ASCRC Minutes 9/26/06

Members Present: R. Browning, I. Crummy, S. Derry, D. Duncan, V. Hedquist, C. Henderson, J. Luckowski, R. Nalty A. Szalda-Petree, P. Silverman, A. Tabibnejad, H. Thompson

Members Absent/Excused: B. Bach, J. Eglin, M. Hoell

Ex-Officio Present: D. Micus, A. Walker-Andrews

Chair Szalda-Petree called the meeting to order at 2:10 p.m.

The minutes from 9/19/06 were approved.

Communication

· Sebastian Derry is leaving the University and is therefore stepping down from ASCRC.

· Professor Manual from Accounting and Finance has agreed to serve.

· CAS Associate Dean Tompkins informed the Senate Office that many CAS curriculum proposals will be submitted on Monday, 10/3 rather than by the Friday, 9/29 deadline because both the associate deans will be out of the office all week. Camie will make an effort to get them processed by the Tuesday meeting, but there could be a delay.

Unfinished Business

General Education Model

Although there seemed to be consensus regarding last week’s general education model, several members expressed reservations. An official vote would be helpful on sensitive action items to protect the rights of individual members.

ASCRC should remember that the General Education Committee explored many of the same issues. Although it seems disingenuous to move general education requirements under the major it is a practical solution to retaining a 30 credit general education program. Departments are responsible for the development of their students which includes general education components --survival skills or exposure to knowledge necessary to be a competent individual.

Chair Szalda-Petree referenced the BOR General Education Transfer Policy 301.10.

An undergraduate student who has completed courses identified as part of the Montana University System (MUS) Core courses will be governed by the following rules:

1. If that student has completed less than 20 general education credits, that student will be required to complete the approved general education program at the campus to which he/she transfers. All general education transfer credits that are part of the MUS Core will be reviewed for possible application in the approved general education program at the campus.

2. If that student has completed 20 or more MUS core credits, but does not satisfy the block transfer policy described in the preceding section, that student may choose to complete either the MUS core or the approved general education program at the campus to which he/she transfers. The student should make that decision in consultation with a faculty advisor.

3. The student may be required to take additional coursework at the upper division level that is part of an approved general education program at the new campus.

The committee would like to have the data on the number of transfer students utilizing the MUS core. Having one system for transfer students and another for four-year students is difficult for advising. The current program is confusing and any changes should clarify and simplify.

The reality is that higher education in Montana is driven by financial and Regential constraints rather than ideology. Any real changes to the program will require resource and structural changes. It will be necessary for departments to evaluate their curriculum and make revisions.

Suggested changes to the working model included: Reinstate 6 credits for sciences, move the ethics component under department specified, and rename the Historical and Cultural Studies perspective to History and Political Systems, and change the credits for foreign language to 5. It would be helpful to have the data on how many students currently test out of the foreign language requirement. It is hoped that students would learn a foreign language in high school, as well as writing and math skills.

The charge to the General Education Committee included:

· Evaluate and as needed revise the plan for continuous ongoing review and assessment of the effectiveness and appropriateness of the current general education requirements.

· Identify internal and external factors that influence general education requirements, including but not limited to constraints due to the policies of the Board of Regents, Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education and the Office of Public Instruction; credit transferability among Montana University System campuses in accordance with the spirit of the recommendations of the 2005 Legislative Transfer Audit; legislative requirements for Native American education; degree and certificate credit requirements, and local resources.

· Identify competencies or perspectives that should be added, deleted, or changed to meet the needs of University of Montana graduates to ensure their future success in business, industry and society.

· If revision of the general education requirements or framework is deemed necessary, prepare recommendations for change and a plan for their implementation.

It was noted that the discussion continues to circle the same issues; the best solution might be to keep the current program. An essential improvement will be the revision of the criteria and learning outcomes. The current system can be improved by specifying three credit courses and removing symbolic systems.

A source of contention for professional programs will be the five credits of foreign language. Professional programs tend to prescribe courses that meet major requirements and general education requirements in order for students to graduate at 120 credits. Symbolic systems courses have worked in this way, but foreign language courses would not.

	Competencies
	English Writing Skills	3
	Math Literacy	3
	Foreign Language	5
	Perspectives
	1. Expressive Arts	3
	2. Literary & Artistic Studies	3
	3. Historical & Cultural Studies	3
	4. Social Sciences	3
	5. Ethical & Human Values	3
	6. Natural Science	6
	* Diversity component within perspective	32
· Departments will determine the courses that satisfy their major lower and upper-division writing and technology requirements.

The meeting was adjourned at 4:00 p.m.