WIU COUNCIL ON GENERAL EDUCATION
MEETING MINUTES
19 SEPTEMBER 2013
Fall 2013 CGE Membership
Yin-Chi Liao
Department of Management and Marketing
(At-Large)
Marjorie Allison
Dept. of English and Journalism
(Humanities/Fine Arts)
Irina Andreeva
Dept. of Mathematics
(Math/Natural Science)
Cheryl Bailey
Dept. of Communication
(Communication Skills)
Rumen Dimitrov
Dept. of Mathematics
(Math/Natural Science)
Magdelyn Helwig
Dept. of English & Journalism
(Communication Skills)
Keith Holz
Dept. of Art
(Humanities/Fine Arts)
Ben Lampere
Student Government Association
(Social Science)
Russ Morgan
College of Arts and Sciences
(Ex-officio, Dean's Council Representative)
Nancy Parsons
Office of the Provost
(Ex-officio, Provost's Representative)
Diane Sandage
Dept. of Sociology & Anthropology
(Social Science)
Joanne Sellen
Dept. of Educational & Interdisciplinary Studies (At-Large)
Keva Steadman
Dept. of Economics and Decision Sciences
(Social Science)
Oswald Warner
Dept. of Sociology & Anthropology
(Multicultural)
Michelle Yager
Advising Center
(Ex-officio, COAA Representative)
Dean Zoerink
Dept. of Recreation, Parks, and Tourism Administration (Human Well Being)
ELECTED MEMBERS PRESENT: Diane Sandage (CGE Chair, Soc & Anthro), Joanne Sellen (EIS, CGE Secretary),
Irina Andreeva (Math), Magdelyn Helwig (English & Journalism), Dean Zoerink (RPTA), Cheryl Bailey
(Communication), Oswald Warner (Soc & Anthro), Ben Lampere (SGA), Marjorie Allison, Keith Holz
(Humanities/Fine Arts (Humanities/Fine Arts)
EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS PRESENT: Nancy Parsons (Provost’s Office), Michelle Yager (COAA)
ELECTED MEMBER EXCUSED/ABSENT: Keva Steadman (Social Science)
EX-OFFICIO MEMBER EXCUSED/ABSENT: Russ Morgan (Dean’s Council)
1. CGE Chair Diane Sandage called the meeting to order at 3:32 p.m. in Horrabin 60 on the
Macomb campus.
MINUTES, INTRODUCTIONS, AND REPORTS
Minutes from the last meeting on September 5, 2013 were approved with changes to “data” as plural
(under Reports item a. and in Old Business, Item f.)
Introductions: Attendees introduced themselves.
Additions to the Agenda: No additions. Today’s agenda was approved. There were no abstentions.
Announcements: Diane Sandage announced that Russ Morgan was excused from today’s meeting to
attend the Annual Meeting of General Education Studies. Diane also read a request for committee
representation from Lori Baker-Sperry on the Student Learning Assessment Committee. Diane Sandage
and Joanne Sellen agreed to serve on the committee. Lee Brice has requested service for the CAS
curriculum review committee. Diane Sandage announced that Ute Chamberlin’s assessment plan has
been submitted and that she has reminded Finance 101 to submit their assessment plan.
REPORTS:
a. Office of the Provost – Dr. Nancy Parsons, Associate Provost
Dr. Parsons sent requests to Department chairs to submit Spring and Summer Gen. Ed.
Assessment data. She noted that this data is due by October 4th.
b. CAS – Dr. Russ Morgan—No report
c. University Advising – Michelle Yager distributed copies of the General Education
Handbooks and postcards with WIU Apps. She highlighted the Apps available for
tutoring. She noted that the handbooks are sent to Departments and are distributed at
SOAR to advisors and incoming freshmen.
d. Faculty Senate/Articulation Requests – Diane Sandage announced that of 13 requests, 6
were denied, 3 accepted, and 4 in process.
e. Reading in Gen. Ed. Subcommittee –Magdelyn Helwig noted that the committee has not
been active and asked if anyone would be interested in chairing the committee. Dean
Zoerink asked what the original charge of the committee was. Magdelyn stated that the
committee originally looked into whether other institutions had standardized guidelines
for reading in general education and whether WIU would institute such guidelines. The
committee members learned that most other institutions do not. The discussion
centered around whether the existing EASC committee could carry on this work. Dean
Zoerink moved to put the committee on hold. The motion was seconded and approved.
There were no abstentions.
OLD BUSINESS
f. General Education Feedback Loop & Revisions to Feedback Form—Nancy Parsons
pointed out that HLC noted our need to write impact statements based on the
assessment data. This might have to be done as soon as the next meeting since the data
now must be submitted yearly.
g. General Education Assessment--Nancy Parsons will invite Lori Baker-Sperry to the next
meeting.
h. EASC Follow-Up—Magdelyn Helwig described the work that is being done on a
comprehensive online resource for WIU teachers of Gen. Ed. This will consist of teaching
tips, resources, assignments, annotated articles on pedagogy from various disciplines,
and links to online resources and open access journals. She expressed the need for
assistance from the disciplines in submitting articles and open access journals. The plan
is to keep it as a resource only for WIU as it is being designed, with the intent to make it
accessible outside the university at a later date.
i. Proposed Request for Change in General Education Assessment Plan Form-- Magdelyn
Helwig gave a brief history of the need for the new form as a formal way for
departments to approach the CGE with proposed changes to their assessment plans.
The group discussed whether this form has to be sent through Faculty Senate or
whether it would go to the Senate as an informational item. Diane Sandage agreed to
ask the Executive committee. Several changes were made to the form: the title was
changed to Request for Significant Changes in General Education Course Assessment
Plan, the rationale section from the report form was moved to the Request form, spaces
were added to the College/Department line, the title of the Report Form was changed
to: Council on General Education Assessment of Student Learning in General Education
Course Assessment Plan. Diane Sandage asked to see the form at the next meeting. The
group agreed.
NEW BUSINESS—No new business.
Motion: Magdelyn Helwig motioned to adjourn. The motion was seconded.
The meeting was adjourned at 4:27.
CGE will next convene at 3:30 p.m. on Thursday, October 3rd in Horrabin 60.
Respectfully submitted,
Dr. Joanne Sellen, CGE Secretary