ACADEMICCOUNCIL
TexasTechUniversity
Meetingof
February16,2016
MINUTES
Present:KathyAustin,BobbieBrown,AdrienneCarnes,MikeCarterforPat
McConnel,ToddChambers,DavidDoerfert,CathyDuran,GenevieveDurham
DeCesaro,KeithDye,RyanGibbs,MelanieHart,SheilaHoover,LynnHuffman,Darryl
James,MichelleKiser,MitziLauderdale,SavanahLeonardforCindyAkers,Robin
Lock,EthanLogan,JustinLouder,FeliciaMartin,RandyMcBee,GarrettMcKinnon,
JeffreyMercer,AudraMorse,AlisonMyhra,WilliamPasewark,ElizabethPaulk,
SeshadriRamkimar,DavidRoach,RobStewartchair,KevinStoker,PatriciaVitela,
JanessaWalls,AlizaWong
Guests:BrendaMartinez,MichaelHenry,ChrisPattison,ElizabethSharp,Andrew
Swift
StewartcalledthemeetingtoorderandintroducedSharpandHenry,who
presentedadraftsyllabusstatementregardingTitleIX.Henrynotedthestatement
wasdevelopedinordertoprovideacomplianceelementandreplacedan
unsanctionedstatementprovidedinJanuary2015.Thenewstatementincluded24hourhelplineresources.Sharpnotedthatthenewstatementwouldbeoptionalfor
facultytoplaceontheirsyllabi.Discussionensued,duringwhichasuggestionwas
madetorevisetheproposedtitle(whichwas“TTUResourcesforaSafeCampus”),
asthetitlecouldalsobedenotedasincludinginformationregardingshootings,
weatheremergencies,etc.ArequestwasalsomadetodefineTitleIX,asmany
collegestudentswouldnotunderstandtheregulation.
TheminutesfromtheJanuarymeetingwereintroduced.Stewartaskedfora
revision,specificallytheremovalofAcademicSupportandFacilitiesResearchfrom
Vitela’spresentation,asadministrativechangeswereunderwaythatmadethe
informationinaccurate.Afterabriefdiscussion,Doerfertmovedthattheminutesbe
approvedasamended,Chambersseconded,andthemotionwasapproved.
Stewartreaffirmedtheneedtodiscussformalproposalsregardingcommonfinal
examtimes,andnotedthatAcademicCouncilwouldconsidertheissueagainduring
afuturemeeting.Healsoreaffirmedtheneedtoaddressfacultyconcurrencewith
regardtocurricularprogramroutingsheets.
DurhamDeCesarodiscussedthedeletionofprogramssuchascertificates,minors,
orconcentrations,andaskedthatintheeventsuchprogramsaredeleted,thatthe
Provost’sOfficeandRegistrar’sOfficebecontacted.JamesnotedthatSACSCOC
requirednotificationofprogramdeletion,includingacceleratedbachelors-to-
mastersprograms.DurhamDeCesarosaidthatprogramdeletionsshouldfollowthe
sameproceduresasprogramcreations.
Martinezdiscussedaproposedpolicychangetodiplomareorders.Policyineffect
limitedstudentstoonereplacementdiplomaintheeventoftheftorloss,butsince
studenttranscriptswereincreasinglybeingutilizedasthecertifyingdocumentofa
student’seducation,theRegistrar’sOfficewasrequestingthepolicybeamendedto
allowstudentstoorderadditionalcopiesofdiplomas(asadisplayinanoffice,for
example).ShenotedthatmanypeerBig12institutionsallowedadditionalcopiesto
beordered,withsomelimitations.DoefertindicatedthattheGraduateSchoolhad
concernswiththerevisedpolicy,particularlyasitwouldaffectinternational
students,asinmanyforeigncountrieshesaidthediplomawasstilltheofficial
record.Herequestedthatthepolicychangebetableduntilsuchtimeasthesubject
couldbediscussedattheBig12graduatedeanmeetinginMarch.Brownnotedthat
manyinstitutionsaddastatementtothereplicadiplomaindicatingitisareissued
document,andnottheoriginaldiploma.Shealsonotedthatsignaturesonthe
diplomawouldbecurrentatthetimeofprinting,andmightnotmatchthoseona
student’soriginaldiploma.Withdiscussionended,Doerfertmovedtotablethe
proposal,Ramkimarseconded,andthemotionwasapproved.
DyeintroducedaproposaltoincreasethehoursfortheBachelorofFineArtsin
TheatreArtsto130from127.Henotedthattheaccreditingbodyrecommended130
hoursforthedegree,andthatinmanycasestheB.F.A.istheterminaldegreeinthe
area.Healsoindicatedthatotherinstitutionsinthestaterequired130hours.He
saidtheproposedimplementationwouldbeAugust2016.Afterabriefdiscussion,
Morsemovedtoapprovethehoursincreaseasproposed,Huffmanseconded,and
themotionwasapproved.
McKinnonpresentedthecourseapprovalssummary.Stewartinquiredaboutthe
cross-listingofPSS4311andRHIM4311,whichAkersconfirmed.Healso
commendedthehighnumberofcoursedeletions.Stewartquestionedtheproposed
titleofCOMS2358(CommunicatingforBusiness).Stokernotedthattheproposed
changewasmeanttoindicatethatthecoursewouldbefocusedoninternal
communication.Afterabriefdiscussion,StokerindicatedthattheCollegeofMedia
andCommunicationwouldtabletheitempendingachangetothetitle.Durham
DeCesarorequestedthattheeffectivedateofachangetoPOLS1301bemovedto
Fall2017fromFall2016,sincethecoursewaspartoftheCoreCurriculum,and
changeshadalreadybeencompletedforthe2016-2017academicyear.Withno
furtherdiscussion,Wongmovedtoapprovethecoursesasamended,Morse
seconded,andthemotionwasapproved.
Doerfertprovidedanupdateonthestatusofgraduatecourseapprovals,notingthat
numerouscoursesandprogramsunderconsiderationbytheGraduateCouncil
wouldbeontheagendafortheMarchAcademicCouncilmeeting.Afterabrief
discussion,itwasnotedthatthescheduledAcademicCouncilmeetingforMarchfell
withinSpringBreak.Citingconcernsoffacultyattendance,Stewartproposed
movingthemeetingtothesecondweekofMarch,andtheproposalwaspassedby
acclamation.
DyediscussedaproposednamechangetoaSchoolofArtprogram,inwhich
CommunicationDesignwouldbeupdatedtoGraphicDesign.Heindicatedthe
Schoolhopedthechangeinvernacularwouldhelpwithrecruitingstudentstothe
program.HealsodiscussedanewTransmediaminorinArt,whichwascentered
aroundafacultyhirewhospecializedinTransmediaart,describedasencompassing
digitalandtraditionalmedia.
CarnedinformedtheCouncilthatRawlsCollegeofBusinesswouldbecombiningthe
EnergyCommercetracks(PetroleumLandManagementandEnergyTransaction
Analysis)intoasingleEnergyCommercetracksinordertoassiststudentswithjob
opportunities.Shenotedthatstudentscurrentlyinthetwotrackswouldbeallowed
tofinish,butstudentsenrollingintheprogramforfall2016wouldfollowthesingle
trackprogram.
RoachdiscussedproposedchangestotheCollegeofArts&Sciencesgeneral
educationrequirementsfortheBachelorofSciencedegreethatwouldbeeffective
withthefall2017semester.Theminimumwrittencommunicationrequirement
woulddropto9hoursfrom12,andtheminimumforeignlanguagerequirement
woulddropto8-13hoursfrom11-16hours.Thepersonalfitnessandwellness
requirementwoulddropto1hourfrom2hours,buttotalhourrequirementswould
notchange.Hesaidthecollegehopedthatreducingsomeoftherequirementswould
allowdepartmentstoincludemorespecializedcoursesintheirB.S.degree
programs.HealsonotedthatstudentsinterestedinPhiBetaKappamembership
wouldstillneedtofulfillthesophomoreforeignlanguagerequirement,andthat
departmentswithinthecollegewouldretaintheflexibilitytobuildtheircurriculum
aroundthenewminimums,sosomedepartmentsmightnotreducethe
requirements.[TheminuteswereamendedduringtheMarch8,2016meetingto
reflectthatRoachindicatedawillingnesstomeetwiththefacultysenatetodiscuss
anyissuestheproposedchangesmightcreate.]
Stewartprovidedanupdateontheprojecttoimplementonlinecourseevaluations.
Henotedthatavendorhadbeenselectedandatimelineforimplementation
developed.TherationalebehindthemoveinvolvedcompliancewithADA
requirementsregardingaccessibility,andnotedthatthesystemwouldoffermuch
quickerreturnonaggregatedata,aswellasprovingmorecosteffective.He
acknowledgedthatlimitationsincludedpossiblebimodalparticipation(inthatonly
angryorveryhappystudentsmightutilizethesystem),andsaidtheProvost’sOffice
waslookingatwaystoaddresssuchissues.Healsonotedthatworkwasunderway
toofferamobileappwherebystudentscouldcompleteevaluationsinclass.Stewart
saidtheplanwastooffertheplatformtoselectclassedduringthesecondsummer
semesterof2016,andthenoffertheplatformtovolunteersduringthefall2016
semester.Ultimately,heindicatedthattheplatformshouldbeavailablecampus
widebyfall2017.Afterabriefdiscussion,Hartrequestedanomenclaturechange.
Asproposed,thesystemwasentitled“OnlineCourseEvaluation;”shenotedthat
thismightcauseconfusionamongstudents,whomightbelievethesystemwas
designedforevaluatingcoursesofferedonline.Sheproposedthatthetitlebe
changedto“ElectronicCourseEvaluation”inordertoavoidconfusion.Huffman
notedthathavingthecommentspopulatetotheDigitalMeasuresplatformwouldbe
agreatfeaturethatwouldassistwithfacultyevaluations.
BrowndiscussedaproposaltochangetheprocessofassigninggradesofI.She
notedthatthepolicywouldremainunchanged,buttherevisedprocesswoulddo
awaywithnotificationsandwouldsimplyallowgradesofItoreverttogradesofF
afteroneyear.DurannotedthatfromtheDeanofStudent’sperspectivedoingaway
withtheform-basedprocesscouldbeproblematic,astheformassistedin
conversationswithstudentsandparentsregardinggradesofI.Stokeralsonoted
thatitshouldbemoredifficultforfacultytoassigngradesofI,noteasier,indicating
thatifsuchaprocessweremadeeasier,morefacultywouldassignsuchgrades.
Huffmanindicatedthattheidealsolutionwouldbethedevelopmentofacompletely
onlineprocess.Afterfurtherdiscussion,DurhamDeCesaroproposedtheformation
ofanadhocworkinggrouptoconsideralternatives,andtaskedStokertochairthe
committee.
DurhamDeCesarodiscussedthepolicyforchangingcollegeandprogramadmission
requirements,andremindedthoseinattendanceabouttheexistingoperatingpolicy
(OP34.01)thatdictatedtheprocessforchangestoadmissionrequirements.
DurhamDeCesaroalsodiscussedtheitemsstillpendingapprovalbyTHECB:
• GraduateCertificateinPsychologicalMethodsandAnalysis
• B.B.A.inSupplyChainManagement
• M.S.inNutritionandDieteticsonline
• Ph.D.inSpecialEducationonline
• Ph.D.inFamilyandConsumerScienceEducationonline
DurhamDeCesaronotedthatthestatehadalteredtherequirementsforalcoholrelatedcourses,andwouldnowallowstudentsyoungerthan21totakethecourses
foreducationalpurposes.Shesaidtheuniversityhaddraftedlanguagereflecting
thischange.
Shealsoremindedthoseinattendanceaboutnewproceduresforreviewingsyllabi
fromtransferinstitutions.
Stewartnotedthatthe“familyweekend”footballgamehadbeenmovedtoThursday
night,Sept.29.Duranrequestedthatcollegesmovetheirplannedevents
surroundingtheeventtoFriday,Sept.30,ratherthanwaituntilSaturday,Oct.1.
Inotherbusiness:
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Stewartnotedthatatestoftheuniversity’stornadosirenwouldoccuron
March22.
Therewasareminderthatthefacultyombudsmanwasconductingasurvey
aboutemployeebullying.
Loudernotedthattheuniversityhadbeenapprovedtooffer
internships/externshipsinpreviouslyrestrictedstateslikeMinnesotaand
Washington.
Withnootherbusinessontheagenda,Stewartadjournedthemeeting.