Approved Minutes of November 16 UCAPC Meeting

Report of the Writing Across the Curriculum Committee: Joe Law, WAC Coordinator, reporting

Together with the University Writing Center, the Writing Across the Curriculum (WAC) program is completing an administrative review. Three external reviewers—Joan Mullin, University of Toledo; Jacob Blumner, University of Michigan-Flint; and Maureen Fry, Wittenberg University—were on campus October 19-20, and they have now submitted their written report and recommendations. Because the report arrived during the final week of the quarter, I have not called a meeting of the WAC Committee to share the report.

The reviewers noted the “top down, bottom up support” for both WAC and the Writing Center, commenting that the university community is “justifiably proud of its commitment to writing and to the two units under review.” Concerning WAC, the reviewers commented that it is well placed in Academic Affairs and has developed a positive reputation on campus. It also applauded the inclusion of a WAC requirement as part of the General Education program. Among their recommendations are the following:

• Develop means of connecting faculty participation in the WAC program to recognized systems of faculty reward (e.g., explicit link to tenure and promotion considerations, annual awards for excellence in teaching)
• Expand current surveys of WAC faculty to include faculty who do not teach WI courses
• Continue to monitor closely large WI courses in GE
• Reconsider the long-term effects of the dual grading system in WAC courses
• Periodically survey incoming and graduating students about the writing experiences and perceptions
• Develop faculty workshops for discipline-specific writing
• Continue to implement assessment measures and, in addition, develop “more direct measures to assess faculty use of WAC techniques”
• In conjunction with the University Writing Center, continue to investigate possibility of providing supplementary instruction for WI classes in GE
• Investigate the possibility of an assistant to the WAC coordinator
• Locate a larger space for WAC office, preferably adjacent to conference space

In addition, I conducted the first student focus group about WAC on November 16, meeting with seven students from SOC 200. Since all were juniors and seniors, they had taken a number of WI classes in GE and their majors. This self-selected group was generally positive about WAC, pointing out the necessity of clear communication. In addition, they were in agreement that writing assignments related to courses materials did not seem like an additional task (they were also politely dismissive of writing assignments not evidently connected to the course).

Based on meetings between the Departments of Mathematics and Statistics and Computer Science, it was reported that the former has withdrawn previous objections to the Computer Science and Computer Engineering Program Change Proposals and that the departments will continue to work toward improving future curriculum and program needs.

Approved: Computer Science Program Changes (all versions of B.S.)

Deletions: STT 360 (4 hrs), STT 361 (4 hrs) & CS/CEG Electives (2 hrs)
Additions: EGR 190 (3 hrs), EGR 191 (3 hrs) & HFE 301 (4 hrs)
Degree Requirements Change: No change

Approved: Computer Engineering Program Change

Deletions: MTH 232 (5 hrs), STT 363 (3 hrs), & CS/CEG Electives (2 hrs)
Additions: EGR 190 (3 hrs), EGR 191 (3 hrs) & HFE 301 (4 hrs)
Degree Requirements Change: No change

Based on the request by the Department of Chemistry raising issues regarding the Mechanical Engineering and Material Sciences and Engineering Program Change Proposals, the committee postponed further consideration of these proposals until its January 2001 meeting. In the interim, the committee is confident that the departments with interest will meet and provide a resolution to the committee prior to its next meeting.

Postponed to January Meeting: Mechanical Engineering

Deletions: CHM 122 (5 hrs) & Reduce Technical Electives (1 hr)
Additions: EGR 190 (3 hrs) & EGR 191 (3 hrs)
Degree Requirements Change: No change

Postponed to January Meeting: Material Sciences and Engineering

Deletions: CHM 122 (5 hrs) & Reduce Technical Electives (1 hr)
Additions: EGR 190 (3 hrs) & EGR 191 (3 hrs)
Degree Requirements Change: No change

In relation to the above, and in general, the committee discussed the current and apparently recurring problem associated with the break down of inter-college communications regarding curriculum matters concerning new course proposals, modifications of existing courses, changes in existing programs, and proposals for new programs.  Past and current practice has been that all such proposals submitted to the Undergraduate Curriculum and Policy Committee also be submitted to all college Deans for consideration among colleges.  In many, if not most, cases curriculum proposals, although submitted through this process, are not being made available for review by faculty, including appropriate college curriculum committees, college departments, and individual faculty. While some colleges have performed better than others in this respect, there is a real need for overall improvement.  The committee will bring this to the attention of the Provost.

CECS 

Approved Course Inventories: CEG 420, CEG 429
Postponed Course Inventories: EE 326 (request for review by COSM)

COBA

Approved Course Inventories: IB 477, MIS 340, MIS 440
Approved Course Modifications: MS 331, IB 480

COLA

Approved Course Inventories: AFS 499 (change to permanent), ENG 487, HEB 100, HST 220 (approve permanent, delete one-time request), HST 486, HST 487, MUS 325, MUS 327, MUS 330, MUS 336, MUS 337, MUS 339, MUS 340, MUS 341, MUS 355, MUS 356, MUS 357, MUS 435, MUS 443, MUS 444, RIA 400, RIA 420, RIA 450

Course Inventories Returned: ML 313 (needs additonal Program Degree Change Request and clarification of ML or FR course)

Approved Course Modifications: MUS 121, MUS 122, MUS 149, MUS 215, MUS 216, MUS 224, MUS 225, MUS 226, MUS 227, MUS 228, MUS 229, MUS 301, MUS 323, MUS 324, MUS 329, MUS 335, MUS 338, MUS 349

COLA: Approved International Studies Major Program Addition

Creation of Research/Intelligence Analyst Track (Track F) 

Degree Hour Requirements:
General Education 57
Foreign Language and Research Methods 44
Major Core Requirements 18
Major Specialized Track 47
Electives 26
Total (minimum) 192

COLA: Approved Music Program Changes

(Note: GE substitutions 4 hrs MUS 121 & 122 for 3 hrs MUS 214)

BA in Music: Current/New Requirements

General Education 57/58
Department 71/71
Related 12/12
Language 24-32/20
Electives 20-28/31
Total 184-200/192

BM in Performance: Current/New Requirements

General Education 57/58
Department 40/87
Performance Area 98-116/54-58
Total 195-213/199-203

BM in Music History and Literature: Current/New Requirements

General Education 57/58
Department 33/51
Major 78/93
Concentration 24/
Total 192/202

BM in Music Education

Band or Orchestral Concentration: Current/New Requirements

General Education 57/GE-Education 89-90
Department 33/72
Major 42-44/Area 37
Concentration 70/
Total 202-204/198-200

Piano or Guitar Concentration: Current/New Requirements

General Education 57/GE-Education 89-90
Department 33/72
Major 42-44/Area 37
Concentration 70/
Total 218-220/197-199

Voice (Vocal or Choral) Concentration: Current/New Requirements

General Education 57/GE-Education 89-90
Department 33/72
Major 42-44/Area 38
Concentration 70/
Total 197-205/199-201

Music Minor: 

Change from 39 to 34-37 hours

COLA: Approved Certificate in Research and Intelligence Analysis

Course Requirements

RIA 400, RIA 420, RIA 450
CLS 300 or HST 301
One or two of the following:
CEG 478/ MTH 456/ EE 478
CS 419/ MTH 419
LI 371
ENG 478
Foreign Lanuage (at 300 level or higher)
History (at 300 level or higher)
Political Science (at 300 level or higher)
Economics (at 300 level or higher)

Total Requirement: 20-22 Credit Hours
Earned 3.0 GPA in all required courses
At least 16 hours of required courses completed at WSU
Comprehensive Examination (Pass/Fail)