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undergrad-education - minutes 2011-2012

CUE MINUTES – April 30th, 2010

Walnut Room, Talley Student Center, 1:30-3:00 p.m.

Quorum = 14

Members Present:

C. McLean, chair; A. Nowel, D. Auerbach, J. Jameson, J.Lee, B. Kirby, L. Brown, C. Jordan, H. Hergeth, H. Charlton, C. Vick, R. Foy, K. Morgan, G. Roberson, F. Artis, J. Knopp, J. Odom, A. Dupont, D. Parish, J. Ambrose, C. Freeman.

Call to Order:

  •  Remarks from Chair, Carrie McLean,  welcome to committee members and guests. We have a lot on the agenda today to continue our hard work this academic program. Welcome and introduction of guests to today’s meeting.
    Introduction of Guests:
    Dr. Larry Blanton, Director of University Honors Program
    Dr. Bill Winner, Director of the Environmental Sciences program and Erin Champion, ES Asst. Coordinator
    Dr. Tom Miller and Jennifer Capps, NC State Entrepreneurship Initiative
    Dr. Marcia Gumpertz, Professor and Interim Vice Provost for Diversity and Inclusion
    Ms. Kelly Hook, Student Body President-elect
  • Remarks from the Interim Dean DUAP, Dr. John Ambrose: We do have a busy agenda and I want to thank you all for your work this year. Recognized and thanked those members who are cycling off this year. Include members here.

Old Business:

  • WGS/STS 210 Women & Gender in Sci. & Tech – TABLED action– Review for Interdisciplinary Perspectives list –      J. Jameson – Motion and second.   This item was tabled previously with questions and concerns on the interdisciplinary perspective content for this course. We’ve returned with a more detailed short form to address those concerns for this category. Approved. 1 abstention.

New Business:

  • Approval of  4-16-2010 Minutes – Motion made to approve. Seconded.. Approved unanimously.
  • HON Experimental Course Offerings Review– Spring 2010 series- Guest Larry Blanton – presenter F.  Artis
    • HON 292      Ecological Systems – GEP Natural Science
    • HON 294      On the Human – GEP Humanities/GER Humanities(Philosophy)
    • HON 294      Kantian Ethics – GEP Humanities/GER Humanities (Philosophy)
    • HON 295      The Sociology of Economic Life – GEP Social Sciences
    • HON 296      Technology & American Culture – GEP Interdisciplinary Perspectives
    • HON 299      East Asian Music and Culture  - GEP Visual & Performing Arts/GEP Global Knowledge

Moved and seconded as a package for their appropriate category.  Approved unanimously.

  • New Courses for GEP listing:

    Guests Dr. Bill Winner and Erin Champion – presenter  F.  Artis for:
    • ES 200 Climate Change & Sustainability – new – Interdisciplinary Perspectives and Global Knowledge lists   A motion was made to approve. Seconded. Members took a vote: 2 No . Majority Yes.  Approved by majority.
    • ES 300 Energy & the Environment  - new – Interdisciplinary Perspectives and Global Knowledge  lists  A motion was made to approve. Seconded. Members took a vote:  Majority yes,  1. No. Approved by majority.
    • Motions were made  and seconded for these two courses together for their proposes lists. Discussion ensued. Dr. Winner presented these two new courses as major courses for the Environmental Sciences but also be open to the university general education program at large.  The focus of the course seems to be in part climate and meteorology. Some discussion on the variety and expertise of instructors for teaching this course. Questions about who would be selected for teaching these courses.  Brief discussion on possible candidates for instructors.  This course will be offered in the spring.   Some discussion on the curricular committee for the ES program has representatives from all the colleges involved in this degree program who have looked at these courses.    Some brief discussion on the unknowns for instructors and how they will bring in interdisciplinary perspectives to the content of the course.  Discussion about the assessment outcomes for this courses.

                       Guests Dr. Tom Miller and Jennifer Capps – presenter D. Parish for:

  • EI 201 Exploring Interdisciplinary Entrepreneurial Thinking – new – Interdisciplinary Perspectives – A motion was made to approve. Seconded. Discussion. Approved by majority. 1 abstention.
  • EI 331 Interdisciplinary Entrepreneurial Thinking I: Skills & Planning Basics– new – Interdisciplinary Perspectives . A motion was made to approve. Seconded. Discussion – none.  Approved unanimously.

  • Topic:  GEP US Diversity – Guest Dr. Marcia Gumpertz and Ms. Kelly Hook  Thank you  all for allowing me a moment to discuss the U.S. Diversity  category for the GEP. On Wednesday, Kelly gave a presentation to the University  Chancellor’s Liason Meeting about the student’s perspective on the US Diversity GEP category.  Kelly presented some information that in an exit poll employers comment that NC State graduates tend to not work well in groups. Why is this? Why is it so important?  Presented information on required versus selected classes, classroom sizes and teaching diversity at the university today.   Importance of professors teaching the US diversity courses have an understanding of the passion and respect in the classroom with the students engaging them in understanding diversity, working together, it’s important that the professors realize how important it is for students to learn to work together, engage in intelligent and respective discussion, it is important to set a good precedent to make these classes the best; encouraging professors to use the courses to engage students with the faculty  and with each other to build long lasting relationships in these undergraduate US Diversity courses and better prepare the students for a diverse workplace.  Marcia thanked Kelly for coming and showing the committee enthusiasm and support for US diversity at the university. My reason here is to help encourage that these courses are not watered down for our students. Bringing local and national issues to students in a way they can understand and see at both levels. For instance locally wake county school district diversity issues, national healthcare, joblessness, religious strife across the world , race, ethnicity, age, the economy, … all these issues revolve around differences and students need to understand how this affects their lives and how it will affect them in the future. They need facts, history, culture and contexts – this is crucial for them to get a start on early in their education.  The word “diversity’ is not just a buzz word, it is how our society is evolving towards and students really need a depth and understanding of this and know that these type courses need these courses to meet those expectations to prepare them for working in a diverse society.  Faculty members need to be serious about these courses.  Thank you again for your time.  Some members asked wehre this concern was coming from and Marcia mentioned the recent approval of the M100 course. Andy spoke to the diversity and instruction in this course and how Marcia has been invited to talk with the instructors and students  in this course and encourage for feedback.  Some concern that there seems to be two issues in discussion here – building better group communication and work for students and understanding at large the variety of diversity and diversity issues locally, nationally, globally.  Carrie mentioned that the process is ongoing and CUE is very committed to reviewing and looking at this issue very carefully as the GEP evolves.


  • New Courses for GEP listing:
    • AEE/ANS/PB 208 Ag Biotech.: Iss & Impl - New for  Interdisciplinary Perspectives  - C. Jordan  made a motion to approve. Seconded. This course  combines instruction from animal science, agricultural technology, biotechnology, and agricultural policies   One question concerned where the expertise on agricultural policy comes into play. Instructors have been consulting with a professor in ag res economics for developing the content in this course. Approved unanimously.
    • BIT 100 Current Topics in Biotechnology - New for  Natural Sciences - C. Jordan  made a motion to approve. Seconded.  Biotechnology program formally started at the 400 level and needed an introductory content course. This course is intended for this purpose.  Approved unanimously.
    • FLJ/ANT 351 Contemp Culture in Japan  - New for  Humanities and Global Knowledge  - J. Jameson made a motion to approve for both lists. Seconded. Approved unanimously.
    • HI 232 The World from 1200-1750 - New for  Humanities and Global Knowledge  - D. Auerbach made a motion to approve. Seconded.   Approved unanimously
    • IS 200 Intro to International Studies                  - New for  IP & Global Knowledge - J. Jameson  made a motion to approve the course for the IP & GK list. 
      • Motion and seconded to approve the course for the GK list. Approved unanimously.
      • Motion and seconded to approve the course for IP list. 
      • Motion was made to table this course for this list until the committee receives further clarification on how the disciplines are represented and how the student’s understanding is measured.   Question on clarification for how the content overlaps with regards to the disciplines. Motion to table for this category aproved unanimously.
    • PE 241 Social Dance II  New for PE/Healthy Living - L. Brown  Motion and seconded.  Approved unanimously.
  • Course review to remain on GEP list:             
    Course                                                                  Action & List                                                                                      Presenter
    • PE 253 Orienteering                                Review for PE/Healthy Living                                                      L. Brown
    • PE 255 Basic Canoeing                            Review for PE/Healthy Living                                                      L. Brown
    • PE 257 Backpacking                                 Review for PE/Healthy Living                                                      L. Brown
    • PE 258 Basic Rock Climbing                   Review for PE/Health Living                                                        L. Brown
    • PE 259 Intermediate Rock Climbing Review for PE/Healthy Living                                                      L. Brown
    • PE 262 Whitewater Canoeing              Review for PE/Healthy Living                                                      L. Brown
    • PE 276 Whitewater Rafting                  Review for PE/Healthy Living                                                      L. Brown
    • PE 283 Mountaineering                         Review for PE/Healthy Living                                                      L. Brown

Motion made for the PE courses to be approved to remain on the list. Seconded. Approved unanimously.

    • HI 481 History of the Life Sciences  - Review for Interdisciplinary Perspectives  - D. Auerbach made a motion to  approve. Seconded. Approved unanimously.
    • HI 482 Darwinism in Science & Society - Review for Interdisciplinary Perspectives - D. Auerbach made a motion to approve. Seconded.  Approved unanimously.
    • HI 485 History of American Technology  - Review for Interdisciplinary Perspectives - D. Auerbach made a motion to approve. Seconded. Approved unanimously.
    • SOC 450 Environmental Sociology   - Review for Interdisciplinary Perspectives -  J. Jameson made a motion to approve. Seconded. Approved unanimously.
    • STS 302 Cont Science, Tech & Hum Values - Review for Interdisciplinary Perspectives - D. Auerbach made a motion to approve. Seconded. Approved unanimously.
  • Course to be dropped from  GEP list:
    • ANT 348 Peoples & Cultures of Italy - Drop from Social Sciences and Global Knowledge - J. Jameson
    • STS 326 Technology Assessment - Drop from Interdisciplinary Perspectives - J. Jameson
    • Motion made to remove ANT 348 and STS 326 from the indicated lists. Seconded. No plans to offer these courses again in the future.  Approved unanimously.
  • Other
    • Review of revised wording to IP criteria  - bullet #3 – A. Dupont – Allen presented to the committee the recent updated revisions made to the third bullet in the IP Category under methods of delivery . Committee took a few moments to review the update. Brief discussion on expertise versus showing how disciplines in the content of course overlap and bring together informed and rigorous exploration of different perspectives. Subcommittee recommends this revision for acceptance by the committee. Approved unanimously.
    • Update on where we are with IP review – C. Freeman – Thanked everyone for working hard this year with their faculty to help review the courses on the IP list. We’ve reviewed a little over half at this point and have approximately 29 courses left for the IP to review and we’ll be getting to the rest next year.
    • Recognition of members who have served their term – C. McLean. Thanks to all the members and thank you to those who are cycling off this year. Thank you so much for all you hard work during this busy year.     Thanks to Catherine for all her help and coordination for the year.  Catherine presented to Chair McLean for all her hard work. Dr. Ambrose  also thanked Arialle Crabtree for  her help. As we heard from the student today the work of CUE is important
  • Move to adjourn. Seconded  Meeting adjourned  at 3:00 p.m.