NPIC - New Programs and Innovations Committee 

Minutes - February 14, 2008
Called to order: 9:50 am.

Present: Greg Cochenet (Chair), Imad Antonios, Tom Fleming, Doris Marino

I. Notification of New Special Topics Courses
Six Special Topics Courses were presented, two were logged.

Course Title Course Number Semester to be taught Times taught
Intro to Forensic Anthropol. ANT 398 Fall 2008 0
Women and Education WMS 498 Summer 2008 0

Special Courses not logged Course Number Reason 
GIS for the Social Sciences GEO 298 Lecture/ Lab hours conflict
Intermediate Latin, I FLA 298 No FLA 298 shell in catalog
Visions of Modernity ITA 398 Conflict with pre-reqs
The Politics of Food ??? 498 Missing course code (ITA?), spelling errors, pre-req conflicts

ANT 398 - Intro to Forensic Anthropol.
Identification, analysis and interpretation of human remains in a medico-legal context.  Provides training in osteology, forensic method and theory, forensic taphonomy, and research methods.  Numerous 'real-life' cases will be used to illustrate the theory and ideas involved with human remains recovery and identification in the contexts of homicide, suicide, mass disasters, and accidental death.

WMS 498  - Women and Education
This course explores the multiple and complex relationships of women and education and examines the education of women from a historical, social, and political perspective.

II. New Business
NPIC was asked to address the pass/fail vs. gradable issue with FIN 398, Practicum in Investing.  This course was intended by the instructor and the department to be offered as a pass/fail course, however, the registrar recorded it as a gradable course.  This issue was brought up when a student was concerned whether or not he would be eligible for the Dean's list if these 3 credits were pass/fail.  NPIC determined that Dean's list eligibility should not be a factor for changing this course from pass/fail to gradable.  As long as it is clearly stated in the syllabus that this course is pass/fail, NPIC supports their decision.

NPIC was asked to review the documents from the Ad Hoc Standards Committee so they could be made live as soon as possible.  After review, NPIC discovered that no changes per our recommendations were made.  Not knowing the status of the Standards Committee, we do not want these documents made available until certain changes have been made.

NPIC continues to research the creation of special topics shell courses for every department.  In doing so, we found some departments have extremely specific definitions for special topics shells, while others are more general.  Also, we found some descriptions do not match what a shell course is meant to be.  Further information is needed.

Meeting adjourned at 10:50 am.
Respectfully submitted by:
Greg Cochenet