Walker-Andrews introduced a plan by the Assessment Advisory Committee to assess the general education outcomes, in response to a recommendation by the 2005 Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities. They hope to begin with a discussion of Perspective 2 Literary and Artistic Studies courses, in anticipation of ASCRC’s review of that perspective next year. This project should remain on ASCRC’s agenda.

16. Board of Regents transfer credit policy

The Committee discussed the significance of BOR policy 301.5 for UM. Members were of the opinion that, if passed, the policy would allow all vocational technical courses to transfer as free electives. Their use beyond that would be determined by each department. The courses would not necessarily meet general education or major requirements. The Committee did not reach consensus on a recommendation to ECOS. It remains an unresolved issue and should remain on ASCRC’s agenda.

17. General Education

The General Education Subcommittee presented three models of revised general education requirements, with explanations and a graphic showing connecting themes. To help facilitate the process, ASCRC identified a single model that reflects common elements among the provost’s 2004 General Education Task Force; the current General Education Subcommittee’s three models; the proposed MUS core model; and UM’s current general education model. The Committee noted the major, recurring problem is not a particular model of General Education so much as the unclear, redundant criteria and student learning objectives for the competencies and perspectives and the large number of courses that are identified as satisfying those requirements. The Committee asks the 2006-07 General Education Subcommittee to begin with the single model in mind, make adjustments as needed but then to concentrate on:

Drafting a concise explanation of the purpose of each competency and perspective.

Reviewing and revising, as necessary, the criteria for approval of courses for General Education.

Planning for ongoing review and assessment of General Education.

Planning for dissemination and full discussion across campus of proposed changes in General Education and for a vote in Faculty Senate.

General Education revision remains a primary issue on ASCRC’s agenda.