University Wide Impact Committee

Minutes of: March 3, 2005

Meeting room: EN D 062

Present: Sandy DiFrancesco, Ken Gatzke, Shirley Jackson, Chang Suk Kim, Kim Laing, Nancy Marano, Joanne Mielczarski, Wes O'Brien (recorder), Bill Phelan, Nikos Chrissidis (chair).

Guest:  Dan Soneson (Foreign Languages)

The bulk of the meeting was devoted to Dr. Soneson's presentation regarding three new course proposals-GER 201, GER 202 and GER 203-as well as a course revision, GER 210.  The main purpose for the new courses is to accommodate new models of teaching which suggest that language acquisition is best achieved through cumulative experience as opposed to a linear or sequential approach.

There was much discussion regarding possible problems inherent in how the new configuration would impact the all-university language requirement for the BA.  Of primary concern was the fact that the new configuration would have students taking essentially different courses-with different catalog descriptions-that carried identical numbers.

Members noted some confusion regarding our specific purpose for reviewing the courses and whether or not a vote of support or non-support was necessary.  The committee determined that the meeting was for information-gathering that would be useful for future reference once NMC had made its own recommendations regarding the new courses.  No vote was taken.

Nikos Chrissdis announced the responses received from the schools he contacted regarding submission deadlines for course proposals.  Not all schools have yet responded.   School Curriculum Committee of Arts and Sciences indicated a 2-4 week turn-around for course proposals depending upon whether or not there are problems with the proposals.  John Mattia indicated that the catalog deadline was March 15.  Courses submitted after that date would not make the fall catalog.