ASCRC Minutes 4/12/05

 

Members Present: S. Derry, J. Eglin L. Hayes, V. Hedquist C. Johnston, J. Luckowski, D. McCormick, D. McNamer, E. Moore, ,  D. Potts, H. Thompson

Members Absent/Excused: A. Bissel, C. Healow, C. Henderson, V. Pavlish

Ex-Officio Present: L. Carlyon, A.Walker-Andrews

 

 

Chair Potts called the meeting to order at 2:10p.m.

 

The minutes from 4/4/05 were amended and approved. 

Communications:

§    ECOS suggests that ASCRC send dormant course lists to the Senate for approval.  Justification for non-deletion must include a credible guarantee that the course will be taught in the next two years.  Departments can always teach a course under the X95 rubric or bring a course back after it is proven viable.
The practice has been for the Registrar’s Office to handle the dormant courses in accordance with ASCRC’s policy:

Dormant Courses (Approved by ASCRC 12/1/75)
Courses in the catalog that have not been taught for three years will be deleted.
A course not offered for three years will be deleted from the catalog unless the unit provides a written statement that the course will be offered the fourth year (revised ASCRC 2/19/80).
If a unit wants to retain a course that will not be offered the fourth year, it must send a memo justifying why the course must stay. ASCRC will appoint a committee to review requests on a case-by-case basis (revised ASCRC 2/23/99).

The justification from the History department was sent to ASCRC for determination because the request to retain the President’s two courses does not include a reasonable expectation that the courses will be taught.  These courses are also on the general education lists.  ECOS was informed of the memo just as an information item.

 

§   Associate Registrar Carlyon checked the grade distribution report for Ds in ENEX.  It is by subject code and not course so ENEX 100 and 101 are lumped together.  There were only 23 Ds given spring 2004 and only 30 given 2003.  This is approximately one additional section per term.  So the impact of a C requirement might not be too great. 

§   Associate Provost Arlene Walker-Andrews reported on the results of the Northwest Accreditation Association’s visit.  The report states that the university is doing a commendable job and that all departments are engaged in assessment.  The report recommends integrative assessment on general education.  Walker-Andrews suggests that she meet with the subcommittees prior to the perspective review next year to come up with a plan for improving the information submitted on objectives and outcomes.

 

Old Business:

General Education Review follow-up
           

§    Although the correct syllabus for HIST 312 Age of Absolution was not received.  The History department chair sent a memo in response to dormant courses to retain the course because it will be taught next year by Linda Frey.  ASCRC approved retaining the course but agreed that HIST 376 Constitutional History to 1864 and HIST 377 Constitutional History since 1864 should be removed from the general education list.  These are the President’s courses, and although they have never been taught the committee agreed to allow them to stay in the catalog.
        

§    Adequate justification for GEOG 201 Montana: A Geographic History and GEOG 214 Central Asian Cultures and Civilizations were not received, therefore the courses were not approved to retain the social science designation.  The Chair of the Geography department will be notified that additional information may be submitted next fall to reinstate the designation. 

Writing suggestions

§    After considerable discussion the committee agreed to send the seven recommendations without the mention of ENEX 102 to the Senate. There was one abstention to the motion from the English department member.

To complete the writing requirements at the University of Montana, the following guidelines and requirements apply.

 

1.      Assuming eligibility, ENEX 101 shall be taken the first semester in attendance at the University or the second depending upon alphabetical sequencing.

2.      Satisfactory completion of ENEX 101 requires a grade of C (2.0) or higher. 

3.      After satisfactory completion of ENEX 101, a writing course from the approved list must be taken, preferably within the next two semesters. 

4.      Writing course syllabi will include an informational link to the site listing current information about the WPA. 

5.      Upon completion of #3, the WPA should be taken no later than 70 credits. 

6.      Upon failing the WPA, students are required to take a writing workshop from the Writing Center. 

7.      Upon completing writing workshop, students are required to take the next WPA.

 

Recommendations suspended until autumn 2007

§    A registration bloc will be set at 70 credits.

§    Bloc can be removed by registration for WPA at next available offering.  

 

Registration for the WPA is now through Banner, thus a registration block would be problematic.  The Registrar’s Office will be sending out reminder postcards to students after they have completed 60 credits.  Lists of students needing to take the assessment will be sent to departments at the same time. 

Professors that require competent writers for upper-division course work can make passing the WPA a prerequisite.  This will create an incentive for students to pass the exam.  

 
Additional recommendations considered, postponed for assessment of changes to registration process

 

§    Registration for WPA requires deposit of $50.

§    Upon taking WPA, deposit will be refunded.


Regarding deposit idea, the need to reimburse those who take the test could be eliminated by requiring a check which would be attached to application to take test.  After taking the test (passing or not) check would be returned to the student and check of those who don’t show up would be deposited.


Processing deposits and refunds will be a problem to administer.  The success of the new registration and communication process should be assessed.  If students are still not showing up to take the exam after they have registered then a fine can be put in place.

§    There was lengthy debate over the need for a specific alternative for students who cannot pass the WPA and the concern that the Graduation Appeals Committee will be overwhelmed with appeals to waive the WPA requirement.

After each exam is graded there are two appeals on the grades.  Walker-Andrews suggests that one of the first business items for ASCRC’s Writing subcommittee be to establish a procedure for this appeals process.  She also suggested that it may be useful for the committee to review writing samples from the exams.
  

§    The committee discussed the proposal to increase the number of technical COT credits allowed to count toward a bachelor’s degree.  It determined that the best way to handle the situation is to set up an articulation agreement between the COT and the Accounting Department.  There is a reluctance to take out the petition process which is an effective mechanism to limit the number of vocational credits allowed toward a degree from UM.  According to Chair Potts, there have been situations in Forestry where more that 10 VT credits were counted toward a degree through the petition process. The committee will work on language for pg 17 in the catalog that will allow the additional credits according to established articulation agreements.

 

New Business:

 

Curriculum Items:

 

§    The Minor in Central and Southwest Asian Studies was approved. 

§    The Applied Computing and Electronics course change was approved.

§    The New Course in Social Work  was postponed for clarification.

 

The meeting was adjourned at 3:55 PM.