Curriculum Committee
October 7, 2015 @ 3:30 PM, MCC Boardroom 207
MINUTES
Present: Derik Steyn, Chair; Linda Phillips; Mandy Husak; Robert Bausch; Greg Herring; Jeff Seger; Nikki
Kirk (SGA representative); Pamela Rogers; Ali Soylu; Hong Li; Lance Janda; Gary Buckley; Teresa Morales,
Sec’y
Apologies: Michelle Bannon (SGA); Maria Wilson (SGA); Saeed Ahmad; Lynda Robinson
Dr. Steyn opened the meeting at 3:30.
1. Minutes from September 9, 2015 meeting were approved with an amendment to the list of
committee members present to include Jeff Seger.
2. New student members: not present, but they emailed their votes. Nikki explained that for
both, their work schedule conflicted with today’s meeting, but would be at future meetings.
3. University Honors: Dr. Wohlers was present to issues from last month.
a. There is a need to “honorize” senior projects in Capstone courses
i. Currently there is no way to make this visible on student transcripts nor is there
a way to ensure that projects were, in fact, “honorized.”
ii. There needs to be an easier way to track with a named specific course
requirement making it more visible to students so they remain on track to
complete honors program.
iii. Dr. Wohlers suggested a contract made between the student and their senior
capstone course director for specific requirements that honorize the project.
This contract then goes to Dr. Wohlers to register the honor student in the
HONORS senior capstone course (HON 4300)—a non-credit course that is ONLY
used to track the “honorizing” of the senior project.
1. If students don’t’ fulfill the contract, they are withdrawn from the
course (HON 4300).
2. This course works through student’s capstone so that there is not a
duplicate capstone requirement or credit.
3. This should cut down on number of students who forget to complete
the “honorizing portion.
b. Committee recommends the following change:
i. Students first enroll in 16-week senior capstone course in their major. Students
then have a maximum of four weeks to create their “Honorizing” contract with
their course director.
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ii. This contract then goes to Dr. Wohlers, who then enrolls the student in the 12week HON 4300 course.
c. Dr. Buckley moves to accept as recommended. Dr. Janda seconds. The HON 4300
course proposal with the amended recommendation passes.
Criminal Justice and Sociology: Addition of CJ 4913 Capstone through removal of 3 hours
requirement from major support courses.
a. Dr. Odo was present to speak to this change. Basically this creates the Capstone course
for the major without changing the number of hours required for the degree.
b. Motion made to accept the change, second offered, vote approves.
Math Sciences: course deletion of MATH 1715
a. Course has not been taught in about five years.
b. Motion made to accept deletion, second offered, vote approves.
Computer and Technology: Change in description, number, level, and content of CIS 2083 to CIS
3033
a. Dr. Carroll spoke for this change.
i. The department has difficulty filling the class in the 2000 level.
ii. Over time the course has gained in significant rigor, enough to justify moving it
to an upper division course.
iii. This course is not on the Associates degree plan and therefore makes no impact
on students needing 2000 level courses.
b. Motion made to accept the change, second offered, vote approves.
Biological Sciences: Course requirement change for Assoc. of Science in Allied Health Sciences
requiring CHEM 1361 and CHEM 1364 as general education Physical Sciences requirement
instead of CHEM 1004 or PHYS 1004.
a. This effort is meant to streamline requirements for Allied Health by eliminating an
option that was enabling students to take coursework that could not be applied to the
degree requirement.
b. Degree hours are not changed.
c. Motion made to accept the change, second offered, vote approves.
Psychology: overhaul of degree requirements to reflect current needs. Changes were necessary
to create scaffolding for the psychology major.
Committee dealt with each change separately. All changes were moved for approval, seconded, and
voted approved. Dr. Janda recommends that a “grandfathered” statement should be added
protecting current majors, otherwise once approved by the Regents, the change is instantaneous.
a.
b.
c.
d.
Course addition PSY 1123 Advanced General Psychology (for the Psychology major)
Course addition PSY 3223 Writing in Psychology
Course addition PSY 3323 Quantitative Analysis and Interpretations
Change in description PSY 1113 General Psychology (for the non-Psychology major)
i. Approved change with understanding this must be approved by Gen. Ed.
Committee.
e. Change in prerequisites for
i. PSY 2113
ii. PSY 3413
iii. PSY 3423
iv. PSY 4363
v. PSY 4433
vi. PSY 4443
vii. PSY 4453
f. Change in description, content, prerequisite, and title—PSY 3363
g. Change in description, content, and title—PSY 3373
h. Change in description and prerequisite—PSY 4393
i. Change in perquisite, number and level—PSY 4423
Meeting ends at 4:43 PM. Next meeting is 11/11/15 @ 3:00 CETES 207.