WAC Committee Meeting September 23, 2010

Attending: K. Lacey (Chair), S. Ellis (ex-officio), D. Petrowski, A. Eich-Krohm, T. Ferrucci (ex-officio), S. Corbett (ex-officio), K. Marsland

Electronic Proposal Recommendations: D. Smith, N. Marano, K. Burke

1. WACC Chairperson Report
a. Issue: The same proposals submitted from one department but from different faculty when the course has to be taught strictly the same way to up-held curriculum standards. The committee agrees that it would like to see individual syllabi from faculty to see how instructors implemented W-course
b. S. Corbett explains that there will be a meeting with Provost Dr. Williams to have a bigger space for a Student Learning Center as part of the strategic plan on October 8 at 3:00 PM

2. WACC Director Report
a. S. Ellis distributed flyers for the first workshop to be held September 29th 1 p.m. in EN 253. Focus on incorporating short writing assignments that facilitate critical thinking in courses - facilitated by D. Carroll
b. New student worker Michelle Stevens has been hired for the WAC Program
c. Steven Corbett will facilitate the second workshop Tips for Handling the Paper Grading Load - October 27th 1 p.m. EN 253.

3. Writing Center Director Report
a. T. Ferrucci sent information to all FYE faculty offering to give a tour of the Writing Center explaining how it can help the students. So far 140 students have taken advantage of it.
b. Last year 48% of all students using the writing center were transfer students; of these 35% from community colleges and 13% from other 4-year institutions

4. Review of Proposals

Course: ENG 460 (Queer Theory), 461 (The Beat Movement), and 462 (Gay and Lesbian Film Literature)
Course: LIT/JST 300 (The Literature of the Hebrew Bible)
Course: JST 398 (Topics in Feminist Biblical Interpretation: Sex, Slavery, and Sexuality)
Faculty: C. Blackmer
Decision: All proposals approve with clarification (7-0-0)

Course: PHI 420 (American Philosophy)
Faculty: A. Marsoobian
Decision: Approve (7-0-0)

Course: SOC 360 (Social Change) and SOC 370 (Methods of Social Research)
Faculty: J. Bloch
Decision: Both proposals approve with clarification (5-1-1)

Course: CHEM 261 (Organic Chemistry II)
Faculty: A. Karatjas
Decision: Approved with clarification (5-0-0)

5. W-Course Approval Process (to be discussed next meeting)
a. Discussion regarding move to approving faculty rather than course by course approval
b. Discussion regarding ongoing assessment of approved proposals particularly if we move to approval of faculty

6. Impact of LEP on WAC Program
a. Transitioning approved W-Courses to LEP courses

i. First issue: Gen Ed courses that have been approved as W-courses -how will they be reviewed when courses are transferred by the departments and not per faculty into the LEP program?

ii. Second issue: If Tier I courses become W-courses then students might be excluded who have not taken ENG 112 yet. Allowing ENG 112 to be a co- instead of a pre-requisite?

iii. S. Ellis will discuss both issues with Polly Beals Director of the LEP

Motion to UCF to approve the following (8) writing intensive sections:

Course: ENG 460 (Queer Theory) Faculty: C. Blackmer

Course: ENG 461 (The Beat Movement) Faculty: C. Blackmer

Course: 462 (Gay and Lesbian Film Literature) Faculty: C. Blackmer

Course: LIT/JST 300 (The Literature of the Hebrew Bible) Faculty: C. Blackmer

Course: JST 398 (Topics in Feminist Biblical Interpretation: Sex, Slavery, and Sexuality) Faculty: C. Blackmer

Course: PHI 420 (American Philosophy)
Faculty: A. Marsoobian

Course: SOC 360 (Social Change) and SOC 370 (Methods of Social Research)
Faculty: J. Bloch

Course: CHEM 261 (Organic Chemistry II)
Faculty: A. Karatjas

Course: CHE 260 (Organic Chemistry I)
Faculty: A. Coca

Respectfully Submitted: A. Eich-Krohm, WACC Secretary