Faculty Senate Meeting
December 9, 2015, 2:30 PM to 5:00 PM
MGC 4 & 5
Please Note Location
1) Chair’s Report – Larry Engel 2:30
a) November 4, 2015 minutes approval*
2) Provost’s Report – Scott Bass 2:40
3) Guidelines for Faculty Conduct* – Lydia Fettig 3:00
4) General Education Revision Update* - Peter Starr and Cindy Bair Van Dam 3:30
5) Campus Closure Language* – Lacey Wootton 4:10
6) Faculty Senate By-Law Revisions* – Lacey Wootton 4:30
a) Membership (Article II)
b) Election of the vice chair (Article III)
c) Non- Voting Participants and Observers (Article V)
d) Executive Committee (IX.A)
*= Handouts Included
Minutes
Faculty Senate Meeting
*** The complete recording for this meeting can be November 4, 2015
found at http://www.american.edu./facultysenate/agendas-minutes.cfm
Present: Professors: Larry Engel, Todd Eisentadt, Lacey Wootton, Karen Baehler, David Banks,
Kyle Brannon, Chris Edelson, Maria Gomez, Olivia Ivey, Kelly Joyner, Billie Jo Kaufman,
Joshua Lansky, Jun Lu, Mary Mintz, John Nolan, Arturo Porzecanski, Andrea Pearson, Steve
Silvia, Chris Simpson, Kate Wilson, Brian Yates, Provost Scott Bass and DAA Mary L. Clark.
Professor Engel called the meeting to order at 2:35 PM
Chair’s Report – Larry Engel
October Minutes Approval – Professor Engel opened the floor for discussion and approval of
the October 7, 2015 minutes. The senate VOTED and the minutes were approved 19-0-2.
Jim McCabe Resolution – Professor Engel stated that he would be bringing to the floor a
sensitive discussion that was requested by two of his colleagues, Professors John Willoughby
and Mary Gray. The events entailed the arrest of a previous staff member, Jim McCabe.
Professor Engel asked Professor Gray to inform the senators of this event.
Professor Gray stated that she had written and signed a letter to President Kerwin along with
forty five other members of the faculty. The letter addressed the incident resulting in the arrest of
Mr. Jim McCabe. Since then, the charges against Mr. McCabe have been dropped; however, she
stated that the incident was handled well by the police but the fact they were called in the first
place was her concern. Mr. McCabe was seated in the TDR peacefully passing out literature to
students about the working conditions of the dining hall and cleaning workers at AU. It is
Professor Gray’s understanding that Mr. McCabe has been banned from campus. She found that
anyone banned from the campus for using his or her freedom of expression was disturbing.
Professor Gray stated that she is hopeful that freedom of expression is being taught at AU and
offered to visiting speakers.
Professor Gray expressed that what she would like is a response from President Kerwin
explaining a firm defense of freedom of expression at AU, what rule did Mr. McCabe violate and
what progress is happening on the working conditions of the workers in question. She requested
a response from the Faculty Senate as well as the members who signed the letter she formulated.
Professor Engel thanked Professor Gray and opened the floor for questions and comments. After
the senators had a discussion Professor Engel determined that further information needed to be
obtained regarding the details of this event and returned to the Senate for further review.
Professor Mintz expressed that she would like to bring forth a draft resolution she composed for
consideration of the Senate which reads:
Faculty Senate • November 4, 2015 Minutes
Page 1 of 3
“Whereas: a retired staff member was arrested and subsequently banned from the AU campus
while distributing information about the condition of workers at the University, the Faculty
Senate expresses deep regret at this action by the University and urges the Senate Executive
Committee to investigate this event and its implications for academic freedom and freedom of
speech at the University and report back to the Senate.” The Senate VOTED on the resolution
20-0-2 in favor.
Provost’s Report – Scott Bass
Provost Bass summarized the October 9, 2015 leadership retreat on the RiSE initiative. He said it
was the first time he recalls all levels of administration, faculty and staff coming together to
discuss the student experience. He expressed that it was a great event and very substantive.
Additionally he stated that Senior Vice President of Consumer Affairs Mary Ellen Burris from
Wegmans came to campus to share the Wegmans’ customer service practice and informed the
senators that on Nov 16, Clinical Psychologist Dr. Amy Windover from the Cleveland Clinic
will also be speaking on their patient services practice.
Provost Bass stated that with the move of WCL to Tenley Town, the current Spring Valley
campus will be used in the fall for additional classroom and office space. This will cause some
logistical issues with the timing of the shuttle busses so revised class schedule times will need to
be inplemented to accommodate the change. Provost Bass asked University Registrar Doug
McKenna to present the details of the proposed schedule changes.
University Registrar Doug McKenna introduced the new schedule time changes clarifying that
the first class will start at 8:10 AM with 20 minutes between classes and that the first evening
class will begin at 5:30 PM with 10 minutes between classes. These changes are to accommodate
the shuttle and foot traffic related to the opening of East campus and the classroom use in the
Spring Valley location.
Campus Life and Climate – Vice Provost Gail Hanson
Vice Provost Gail Hanson from the Office of Campus Life thanked the Senate for the invitation
to speak. VP Hanson stated that she will be speaking on three main topics, well being, sexual
conduct and campus climate. VP Hanson gave an overview of each of these topics, providing
professional contacts, resources and suggestions on how faculty can address all three of these
topics with students. She also addressed further questions and concerns from the faculty.
Undergraduate Regulations Medical Withdrawal – VP Lyn Stallings – Rob Hradsky
VP Stallings stated that she is bringing back the proposed Medical Withdrawal language change
first brought to the senators at the October meeting. The suggested changes included changing
the withdrawal date to 10 weeks or to the last day of classes. The Senate had discussion and a
motion for the 10th week option was VOTED on and approved 19-1-1.
Faculty Senate By-Law Changes – Lacey Wootton
Faculty Senate • November 4, 2015 Minutes
Page 2 of 3
Honors Advisory Committee – Lacey Wootton and Lyn Stallings
VP Stallings explained that the position of chair on the Honors Advisory Committee does
involve a lot of work and in the past has been a struggle to fill. The position is demanding and
requires a lot of time. As a result it was determined that including the chair title with the AU
Honors program director’s position was the best solution. Lengthy discussion was had on the
logistics of filling this position and new language suggestions were noted. At the request of the
Senate, revised language would be crafted with the suggested changes and brought back to the
next senate meeting for approval in December.
Professor Wootton began the review of the remaining changes that include:


Article II. Membership – Change language from “replace half” to “fill vacancies”
Article IX. Committees and Functions, A. Executive Committee – Change language
to paragraph three from “meeting university administrators once every three years” to
current practice, which is “as needed.” Paragraph 5, bullet 4 will be followed as there are
no changes. Bullet 8, “providing minutes for the Executive Committee” will be returned
for further review and discussion
 B. Standing Committees – Discussion was had about clarifying language in the charge
of the UCC and GCC, and due to uncertainty, it was requested that this section be
brought back.
Professor Mintz suggested that the discussion of the by-laws end and return at the next meeting
to allow for proper edits to be made and the remaining business to be addressed. The senators
agreed.
SIT Update – Doug McKenna
University Registrar Doug McKenna stated that he has been working with Assistant University
Registrar Brett Berkowitz who has been the functional lead on the SET replacement
implementation. University Registrar McKenna gave an overview of the new SIT process. He
stated that the vendor selected is eXplorance and will be providing their product called Blue.
Further detailed explanation and discussion was had about the online pilot, and Registrar
McKenna stated that the pilot is on a tight timeline and is projected to begin the process the week
of November 11, 2015. He clarified that the current SET questions would be used in this pilot,
and not the new questions approved by the Senate.
University Registrar McKenna stated that he wanted to thank Assistant Registrar Berkowitz for
his lead role in the implementation of the new platform.
For the Good of the Order – Larry Engel
Professor Engel informed the Senators that on November 18, 2015 at 2:00 PM there will be the
50th Anniversary celebration of the dedication of the Kay Spiritual Life Center. He encouraged
all to attend.
The meeting was adjourned at 5:00 PM
Faculty Senate • November 4, 2015 Minutes
Page 3 of 3
Faculty Senate By-laws, proposed revisions to selected sections (Dec. 2015)
Article II, Membership
B. The university faculty shall elect, annually, in the spring, approximately one half of
senators to fill vacancies in the faculty membership of the Senate for terms of two years.
Commented [LW1]: Changed to reflect practice; already
reviewed by Senate at October meeting (no vote).
Faculty Senate By-laws, proposed revisions to selected sections (Dec. 2015)
Article III. Officers of the Senate (current language)
A. The Chair of the Senate shall have been the Vice Chair or, in the event of need, be elected
by and from the Senate. The Chair serves for a term of one year, beginning June 15. The Chair
is leader of the Faculty Senate and cannot continue his or her former representative role. He or
she shall preside and appoint special committees unless the Senate by resolution fixes another
rule for their selection. Upon completion of his or her term as Chair, the individual becomes the
Immediate Past Chair for a one-year term.
B. The Vice Chair of the Senate shall be elected by and from the Senate for a term of one year,
beginning on June 15. If the Vice Chair is from the Senate, the Vice Chair will continue his or
her representative role if the term has not expired. In the event that no current or rising senator
is available to serve as Vice Chair, then the Executive Committee will nominate someone to be
confirmed by the Senate. He or she shall discharge the responsibilities of the Chair of the
Senate in his or her absence or at his or her request.
Two options for revising III. B. (election of Vice Chair):
Option 1: External election from and by the faculty as a whole
B. The Vice Chair of the Senate shall be elected by and from the full-time faculty for a term of
one year, beginning on June 15. Current senators are eligible to run for Vice Chair. The election
of the Vice Chair shall be part of the at-large Senate elections and shall be subject to the same
procedures and policies as described in Article X., Eligibility for and Nominations and Elections
to the Senate and Its Committees of these by-laws.
If the Vice Chair is from the Senate, the Vice Chair will continue his or her representative role if
the term has not expired. He or she shall discharge the responsibilities of the Chair of the Senate
in his or her absence or at his or her request.
Option 2: Internal election by the Faculty Senate
B. The Vice Chair of the Senate shall be elected by the Senate for a term of one year, beginning
on June 15. Candidates may be current senators or any senator who has served within the past
five years. In February, the Chair shall call for nominations for Vice Chair. This call will be
announced to the faculty at large, and senators will consult with their constituencies to bring
forward nominees at the March Senate meeting. The election of the Vice Chair will occur at the
March Senate meeting by secret ballot.
If the Vice Chair is from the Senate, the Vice Chair will continue his or her representative role if
the term has not expired. He or she shall discharge the responsibilities of the Chair of the Senate
in his or her absence or at his or her request.
Commented [LW2]: New change: After the Nov. Senate
meeting, Chris Simpson proposed language detailing new
election procedures for the vice chair that would involve the
faculty at large. The Executive Committee discussed his
proposal and developed two options for the election of the Vice
Chair.
Faculty Senate By-laws, proposed revisions to selected sections (Dec. 2015)
Article V, Non-Voting Participants and Observers
C. News representatives of the student newspaper, radio, and television station, and other
university publications are specifically invited to attend and to report on Senate meetings.
Representatives of other communications media may attend by special permission of the Chair
or Senate. Use of television cameras and other recording devices requires advance notice to and
permission from the Chair and and advance notice to the university office of Media Relations.
Commented [LW3]: New change: It seems logical to require
permission to be recorded or taped, especially if outside media
must have permission to be at the meeting. (Mary Mintz)
Faculty Senate By-laws, proposed revisions to selected sections (Dec. 2015)
IX. A. Executive Committee
A. Executive Committee
At the final meeting of each academic year, the Senate shall constitute an Executive
Committee for the following academic year. The Senate Executive Committee shall have
eight voting members: the Senate Past Chair, the Senate Chair, the Senate Vice Chair, the
Academic Budget and Benefits Committee Chair, the Chair of the Undergraduate Curriculum
Committee, the Chair of the Graduate Curriculum Committee, an at-large senator, and an
additional senator from among its number. The at-large senator and additional senator
should be nominated by the Executive Committee and elected each academic year at the first
Senate meeting by the new Senate body. When seeking to fill the at-large and general seats on the
Executive Committee, the Senate will strive for representation from as many colleges and schools
as possible. Nominations may also be submitted from the floor of the Senate. In instances when
more than one senator has been nominated for either the at-large or general seat on the Executive
Committee, the Senate shall use a secret ballot to decide who will serve. The Provost and the
Dean of Academic Affairs are ex officio non-voting members of the Senate Executive Committee.
Commented [LW4]: New change: Standard practice for
governing bodies and should be emphasized here. (Mary Mintz)
The Senate Chair has the discretion to invite any person to attend an Executive Committee
meeting and to speak within limits set by the committee. Guests may n ot vote. The Senate
Executive Committee has the right by majority vote to go into executive session. When an
executive session is voted, all non-voting Committee members and guests must leave the
meeting place unless invited to stay by majority vote.
The Executive Committee will meet with university administrators or their designees at least
once every three yearsas needed to receive a report on activities, plans, and/or changes in
policies with attention to how those activities, plans, and/or changes in policies affect academic
life at the university. Such university administrators may include, but are not limited to, the
Vice Provost of Undergraduate Studies, Dean of Graduate Studies and Vice Provost for Research,
Vice President of Campus Life, Vice President of Finance and Treasurer, University Registrar,
and Director of the Center for Teaching, Research, and Learning.
If the need arises, the Executive Committee will make recommendations to the Provost based
on each report and/or invite the university administrator to report to the Faculty Senate.
The duties of the Faculty Senate Executive Committee include but are not limited to the
following:
 setting the Senate’s agenda,
 bringing motions to the Senate on its own initiative,
 informing the faculty when nominations are due for Senate elections and making
reasonable efforts to ensure that there is an appropriate number of nominees for each
election,
 nominating faculty subject to Senate ratification to serve as faculty
representatives on committees of the Board of Trustees,
 maintaining liaison with all Senate committees,
 reviewing accreditation reports,
Commented [A5]: Changed to reflect practice. Reviewed at
November Senate meeting; not voted on.
Faculty Senate By-laws, proposed revisions to selected sections (Dec. 2015)





reviewing Academic Unit/Program Review reports,
providing a copy of the Executive Committee agenda (except for confidential business) to
the Faculty Senate, with the outcome for each item designated and with brief explanations
for those items that the Executive Committee has decided not to bring to the full Senate,
providing keeping minutes for of Executive Committee meetings,
selecting Hearing hearing Panel panel members from the elected Hearing Committee as
charged in the Faculty Manual,
filling vacancies on the Senate between annual elections: For at-large positions, the
Executive Committee will first approach candidates who stood for election in the most
recent election; should those candidates be unwilling or ineligible, the Executive
Committee will nominate someone for ratification by the Senate. For other positions, the
Executive Committee will ask the deans to provide candidates.
Commented [LW6]: New change
Commented [A7]: New change
Commented [LW8]: New change. (Mary Mintz)
TO
Faculty Senate
FROM
Lydia Morris Fettig
Senior Professorial Lecturer, Department of Literature, College Writing Program
Chair, Senate Ad-Hoc Faculty Conduct Committee
RE.
Draft of Guidelines for Faculty Conduct for Review
DATE
December 1, 2015
Attached is a draft of the Guidelines for Faculty Conduct (GFC) to be discussed at the December 9, 2015,
Faculty Senate meeting. Earlier drafts of this document have been reviewed by the following individuals,
committees, and offices: Provost Bass, Faculty Senate Executive Committee, Human Resources, and
Office of General Counsel.
Context
The GFC was written by the Senate Ad-Hoc Faculty Conduct Committee, which was formed and began its
work in May of 2015. The members of this committee are listed below.
Name
Becher, Melissa
Cakici, Engin
Clark, Mary
Fettig, Lydia (chair)
Krasnow, Iris
McKay, Pilar
Merrill, Tom
Muha, Beth
Niles, Mark
Quainton, Tony
Sonenshine, Ralph
Nguyen-Southern, Thi
Committee Role and Academic Unit
Faculty, Library
Faculty, Kogod School of Business
Ex-Officio
Faculty, College of Arts and Sciences
Faculty, School of Professional & Extended Studies
Faculty, School of Communication
Faculty, School of Public Affiars
Available Resource, Human Resources
Faculty, Washington College of Law
Faculty, School of International Service
Faculty, College of Arts and Sciences
Available Resource, Office of General Counsel
A recent revision of the Academic Regulations initiated the creation of this document. More specifically,
several sections of the Academic Regulations were removed with the purpose of creating a new, more
appropriate document for those policies and procedures. The GFC is, in part, that new document. As you
may notice, Section I of the GFC (“Administration of Classes”) includes revised sections of text that was
once included within the Academic Regulations. The remaining three sections of the GFC serve to provide
additional guidance and resources for faculty members.
In creating the GFC, the committee reviewed similar documents at several other institutions. We also
reviewed many AAUP Policies and Reports and a variety of AU policy-related documents, to include the
Faculty Manual, the Staff Personnel Policies Manual, the Student Conduct Code, several Faculty Senate
Reports.
Looking Ahead
We hope to follow this Faculty Senate review with at least two town halls so the wider university committee
can read and respond to the GFC. We would also like to provide Deans with an opportunity to offer
feedback. In addition, we have considered setting up a blog site for comments and discussion.
1
Guidelines for Faculty Conduct
American University
Preamble
The purpose of these Guidelines is to clarify expectations for the professional conduct
of the American University faculty. These Guidelines are intended to be consistent with
and amplify the AU Faculty Manual and existing University policies, rather than
supplant the Manual or any policy.
The articulation of types of unacceptable faculty conduct is appropriate to verify that a
consensus about minimally acceptable standards exists. These Guidelines for Faculty
Conduct thus articulate standards of professional conduct, derived from general
professional consensus about the existence of certain principles and precepts as basic
to acceptable faculty behavior. Conduct that departs from these principles and precepts
is unacceptable because it is contrary to the mission of the University and is
inconsistent with professional consensus.
The Guidelines for Faculty Conduct are organized into four sections:
I. Administration of Classes
II. Interactions with Students
III. Interactions with Other Faculty, Staff, and the University
IV. Scholarship and Research
I.
Administration of Classes
Each faculty member is charged with the full responsibility for the conduct and control
of the classes to which he or she is assigned. This responsibility is to be guided by
policies and regulations of the university and the college or school in which a course is
offered.
A faculty member should follow the general course description and objectives as
provided by the college, school or department where the course is offered; administer
examinations or other appropriate evaluative methods and otherwise provide adequate
basis for evaluation of students; and maintain good order and enforce university
regulations in classes at all times. All faculty members are encouraged to avail
themselves of the resources provided by the Center for Teaching, Research, and
Learning which include a Template for Course Syllabi, a Best Practices Guide, and a
New Faculty Guide.
The following are guidelines and procedures for faculty to follow in administering their
classes.
2
A.
Syllabi A syllabus describing the general nature and scope of each course should be prepared
and submitted to the academic unit in which the course is offered. This syllabus should
be updated and shared with the appropriate academic unit(s) each time the class is
offered.
All syllabi should include learning outcomes, the methods by which course grades are
determined, and policies regarding attendance, participation, and the submission of
incomplete or late work--provided these policies are not contrary to those of the university
or the college or school in which the course is offered.
All faculty members should also establish reasonable rules within their syllabi with respect
to unexcused absences with the understanding that students cannot be penalized for
officially excused absences. In addition, faculty members are encouraged to create and
include a syllabus policy about the classroom use of electronic devices (cell phones,
laptop computers, e-readers and tablets, etc.).
All syllabi should provide the faculty member’s contact information and office hours,
relevant information about teaching assistants, and the required passages provided
within the Center for Teaching, Research, and Learning’s Syllabus Template.
Substantive syllabus changes should not be made while the course is being taught.
Non-substantive changes, such as alternate readings, minor alterations to course
assignments, and schedule changes should be clearly communicated to the students in
a timely manner.
A syllabus is not intended to inhibit flexibility on the part of the faculty member or place
limits on the prerogative of adapting a course in the way it seems most suitable. The
university is well aware that each faculty member will place emphasis in a course
according to the professor's conception of the subject matter covered. However, all syllabi
should provide a clear summary of what the course is intended to achieve, the content it
covers, and some indication of the breadth and depth of coverage and the basic
assignments and examinations required of students. In addition, all major course
assignments and examinations should relate to the learning outcomes stated within the
syllabus. B.
Social Media Guidelines
The creation and use of social media are constantly evolving. Given issues regarding
ownership, privacy, ethics, and related matters, faculty members are encouraged to
incorporate the Social Media Syllabus Language guidelines, created by the Social
Media Policy Committee, and the Faculty Senate’s Social Media Tips and Guidelines.
Both of these documents are available on the Senate Reports webpage.
C.
Office Hours
3
All faculty members are expected to be available to communicate with students outside
of class sessions during every term in which they teach. Some academic departments
and units may require a minimum number of weekly office hours. Customarily, tenured,
tenure-track, and term faculty hold 2-3 in-person office hours per week; adjunct faculty
hold 1-2 in-person office hours per week.
Office hours should be noted on syllabi and at least some of the hours should be
offered in person. In addition, at the start of every academic term, faculty members
should post their office hours outside their office doors and provide their academic units
with information about their selected office hours.
D.
Textbooks and Class Materials
Faculty members who expect that students will acquire textbooks, other books, or
specialized materials such as art paper, must ensure that the campus store is informed of
their needs at least two months prior to the beginning of the course to ensure availability
at the start of the semester. Faculty members or the appropriate teaching unit should also
advise the campus bookstore as to whether books not sold for a given course should be
returned to the publisher or retained in stock for sale when the course is offered again.
Desk copies of textbooks for faculty members should be secured directly from the
publishers following the guidelines provided by the publisher. They will not be available
through the campus store.
The University Library can place course materials on reserve either in the library or
online. See the Library’s Reserves website for more information and deadlines.
E.
Class Norms
Atmosphere. All faculty members teaching classes at American University, whether they
are full- time or part-time faculty, will observe the highest possible academic and
professional standards in their own performance and in the performance they demand of
their students. Faculty members should be committed to practice intellectual honesty, to
encourage the free pursuit of learning and the free expression of ideas among their
students, to promote high scholarly standards, to respect students as individuals and to
treat them appropriately in and out of class, to evaluate students' work fairly, and to
adhere to their proper roles as intellectual guides and counselors of students.
Management of Disorderly Students. Primary responsibility for managing the classroom
environment (including meetings with students during office hours) rests with faculty. A
faculty member may remove any disorderly student for the remainder of the class or end a
meeting early, and, if necessary, call upon public safety for assistance. If circumstances
require a longer suspension from class or dismissal from the University or other sanctions,
these disciplinary measures must be preceded by the process outlined in the Student
Conduct Code.
Diversity and Inclusion. All faculty should respect and embrace diversity as outlined
within American University’s Strategic Plan.
4
Trigger Warnings. The University’s stance, which favors academic freedom, is outlined
within the Faculty Senate Resolution on Freedom of Expression, the full text of which is
available on the Senate Reports webpage.
F.
Cancellation of Class Meetings
Each faculty member, in accepting an appointment to teach for the university, assumes
an obligation to be present for the full length of all meetings of each class to which he or
she is assigned. Faculty members are expected to conduct classes as scheduled and
on time.
Students cannot be expected to wait for a tardy instructor for more than twenty minutes
and no faculty member may penalize a class which exercises its prerogative of
disbanding when the instructor is late.
Public Cancellations. When cancellation is announced publicly through the usual media
of local communication, classes will not meet. However, some other circumstances may
prompt a professor to cancel class meetings. Whenever cancellations are necessary,
instructors should notify their academic department and their students. Students are
expected to adhere to the course schedule despite the cancellation while professors
are expected to ensure that all substantive materials and assignments will be covered.
A faculty member who wishes to hold a class meeting in lieu of one cancelled may not
schedule it on holidays, during vacation periods, during periods that conflict with other
classes or finals, or at other times when classes are not meeting regularly. A special
class meeting should be at a time which is mutually satisfactory to the instructor and
students. Any student who cannot attend this special meeting will not be penalized for
nonattendance.
Private Cancellations. If a faculty member needs to cancel one or more class sessions
and/or office hours due to an emergency or related situation, he or she should make
arrangements with her or her academic department and/or dean.
Substitutes. If and when needed, substitutes must be carefully selected and given
enough information about the course content and student assignments to enable them
to carry out their work satisfactorily and in accordance with the faculty member's
syllabus. G.
Guest Lecturers and Class Visitors
Guest lecturers must be carefully selected and given enough information about the
course content and assignments to enable them to carry out their work satisfactorily
and in accordance with the faculty member's syllabus.
Occasionally visitors to the university wish to attend classes as observers. Such visitors
may include friends, prospective students, faculty colleagues, and scholars interested in
educational developments and methodology. Those visits must be approved by the
instructor and, when appropriate, pre-arranged with the academic unit. Otherwise,
5
faculty members are expected to deny a place in the class to any person who has not
been formally registered, unless an unregistered student is attending a portion of a
course for valid academic reasons with the permission of the instructor and the relevant
academic unit.
H.
Advising and Counseling Students
An important part of the teaching function is consultation with students both on their
problems and progress in particular courses and on their programs, academic goals, and
career objectives in general. Faculty members should advise a student in academic
difficulties in any of their classes and suggest possible methods by which the student
may improve performance.
The faculty member may refer the student to the staff of the Counseling Center if the
student's difficulty appears to involve personal issues or to the staff of the Academic
Support Center if the difficulty appears to involve academic issues.
Full-time faculty members are prohibited from entering into privately negotiated
remunerative arrangements for special tutoring of students in any American University
courses.
I.
Grades and Examinations
Faculty members should consult the appropriate Academic Regulations regarding all of
the following:
● Exam Administration and Grading
● Take Home Exams
● Early Warning Reports
● Final Course Grade Submission
● Communication of Final Course Grades to Students
● Grade Changes
[As of now, the bulleted elements listed above are not a part of the Academic
Regulations; discussions to return these elements to the Academic Regulations are in
progress. The Academic Regulations and/or this document will be updated
accordingly.]
II.
Interactions with Students The roles of teacher and student comprise the heart of the life of the university. The
teacher exemplifies the search for truth by means of the free exchange of arguments,
ideas, and evidence, and he or she aims to encourage the same ethos in students. The
teacher should thus treat all students with respect, evaluate them without bias, and avoid
actions that interfere with the activity of inquiry inside or outside the classroom. All faculty members should therefore observe these ethical standards:
6
● To encourage students in the search for truth by means of free exchange of
arguments, ideas, and evidence.
● To exhibit the highest scholarly standards of the disciplines.
● To demonstrate respect for students and encourage a spirit of respect inside and
outside the classroom.
● To make every effort to evaluate students fairly and without bias.
● To protect the academic freedom of students inside and outside of the classroom,
including by both respecting the free speech of students and fostering respect for
the legitimate diversity of views.
● To apprise themselves of university policies and statutory obligations concerning
reporting accusations of serious misconduct and criminal acts.
Similarly, all faculty members should avoid the following sorts of unacceptable behavior in
their role as teacher:
● Discrimination against students on the basis of political belief, race, gender, sexual
orientation or other factors extrinsic to the roles of teacher and student.
● Use of the classroom for political purposes, including required participation in
political campaigns or lobbying efforts for specific causes.
● Use of the classroom for personal purposes; class time should be devoted to the
professional and academic study of matters related to the course.
● Failure to respect students as fellow inquirers inside or outside the classroom.
● Evaluation of students by criteria irrelevant to performance in class.
● Failure to abide by professional standards with regard to the administration of
classes, including the circulation of syllabi, returning graded work in a timely
fashion, and the like.
● Entering a consensual sexual relationship with any student or individual for whom
the faculty member has a professional or supervisory responsibility.
● Failure to respect norms of confidentiality with regard to students.
III. Interactions with Other Faculty, Staff, and the University
Faculty members at American University, while they may be employed under different
types of contracts, are part of the same learning community. They and university staff all
work toward a common purpose and share a core set of institutional values including
diversity and integrity. While protected by academic freedom, faculty members also have
obligations as colleagues, as described in the AAUP Statement on Professional Ethics.
All faculty members should adhere to the procedures and policies as outlined within the
Faculty Manual. In addition, all faculty should review and abide by the other university
procedures and policies, many of which are listed on the University Policies Webpage.
Finally, faculty are encouraged to adhere to the guidelines below, some of which may
overlap with existing guidelines and policies:
● Faculty members should keep confidentiality when requested and when
appropriate.
● Faculty members should not make evaluations of the professional competence of
other faculty members or staff by criteria not reflective of professional performance.
7
● Faculty members should encourage the expression of and respect the opinions of
others. They should not use their positions to intimidate, humiliate, or coerce other
faculty members or staff. They are aware that their obligations as colleagues
extend to various electronic forms of communication including social media and emails as well as face-to-face communication.
IV. Scholarship and Research
The value and reputation of any intellectual community necessitates academic rigor and
scholarly integrity.
All faculty members should adhere to the Scholarly Misconduct Policy and be aware of
the Scholarly Misconduct Procedures. Potential violations will be investigated, as outlined
within the Faculty Manual.
Faculty members who need or want research-related support should consult the
appropriate resources, several of which are listed below.
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
●
Center for Teaching, Research & Learning
Faculty Research Home Page
General Research Home Page
Office of Institutional Research & Assessment
Office of Research Integrity
Opportunities for Funding
Research Centers and Institutes
University Library
ReimaginingGeneralEducation:
TowardaNewAUCoreCurriculum
DraftofNov.30th,2015
OurgoalatAmericanUniversityistoeducatethoughtful,responsiblehumanbeingsbyofferingthemachallenging
yetsupportiveacademicexperience.Throughourcommitmenttoarobustliberaleducationcore,weteachour
studentstoengagewithcomplexity,valuediversity,andunderstandchange.Thefollowingproposalseeksto
reimagineliberaleducationbyforegroundingthespecificskillsandhabitsofmindthatareattheheartofliberal
education.Ourproposal,whileuniqueinitsspecifics,isinspiredbycurrenttrendsingeneraleducation:an
emphasisonlearningoutcomes(ratherthan,orinconjunctionwith,contentareas),adevelopmentalarcthatstarts
withafirst-yearexperienceandculminatesinacapstone,andsustainedattentiontoissuesofequity,diversity,and
inclusion.
OurcurrentGeneralEducationprogram,designedin1989andrevisedagainin2009,exposesstudentstoabroad
baseofknowledge.Thataim,however,hasbeenunderminedbyextensivegrantingofGeneralEducationcreditto
studentswithhighAPscoresandwidespreaddoublecountingofcoursestowardbothGenEdandthemajors.The
resultisthatourstudentsexperienceourGeneralEducationprograminwildlydifferentways—sometakingallten
courses,otherstakingasfewasfour.Whilethenumberofcoursesstudentstakevaries,theirattitudestowardthe
programcoherearoundonecentralidea:GenEdisanobstacle,alistofrequirementstotickoffbeforetheycan
takecoursesintheirmajors.
Inrevisingtheprogram,ouraimistocreateanintellectualcorethatallstudentsparticipateinequally—onethat
highlightsmetacognition,thatis,makingstudentsawarethatlearningisarecursiveprocessthathappensover
time.OurworkcomplementstheRiSEproject,whichaimstofocusandimprovestudents’experiencesduringtheir
timeatAU.(Thefourdevelopmentalstagesinthe
graphatrightderivefromtheRiSEproject’sstudent
life-cyclemap.)Wealsoseektoaddresscurrent
deficitsinbothquantitativeliteracy,writing,and
informationliteracytraining.Byreducingthe
numberofoverallcreditsandcreatingmore
flexibilityastowhenstudentstaketheircore
courses,weaimtoexpandstudents’abilityto
pursuedoublemajorsandminors,aswellasto
studyabroad.Tosignaladecisivebreakwiththe
content-areaapproachtogeneraleducation,we
proposerenamingtheprogram,withthefinalname
tobedeveloped.(Eachofthetwoworkingtitlesto
date—UniversityCollegeandTheAUExperience—
hassignificantdrawbacks.)
Althoughtheproposedmodelisholisticindesign,trackingourstudents’intellectualdevelopmentfrom
matriculationtograduation,itishelpfultothinkofthecoursesthatitcomprisesinthreebroadcategories:
1
•
•
•
Asequenceofcoursesmostlytakenoutsidethemajor,fromComplexProblemsthroughthefiveHabitsof
Mindcourses(describedbelow),alongwithQuantitativeLiteracyI,WrittenCommunicationand
InformationLiteracyI,andtheAUExperience.Thissequencetotals29-33credits(asmallnumberofwhich
maybecountedtowardthemajororminor,asdiscussedbelow);
Asetofcourses,oftenwithinthemajorandtotaling9credits,leadingtoaCapstone;and
Anoptionalsetofone-creditprofessionalskillsmodules.
ThisdrafthasbeentheworkofanadhoctaskforceandtheGeneralEducationCommittee(listedbelow).Overthe
summer,thetaskforcemetbi-weeklytostudycurrentscholarshipinliberaleducation,examineprogramsfrom
acrossthecountry,meetwithoutsideexperts,andwriteafirstdraftoftheproposal.Thisfall,theGeneral
EducationCommittee,comprisingfacultyfromAU’sprimaryundergraduateschools,metrepeatedlytodiscussand
furtherrevisethedraft.Theco-chairsofthetaskforcehavealsometwithrepresentativesofmanycampusoffices,
withaneyetowardanticipatingpossibleimplementationissues,andhavebegunmeetingswithstudentleaders.
WenowfeelwehaveadraftthatisreadytobesharedanddiscussedacrosstheentireAUcommunity.
EachandeverymemberofthetaskforceandGeneralEducationCommitteerecognizesthecomplexitiesinvolvedin
redesigningaprogramthataffectsstudents,facultyandstaffalike.Wearededicatedtoacareful,deliberativeand
transparentprocess,attentivetotheideasandconcernsoftheentireAUcommunity.Tothatend,wehave
scheduledtwofocusgroupswithstudentleadersandwillholdseveralstudenttownhallsinJanuary.Townhallsfor
facultyandstaffwillbeheldon
• Dec.2nd1:00-2:30intheBattelleAtrium;
• Dec.8th10:00-11:30intheSISFoundersRoom;and
• Jan.11th10:00-11:30intheButlerBoardRoom.
Ourgoalwillbetoimplementanewcoreprogramforallundergraduatestudents,includingtransfers,whoarrive
oncampusinfall2017.Studentswhoarrivepriortothatdatewillbesubjecttocurrentrequirements.Weplanto
runsixsectionsofComplexProblemsandtheAUExperienceasapilotinthe2016-2017academicyear.As
directionsemergefromthecampus-wideconversation,theProvost’sOfficeandschoolswillcontinuallyassessthe
financialviabilityoftheproposedcurriculum.
Welookforwardtohearingyoursuggestionsandconcerns.
GeneralEducationTaskForceMembers
CindyBairVanDam,GeneralEducationCommitteeChair,co-chair
PeterStarr,Dean,CollegeofArtsandSciences,co-chair
JesseBoeding,AssistantDeanforUndergraduatePrograms,Kogod
SchoolofBusiness
LauraBonDurant,AssociateDeanofAcademicServices,Schoolof
Communication
MaryClark,DeanofAcademicAffairsandSeniorViceProvost
MaryFrancesGiandrea,GeneralEducationCommittee,History
BradGilligan,Manager,GeneralEducationProgramandAssessment
JenGumbrewicz,GeneralEducationCommittee,Justice,Lawand
Criminology
PatrickThaddeusJackson,AssociateDeanforCurriculumand
Learning,SchoolofInternationalService
SarahFrancesKnight,GeneralEducationCommittee,Biology
Celine-MariePascale,AssociateDeanforUndergraduateStudies,
CollegeofArtsandSciences
LynStallings,ViceProvostforUndergraduateStudies
JessicaWaters,AssociateDeanforUndergraduateEducation,School
ofPublicAffairs
GeneralEducationCommitteeMembers
CindyBairVanDam,HurstSeniorProfessorialLecturer,College
WritingProgram,Chair
EllenFeder,Professor,PhilosophyandReligion
MaryFrancesGiandrea,AssistantProfessor,History
BradGilligan,Manager,GeneralEducationProgramandAssessment
LindseyGreen-Simms,AssistantProfessor,Literature
JenGumbrewicz,ProfessorialLecturer,Justice,LawandCriminology
JaneHall,AssociateProfessor,SchoolofCommunication
MattHartings,AssistantProfessor,Chemistry
JillKlein,ExecutiveinResidence,KogodSchoolofBusiness
SarahFrancesKnight,ProfessorialLecturer,Biology
TeresaLarkin,AssociateProfessor,Physics
MaryMintz,AssociateLibrarian,UniversityLibrary
MirjanaMorosini,Instructor,SchoolofInternationalService
WilliamQuirk,ProfessorialLecturer,WorldLanguagesandCultures
TomRatekin,AssistantProfessor,Literature
JenniferSteele,AssociateProfessor,SchoolofEducation
E.AndrewTaylor,AssociateProfessor,PerformingArts
JohnWilloughby,Professor,Economics
2
CoursesPrimarilyOutsidetheMajor
Typicallytakeninthefirstyear
§
ComplexProblems(3credits):A1st-yearspecialtopicsseminar,typicallytaughtinfallsemesterbyfull-time
facultyfromacrosstheuniversityandcappedat19students.Allstudents,includingtransferstudents,must
takeaComplexProblemsseminar.AsignaturegatewaytotheUniversityCollegecurriculum,thesecourses
willintroducestudentstotheprocessofacademicinquirythroughanalysisofoneormorecomplexproblems.
AlthoughmanyComplexProblemscourseswilldrawheavilyonthesocialsciences(intheanalysisofsuch
issuesasinequality,socialviolenceandhealthcareaccess),otherswillbegroundedinthesciences(climate
change,dementia)orartsandhumanities(artandpolitics,post-colonialexpression).
§
§
Beyondintroducingstudentstothestandardsofuniversity-levelinquiry,ComplexProblemscourses
willdemonstratethevalueofapproachingimportantproblemsandissuesfromavarietyofperspectives:asa
markerofinterdisciplinarity,tobesure,butalsoasademonstrationofwhytheUniversityplacessuchvalue
onfosteringafullydiverseandinclusivecommunity.Asthetopicandfacultyinterestwarrant,Complex
ProblemscoursesmayincludeaDC-basedexperience.ComplexProblemscoursesmaycountasfreeelectives
inthestudent’smajorbutmaynotserveasfoundationcourseswithinthemajor.
AUExperienceI(1credit):Aone-creditrequiredcourse,takenbyallAUstudentsinthefirstsemesteroftheir
matriculation,toassistthemwiththesocial,cultural,andpsychologicaladjustmenttouniversitylife.This
team-taughtcoursewillbeofferedinahybridformatandtaughtbyfacultyinsociology,psychology,orrelated
fields.Discussionsectionsoverseenbystaffspecialistsinthecollegeexperiencewillbelimitedto19students.
Topicscoveredmightinclude:stressmanagementandcopingbehaviors;timemanagement;behaviorand
senseofriskinearlyadultdevelopment;deeplearningandtheroleoffailure;introductiontorace,culture,
andsociety;publicpolicyandsexuality;sex,gender,andsexualorientation;historicandcurrentperspectives
ongenerationalcohortsandtheuniquestrugglestheyface;lonelinessanddepression;socialadjustmentand
independence.Theclasswillalsoengageinacademicplanning,self-assessmentandexplorationofcareer
goals.
AUExperienceII(1or3creditsTBD):Athree-creditrequiredcourse,takenbyallAUstudentsintheirsecond
semester,normallywiththesamediscussionleaderandstudentsandinthesamehybrid,discussion-intensive
modeasAUExperienceI.AUx2willdelvemoredeeplyintothesociologicalandpsychologicalaspectsofthe
individualandsocietyintroducedinAUx1,withspecialattentiontoissuesofdiversity,inclusion,and
community.Readingsandassignmentswillincludehistoricandcontemporaryliterature,film,anddataon
oppressionandresistance.Studentswillexplorehowhistoricalviolence,suchastheearlyslavetradeand
genocidalconquests,shapethecontemporaryexperiencesofmarginalizedgroupsandstrugglesforhuman
rights.Classmaterialswillconsiderhowentrenchedsystemsofinequalitymarginalizesomegroupsand
privilegeothers.Studentswillbeencouragedtoapplywhattheylearntotheirindividualandcollective
situationinthemulti-culturalenvironmentthatisAU.
Ifbudgetallows,thecommitteesrecommendthatallstudentslivingoncampusbehousedwiththeirComplex
Problemscohort.SeparateAUxcohortswillbenefitfromtheworkofupper-classpeermentors,whowill
contributetothegroupwhiletakingathree-credit400-levelpeermentoringclass.Assumingthatongoing
discussionsaroundtheRiSEprojectleadtocreationofstudentsupportteamsforstudentsintheirinitial
semesters,theseteamswillbeassignedtospecificAUxcohorts.
3
§
§
FoundationsI
WrittenCommunication&InformationLiteracyI(3-6credits):SatisfiedbyWRTG-100and101orWRTG-106.
AllstudentsmustcompletetheWRTG-100andWRTG-101sequence,unlesstheyearna4orhigherontheAP
ora5orhigherontheIB,inwhichcasetheymaytakeWRTG-106.Thiscoursesequencefocusesonlearning
howtomakeeffectivewritingchoices,includingformulatingoriginalthesesandwell-supported,effectively
organizedarguments.Studentswilllearnhowtowriteinseveralacademicgenresandhowtoproduceerrorfreeprose.Inaddition,theywillacquiretheconceptualknowledgeneededtonegotiateacomplex
informationecosystem,whichincludeswebsites,socialmedia,databases,visualmedia,andothersourcesof
information.Studentswilllearnabouttheirroleandresponsibilityincreatingnewknowledge,in
understandingchangingdynamicsintheworldofinformation,andinusinginformation,data,andscholarship
ethically.
QuantitativeLiteracyI(3-4credits):NormallysatisfiedbyanintroductoryQ-suffixedcourse,suchasMATH15x,MATH-211,STAT-150,orSTAT-202.Asatpresent,studentsmaytestoutofthisrequirementthrough
strongperformanceonAP,IBorSATexams.Studentswhosepreviousstudieshaveintroducedthemtosome,
butnotall,ofthecontentinintroductoryQcoursesmaymeettherequirementbytakingoneormore1-credit
modules(tobedeveloped)thatgivethemcumulativetrainingequivalenttoanexistingQ1course(typically,
FiniteMath).MoststudentswillsatisfytheQuantitativeLiteracyrequirementinyearone,althoughunitsthat
scaffoldajuniorresearch-methodscourseontopofSTAT-202mayprefertheirstudentstakethisrequirement
inthesophomoreyear.
Typicallytakeninthefirstthreeyears
§
HabitsofMind(16credits):HabitsofMindcoursesformtheheartoftheproposedcorecurriculum.This
distributionemphasizesGeneralEducationlearningoutcomesyetpreservesexposuretoabroadrangeof
disciplinesbylimitingtoonethenumberofHOMcoursesastudentmaytakeinanygivendepartment.
StudentsmaycountoneHabitofMindcourse–requiredorelective—towardeachmajororminorthey
pursue.EnteringstudentsmaynotapplyAPcredittowardtheirHabitsofMindrequirements.(Notethatthe
restrictionsabovedonotprecludeastudentfromtakingaHabitsofMindcourseinthesamedepartmentasa
ComplexProblemscourseand,ifapplicable,applyingoneorbothformajorcredit.)
NewcoursesfortheHabitsofMindwillfollowacourseapprovalprocesssimilartotheonealreadyinplacefor
generaleducationcourses.TheGeneralEducationCommitteewilldesignanewproceduretoeasethe
transitionofexistingGenEdcoursesintotheHabitsofMinddistribution.
FacultywhoseHOMcoursesexaminethesametopicwhileemployingcomplementaryhabitsofmindmayopt
totandemteachandofferperiodiccommonprogramming.Thisoptionmightincludeworkingwithfacultyat
AUAbroadinstitutions.
ThefollowingdescriptionsofeachHOMaretemporary,meanttoofferasenseofwhateachHOM
encompasses.OncewehavedeterminedafinalHOMstructure,theGeneralEducationCommitteewilldevelop
preciselearningoutcomesforeachcategory.Similarly,thecourseexampleslistedbelowaresolelyintendedto
illustratetherangeofcoursesthatmightfitwithineachHOM.
• CreativityandAestheticSensibility(3credits):
o Understandingtheintention,context,audience,andmodesofartisticexpression;
o Expressinganappreciationfororunderstandingoftheartsthrougheitherconsiderationof,or
engagementwith,thecreativeprocess.
o CourseExamples:
§ Art:TheStudioExperience(ART)
§ RethinkingLiterature:LiteraryHauntings(LIT)
§ VisualLiteracy(COMM)
4
•
•
•
•
CriticalInquiry(3credits):
o Understandingtheimportanceofexploringissues,ideas,artifactsoreventsbeforeacceptingor
formulatinganopinionorconclusion;
o Analyzingthecontext—political,cultural,environmentalorcircumstantial—thatcomplicatesthe
considerationofissues,ideasorevents.
o CourseExamples:
§ Gender,Politics,andPower(WGSS)
§ GlobalSociology(SOCY)
§ TheConstitution,PresidentialPower,andtheWaronTerror(GOVT)
EthicalReasoning(3credits):
o Understandingcorebeliefsandtheirorigins;
o Recognizingdifferentethicalconcepts,perspectives,andcomplexethicalissues.
o CourseExamples:
§ MoralPhilosophy(PHIL)
§ PhilosophicalProblemsintheLaw(JLC)
§ GlobalCorporateCitizenship(MGMT)
HistoricalUnderstanding(3credits):
o Examiningdiverseperspectivesofpasteventsandideasinhistoricalcontext,anddevelopingthe
abilitytowriteaboutthemcritically.
o Placingcontemporaryeventswithintheirhistoricalcontext.
o CourseExamples:
§ SocialForcesthatShapedAmerica(HIST)
§ StoriesofSouthAsia(RELG)
§ ArtoftheRenaissance(ARTH)
Natural-ScientificInquiry(4credits,withlab):
o Participatinginscientificinquiryandcommunicatingtheelementsofthescientificprocess;
o Understandingthatscientificinquiryisbasedoninvestigationofevidencefromthenaturaland
physicalworld,andthatscientificknowledgeandunderstanding:a)evolvesbasedonnew
evidence,andb)differsfrompersonalandculturalbeliefs.
o CourseExamples:
§ PhysicsfortheModernWorld(PHYS)
§ TheChemistryofCooking(CHEM)
§ PsychologyasaNaturalScience(PSYCH)
CoursesFrequentlyOfferedintheMajor
Typicallytakeninthesophomore,juniororsenioryears
Whereverpossible,thefollowingrequirementsmaybesatisfiedbycourseswithinthemajor,eitherbyexisting
coursesthatfullymeettherelevantlearningoutcomes(TBD),existingcoursesthataremodifiedtomeetthose
outcomes,orbysubstantiallynewcourses.
§ DiverseExperience:a3-creditD-suffixedcourseofferedinthemajororminor,inaHabitofMindcourseorin
afreeelective.Thesecoursesattendtoissuesofpower,privilegeandinequalitythatareembeddedinsocial,
5
§
§
cultural,and/oreconomichierarchies,including(butnotlimitedto)thosearoundrace,class,genderand
sexualexpression,andability.ThesecoursesshouldbuildontheintellectualskillsdevelopedinComplex
ProblemsandthediversitycontentintroducedinTheAUExperience.
o CourseExamples:
§ RootsofRacismandInterracialHarmony(ANTH)
§ GenderinTransnationalPerspectives(SOCY)
§ ContemporaryIssuesinAmericanLawEnforcement(JLC)
FoundationsII
WrittenCommunicationandInformationLiteracyII:a3-creditW-suffixedcourse.W2courseswillbuildon
thewritingandinformationliteracyfoundationsofferedinCollegeWritingseminarsbytrainingstudentsin
thewritingconventions,researchexpectations,andtechnologicalresourcesmostcentraltotherelevant
discipline.Morespecifically,studentswillrefinetheirargumentation,organization,andproofreadingskills
whilelearningthedisciplinaryorprofessionalconventionsoftheirfield.Studentswilllearntorecognizethe
roleofresearchandinformationinmakingnewdisciplinaryknowledge,thinkingcriticallyabouthow
informationiscreated,valued,stored,andsharedinspecificdisciplinaryconversations.Studentsinthe
(relativelyrare)majorswithnoappreciablewritingcomponentmaypursuethiscreditinarelatedfieldor
throughcustom-madecourses(e.g.,WritingfortheArts).Althoughmostmajorswilldesignateaspecific
courseorcoursesinthemajorasarequiredW2,anyW2maybeappliedtowardtheuniversity’sgraduation
requirement.Unlessotherwisespecifiedbythemajor(s)orminor(s),studentswhopursueanycombinationof
majorsandminorsneedonlycompleteasingleW2.
QuantitativeLiteracyII:alternatively,a3-creditQ-suffixedcourseinthemajororrelatedarea,ora
combinationof3one-creditmodules(tobedeveloped,manyinahybridorintensiveformat)pertinenttothe
student’sfieldofstudy.Inthecaseofmajorswhoseresearch-methodscoursesareonlypartiallyquantitative,
thesecoursesmaybesupplementedbyoneortwo1-creditmodules(onsuchtopicsasmodeling,algorithms,
GIS,etc.).IntheabsenceofaQcourseinthemajor(e.g.,intheartsandhumanities),studentsmaysatisfythe
Q2requirementbytakingaQcourseinarelatedfieldoraQcoursespecificallydesignedtoplaytotheir
strengths.
Typicallytakeninthesenioryear
§
Capstone:3-creditcapstoneproject/course,likelyinmajor,drawingonmanyoftheHOMspreviously
acquired.Inmajorswithoutcapstonecourses,independentstudies,signaturework,orotheralternativesmay
becreated.
6
Optional‘Toolkit’Courses
Thefollowingcoursesareoptionalandmeanttobetakenbystudentsatanytime.
ToolkitCourses:one-creditcourses,designatedinthecataloguebyaTsuffixandofferedinavarietyofformats
(includingonline,hybridandintensive).Toolkitcourseshelpstudentstoacquireanddemonstratebothemployerrelevantcompetenciesandgenerallifeskills.WiththeexceptionoftheFinancialLiteracysequence,whichis
specificallydesignedforfirst-andsecond-yearstudents,toolkitcoursesareintendedforjuniorsandseniors
seekingtobuildupontheirliberalartstrainingastheymoveintocareersandsubsequenteducation.
Mosttoolkitcourseswillnothaveprerequisites.Exceptionsmaybemadeinthecaseofprerequisites(suchas
STAT-202orSTAT-203)thatlargenumbersofundergraduateswilllikelyhavetaken.Weexpectthemajorityof
thesecoursestobeofferedforagrade,thoughsomewillnaturallylendthemselvestobeingofferedpass/fail.
Inadditiontotoolkitcourses,theuniversitywillofferaseriesofoptionalnon-creditCareerEdgeworkshops,on
topicstobedeterminedindialoguewiththeCareerCenter.
Thefollowingareexamplesofpotentialtoolkitcourses.Toolkitofferingswillevolveovertime,largelyasafunction
ofstudentdemand.
FinancialLiteracy
FinancialLiteracyI:FinancialPlanningandtheTimeValueofMoney(currentFIN-197)
FinancialLiteracyII:Debt,InsuranceandSavings(currentFIN198;FIN-197isprerequisite)
FinancialLiteracyIII:PersonalInvesting(currentFIN199;FIN-197isprerequisite)
CommunicationandInterpersonalProductivity
PublicSpeaking
EffectiveInterpersonalOralCommunication
Collaboration:TheArtofTeamwork
TheArtofMediation
StepUP!Training
UnconsciousBiasTraining
ResearchandAnalysisSkills
SurveyResearch:Design,DataCollection,Analysis
SPSSStatisticsFundamentals(currentSTAT-396)
StataFundamentals
NvivoFundamentals
DigitalSkills
TheArtofOnlinePresentation(currentUGST-196)
FundamentalsofWebDesign
VideoEditing
DesigningMobileApps(hasbeenofferedasKSB-132)
Programming(hasbeenofferedasKSB-132)
DataVisualization
SocialMediaSkills(hasbeenofferedasKSB-132)
MicrosoftCertification
7
OrganizationSkills
ProjectManagement
AccountingFundamentals
Entrepreneurship
Ecommerce(hasbeenofferedasKSB-132)
CareerPlanning
CareerExploration(currentUGST-100)
FoundationsofCareerDevelopment(currentKSB-200)
PersonalBrandingandtheCareerCampaign(currentKSB-300)
TransferStudents:StudentswhotransfertoAUwillberequiredtotakeComplexProblemsandAUExperience,in
non-residentcohortsdesignedspecificallyfortransferstudents.Becausetransfer-creditarticulationstandardsare
difficulttoapplytoHabitsofMindcourses,thenumberofHabitofMindcoursestransferswillberequiredtotake
willdependonhowmanycreditstheybringwiththem.Studentswhotransferwith0-14creditsmusttakeallfive
HOMcourses;thosewhotransferwith15-29musttakefourHOMcourses;thosewhotransferwith30-44credits
musttakethreeHOMcourses;thosewhobringin45+creditsmusttaketwoHOMcourses.
AUAbroad:Asiscurrentpolicy,studentswillbeexpectedtocomplete80%oftheirUniversityCollegecourses(not
includingW2,Q2,DandCapstonecourses)priortostudyingabroad.Studentsmayapplyuptosixcreditsofcourse
workabroadtowardtheirUniversityCollegerequirements,assumingthosecoursesaredeemedtoarticulate.
8