NPIC - New Programs and Innovations Committee
Minutes - February 28, 2008, called to order: 9:50 am.
Present: Greg Cochenet (Chair), Ro Conforti, Tom Fleming, Doris Marino
I. Notification of New Special Topics Courses
Fifteen special topics courses were presented and logged.
Course Title Course Number Semester to be taught Times taught
Archaeology in Africa ANT 298 Fall 2008 0
Stones and Bones ANT 398 Fall 2008 1
Literacy for the SLP CMD 498 Fall 2008 1
GIS for the Social Sciences GEO 298 Fall 2008 0
Late Roman Empire HIS 398 Fall 2008 1
Early China HIS 398 Fall 2008 0
Japanese Empire: 1868-1945 HIS 398 Fall 2008 0
Ethics and Knowledge HON 298 Fall 2008 1
Visions of Modernity ITA 398 Fall 2008 0
The Politics of Food ITA 498 Fall 2008 0
Courts and Crime JRN 398 Fall 2008 0
Drugs and Society SOC 298 Fall 2008 0
The Latina/o Experience SOC 298 Fall 2008 0
Master Classes Long Warf THR THR 498 Fall 2008 1
Women and Modernism WMS 398 Fall 2008 0
ANT 298 - Archaeology in Africa
An examination of the archaeological record of Africa, from the earliest archaeological record (approximately 2.6 million years ago), to the rise of the early African kingdoms. The most prominent sites, particularly those in eastern and southern Africa, will be featured and recent discoveries and current debates will be emphasized.
ANT 398 - Stones and Bones
A hands-on introduction to the principles of taphonomy, middle-range research, including experimental, actualistic and ethno archaeological methods, flint knapping and artifact analysis (stones), and zoo archaeological identification and analysis (bones).
CMD 498 - Literacy for the SLP
This course addresses reading and writing issues pertinent to the speech-language pathologist working with children and adolescent, kindergarten through high school. Theoretical models and current best evidence concerning the relationships among oral language development, language disorders, reading development and reading difficulties/ disabilities will be presented.
GEO 298 - GIS for the Social Sciences
Basic considerations in planning and executing GIS analysis in the social sciences. Integrates GIS into qualitative and quantitative research and demonstrates the capabilities of an approach to GIS. Includes underlying theory and application of GIS software, selecting topics for GIS analysis, research design, and data collection, input, display, output, analysis and interpretation.
HIS 398 - Late Roman Empire
This course will examine the history of the Late Roman Empire from 180CE-565CE. Major themes/ topics will included the fall/ transformation/ split of the Roman Empire into it's eastern/ western manifestations, religious change in the Late Anitque Mediterranean, the transformation of ancient cities and the resultant legacy of Romanitas (Roman identity) in western and eastern Europe.
HIS 398 - Early China
Chinese history from the Bronze Age to the first century B.C.E. Special emphasis on the social, political, intellectual, and religious trends of the Warring States Periods, the Qin Dynasty, and the early Han Dynasty.
HIS 398 - Japanese Empire: 1868-1945
The rise and fall of imperial Japan from the Meiji Restoration to the end of World War II. Topics included Japan's colonial ambitions, its changing relationships with the Western powers and its identity as a "modern nation."
HON 298 - Ethics and Knowledge
Info Technology is the most powerful and flexible technology ever devised, and has profound social consequences. Info Technology is changing everything -- where and how we work, learn, vote, receive medical care, etc. This course explores the social implications of Info Technology, with emphasis on ethical and epistemological questions.
ITA 398 - Visions of Modernity
This course will explore the concept of Italian modernity as it is represented through different modes: literary, cinematic, journalistic and documentaristic.
ITA 498 - The Politics of Food
This course will examine the works of Italian authors who use food, its imagery, and consumption to capture the cultural, political, and philosophical issues ravaging the societies in which they live. Through a system of gastronomic metaphors, the course will explore the incongruities, limitations and emptiness of rigid belief systems, in life as in literature.
JRN 398 - Courts and Crime
Focuses on the craft of writing and reporting news that comes out of the nation's courtrooms -- criminal, civil, state and federal.
SOC 298 - Drugs and Society
Examination of developments, issues and/ or creative work in the field of drugs and society.
SOC 398 - The Latina/o Experience
Examination of developments, issues, and/ or creative work in the field of the Latina/o experience.
THR 498 - Master Classes Long Wharf THR
Master classes with Artist in Residence offered on site at New Haven's Long Wharf Theatre. This course is modeled in the liberal arts philosophy and introduces upper level theatre students to the ethos of American Non Profit Regional Repertory Theatre. Special focus Master classes in Acting, Direction, Management and Theatre History will be offered by resident Long Wharf Theatre Artists.
WMS 398 - Women and Modernism
Survey of women's roles and literature in the modernist period.
II. New Business
Upon further exploration into which departments do and do not have special topic shell courses, and considering their descriptions and pre-requisites, NPIC makes the following motion:
"NPIC moves to create a generalized description for all special topic shell courses
(XXX 298, 398, 498), available to all departments without having to submit a new/ revised course proposal, and would appear in one location in the Undergraduate catalog."
This motion also comes from the possibility that departments may have filled out new/ revised course proposals for special topic shell courses, but those descriptions never made it into the Undergraduate catalog, thus making it difficult for NPIC to track and log special topic course notifications. The new shells would have common language, but would not exclude a department from using its own language or course description when proposing a new special topics section.
Meeting adjourned at 11:05 am.
Respectfully submitted by:
Greg Cochenet
