Undergraduate Curriculum Forum
Minutes
Adanti Student Center, Room 301A
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Present: D. Weiss (chair), G. Cochenet, S. Grace, G. Kowalczyk, S. Felsenfeld, R. Glinka, A. Abugri, N. Marano, T. Fleming, D. Marino, E. Schmitt, E. West, B. Nakamura, J. McGinn, R. Mugno, R. Conforti, K.Laird, L. Rebeschi, D. Flynn, D. Pettigrew, K. Cummings, K. Marsland, J. Tait, T. Lin, J. Mielczarski, M. Shea, K. Rondinone, A. Marsoobian, J. Cheng, K. Laing, K. Mauro Also: Selase Williams, Marianne Kennedy.
Absent: M. Narumanchi, J. Manzella, I. Antonios, M. Generali, N. Henderson, C. Coron, C. Simoneau, R. Kustin, J. Irving, J. O'Hara, R. Hunter, J. Terpstra, C. Rosado, M. Cameron, J. Sullivan, S. Graves, J. Fields, D. Tomasko, M. Geelan, M. Heidmann
I. The meeting was called to order at 9:35 am.
II. Announcements
• K. Marsland announced that SCSU would be hosting the CSU Psychology Day all day tomorrow in the Campus Center with SCSU students well represented.
• R. Mugno announced that the Graduate Research Symposium will be from 1-4 today in A120.
• E. West sent regards from Aya Jensen, previous UCF secretary.
• J. Cheng reminded us that Buley Library will be closed from May 19 until the new addition opens May 27.
• G. Cochenet announced that the Senior Art Exhibition in Earl Hall will be closing today. (2nd floor Earl Hall).
III. Approval of minutes of April 24, 2008 - all approved.
IV. Standing committee reports and ad hoc reports (per committee request)
a. NPIC
• Minutes received
• logging of courses:
PSC 398 - Political Campaigning
Tactics and strategies of political campaigning in American elections.
PSC 498 - Politics and Science Fiction
A special interest course dealing with how writers of the genre Futurology, a sub-set of science fiction, envision where we're going.
• Motion:
"The New Programs and Innovations Committee moves to accept the final version of the New Program, New Minor Program, and Special Topics Notification forms."
• All approved with 4 abstentions.
b. NMC
• Minutes received
• Motion to approve proposals as a block:
Revised Program Proposal
Physics: B.S. Physics - Specializations: General and Engineering Concentration
Physics: B.S. Physics with Certification
Physics: B.A. Physics
Physics: Minor in Physics
Nursing: B.S. Nursing 4 Year Program
Geography: B.A., B.S., Geography
New Course Proposal
GEO 305 - Environmental Economic Geography
HIS 280/ PSC 280 - Modern Iraq
MUS 141-142, 241-242, 341-342, 441-442 - Applied Music
PCH 445 - Emergency Preparedness for Public Health
PHY 251/EGR 251 - Engineering Mechanics I: Statics
Revised Course Proposal
PHY 340 - Lasers and Fiber Optics
HON 499 - Independent Study
• All approved with one abstention.
c. WACC
• Minutes received
• Motion to approve proposals:
PSC 130: International Relations
Faculty: J. Critzer
PCH 363: Programming Planning
Faculty: W. Stohler
WMS 398: Modernism and the Representation of Women
Faculty: C.Alsina
MGT 300: Management and Organization
Faculty: C. Stewart
ART/WMS 317: History of Women and Art
Faculty: C. Serchuk
ART 392: Methods and Theories of the History of Art
Faculty: C. Serchuk
PHI 215: Logic
Faculty: R. Gilliland
• All approved with no abstentions.
d. PRAC - minutes received
e. UWIC - minutes received
• Motion to approve proposals:
1. Revised course proposal for PHY 101 be approved.
2. Revised course proposal for HIS 106 be approved.
3. Revised course proposals for HIS 110, HIS 111, and HIS 112 be approved with review by UWIC in September 2008.
• Motions voted on in two separate blocks:
1. Revised course proposal for PHY 101 be approved.
2. Revised course proposal for HIS 106 be approved.
• All approved the motion.
3. Revised course proposals for HIS 110, HIS 111, and HIS 112 be approved with review by UWIC in September 2008.
• 21 approved with one nay and 5 abstentions so the motion passes.
V. Old Business
a. PRAC Document
• The discussion opened with a presentation by Selase Williams. He distributed a memo that outlined the reassigned time and faculty incentives that the university has available. He also mentioned that each department should have an Assessment Coordinator as part of the service to the department (similar to DCC chairs), but that reassigned time will be available to prepare the self-study and additional funding is available for departments to conduct assessments pertinent to the self-study.
• Several concerns were raised. Some members were concerned that the PRAC review would require rewriting and reformatting work previously submitted to external review bodies. One expressed concern about the use of adjuncts in general education courses and trying to maintain rigor and standards across all adjuncts and reviewing common content across all subjects. Another was worried that her department would not be able to complete the process in a satisfactory manner due to the small number of full-time faculty and time available. Members of PRAC, Selase Williams and Marianne Kennedy offered advice (ask for assessment funding, require adjuncts to adhere to department policies and student learning outcomes, work with PRAC members and shift the focus of department energy to the most pressing needs).
• After the discussion, the question was called. There was an objection so UCF voted on whether to call the question. The vote on the objection passed so the body voted on the following motion:
• The UCF Steering Committee moves to approve the current Academic Program Review document drafted by the Program Review and Assessment Committee.
• The motion passed with a vote of 15-5-7.
b. General Education Proposal - no time remained at the meeting to discuss this.
VI. New Business - election of UCF Chair
• M. Shea conducted the election of UCF Chair. Two members were nominated: D. Weiss and J. Tait. All present voted to elect D. Weiss as the next UCF chair with no abstentions.
VII. The meeting was adjourned at 11:05 am.
These minutes respectfully submitted by Kathleen Rondinone.
