Undergraduate Education, Council on - Minutes - 2007-2008
Council on Undergraduate Education (CUE)
Minutes for 11-16-07:
Members Present:
J. Rust, Chair, B. Kirby, I. Schmidt, D. Barlage, M. Shearer, L. Brown, H. Devine, M. Chu, G. Weinberg, C. Levine, C. McLean, A. Nowel, R. Foy, C. Jordan, D. Auerbach, M. Atkinson, J. Tector, B. Matthews, A. Joyner, C. Ashwell, J. Ambrose, C. Freeman
Meeting opened at 1:35 p.m.
Comments from the Chair: Chair Jon Rust welcomed David Auerbach from CHASS who is replacing Jessica Jameson now serving on the UCCC.
Minutes from 11-2-2007 were approved unanimously with the inclusion of an attachment showing the current and revised objectives for the Natural Sciences and Physical Education categories for the GEP.
Review of Rationale and Objectives for the Mathematics, Humanities, and Social Sciences categories for the GEP.
The Chair opened discussion regarding the Mathematics objectives.
Mathematical Sciences – Current Rationale and Objectives
Rationale: A logical approach to problem solving is important for successful functioning in society. It is also important that students be able to formulate models, be critical consumers of quantitative information, communicate mathematically and solve problems.
Objectives for courses in the category of Mathematics:
Each course in mathematical sciences will provide instruction and guidance that help students to:
- improve and refine mathematical problem-solving abilities; and
- develop logical reasoning skills.
Discussion:
Dr. Chu, representing the math department, recommended leaving the objectives as they are currently written. They are broad enough to cover the mathematics material and does not want the objectives to be too constrictive.
‘Develop logical reasoning skills’ is related to communicating mathematically and solving problems.
After brief discussion, the motion to approve the Mathematics rationale and objectives as currently written passed unanimously.
The Chair opened discussion regarding the Humanities and Social Sciences objectives.
Humanities - Current Rationale and Objectives
Rationale: The humanities and the social sciences comprise the subjects and disciplines that use various modes of rational inquiry to understand human nature and experience, organization and change in human societies, the nature of the world, and rational inquiry itself. An education in the humanities and social sciences requires reading significant works, gaining an exposure to a variety of methodologies, and learning to apply these in written exposition. An education in the basic humanistic disciplines is a necessary part of being truly educated -- of becoming a citizen with a broad knowledge of human cultures and with well-considered moral, philosophical, aesthetic, and intellectual convictions.
Objectives: Each course in the general humanities category of the General Education Requirements will provide instruction and guidance that help students to:
- understand and engage in the human experience through the interpretation of human culture and artifacts (this objective must be the central focus of each humanities course); and
- become aware of the act of interpretation itself as a critical form of knowing in the humanities; and
- make academic arguments about the human experience using reasons and evidence for supporting those reasons that are appropriate to the humanities.
Social Sciences- Current Rationale and Objectives
Rationale: The study of psychology, economics, politics and government, sociology, anthropology or cultural geography enables students to understand individual and collective human behavior by exploring meaning within a variety of social, cultural and political contexts; by analyzing the structures within which human goals are established and human choices are made; and by applying theoretical and quantitative models to specific cases.
Objectives: Each course in the social science category of the General Education Requirements will provide instruction and guidance that help students to:
- understand at least one of the following: human behavior, mental processes, organizational processes, or institutional processes; and
- understand how social scientific methods may be applied to the study of human behavior, mental processes, organizational processes, or institutional processes; and
- use theories or concepts of the social sciences to understand real-world problems, including the underlying origins of such problems.
Discussion:
The committee began discussing the objectives for both the Humanities and Social Sciences rationale and objectives. The CHASS reps Hans Kellner and Linda Williams were not able to attend. The additional CHASS reps present recommended that the rationale and objectives for the Humanities and Social Sciences categories be reviewed by the CHASS Course and Curricula committee that was scheduled to meet on Monday, November 19th.
A motion was made to table the discussion of the humanities but the motion did not pass (5 for, 18 against). The committee wanted to continue discussion and offer suggestions/recommendations to the CHASS CCC for their review.
Further discussion regarding the rationale and objectives for both categories continued and the following items/revisions were requested to be addressed by CHASS in their meeting as follows:
In SS Rationale – see attached
- remove the semicolons and insert bullets
- include market or economic in the rationale
- review #3 on the objectives
In Humanities Rationale – see attached
- Remove references to Social Sciences in the language
A motion was made to send suggestions for SS and HUM to CHASS CCC for review. The motion passed unanimously.
The items/revisions to be reviewed by CHASS CCC will be sent to Randy Foy by Catherine Freeman for the Monday meeting.
Additional discussion:
Visual and Performing Arts
Are the arts considered to be a humanities category? Most universities do not consider the Arts as humanities.
The intent of the task force was not to put VPA as a Humanities category but to part of the Additional Breadth category.
Interdisciplinary Perspectives Courses/Category
The faculty senate supports the GEP with clarification of the IP category. Questions in the Faculty Senate amendment dated 10-23-07 should be addressed.
To help to clarify this category, Dr. Ambrose suggested that a half day symposium be offered in February 2008 to help define interdisciplinary courses, increase support of IP courses and develop processes for creation of such courses. It would give everyone an opportunity to express views. The committee agreed this was a good idea and discussion ensued:
Will concerns about IP category from campus be addressed in the symposium? These concerns should be addressed and answered if possible as part of the symposium.
How do we collaborate successfully? Administration, financial, rewards – how will this be managed/coordinated?
What counts as IP courses? Define what does/does not count? Provide examples/models of appropriate IP courses.
Speaker topic suggestions: How do we break down silos? Find institutions who can talk about best practices would be helpful.
Motion to extend the meeting 15 minutes passed unanimously.
Suggestion was made not to automatically move STS courses into the IP category. Some feel STS courses should not automatically be placed into the IP category without review. Concern that courses will not be truly IP if not vetted before placement into this category.
Suggestion made that speaker come to CUE and to the symposium. Need someone to facilitate dialogue on how to create IP and models to use and how to get Faculty to collaborate. Look at peer institutions.
Chair Rust asked who would want to serve on a working subgroup for the symposium and the following volunteered:
Cynthia Levine
Maxine Atkinson
Amber Joyner
Chris Ashwell
Carrie McLean
Chris Anson – invite per Maxine’s suggestion
Meeting adjourned at 3:10 p.m.
Respectfully submitted by Catherine Freeman