Search
Southern Home PageAbout Southern Connecticut State UniversityAcademicsAdmissionsStudent LifeResearchAthleticsHuman Resources at Southern
Southern Connecticut State University LibraryMySCSUSouthern DirectoryCalendar of EventsTechnologyContact Us
Department Banner

University-Wide Impact Committee

Minutes 3/9/06


Present

Voting Members: N. Chrissidis, S. DiFrancesco, K. Gatzke, G. Kowalczyk, K. Laing, J. Manzella, N. Marano, J. Mielczarski, W. O'Brien, B. Phelan, C. Suk Kim, C. Weed, E. West

Guests: C. Dellinger-Pate

I. Call to Order

The meeting was called to order at 9:40.

II. New Business

The sub-committee considered designating the newly approved course, MDS 150, Buy This Course: Media and Self, as fulfilling the Social Sciences B AUR. The documents before the committee included the Revised Course Proposal; the 1983 All-University Requirements document; and, two memos submitted by J. Manzella, one of which he wrote himself and one written by the chair of the Department of Sociology. Both memos expressed reservations about the proposed designation.

A lively discussion ensued. Arguments both for and against the designation were made. All members agreed that MDS 150 was a meritorious course; however, several objections to the designation of the course fulfilling the Social Sciences B AUR were raised.

Arguments For the Designation

  • The course emphasizes critical self-reflection about contemporary American culture in order to problematize consumerism as well as various aspects of Western World views.
  • The course is sufficiently broad through its inherently interdisciplinary perspective to satisfy the AUR.
  • Theoretical rigor is also derived from the course's treatment of media as productive of everyday practices.
  • The contemporary emphasis of the course is especially relevant to today's students.

Arguments Against the Designation

  • The proposal makes references to traditions of thought in sociology and psychology. Neither of the corresponding departments, nor the Department of Anthropology, was notified about potential impacts to their existing courses that satisfy the Social Sciences B AUR.
  • The Social Sciences B AUR is not an appropriate category for MDS 150.
  • MDS 150 is too narrow in scope, both temporally and geographically, to fulfill the Social Sciences B requirement. Additionally, important spheres of human activity are ignored by the course.
  • The underlying assumptions of the course are not stated.

Finally, the point was raised that it is not desirable for the Department of  Media Studies to wait two to three years for the general faculty to vote on any referendum that the General Education task force might make that would create new categories for AURs.

The motion was made to designate MDS 150 as satisfying the Social Sciences B AUR. The motion was seconded.  The motion passed 7-6 with no abstentions.

V. Adjournment

The meeting adjourned at 10:50.