New Programs and Innovations Committee
October 7, 2004 Minutes
Present: A. Abugri, (Chair), C. Barrett, K. Barrett, C. Dellinger-Pate, T. Fleming, C. Novosad
Joe Fields addressed NPIC about holding a Special Topics Workshop in the interest of encouraging innovative curriculum and verifying the process in which to submit Special Topics courses. Returning committee members were concerned that all the work NPIC did last year to improve the process had not been enacted. Last year the Committee discussed revising the Special Topics Section Notification form and made motions to include the nature and purpose of Special Topics courses on the UCF web page and in the Schedule of Classes. These motions were approved at the March 11, 2004 UCF meeting, but never implemented. According to Christine Stanton, the Scheduling Officer, Bob Drobish, informed her that he could not simply add an additional page to the Schedule of Classes without a budget. This discussion led to several issues that need to be addressed by the committee such as:
- a misunderstanding of the Special Topics process
Is Department Curriculum Committee approval needed
- lack of submission of the Special Topics Section Notification form
- possible revision of form and procedure
- communication of process once clarified
- need for a system to verify number of times courses were taught
Christine Stanton's part-time employment status was discussed as having an impact on the work of the sub-committees because the administrative details generated by the whole UCF require maintenance and continuity that only a full-time person can provide. The support of Christine Stanton acquiring a full-time position was also approved by a vote last year, but the Administration will not financially support it. The members asked the Chair, to bring their concerns to the Steering Committee about the effectiveness of UCF if sub-committee work is not executed and does not have the administrative staffing support needed.
It was clarified that NPIC does not evaluate or approve Special Topics courses. The committee logs the courses and has now been asked to review the number of times a course has been offered. The committee approved the logging of the following Special Topics courses that had already been approved/signed by Joe Fields:
Spring 2005
ANT 298 Gender and Sexuality through Language SP 05
ANT 398 African Prehistory SP 05
SP 05
COM 298 (01) Alternative Media SP 05
COM 298 (02) Copywriting for Electronic Media SP 05
COM 498 Book Publishing and Promotion SP 05
CSC 398 Seminar in Human Computer Interactions SP 05
ECO 398 (01) Jewish Economic History SP 05
ECO 398 (02) Health Economics SP 05
ECO 398 (03) Senior Essay SP 05
ECO 398 (04) Topics in Economics SO 05
FIN 398 (01) Senior Essay SP 05
FIN 398 (02) Topics in Finance SP 05
GEO 498/URB 498/WMS 498 (01) Geographies of Gender in the City SP 05
GER 298 Exploring a German City SP 05
HIS 398 North American History SP 05
HON 298 (01) Vienna: The Birth of the Modern SP 05
HON 298 (02) Heavenly Cities and Earthly Kingdoms SP 05
HON 298 (03) Issues in Science and Society SP 05
HON 298 (04) Science and Writing SP 05
JRN 298 Television Sports Features SP 05
JRN 298 Introduction to Photojournalism SP 05
JRN 398 Investigative Journalism SP 05
MAT 298 Computational Mathematics SP 05
MDS 298 Media, Culture, and Self SP 05
MDS 298 Film Form, Film Culture SP 05
MDS 398 The Illustrated Man:Maleness and
Masculinity in the Media SP 05
MDS 398 Hidden Agendas in U.S. Media SP 05
PHI 498 Derrida and French Philosophy SP 05
SP 05
PSY 298 (02) Lifespan Development SP 05
THR 498 (01) Props and Scene Painting SP 05
THR 498 (02) Jazz and Tap SP 05
SP 05
WMS 498 Research on Women and Education SP 05
SP 05
Winter 2005
HIS 398 Hawaiian History and Culture WT 05
WT 05
NUR 398 (02) Spirituality and Nursing Assessment WT 05
The following Special Topics courses were returned to departments for missing information:
ART498 The Earth as Medium
o Missing DCC signature
NUR398 Nursing & Health Profession & Public Policy Advocacy
o Missing Chairperson signature
PSY298-01 Adult Development
o Missing DCC signature
WMS/URB498-02 Geographies of the Gender in the City
o Missing section description and credits
Submitted by Christine Barrett
