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Undergraduate Curriculum Forum (UCF)

Minutes 3/16/06

Present 

B. Phelan, R. Vaters-Carr, J. Manzella, G. Kowalczyk, D. Weiss, S. DiFrancesco, H. Podnar, A. Abugri, B. Achhpal, N. Marano, N. Henderson, C. Coron, M. Fede, E. West,  N. Chrissidis, N. Disbrow, J. Fields, R. Mugno, K. Burke, C. Dellinger-Pate, J. Goralski,  R. Kustin, S. Bochain, M. Vancour, K. Gatzke, C. Weed,  C. Novosad, R. Hunter, R. Eren, J. Mielczarski,  W. O'Brien, N. Bobrek, K. Laing, K. Mauro

I.          Call to Order
The meeting was called to order at 9:43 a.m.

II.        Announcements

None

III. Chair's Report

None

IV.       Approval of Minutes of 3/2/06

The minutes were tabled to be brought back next time after changes in procedural language were made.

V.        Approval of standing committee minutes of 3/9/06

Notifications Management (NMC)

NMC minutes of 2/9/06 were accepted.

The following motions were approved with one abstention:

  • Revised course MAT 320: Probability and Statistics I be approved
  • Revised course PHY 230: Physics for Scientists and Engineers I be approved
  • Revised course PHY 231:  Physics for Scientists and Engineers II be approved
  • Revised course PSC 350: Public Administration be approved
  • Revised course HIS 257: American Indian History to 1850 be approved
  • Revised course HIS 258: American Indian History since 1850 be approved
  • Revised course HIS 358: American Frontiers be approved
  • Revised course PSC 308: ____________ be approved

New Programs and Innovations (NPIC)

NPIC minutes from 3/9/06 were accepted.

NPIC logged the following New Special Topics courses:

  • MAR 298: Science Education/Environmental Studies
  • ANT/COM 298: Visual Anthropology
  • URB 398-01, 02, 03 (cross-listed with SOC 310): Racial Ethnic Relations
  • URB 398-01 (cross-listed with PSC 314): Urban Politics
  • URB 398-01, 02L (cross-listed with GEO 362): Urban Geography
  • URB 398-10L, 02 (cross-listed with SOC 363): Social Equality in the U.S.

Program Review and Assessment (PRAC)

PRAC minutes from 3/9/06 were accepted.

**The Agenda was interrupted to approve two courses that had been tabled, due to inconsistent use of language in the titles.

The following motions were approved with one abstention:

  • To approve PHI 342: Political Thought II
  • To approve PHI 340: Political Thought I

Ad Hoc Committee on the Standards Document

The Ad Hoc committee minutes from 3/9/06 were accepted.

Writing Across the Curriculum Committee (WACC)

WACC minutes from 3/9/06 were accepted as amended.

WACC is currently trying to resolve the website problem by hiring a UA to update it. 

The following motions were approved unanimously:

  • To approve SOC 315: Women of Color in the US approved by Shirley Jackson as meeting the W-Course designation
  • To approve PSC 475: Capstone Seminar proposed by John Critzer as meeting the W-course designation

University-Wide Impact Committee (UWIC)

UWIC minutes from 3/9/06 were accepted.

The chair of UWIC called for discussion of possible procedural problems during UWIC's discussion of the revised course proposal MDS 150: Buy This Course: Media and Self.  The revision concerned the request to approve this course as fulfilling the All-University Requirement (AUR) for Social Sciences B (SSB).  The discussion concerned the possible impact of this course on other departments, in particular those departments whose courses currently fill the SSB AUR and whether or not they were properly notified of the impact.  It was pointed out that the word "impact" needs clarification.  Some members felt these departments were not impacted, and others felt they were.   Those who felt the departments were impacted objected to having the UWIC vote before the other departments were notified and had been given enough time to consider the issue. 

There was a debate as to whether this issue should be sent back to UWIC for further consideration and another vote or whether the vote should stand and the motion should be brought to the UCF body.  Members pointed out the procedures are very clear, and that because members of UWIC did not object to calling the question in committee, the vote must be acknowledged.  To send it back to committee, some members felt, would set a dangerous precedent and constitute a violation of UCF procedure. 

Therefore, it was concluded that the UWIC vote stands, and that the motion to approve revised course MDS 150: Buy This Course: Media and Self is currently before the UCF body.

Karen Burked presented the motion:

  • To designate MDS 150 as satisfying the Social Sciences B AUR.

Clyde Weed seconded the motion.

Discussion ensued.

A substitute motion was presented and seconded:

  • Before the UCF body votes on the revised course proposal, MDS 150, we will invite representatives from the departments that may be impacted by this proposal to discuss their concerns.

After a short discussion, Joe Manzella called the question on the substitute motion.

As there was no objection to calling the question, we proceeded to vote on the substitute motion.  The results were as follows:

In favor 22

Opposed 1

Abstentions 4

The meeting was adjourned at 10:53 a.m.

Minutes recorded by Nicole Henderson, Secretary for UCF