Thursday February 6, 2003

New Programs and Innovations

Present:  Adam Abuqri, Bill Ellwood, Chris Lukinbeal, Michele Thompson, Chuck Wieder

Special Topics Courses:

ESC 298 Geological Representations

MDS 398 Hip Hop, Rap and Signifying

WMS 298 Gendered Relations and everyday life

In Troy Paddock's absence Michele Thompson acted as Chair and took minutes. The committee was charged with addressing the issue of interdisciplinary minors. Committee members were uncertain just exactly what had happened to the resolution we proposed to the full UCF concerning Area Studies Minors last Fall semester and were reluctant to make a proposal regarding other interdisciplinary minors until we could learn what had happened to that one. (Aside, Troy Paddock remembers that the proposal regarding Area Studies Minors was passed by UCF) However we did decide that with only one minor word change we thought that the language of the proposal concerning Area Studies Minors would be appropriate for other interdisciplinary minors. That change being that other interdisciplinary studies minors can involve only two departments where Area Studies Minors must involve three or more departments.

Some members of the committee felt that the potential impact of such a proposal on the Liberal Studies Program should be investigated/considered before we could bring a formal proposal regarding interdisciplinary minors to UCF. For example, if we urge that all students involved in an interdisciplinary studies minor consult with the coordinators of these minors is it going to be unduly burdensome for such students to run around to several different offices on a regular basis.

It was proposed that we investigate the possibility of at least some teaching credit for the coordinators of interdisciplinary studies minors.

It was further proposed that finding a way to track minors, both departmental and interdisciplinary, could be a good thing for departments in terms of showing the administration how many students departments actually deal with. Bill Elwood said that he had asked the registrar's office about producing a form to track area studies minors and that the registrar's office said, in effect, 'do it yourself, we won't do it, nor will we help you with this project.'

Adjournment was timely.

Submitted by Michele Thompson