CAS Science Subcommittee Meeting
March 10, 2011, 3:30 pm
521 Mark Jefferson
Minutes
Present: Jefferson (Psych), Blair (Math), Haynes (COSC), Clark (G&G), Behringer
(P&A), Emal (Chem), Tornquist (Dean's Office), Nord (DH-Chem)
I. Call to order 3:32 by Christine Clark.
II. Minutes of February 2011
Motion (Blair, Behringer) to accept with corrected misspellings passes 4 - 0 - 1 (yes-noabstain).
III. New Business
College of Arts and Sciences
A. Department of Geography and Geology
ESSC 327 Soil Science Course Revision
Comment:
Description of laboratories is missing.
Faculty vote was 16-0-0 (this information is missing from the proposal
Motion (Haynes, Emal) to approve with comment passes unanimously.
B. Department of Mathematics
i.
MTH 370 Probability and Statistics Course Revision
Note:
Clark contacted Tayeh about the title. "Introduction to Probability I" is incorrect.
The correct title is "Probability and Statistics I."
Title remains intact, in spite of content change, because of actuarial science testing
expectations.
Comment:
We note the unchanged mathematics programs, actuarial science and mathematics
minor with concentration in statistics, will need revision to reflect reduction in credit
hour.
Motion (Haynes, Emal) to approve course revision with comment passes unanimously.
ii.
Bachelor of Science in Mathematics (Major) Program Revision
Minor in Mathematics Program Revision
Motion (Haynes, Emal) to approve both program revisions passes unanimously.
iii.
MTH 468 Introduction to Biostatistics New Course
MTH 568 Biostatistics New Course
Comment:
MTH 568: course title is misspelled in proposal.
MTH 468: we note the statistics minor may need to be revised to add to restricted
electives list.
MTH 568: all affected math graduate programs may need to be revised to reflect
this change.
MTH 568: no prerequisites are listed because that content is assumed for admission
to grad program. Also, the catalog description states that "a background in calculus based
probability and statistics is assumed."
MTH 469 Introduction to Categorical Data Analysis New Course
MTH 569 Categorical Data Analysis New Course
Comment:
MTH 469: the statistics minor may need to be revised to add to its restricted
electives list
MTH 569: all affected mathematics graduate programs may need to be revised to
reflect this change.
MTH 569: no prerequisites are listed because students admitted to mathematics
graduate program are assumed to have calculus-based probability. The catalog
description states "Completion of courses in calculus-based probability and statistics is
assumed."
Motion (Haynes, Emal) to approve MTH 468, 469, 568, 569 with comment passes
unanimously.
iv. Bachelor of Science in Mathematics Secondary Teacher Certification Program
Revision
Minor in Mathematics K-12, Secondary, and Special Education Secondary
Teacher Certification Program Revision
Motion (Haynes, Emal) to approve both program revisions passes unanimously.
v.
Bachelor of Science in Mathematics with a Concentration in Statistics
Program Revision
We note that these changes are intended to remove inconsistencies, increase applicability,
and improve enrollment through increased accessibility.
Motion (Haynes, Emal) to approve program revision passes revision unanimously.
C. Department of Physics and Astronomy
i.
PHY 221 Mechanics, Sound and Heat Course Revision
PHY 222 Electricity and Light Course Revision
Comment:
We have been given these proposals in non-searchable PDF format. Because of the
brevity of the proposals, we will not press this issue.
Some programs are missing in #11 (all departmental programs in which this course
is Required or a Restricted Elective): e.g. G&G majors and ESSC majors are required to
take PHY 221 or PHY 223.
PHY 221: The change to the prerequisites is confusing. Please clarify. Does the
student need to have a C in MTH 140?
Is this wording correct? (MTH 105 or MTH 119) and MTH 107 with a C or better in each
course; OR MTH 140 with C or better; or MYH 112; or MTH 120.
PHY 222 has the same problem with the prerequisites as described above for PHY
221.
Motion (Jefferson, Behringer) to approve PHY 221 and PHY 222 with comment passes
unanimously
ii.
PHY 622 New Approaches to the Teaching of Science in the Junior High
School I, Course Revision
PHY 623 New Approaches to the Teaching of Science in the Junior High
School II, Course Revision
Comment:
PHY 622, 623: Can the new course titles be improved by being more specific? The
new prefix, PSCI, indicates it is a physical science course.
Affected programs will require a program revision to reflect change in credit hour
requirements.
We would have liked to see how on-line labs would be run.
PHY 622: The prerequisites are checked as being changed, but there is no actual
change in the prerequisites. (The prerequisites for PHY 623 are actually changed)
Question:
We are concerned whether the magnitude and intellectual content of the additional
activities merit requiring an extra credit hour. The rationale does not make the case for an
added credit hour: other standard delivery laboratory courses already require more time
than is considered in the credit hour calculation.
Motion (Haynes, Emal) to table to give the department an opportunity for consideration
of and response to our question. The motion passes unanimously.
IV. Meeting adjourned 4:43 pm
Repectfully submitted,
Susan Makrouhee Haynes, secretary