ASCRC Minutes 2/11/14
Poetry Corner, Mansfield Library, 2:10 p.m.
Members Present: J. Deboer, L. Eagleheart, C. Henderson, L. Gillison, S. Samson, T. Thibeau, M.
Triana, E. Uchimoto, N. Vonessen, G. Weix
Members Absent/ Excused: K. Easwaramurthi, T. Manuel, J. Laine
Ex-Officio Present: J. Hickman, N. Hinman, B. Holzworth, B. Howard
Guests: ASUM President Asa Hohman, ASUM Vice President Moriah Williams, ASUM Business
Manager Mike Hopkins
The minutes from 12/4/13 were approved. The meeting began with the UM Minute.
Communication Items:

Academic programs are finding errors as they map their degrees in Degree Builder.
Rather than require forms for clean-up, IT is keeping a list of the requested corrections.
The list will be given to ASCRC to review in case follow-up forms may be required.

The leadership of ASUM presented the concerns raised at the ASUM senate meeting
when the Language Motion was discussed. The vote at the meeting was 18 against with
8 in favor.
o The extra credits would add time to complete the degree.
o Students with dual majors might be confused about how to fulfill the Group III
requirement.
o The mandate would take away from student choice.
o Students’ ability to test out would be related to the quality of instruction received
in high school.
o Sign language should be able to meet the requirement.
o Preferred language for career goals (employability) might not be available.
o There should be an adequate supply of courses before the demand is increased.
o Departments should decide what is best for their majors.
o It is not clear why the faculty want to broaden the requirement so that more
students take language. A college education is becoming more expensive and
there is less federal aid available.
o Students do not become fluent with one year of language.
o It’s better for students interested in language to take language courses. Students
mostly take general education courses to check off a requirement not because of
interest.
o The 5 day/week structure is difficult to work into schedules, especially for
students who work.
o The added requirement could impact recruitment efforts at a time when
enrollment is down. Out of state students need to be assured that they will be able
to graduate in four years.
Business

ASCRC offered responses to the students concerns that also addressed the
correspondence received from Anthropology, Forestry and Business.
o The revision is not a new requirement, but rather a clarification of the exemption
criteria for the current requirement.
o It does not necessarily mean students would have to take 10 language credits at
UM. They are able to test out of the requirement or into a second semester
course. Academic interest questionnaires indicate a high number of incoming
freshmen have studied a second language.
o Modern and Classical Languages will work with students to verify competency in
languages not taught on campus.
o Transfer students within the MUS System can satisfy general education
requirements using the MUS Core. Students transferring with an AS or AA are
exempt from taking lower-division general education courses.
o The University requires all students to take math and science courses regardless of
their major, language should be the same.
o UM is a Liberal Arts Institution. Language is a part of a liberal education and is
necessary for a University with a global mission. A degree from a Liberal Arts
Institution implies a well-rounded education that includes language. Learning a
language exposes students to a different way of thinking and opens more doors
and future employment opportunities. Foreign language learning increases
critical thinking skills, creativity, and cognitive flexibility. There are studies that
show learning a second language correlates with life success. In general the
University needs to do a better job of communicating the intent of general
education requirements.

According to Interim Associate Provost Hinman there is a movement to change the way
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) is taught to make it more
assessable for students. She was wondering whether there might be a similar approach to
language, such as the possibility of offering an intensive emersion section over winter
break that teach students how to function in a country that does not speak English. If the
motion is approved the University should investigate different ways of offering language
as well as alternative pathways for substitutions. Degree Builder and wait listing will be
helpful tools to determine course demand.

Chair Henderson will draft a bulleted response to the issues to be sent to senators prior to the
Faculty Senate meeting on Thursday. The draft will be circulated electronically for members
input. The final document is appended below.

The Mansfield Center course forms have been revised in e-Curr. Camie will send the information to
members to facilitate the review. The program modification form that defines the symbolic systems
option for Media Arts was approved. The Psychology Program Modification to update the list of
electives in order to satisfy the upper-division rule was approved.

ASCRC discussed its concerns regarding the current Early Alert mechanism. Last year a
workgroup was created but did not meet. Professor Vonessen was concerned that the
message did not go out to students until three weeks after the deadline for the submission of
grades. This is because the Registrar’s Office received several requests for extensions. The
DEF doesn’t give students any specific information. The email notification encourages
students to speak with the course instructor and their advisor. However, this is only effective
if the student reads the email. It was suggested that the Early Alert deadline be advertised
well in advance so faculty can plan for grading to be completed. A system that allows the
faculty member to initiate the message once the grades were entered would be better. If the
course is set up in Moodle the grades are always available. It is the job of the instructor to
communicate with the students. The early alert is available for back-up.

The Office of Student Success is looking into whether another system can be used. This
system would be more flexible and could include additional details regarding students’
grades based on attendance, exams, and homework. It may also be possible to have multiple
time progress periods. The Office of Student Success is concerned that the University is
losing opportunities for intervention by not getting the information to advisors before the 45th
day of instruction. The Office is also looking into how to address the barriers of faculty
participation.

Beth Howard provided ASCRC with some background information on the campus-only
recruitment that took place over winter break. The position is funded by a grant through the
Commissioner of Higher Education’s Office. The position is intended to facilitate more
graduates with less debt. The position has an office in Griz Central and works closely with
Financial Aide and Business Services to offer seminars, counseling, and develop other
programs to help students understand the financial ramifications before making decisions.
The meeting adjourned at 4:00 PM
Language Motion Clarification
2/13/14
Action on the motion regarding Group IIIa: Modern and Classical Languages was postponed at the last
meeting of the Faculty Senate for lack of sufficient time for debate and because several departments
had concerns about the proposed motion that needed to be considered.
In the time since the motion was introduced, comments from several departments and ASUM have
been received by ASCRC that may inform the debate on the motion. The principal points raised in the
comments are summarized below:


The motion adds a new requirement for students that may lengthen the time needed to complete a
degree.
The added requirements narrow the range of electives a department/program or student may
include in a major, minor or option.
The University of Montana has a standing general education requirement for foreign language (Group
III) with an exception for symbolic systems as described. The current motion essentially defines more
clearly how to determine whether a language or symbolic systems are appropriate to meet the
requirement for Group III.
-
-

No new general education requirement is being added
No additional credits are required to graduate. The required language credits will be part of the
available elective credits in programs that require less than 48 credits in the major. Even after
general education requirements are added in, these students have currently about 30-40 elective
credits. The proposal would reduce the number of elective credits for these students to about
20-30.
Test out options apply
The requirement will provide high schools with an incentive to improve language instruction
The Montana Digital Academy is working to expose students to subjects that might not be
offered in their schools. Six languages are currently offered.
The motion is a mandate proposed by ASCRC that contravenes departmental and faculty governance
of the curriculum.
In 2009 the Faculty Senate requested that ASCRC and the Gen Ed Committee review the 2007 language
requirement with regard to when exceptions/exemptions should apply.


The number of students who will be required to take language courses is under-represented.
Uncounted students in certain options may increase numbers by as much as 100 students.
Students may not be able to select preferred languages because of increased demand.
Gen Ed performed a survey of all language classes offered at the request of ASCRC. The average number
of seats available from fall 2009 through spring 2013 in all currently approved language courses is 1745
and is estimated to be sufficient to accommodate incoming students.
Some languages (Spanish) do have more requests than available seats in fall semester. This is for several
reasons, among them perceived ease of learning. This spring however there are empty seats even in
Spanish, so while students may not be able to get a preferred language in a particular semester, they
should be able to do so in following terms.
Some languages—American Sign Language and Blackfeet, for example—have not requested approval for
language designation. We encourage them to do so.

Students may be discouraged from seeking double majors because of the language requirement.
The motion language makes allowance for one option within majors. Presumably the Gen Ed committee
and ASCRC can propose that the same allowance be extended to double or multiple majors.

Transfer students may be discouraged by the language requirement.
The language requirement is in the catalog now. Students who transfer from within the MUS may
complete their general education using the MUS transferable core. (See BOR Policy 301.10) Extending
reciprocity to transfers from outside the MUS has been proposed to BOR. Students who enter the
university having completed an Associate of Arts or Associate of Science degree are not required to take
additional general education classes at the 100 or 200 level.