University-Wide Impact Committee
Minutes 5/7/09

Present
W. O'Brien, J. O'Hara, B. Kalk, A. Marsoobian, B. Nakamura, M. Shea

Guest: Elena Schmitt (Chair, World Languages and Literatures)

I. Call to Order

The meeting was called to order at 9:40 am.

II. Old Business

No old business was on the agenda.
 

III. New Business

Elena Schmitt from the Department of World Languages and Literatures and the sub-committee discussed proposed changes to the language present in the Undergraduate Catalogue regarding WLL's world language waiver policy.  The changes to the language attempts to clarify and establish guidelines for the granting of waivers for the world language requirement.

The proposed changes to the language in the Undergraduate Catalogue regarding the Department of World Languages and Literatures' world language waiver policy was passed by a vote of 6 yeas, 0 nays, 0 abstentions.

The sub-committee then discussed whether the date for the submission of changes to the undergraduate catalogue affecting AUR courses would follow the same as NMC.

Next the sub-committee discussed the issue of evaluating forms drafted by the Gen Ed task force in the attempt to help transition AUR courses to LEP equivalents.

IV. Adjournment

The meeting adjourned at 10:50am.

Minutes prepared by Byron Nakamura

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Current Catalogue Description:

Students who have already achieved fluency in writing a foreign language may take a waiver examination. They should contact the FLD for details. Students who have studied a foreign language for four years or more in high school or are native speakers cannot take a first semester course in that language for credit.

New Catalogue Description proposal:

Students who have already achieved oral and written fluency in a language other than English may take a waiver examination. They should contact the Department of World Languages and Literatures for details. Students who have studied a language other than English for three years or more in high school or are native speakers cannot take an entry level elementary language course (for example, Spa 100, Ita 100, Fre 100, Ger 100) in that language for credit.

Proposal for World language waiver policy:

Students may be granted a waiver of world language requirement with credit based on the following:

1. Waiver/Placement exam  including written and oral parts. Oral part of the exam must be taken within 30 days of the receipt of the results for the written test. Test results will be valid for one semester. Depending on the score, 3 or 6 credits may be waived.
2. Advanced Placement (AP) exam (a score of 4 grants a 3 credit waiver; a score of 5 grants a 6 credit waiver).
3. CLEP exam.

Students who are native speakers of a language other than English may be granted a waiver of world language requirement with credit based on one of the following documents:

• High school diploma or its equivalent from the student's native language country.
• ACTFL Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) and Written Production Test (WPT) passed at Intermediate Mid level. To register for these tests, you may contact www.languagetesting.com