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Undergraduate Education, Council on - Minutes - 2009-2010

CUE Meeting
Faculty Senate Chambers
1:30-3:00
April 16, 2010

Members Present: R. Foy, chair-elect; A. Nowel; D. Auerbach; J. Jameson; J. Lee; B. Kirby; C. Jordan; H. Marchant; H. Hergeth; H. Charlton; C. Vick; I. Schmidt; L. Brown; R. Callanan; K. Morgan; G. Roberson; F. Artis; J. Knopp; A. Crabtree; A. Dupont; D. Parish; J. Ambrose; C. Freeman

Guests: Andrea Atkin, First Year College (substitute for Carrie McLean); Annette Moore, Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management

Call to Order:

Remarks from Chair, Carrie McLean: Randy Foy filling in as chair-elect for today. Foy and members send well wishes to Carrie McLean since she is out sick today. There is a lot on the agenda today so with no further remarks, Foy turned it over to Interim Dean, Dr. Ambrose, for remarks.

Remarks from the DUAP Interim Dean, Dr. John Ambrose : Dr. Ambrose thanked the committee for all their work so far this academic year and reminded the committee there is just one more meeting, April 30th, for the year.

Old Business:

Update from IP Subcommittee – review of IP criteria – A. Dupont - Committee had a brief discussion previously in the semester concerning revising the bullets describing the methods of delivery criteria for the IP Category and recommended review and revision of the 3rd bullet which states “Individual scholars providing interdisciplinary instruction” to add more detail. The Subcommittee presented the revised bullet as follows:

“The instructor need not be an expert in multiple disciplines, and the purpose of these courses is not to train students in multiple disciplines. The role of the instructor is to guide students in seeing the value in using multiple disciplinary perspectives in addressing problems, issues, etc and in seeing the intersections of different disciplines.”

  • Motion and second to approve the revisions included in today’s agenda. Members discussed the use of “may” versus “must” for courses to meet the criteria for this category. The clarification to the bullet was meant to be a helpful guideline to instructors who are looking to see what is involved for the IP category. One member suggested revision to “Must include one of the following approaches:” instead of “may include…” Another suggestion was to retain bullet three’s original wording and add to it:

    “Individual scholars providing interdisciplinary instruction by presenting multiple disciplinary perspectives in addressing problems, issues, etc and in seeing the intersections of different disciplines. The instructor need not be an expert in multiple disciplines. The purpose of these courses is not to train students in multiple disciplines but to guide students in seeing the value in using multiple disciplinary perspectives.”

    Members had more discussion on tweaking this revision and decided to have the subcommittee work to wordsmith for clarity and bring back the final revised bullet with the member’s suggestions. The revision was Tabled and will be brought back to the next meeting for a vote.

New Business:

  • Approval of 2-19-2010 Minutes: Motion to approve. Seconded. Approved unanimously.
  • New Courses for GEP listing:
    • PRT 449 Human Dimensions of Natural Resources in Australia – new – Interdisciplinary Perspectives and Global Knowledge lists – C. Vick - Motion made to approve for both lists. Seconded. Some discussion on one of the outcomes concerning the Great Barrier Reef – included in one course action but not the other. Guest and instructor Annette Moore agreed she needs to add the Great Barrier Reef piece to the other course information. Approved unanimously.
    • PRT 450 Sustaining Natural Resources in Australia – new - Interdisciplinary Perspectives and Global Knowledge lists – C. Vick – Motion made to approve for both lists. Seconded. Concerns about this course were addressed between colleges and everyone seems in agreement with the changes. Some brief discussion on page 3 #1 – on “understand” and possible other words for measuring. Approved unanimously.
    • ANT/SOC 261 Technology in Society and Culture - new – Interdisciplinary Perspectives list – J. Jameson - Motion made to approve. Seconded. Approved unanimously.
    • BIO 233 Human-Animal Interactions – new – Interdisciplinary Perspectives list – C. Jordan – Motion made to approve. Seconded. Approved unanimously.
    • HI 374 Visual Culture of Modern S. Asia – new – Humanities and Global Knowledge lists – J. Jameson - Motion made to approve. Seconded. Approved unanimously.
    • PE 281 Intro to Challenge Course Programming – new – Healthy Living/PE list – L. Brown – Motion made to approve. Seconded. Some brief discussion on the location and use of the ropes course. Approved unanimously.
    • D 100 Design Thinking I – new – Interdisciplinary Perspectives list – H. Marchant – Motion made to approve. Seconded. Members had question on the outcomes for this course to meet the IP approach. Documentation indicates a few disciplines to be used as perspectives in the course. Would be nice to see some more evidence of the aspects of the outcomes pertaining to the disciplines mentioned for synthesizing here. Need for more specific examples of how the disciplines are being brought into the course in the outcomes. Under the synthesizing question, suggestion to remove the references to the other disciplines of Engineering and Philosophy as the other disciplines used to make it interdisciplinary. Approve pending the removal of the sentence and each incident of relevant wording for engineering/ philosophy. Call for hand vote. 16 Yes, 2 No. Approved by majority.

      In discussion of an IP course drawing on disciplines within a College, some members voiced concern that a program requiring a course that is on the IP list that draws on the different disciplines within the college limits students gaining exposure outside of their college.
    • D 101 Design Thinking II – new – Interdisciplinary Perspectives list – H. Marchant – Motion made to approve. Seconded. This course is different than the previous because this course incorporates guest lectures from experts in each of the distinguished disciplines mentioned and shows this in the schedule. Some members concerned that the outcomes do not show evidence to support the different disciplines and are similar to the previous course. Approved unanimously pending the removal of the sentence and incident of relevant wording for engineering/philosophy.
    • D 102 Design Culture and Context I – new – Interdisciplinary Perspectives list – H. Marchant – Motion made to approve. Seconded. Members pointed out the outcomes for this course were clearer than the previous two as to what the students will be getting out of the course. Clarified that this course is open to all students. Approved unanimously.
    • D 103 Design Culture and Context II – new – Interdisciplinary Perspectives list – H. Marchant – Motion made to approve. Seconded. Members pointed out the outcomes for this course were clearer than the previous two as to what the students will be getting out of the course. Course is open to all students. Approved unanimously.
    • MIE 201 Introduction to Business Processes - new – Interdisciplinary Perspectives list – A. Nowel – Motion made to approve. Seconded. Brief discussion on Student outcome # 3 for “understand.” Some question on how many seats are open to students, major and non major. Open to all students. Approved unanimously.
  • Course review to remain on GEP list:

    • ENG 376 Science Fiction – Review for Interdisciplinary Perspectives list – J. Jameson – Motion made to approve. Seconded. Approved unanimously.
    • PE 277 Mountain Biking – Review for PE/Healthy Living list – L. Brown – Motion made to approve. Seconded. (make sure page 2 of the GEP rubric is marked.) Approved unanimously.
    • STS 214 Intro to Sci., Tech., and Society – Review for Interdisciplinary Perspectives list – D. Auerbach – Motion made to approve. Seconded. Revise Measure 1 - edit ‘Comprise’ to ‘Constitute’. Suggestion to remove “philosophy of science” and “Sociology of Knowledge’ – Approved unanimously pending the removal of those two items.
    • STS 304 Ethical Dimensions of Progress – Review for Interdisciplinary Perspectives list – D. Auerbach – Motion made to approve. Seconded. Approved unanimously.

- Motion to extend the meeting by 5 minutes. Approved unanimously.

    • WGS/STS 210 Women & Gender in Sci. & Tech. – Review for Interdisciplinary Perspectives and U.S. Diversity lists – J. Jameson – Motion made to approve. Seconded. Some questions on the evidence for the disciplines stated as synthesized in the course, (using the approach of WGS to critique Science/Eng versus having interdisciplinary perspectives). Members would like to see more clarification on the IP. Diversity piece is well evidenced in documentation. Since item is up for review for more than one category, a motion was made to approve retaining the course on U.S. Diversity list. Seconded. Approved unanimously. Motion to table the IP review of this course til the next meeting. Approved unanimously for tabling.

Motion made to adjourn. Approved unanimously. Meeting adjourned at 3:10 p.m.