Minutes: March 10, 2016

 

1. Minutes from February 18, 2016, were approved as written.

2. Academic Program Reviews

Africana Studies – Having read and discussed the review of the Department of Africana Studies, the Undergraduate Council submits the following unanimously approved report and moves its acceptance by the Faculty Senate.

Ancient Studies – Having read and discussed the review of the Department of Ancient Studies, the Undergraduate Council submits the following unanimously approved report and moves its acceptance by the Faculty Senate.

Media & Communication Studies – Having read and discussed the review of the Department of Media & Communication Studies, the Undergraduate Council submits the following unanimously approved report and moves its acceptance by the Faculty Senate.

Sociology & Anthropology – Having read and discussed the review of the Department of Sociology and Anthropology, the Undergraduate Council submits the following unanimously approved report and moves its acceptance by the Faculty Senate.

Year Three Review

The UGC Chair examined, and the Committee accepted the following accepted the reviews of the following programs:

  • History
  • Chemical, Biochemical, and Environmental Engineering
  • Geography and Environmental Systems

3. Assignment of New APR’s

The UGC discussed assignments of the new APR’s received from the Provost Office. There was also a discussion regarding rewriting the instructions to follow the updated APR Guidelines since would be helpful since the UGC Guidelines have not been updated.

Erickson – Bambi Chapin

Gender and Women’s Studies – Susan McDonough

Mathematics and Statistics – Jeff Martens

Economics – Cindy Hody

4. Postings

The following postings were discussed and approved:

IS 479 – Cybersecurity Project (New) – REVISED

PSYC 444 – Psychology of Sexual Orientation & Gender Identity (New) – REVISED

ANTH 326 – American Indian Cultures (Change: Grading Method)

SCI 101L – Quantitative Reasoning: Measurement and Skills Lab (Change: Prerequisite)

ARCH 325 – Life and Death in Pompeii (New)

EHS 102 – Emergency Medical Responder (New)

MATH 426 – Mathematical Software Packages: MATLAB (Change: Title, Transcript Title, Prerequisite & Description)

STAT 432 – Statistical Computer Packages and Their Applications: SAS and R (Change: Title, Transcript, Prerequisite & Description)

MLLI – Minor in Arabic Language and Culture (Program Change)

MUSC 321 – Music History I (Change: Prerequisite)

MUSC 380 – Introduction to Conducting (Change: Prerequisite)

MUSC 480 – Topics in Music, Art, and Society (Change: Prerequisite)

AGNG 300 – Introduction to Policy and Aging Services (Change: Title, Transcript Title) – REVISED

AGNG 310 – Introduction to the Management of Aging Services (Change: Title, Transcript Title) – REVISED

Computer Science Game Development Track (Program Change)

Data Science track within the CMSC BS program (Program Change)

ENGL 226 – Grammar and Usage of Standard English (Change: Description) – REVISED

GLBL 301 – Approaches to Globalization (Change: Recommended Course Prep) – REVISED

GLBL 386 – The Politics of Development (Change: Recommended Course Prep & Description)

The following courses will be discussed at the March 24th UGC meeting:

ENME 303 – Topics in Engineering (Change: Title, Transcript Title)

ENME489 – Special Topics In Mechanical Engineering: Medical Device Development (Change Course Number & Course Title)

ENME 489 – Special Topics in Mechanical Engineering: Biomaterials (Change: Course Number, Title, Transcript Title, Recommended Course Prep, Repeatable & Description)

ENME 489 – Special Topics in Mechanical Engineering: Biomechanics (Change: Course Number, Title, Transcript Title, Recommended Course Prep, Repeatable & Description)

HAPP 340 – Health Communication (New)

PHIL 353 – Morality and Psychology (New)

POLI 386 (cross-listed as GLBL 386) (Change: Recommended Course Prep & Description)

PSYC 353 – Morality and Psychology (New)

5. Tabled Postings

The UGC discussed and tabled the following courses on 3/10/16:

EDUC 431 – Methods for Teaching STEM in the Middle Grades (New) The UGC tabled the courses because of the following issues: the proposed transcript title is longer than 30 characters, the current syllabus does not contain an explanation of what the various assignments are: What is a class artifact? A philosophy statement? Content expertise? The department should explain each and add a discussion of how they will be assessed.

EDUC 435 – Integrated STEM Content and Pedagogy (New) – REVISED – The UGC tabled the course because it is standard for 400 level-course to have at least some recommended course preparation if not hard prerequisites. Also, there was no indication in the syllabus of how the professor will assess the various assignments or what the grade scale is for the course. Nor is there any language explaining the expectations for the various assigned papers.

EDUC 454 – Phase I Internship Seminar for Middle School STEM Teachers (New) – REVISED – The department needs to remove the text that is currently in the “Recommended preparation” box and add it to the course description, so that the “departmental permission required” will be part of the official course description. Also, the UGC needs to know if the prerequisites are both required or is one sufficient?

EDUC 466 – School, Family, and Community Partnerships for Middle Grades STEM Success (New) – REVISED – The department specify the following on the form: AMST 200 AND EDUC 412M or AMST 200 AND EDUC 412M? With a C or better. Also, in the description the department should change “best practices ON school, family” to “best practices regarding school, family…”

HAPP 350 – Public Health Ethics (New) – REVISED – The UGC tabled HAPP 350 with the following questions: Does the department want students to pass HAPP 100 with a C or better to be qualified for the course? Also, the form does not state any recommended course preparation but the syllabus states, “Although not limited by pre-requisites, students who have taken HAPP/SOCY 354 – Social Basis of Community and Public Health, and/or PHIL 350 Ethical Theory, and/or PHIL 355 Bioethics will find this course easier to follow.” The committee suggests you list these courses in “recommended course preparation.” The department was informed they can add prerequisite and recommended courses to the form.

SOWK 240 – Information Technology in Social Work (Change: Title & Description) – The UGC tabled the courses because it seems the department is proposing a new course. The proposed change to the course catalog suggests such a new course. If this is the case, the UGC would like for the department to resubmit the course as a new course with an accompanying syllabus? If this is not the case, the department should make that clearer in the rationale?

SOWK 397 ‐ Social Work Methods I: Introduction to Practice (Change: Title & Description) – The UGC tabled the course because the proposed change is dependent on the new SOWK 240, concerns about which are addressed above. The UGC has been working to phase out using sophomore/junior/senior standing as a prerequisite because it does not necessarily clearly communicate to students the particular skills/competencies they need to be successful in the class.

SOWK Minor (Program Change) – The program change will be considered once SOWK 240 is resubmitted.

AGING Major Program Change  (Program Change) – The program change was tabled because it is dependent on the approval of other tabled courses.

AGNG 320 – Introduction to the Management of Aging Services (Change: Title, Transcript Title & Description)

AGNG 460 – Internship in the Management of Aging Services (Change: Title, Transcript Title & Credits) – The UGC needs the department to clarify whether they want the course to be repeatable and for how many credits.

AGNG 462 – Internship in Aging Service I (Change: Title, Transcript Title & Credits) – The UGC needs the department to clarify whether they want the course to be repeatable and for how many credits. Also, the department needs to update the catalog description to make sure students understand what the course will offer.

ENGL 241 – Currents in British Literature (Change: Total Max Credits & Description) – The UGC did not understand the change since all courses at UMBC are repeatable for a better grade. They would like to know if the department is requesting that the course be changed from a special topics course to a “repeatable three credit course.”

ENGL 243 – Currents in American Literature (Change: Total Max Credits & Description) – The UGC did not understand the change since all courses at UMBC are repeatable for a better grade. They would like to know if the department is requesting that the course be changed from a special topics course to a “repeatable three credit course.”

The UGC discussed and tabled the following courses on 2/18/16:

BIOL 487 – Medical Case Studies (New) – The UGC tabled the course because it needs further clarification from the department. The committee needs to know if the department intends for BIOL 303, CHEM 351, PHYS 112 or 122, and MATH 151 or 155, all with a “C” or better to be prerequisites, rather than recommended course preparation. If that is indeed the case, please remove the course from the “recommended preparation” box. In the syllabus, the department needs to spell out clearly what a “case assessment” is and how the students will evaluate them.

The UGC discussed and tabled the following courses on 12/3/15:

PHIL 345 – Philosophy of Language (Change: Prerequisite, Repeatable & Description) – The UGC is unclear if grading changes are meant to include p/f or not.

PHIL 454 – Animals and the Environment: Moral Theory and its Application (Change: Course Number, Formal Title, Prerequisite & Description) – revised 454 – The UGC would like to know if the department is changing the transcript title too.

PHIL 399 – Topics in Philosophy (Change: Prerequisite & Description) – revised – The UGC needs to know how many credits can be taken and the department needs to include the number of times the class can be taken in catalogue description.

PHIL 399b – Topics in Philosophy (Change: Course Number, Prerequisite & Description) – revised – The UGC needs to know how many credits can be taken and the department needs to include the number of times the class can be taken in catalogue description.

PHIL 498 – Advanced Topics in Philosophy (Change: Recommended Course Preparation, Prerequisite & Description) – revised – The UGC needs to know how many credits can be taken and the department needs to include the number of times the class can be taken in catalogue description.

PHIL 499 – Advanced Topics in Philosophy (Change: Recommended Course Preparation, Prerequisite & Description) – revised – The UGC needs to know how many credits can be taken and the department needs to include the number of times the class can be taken in catalogue description.

 

The UGC is waiting for Departments to address the tabled postings listed below:

ART 461 – Advance Photographic Compositing (New) The UGC tabled the course because all 400 level courses need at least recommended or prerequisite listed. Also, from the syllabus is was not clear what the assignments in the class consist of or how they will be graded. The department has been requested to indicate which assignments are written, which are visual, and how they will be assessed.

ART462 – Entrepreneurial Practices in Photography (New) – The UGC tabled the course because it was not happy with the prerequisites or the determination that students must be juniors or seniors to take the class. Since some students use AP credits and come in with 45 credits, it is better for departments to mandate students take certain classes. Also, the Registrar’s Office can not use “300” or “400” level classes in any discipline as a prerequisite. The UGC suggested to the department that they build “junior or senior standing” into the schedule of classes and add a “reserve capacity,” thereby determining that a certain number (or all) seats must be reserved for juniors or seniors. This can be changed by the department, and thus does not have to come through the UGC. Finally, the UGC would like to know what the “team assignments” are and how will the instructor assess them?

VART Photography Concentration BA Program Change (Program Change) – The UGC tabled the two program changes because ART 461 and ART 462 were listed in both.

VART Photography Concentration BFA Program Change (Program Change)

POLI 468 – Disaster Politics (New) – Revised – The UGC tabled the course because there is no breakdown of how the assignments are weighted. The department mentions a “heavy emphasis on discussion,” but provide no sense of how you will measure and assess that participation. The UGC would like for the department to add a section to the syllabus that explains the various components of the students’ grades and how they will be weighted and assessed. Also, it is our understanding that every 400-level POLI class should have a significant writing component, but you mention only a midterm and final. How will you incorporate the writing?

POLI 476 – State and Societal Transition in Post-Communist Europe: Study Abroad in Poland (New)

6. Other Business

The UGC had a discussion on rethinking the forms in light of:

  1. move to Curriculog in August
  2. potential alignment with Graduate Council

The UGC would also like to have more frequent meetings at beginning of Spring and Fall semesters to try to avoid the annual backlog of things we’re trying to get into the catalog.