Meeting of the Faculty Senate
General Education Committee
325 Graff Main Hall
September 21, 2015
2015-2016 Members: Colin Belby
Sam Cocks
Nabamita Dutta
Kenny Hunt
Heather Jett
Lisa Kobs
Bryan Kopp
Meredith Thomsen
Mary Tollefson
Geography
Philosophy
Economics
Computer Science
Library
Biology
English
Biology
Music
Present: Belby, Cocks, Dutta, Hunt, Jett, Kobs, Kopp, Thomsen, Tollefson
Consultants and Guests: Patrick Barlow, Chris Bakkum, Shawn Frederick, Victoria Rahn, Rebecca
Vianden, Peter Stovall, Carla Burkhardt, Michelle Strum, Victoria Rahn
1. The meeting commenced at 3:30 pm. Minutes from 5-4-15 were reviewed and motion to
approve them M/S/P (9/0/0).
2. Motion to elect Kenny Hunt as GEC Chair. M/S/P (9/0/0).
3. Motion to elect Colin Belby as GEC Chair. M/S/P (9/0/0)
4. Motion to designate Samuel Cocks as GEC representative to GEAC. M/S/P (9/0/0)
5. Chris Bakkum and Victoria Rahn gave an overview of the Curriculum Inventory Management
(CIM) System as it pertains to General Education course proposals. The instructions for the old
LX140 which used to be posted online have now been integrated within the CIM form, as
instructions in the form and as notes within the blue “help bubbles.”
The GEC discussed the need to highlight for users of the GEC and GEAC pages on the Faculty
Senate website that important information regarding Gen Ed course proposals is now located
within the CIM forms.
6. Patrick Barlow (University Assessment Coordinator) and Shawn Frederick (Information
Technology Services) provided an update on their implementation of the new Taskstream
assessment software as it pertains to General Education assessment. Using the available
documentation of the GEAC process and meeting several times with the GEAC and GEAC
Chair Georges Cravins, they have created the forms and processes needed to conduct General
Education Assessment using Taskstream. Furthermore, assessment documents from previous
assessment cycles are being migrated into Taskstream, where they will be available for
departments to use as they plan future GE assessments. Department Chairs and Assessment
coordinators who will conduct GE assessment this year have begun receiving training on the
new system. The GEAC has extended the due date for Form A submission to October 15, but
otherwise it is anticipated that we can conduct GE assessment this year using the new system.
Several members of the GEC raised concerns regarding the inclusion of a question on Form A
regarding a benchmark goal for the assessment, which asks departments to state their
expectations regarding student performance on the assessment task. Some members felt
something new should not be added to the assessment process without GEC approval, and some
members felt that this question could cause confusion or concern among users of the system.
Some members felt there was no problem with the inclusion of a benchmark. The GEC
understands that GEAC has seen and provided feedback on the form (including the benchmark
language), but wishes to revisit the issue at the next GEC meeting.
7. Meeting adjourned at 4:55 pm.