MEMORANDUM
TO:
Members of the LSA Executive Committee
FROM:
Pam Rinker
DATE:
September 23, 2009
SUBJECT:
Summary of LSA Curriculum Committee Minutes
September 15, 2009
1.
LSA Dean Terry McDonald highlighted several issues that would need the
Curriculum Committee’s attention this year.
2.
Associate Dean Robert Megginson briefly summarized the course approval
process.
3.
The recommendations of the R&E Subcommittee were accepted.
4.
Summer course approval actions were ratified.
5.
September course approval requests were acted upon.
LSA CURRICULUM COMMITTEE
Minutes of September 15, 2009
Present: Bob Megginson (Chair), Robyn Burnham, Jennifer Crocker, Ellie Dertz, Tim Dodd, Lori Gould,
Mika Lavaque-Manty, Neil Marsh, Adam McFarland, Tim McKay, Jennifer Myers, John Mitani, Esrold
Nurse, Sally Oey, JoAnn Peraino, Jeremy Peterson, Pam Rinker, Lauren Ross, Catherine Sanok, Naomi
Silver, Robert Wallin, Donna Wessel Walker, and Evans Young.
Visitor: Terry McDonald, Dean
The meeting came to order at 3:10 pm.
CURRENT ISSUES IN LSA UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION
Dean Terry McDonald began by thanking members of the Curriculum Committee for serving the
college in this important way. He went on to encourage them to have an open mind in reviewing
proposals that would extend LSA’s connections to other units in the university. Such links will
strengthen undergraduate education and attract more students. A broader array of opportunities will
help students explore other tools and methodologies as well as gain real-world experiences in
considering different career directions. It would be valuable, for example, for LSA students taking a
Business course to understand how the case study method is so central to studies in business.
Internally a current priority in LSA is how to develop more ways in which students can explore
special projects under the direction of faculty. Many different forms of intellectual inquiry, from
internships and directed readings, to theses, are carried out within the rubric of independent study
courses. Dean McDonald highlighted the curriculum review process of the past two years, and noted
a few areas in which undergraduate education may be strengthened as a result of those discussions:
Study Abroad; Community Engagement; and Internships. He also mentioned the process of
reaccreditation scheduled for Winter 2010 that will focus on internationalization.
COURSE APPROVAL PROCESS
Associate Dean Robert Megginson briefly explained how curricular proposals are processed. First,
departments vet and submit course approval requests using an online system. Proposals go to the
Course Approval Subcommittee, charged with placing each request on either a Consent or Discussion
agenda. The committee as a whole then reviews the subcommittee’s recommendations and. In a
separate, parallel process, the Race & Ethnicity Subcommittee reviews and recommends course
proposals to meet the Race & Ethnicity Requirement. During the summer months, departments often
submit time-sensitive proposals that need immediate action. Dean Megginson is authorized to
approve those that seem to be non-controversial. At their first meeting in September the Curriculum
Committee is asked to ratify these decisions. He noted that the Curriculum Committee generally
operates by consensus. When proposals must be put to a vote, it is restricted to the 9 elected or
appointed faculty members and 3 students representing LSA Student Government. Dean Megginson
votes only in case of a tie. Committee decisions are not considered official until they have been
reviewed by the LSA Executive Committee. In the interim members should not announce or discuss
approvals with others.
RACE &ETHNICITY COURSE APPROVALS
The committee accepted the recommendations summarized on the attached R&E Subcommittee
Report:
Approve: Recertification / Blanket
2
1. ASIAN 260/ HISTORY 252. Introduction to Chinese Civilization. Prof. Miranda
Brown, Prof. William Baxter. F10.
Defer: New Proposal / Blanket
2. HISTORY OF ART 208/ CAAS 208. Introduction to African Art. Prof. David Doris.
W10.
SUMMER COURSE APPROVAL ACTIONS (see Appendix I)
Summer course approval actions were ratified: 477 deletes; 7 modifications; and 5 new
courses.
2. CAAS 226 was approved to meet the Language Requirement (LR).
1.
SEPTEMBER COURSE APPROVAL REQUESTS (see Appendix II)
1. The committee approved a total of 76 course approval requests: 56 modifications and 20
new courses.
2. Eleven courses were approved for distribution and/or college requirement (effective W10
unless noted otherwise):
a. CE: RCHUMS 352
b. HU: CLARCH 427 / HISTART 427; GERMAN 330; GERMAN 375/MEMS 375/
SCAND 375; PHIL 367; and RUSSIAN 357
c. ID: HISTORY 234
d. SS: ANTHRCUL 325 / WOMENSTD 324 (F09)
e. BS-Eligible: GEOSCI 314, MCDB 444, and MCDB 450
3. The committee deferred four course approval modification requests:
a. ASIAN 261. Modern China and Its "Others": The committee thought that the
short description indicated a significant change in focus. The instructor was asked to
send a syllabus and any other helpful information about how this course has been
taught more recently. Does he define the “modern period” as starting from the 13th
century or from the 19th-20th century?
b. SOC 305. Introduction to Sociological Theory: The description should be
modified to reflect the fact that most spaces in this course are reserved for Sociology
concentrators.
c. SOC 395. Directed Reading or Research: Sociology restricts this independent
study to concentrators for the following reason: "Because it is an upper level,
independently-motivated study of a topic in the discipline, the department expects
that students will have sufficient knowledge of the discipline to navigate an in-depth
study of a sociological topic." In the past, some non-concentrators have found a
Sociology faculty sponsor (who apparently was unaware of this practice) and are
then denied permission to enroll. Policies concerning independent studies should be
the result of a conversation between the department and faculty. If the current
practice continues, that information needs to be communicated to faculty as well as
added to the advisory prerequisites and course description to prevent confusion and
save time on the part of interested non-concentrators.
d. UC 245 / GEOG 245. Global Interdependence: The proposal to modify this course to
CICS 101/GEOG 145/UC 145 does not match this introductory course described when
the concentration was approved. According to the supporting statement, the course “will
be geared toward freshman and sophomores interested in international studies.” This
seems to contradict the findings of a study group in LSA-SG that students need to
declare the IS concentration in their freshmen year in order to satisfy the required total of
3
58 credits. They also found that the required courses do not allow juniors to travel
abroad.
4. The committee deferred ten new course approval requests:
a. GEOSCI 313. Geobiology: The committee requested more information about the 3
short answer exams and how long they’ll take; a description of the group projects;
whether the group or lab work includes any writing; and what percentage of the
grade would be based on each requirement.
b. LING 412. Speech Perception: The committee approved this proposal as a new
course, but requested additional information to evaluate BS-eligibility.
c. MCDB 398, 399, 498, and 499: The committee requested more information about
the goals and guidelines for this proposed series of new course numbers to house
independent studies and co-sponsored research with medical faculty.
d. PHIL 413. Formal Philosophical Methods: Satisfaction of the QR/1 requirement
cannot be electronically enforced. An alternative would be to add PHIL 296 as a
QR1 course for Honors students, but is there another QR1 course that would work
for non-Honors students? The committee also suggested that the instructor consider
requesting QR1 for this new course to match PHIL 414.
e. PSYCH 225/WOMENSTD 225. Psychology of Human Sexuality: In evaluating
the request for SS distribution, the committee requested more information about
writing assignments.
f. SOC 230, Health and Population in South Africa, and SOC 235, South Africa in
Transition: Field Experience: The short course description for SOC 230 states:
"This course is typically offered with the option of a trip to South Africa at the
semester’s end for two additional credits." How will the department administer SOC
235? Since there is no guarantee of funding from the Integrating Study Abroad into
the Curriculum program each term, what additional resources would be needed for
the 2-credit study abroad?
The meeting was adjourned at 5:10 pm.
Next Meeting: Discussion
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2009, AT 3:10 PM
4
MEMORANDUM
TO:
Members of the LSA Executive Committee
FROM:
Pam Rinker
DATE:
October 7, 2009
SUBJECT:
Summary of LSA Curriculum Committee Minutes
September 22, 2009
1. Course approval requests were acted upon.
2. The following modifications were approved
3. Actuarial Math & Math of Finance & Risk Management Concentration
4. Geological Sciences Concentration
5. Italian Concentration & Minor
6. Philosophy Concentration & Minor
7. The proposed modifications in the Earth Systems Science Concentration were deferred.
8. Kinesiology’s request that SM 217 (Sports Management) count as non-LSA degree
credit was approved.
5
LSA CURRICULUM COMMITTEE
Minutes of September 22, 2009
Present: Evans Young (Acting Chair), Robyn Burnham, Ellie Dertz, Tim Dodd, Lori Gould, Mika
Lavaque-Manty, Neil Marsh, Adam McFarland, Jennifer Myers, John Mitani, Sally Oey, Jeremy
Peterson, Pam Rinker, Catherine Sanok, Naomi Silver, Robert Wallin, and Donna Wessel Walker
Visitors: Ken Cadigan, Brad Farnsworth, and Ken Kollman
The meeting came to order at 3:10 pm.
COURSE APPROVAL REQUESTS (see Appendix)
The committee approved a total of 12 course approval requests: 4 modifications and 8 new courses.
1. CICS 101: Introduction to International Studies
Ken Kollman, Director of the Center for International and Comparative Studies, and Brad
Farnsworth, Director of the Center for International Business Education, were invited to
address concerns about a CICS course approval request. Farnsworth has taught GEOG 245/UC
245, Global Interdependence, in Winter term for several years. One reason for its creation in
2003-2004 was helping students seeking a secondary education certificate to fulfill the
Geography requirement. The course description states: “The purpose of this course is to
explore the ways in which ideas, people, goods, services, diseases, and natural resources have
flowed across political and cultural borders during human history, to examine the consequences
of those flows, and to understand how an interest in these topics can be the basis of a
professional career.” Kollman and Farnsworth requested using this course to house CICS
101/GEOG 145, Introduction to International Studies. Viewing this merger as a somewhat
confusing hybrid, the committee was unable to reconcile this proposal with the description of
CICS 101 included in the International Studies concentration approved last Spring:
“How do recent political, social, economic and cultural issues (such a violations of
human rights, refugee and immigration politics, climate change, terrorism and security,
and cultural homogenization and hybridization) invoke globalized perspectives? What
analytical tools are necessary to describe and interpret such global phenomena? Global
issues and problems will be presented as a set of complex phenomena that require
interdisciplinary perspectives to define, describe, analyze and interpret. Responding to
these and related questions, students will learn through an examination of some of the
world’s most currently vivid and pressing issues. Through this course, students will
develop abilities to distinguish and use often-elided terms such as the “global,” the
“international,” the “universal,” and the “cosmopolitan.”
The committee was even more concerned about the long-term viability of this approach. They
foresee strong pressure on enrollment as undergraduates interested in the IS concentration
compete for space with the 85-95 students who already enroll in GEOG 245. In addition many
juniors and seniors would try to enroll in CICS 101, effectively closing the course prior to early
registration for first- and second-year students. (A practical solution to this problem might be
using reserve caps to restrict most spaces to lower-level undergrads.) In the near future, the
committee expects a significant increase in the number of IS concentrators such that CICS 101
would need to be offered two terms each year. This would place a lot more strain on faculty
and GSI resources than is currently funded. Given these concerns, the committee approved the
modification of GEOG 245/UC 245 to CICS 101/GEOG 145 for one-term only. That would
allow the course to be offered in Winter 2010 to evaluate enrollment as well as the proposed
changes in content and format.
6
2. MCDB Proposed Independent Studies
The committee invited Ken Cadigan, Associate Chair and Associate Professor of MCDB, to
provide additional information about four new independent study proposals:


MCDB 398 & 498 for independent research co-sponsored with Medical School
faculty
MCDB 399 & 499 for independent research in MCDB
The committee commended the MCDB faculty for their considerable effort to increase the
opportunities for student participation in laboratory research and provide more oversight for
research labs co-sponsored with faculty in the Medical School. Their concerns were more
technical than substantive, especially with regard to MCDB 398 and 498 termed “seminars”
based on two-hour meetings at the beginning and end of the term. Natural Science faculty
members reported that students enrolled in lab research are routinely expected to attend a few
class meetings with the instructor. MCDB 398 and 498 were approved contingent on changing
the class component from “seminar” to “independent study” as a more accurate description for
students who want to participate in lab research.
MCDB 399 and 499 were also approved, with a recommendation that the department give
more thought to the future of MCDB 300 and 400. Prof. Cadigan mentioned the possibility
of using these courses to house Spring and Summer offerings. A better option might be to
delete them altogether. Students could be confused by seeing a total of six independent study
courses without a clear indication of the differences, especially between 300/400 and
399/499. The general practice is to create independent studies with course numbers that end
with 98 and 99.
3. An additional 3 modifications were approved: ASIAN 261; SOC 305; and SOC 395.
4. An additional 4 new courses were approved: PSYCH 225/WOMENSTD 225; GEOSCI
313 as BS-eligible; LING 412 as BS-eligible; and PHIL 413 as BS-eligible.
5. SOC 230 and 235 were deferred. The description for SOC 230, Health and Population in
South Africa, stated it would be offered with the option of a trip to South Africa at the end of
the term to earn two additional credits. Students having completed SOC 230 could enroll in
SOC 235 as part of the Integrating Study Abroad into the Curriculum Program. ISAC
funding allows for a two-week trip abroad by a faculty member and students immediately
following a Winter term course, but there is no guarantee of continued funding after two
years.” The committee wanted to know if the department had other resources available if
needed.
LSA CONCENTRATIONS AND ACADEMIC MINORS (Effective W10)
The following modifications were approved (see attached proposals)
1.
2.
3.
4.
Actuarial Math & Math of Finance & Risk Management Concentration
Geological Sciences Concentration
Italian Concentration & Minor
Philosophy Concentration & Minor
The proposed modifications in the Earth Systems Science Concentration were deferred
SCHOOL OF KINESIOLOGY
Kinesiology’s request that SM 217 (Sports Management) count as non-LSA degree credit was
approved effective Fall 2009.
7
The meeting was adjourned at 5:10 pm.
NEXT MEETING: SUBCOMMITTEES
September 29, 3-5 pm
NEXT FULL MEETING: COURSE APPROVALS
October 6, 3-5 pm
8
MEMORANDUM
TO:
Members of the LSA Executive Committee
FROM:
Pam Rinker
DATE:
October 14, 2009
SUBJECT:
Summary of LSA Curriculum Committee Minutes
October 6, 2009
1. The committee accepted the recommendations of the R&E Subcommittee.
2. Course approval requests were acted upon.
3. The proposed modifications to the Earth Systems Science Concentration
were deferred.
4. The committee approved LSA credit for three courses in the Informatics
Concentration: SI 301, 410, and 422 effective Winter 2009. Approval of SI
529 for LSA credit was deferred.
5. The committee deferred approval of the CASC academic minor to be
offered by the School of Social Work.
6. The committee approved the revised guidelines for the First-Year Writing
Requirement submitted by the Sweetland Writing Center.
7. The committee invited Homer Neal to discuss ways of encouraging broader
participation in PUBPOL 481/PHYSICS 481, National Science Policy in
the 21st Century, a course he co-teaches with Jim Duderstadt.
9
LSA CURRICULUM COMMITTEE
Minutes of October 6, 2009
Present: Robert Megginson (Chair), Robyn Burnham, Jennifer Crocker, Ellie Dertz, Tim Dodd,
Kalli Federhofer, Lori Gould, Mika Lavaque-Manty, Neil Marsh, Adam McFarland, John Mitani,
Sally Oey, JoAnn Peraino, Jeremy Peterson, Pam Rinker, Lauren Ross, Catherine Sanok, Naomi
Silver, Donna Wessel Walker, and Evans Young
Visitors: Homer Neal
The meeting came to order at 3:10 pm.
RACE &ETHNICITY COURSE APPROVALS
The committee accepted the recommendation on the attached R&E Subcommittee Report.
Approve Recertification / Topic-Specific
POLSCI 350/ JUDAIC 451. The Politics and Culture of Modern East European Jewry.
Professor Zvi Gitelman. F09.
COURSE APPROVAL REQUESTS (see Appendix)
1. The committee approved a total of 8 course approval requests: 3 modifications and 5 new
courses.
2. The following courses were approved for distribution and/or college requirement effective
Winter 2010:
a. HU distribution: CLARCH 223/CLCIV 223
b. BS-eligibility: ENVIRON 404
c. Language Requirement: CAAS 216
LSA CONCENTRATION MODIFICATION
The proposed modifications to the Earth Systems Science Concentration were deferred. The
committee’s primary concern was the reduction in the number of required credits from 32-48 to about
30. This change would result in a disparity with most Natural Science concentrations, which typically
require a minimum of 34 credits. The LSA Bulletin states: “To ensure the breadth required by the
science of the Earth’s natural systems, each student must complete a minimum of eight courses.” The
memo accurately points out that this number does not agree with the required distribution of courses:
“Depending on how one wants to interpret this, this requirement totals to 10‐12 classes, not 8.” The
question is: Why did Geology decide to reduce the number of courses to match the distribution
requirements rather than vice-versa? The proposal states that requiring more than 8 courses would
exceed the maximum of 30 credits for a LSA concentration, which must refer to the limit of 30
credits in one department. Since this concentration includes courses from several other departments,
it’s not clear why this is viewed as a problem. According to the Bulletin the EES concentration is
“designed to prepare students for graduate study in the Earth Sciences and for later professional
work.” The reduced course requirements do not seem to bear that out, especially since the
requirement of 30 credits is exactly the same as the Earth Science concentration designed for students
pursuing other careers.
10
SCHOOL OF INFORMATION
The committee approved three courses in the Informatics Concentration for LSA credit: SI 301, 410,
and 422 effective Fall 2009. Approval of SI 529 for LSA credit was deferred. In view of the ever
increasing number of issues related to digitized media, SI 529 is no doubt of great value to today’s
students. It appears, however, to be conducted primarily online, which is not the case for most LSA
courses. The committee asked about the possibility of adding more theoretical content and making
more connections with the broader world. In any case, the Curriculum Committee no longer approves
500-level courses for undergraduate credit, which may preclude approval of SI 529.
SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK
The School of Social Work requested LSA approval of their Academic Minor in Community Action
& Social Change (CASC). They also asked that SW 405, the minor’s foundation course, be
approved for LSA credit and SS distribution. The committee was very favorable toward this proposal
and thought this new minor would be of interest to a lot of undergraduates. With regard to SW 405,
however, they recommended numbering the foundation course at the 300-level to make it more
accessible to interested sophomores and juniors. In addition, 400-level courses are excluded from
earning distribution. Approval of the CASC academic minor was deferred until these issues can be
resolved.
Sweetland Writing Center: Revised Guidelines for the First-Year Writing Requirement
(FYWR)
The committee approved the revised guidelines for the First-Year Writing Requirement. Sweetland
Writing Center will implement the attached guidelines to approve and recertify courses that satisfy
the FYWR.
PUBPOL 481/PHYSICS 481: National Science Policy in the 21st Century
Homer Neal, Director of the UM-ATLAS Collaboratory Project and Professor of Physics, was
invited to talk about PUBPOL 481/PHYSICS 481, National Science Policy in the 21st Century. Neal
worked with a team to develop this course about four years ago. In Winter 2009 he co-taught it with
Jim Duderstadt, President Emeritus and Professor of Science and Engineering. Even though the
course is numbered at the 400 level, it especially speaks to exploratory first- and second-year
students. Students have the opportunity to complete a research project on a chosen area. As a result,
many have become involved in significant policy decisions at the federal level.
The committee suggested several ways to attract more undergraduates to become involved in this
very important topic. Both faculty and students were concerned that the PHYSICS 481 crosslist
would discourage many students from enrolling who don’t want to take any more courses in the
natural sciences. Adding several additional crosslistings such as POLSCI and HISTORY would help
to reflect the course’s broad and interdisciplinary approach. Another recommendation would be
offering it as a University Course, a division administered by the LSA Dean’s Office, one purpose of
which is to house interdisciplinary courses that appeal to a wide variety of undergraduates. Another
helpful addition would be approving it for SS distribution as an exception to the general rule that
excludes 400-level courses. If the course involves sufficient writing, Sweetland Writing Center could
consider it as meeting the Upper-Level Writing Requirement. Many natural science departments
would be interested in adding it as a concentration elective. This conversation will be continued next
week.
The meeting was adjourned at 5 pm.
NEXT MEETING: DISCUSSION
October 13, 3-5 pm
11
MEMORANDUM
TO:
Members of the LSA Executive Committee
FROM:
Pam Rinker
DATE:
October 28, 2009
SUBJECT:
Summary of LSA Curriculum Committee Minutes
October 13, 2009
1. The committee acted upon course approval requests.
2. The committee discussed issues regarding MCDB 398 and 498.
3. The committee approved the Academic Minor in Community Action and Social Change
offered by the School of Social Work as an option for LSA students.
4. The committee approved SW 305 for LSA credit and SS distribution.
5. The committee approved the Academic Minor in Community Action and Social Change
(CASC) to be offered by the School of Social Work.
6. The committee discussed the “Role of Writing in Course Proposals” drafted last year.
7. The committee continued last week’s discussion of PUBPOL 481/PHYSICS 481.
12
LSA CURRICULUM COMMITTEE
Minutes of October 13, 2009
Present: Robert Megginson (Chair), Ellie Dertz, Tim Dodd, Karl-Georg Federhofer, Lori Gould,
Marjorie Horton, Jennifer Myers, John Mitani, Sally Oey, JoAnn Peraino, Jeremy Peterson, Pam
Rinker, Lauren Ross, Catherine Sanok, Naomi Silver, Donna Wessel Walker, Bob Wallin, and Evans
Young
The meeting came to order at 3:10 pm.
COURSE APPROVAL REQUESTS (see Appendix)
The committee approved a total of 4 courses, one modification and three new courses through which
to offer a Study Abroad Program in Cuba.
MCDB 398 AND 498
On September 22 the committee approved MCDB 398 and 498 on the condition that these courses be
taught as independent studies rather than seminars. As stated in the attached email from Ken
Cadigan, Associate Chair and Associate Professor of MCDB, the department did not agree to this
change and would rather withdraw the four-course proposal altogether. The committee quickly
realized that the question of class type could not be considered apart from the larger resource issues.
The committee saw this as an example of the college’s goals, i.e. providing undergraduates with a
transformative experience doing lab research, bumping into its limited resources.
Many faculty in the natural sciences have voiced complaints about how much time they spend
supervising independent studies, especially when they receive no official credit for this effort.
According to Associate Dean Bob Megginson, several years ago some Natural Science departments
negotiated a regular teaching load of two courses for research-active faculty, based on the
assumption, among other assumptions, that faculty would be supervising independent studies and
student lab research. If the committee approved MCDB’s proposal, the precedent would invite other
Natural Science departments to follow suit, which would have a huge impact on the LSA budget. The
committee deferred MCDB’s proposal until Budget could address the question: Does the college
wish to expend the additional resources it would entail? This proposal also was intended to address
Budget’s request that MCDB be able to count the number of students supervised by Medical School
faculty separately from those supervised by MCDB faculty. If this proposal is not approved, an
alternative solution would be needed.
ACADEMIC MINOR IN COMMUNITY ACTION AND SOCIAL CHANGE (CASC)
On October 6 the committee deferred approval of this new minor with the recommendation that
Social Work renumber the core course requirement, SW 405, to the 300 level. Having received the
attached revision reflecting this change, they approved SW 305 for LSA credit and SS distribution.
They also approved the Academic Minor in Community Action and Social Change as an option
for LSA students.
ROLE OF WRITING IN COURSE PROPOSALS
Over the years committee members have seen a steady decline in writing across all disciplines as
budgetary restraints brought about an inevitable increase in the size of classes. In discussing the
attached Role of Writing in Course Proposals drafted last year, they suggested focusing on the
general importance of writing in a liberal arts education in the first paragraph and clarifying the
13
guidelines for distribution courses in the next paragraph. Another paragraph should lay out the
various forms of writing used in the Humanities, Social Sciences, and Natural Sciences. Rather than
state specific guidelines for writing assignments, the committee thought it would be more helpful to
point to examples of courses already approved. Naomi Silver, Associate Director of Sweetland
Writing Center, was asked to incorporate these suggestions and submit a revised draft for further
discussion. She also reported SWC’s increased collaboration with faculty who teach Upper-Level
Writing Requirement courses.
PUBPOL 481/PHYSICS 481: NATIONAL SCIENCE POLICY IN THE 21ST CENTURY
The committee continued last week’s discussion of PUBPOL 481/PHYSICS 481, co-taught by
Homer Neal, Professor of Physics, and James Duderstadt, President Emeritus and Professor of
Science and Engineering. They thought this as an excellent course in national science policy as well
as a worthwhile investment in promoting future leadership. Suggestions to increase undergraduate
involvement included the following:
•

•
•
Add several 300-level cross-listings from a broad array of LSA departments.
Rather than crosslist the course with PHYSICS 481, which can be daunting for nonphysicists, offer it as a meet-together with PUBPOL 481.
Contact other natural science departments about their interest in creating parallel course
numbers.
Advertise the course in the Michigan Daily to appeal directly to students.
In the committee’s view, LSA’s primary goal would be attracting more upper-level science students,
or at least those who have a science background. In that case, they did not recommend approving this
course for distribution with the expected outcome of attracting more sophomores.
The meeting was adjourned at 5 pm.
NEXT MEETING: DISCUSSION
October 27, 3-5 pm
14
The Role of Writing in Course
Proposals to the LSA Curriculum
Committee
The LSA Curriculum Committee recognizes and endorses the importance placed on writing
throughout the curriculum by the LSA Faculty, as affirmed by the Faculty’s adoption of the FirstYear and Upper-Level Writing Requirements into the LSA Faculty Code. In particular, courses for
which distribution credit is requested can benefit from a strong writing component, due to the
opportunity it provides students to express, in their own words, their understanding of that
distribution area. While the Committee’s main concern when distribution credit is requested is
whether the course content addresses that distribution requirement, the Curriculum Committee
suggests that the writing component be considered carefully when designing such a course. We hope
to underscore that this emphasis on writing—as a practice in articulating themes and methods of a
particular distribution area—will take myriad forms. The role and style of writing is expected to
differ across disciplines.
On occasion, the Curriculum Committee will conclude that a proposed course should have its content
augmented to match the number of credit hours requested, and when that happens the Committee’s
suggestion is often to increase the number or size of writing assignments, precisely because of the
value the Committee places on writing. However, the Committee always invites and welcomes
alternative suggestions from the course proposer, since the proposer may have another vision of the
means by which the course should be enhanced. As with other recommendations the Curriculum
Committee makes for course proposal modifications, its suggestions in this area may always be taken
as an opportunity for further explanation of the proposer’s reasoning and the opening of a dialog.
15
MEMORANDUM
TO:
Members of the LSA Executive Committee
FROM:
Pam Rinker
DATE:
November 11, 2009
SUBJECT:
Summary of LSA Curriculum Committee Minutes
October 27, 2009
8. Minutes of 10/13/09 were approved.
9. Course approval requests were acted upon.
10. The proposed modifications to the Earth Systems Science Concentration were
approved.
11. A final draft of the Independent Study Courses Guidelines was approved.
12. The committee discussed the third revision of the Role of Writing in Course
Proposals.
13. AT Miller, Director of the Global Intercultural Experience for Undergraduates
(GIEU) and Faculty Director of the Center for Global and Intercultural Study
(CGIS), presented plans to incorporate under the CGIS umbrella both GIEU
experiences and study abroad programs formerly overseen by the Office of
International Programs.
16
LSA CURRICULUM COMMITTEE
Minutes of October 27, 2009
Present: Robert Megginson (Chair), Robyn Burnham, Jennifer Crocker, Ellie Dertz, Tim Dodd,
Karl-Georg Federhofer, Lori Gould, Mika Lavaque-Manty, Neil Marsh, Adam McFarland, John
Mitani, Jennifer Myers, JoAnn Peraino, Jeremy Peterson, Pam Rinker, Lauren Ross, Naomi Silver,
Donna Wessel Walker, Bob Wallin, and Evans Young
Visitor: AT Miller
The meeting came to order at 3:10 pm.
MINUTES
The minutes of 10/13/09 were approved.
COURSE APPROVAL REQUESTS
1. The committee approved UC 421 (see Appendix).
2. The committee deferred a request by the School of Information that SI 429 earn LSA credit.
They invited SI to make a case as to why this is a liberal arts course comparable to those
offered by LSA. Does it employ a theoretical and analytical approach to the content? Are the
course requirements similar to 400-level LSA courses in terms of assigned reading, papers,
group projects, and exams?
CONCENTRATION MODIFICATION
The committee approved the attached proposal to modify the Earth System Science concentration
effective Fall 2010.
INDEPENDENT STUDY GUIDELINES
The committee approved a final draft of the Independent Study Courses Guidelines. If approved by
the Executive Committee, the guidelines will be communicated to departments.
ROLE OF WRITING IN COURSE PROPOSALS
The committee discussed the third revision of the Role of Writing in Course Proposals submitted by
Naomi Silver (attached). She agreed to provide a fourth draft incorporating the suggested changes.
CENTER FOR GLOBAL AND INTERCULTURAL STUDY
AT Miller, Director of the Global Intercultural Experience for Undergraduates (GIEU) and Faculty
Director of the Center for Global and Intercultural Study (CGIS), presented plans to incorporate
under the CGIS umbrella both GIEU experiences and study abroad programs formerly overseen by
the Office of International Programs (see PowerPoint). An overall goal is that all programs will have
a department connection, so that study abroad is more directly part of the U-M curriculum. Another
goal is to standardize how students receive credit for the field learning component currently funded
by the Integrating Study Abroad into the Curriculum initiative (ISAC).
The meeting was adjourned at 5:10 pm.
NEXT MEETING: SUBCOMMITTEES
November 3, 3-5 pm
NEXT FULL MEETING: COURSE APPROVALS
November 10, 3-5 pm
17
MEMORANDUM
TO:
Members of the LSA Executive Committee
FROM:
Pam Rinker
DATE:
December 2, 2009
SUBJECT:
Summary of LSA Curriculum Committee Minutes
November 10, 2009
1. Minutes of October 27, 2009 were approved.
2. The committee accepted the recommendation of the R&E Subcommittee.
3. The committee acted upon course approval requests.
4. Modifications to ten concentrations were approved.
5. Modifications to three academic minors were approved.
6. The committee approved the final revision of Role of Writing in Course
Proposals.
7. The committee provided feedback about a proposal to be submitted by LSA
Student Government.
18
LSA CURRICULUM COMMITTEE
Minutes of November 10, 2009
Present: Evans Young (Acting Chair), Robyn Burnham, Jennifer Crocker, Ellie Dertz, Karl-Georg
Federhofer, Lori Gould, Mika Lavaque-Manty, Neil Marsh, Adam McFarland, Jennifer Myers, Sally
Oey, JoAnn Peraino, Jeremy Peterson, Pam Rinker, Catherine Sanok, Naomi Silver, Donna Wessel
Walker, and Bob Wallin
The meeting came to order at 3:10 pm.
MINUTES
Minutes of October 27, 2009 were approved.
R&E PROPOSALS
The committee accepted the following recommendation of the R&E Subcommittee (report
attached):
DENY (1)
New Proposal / Blanket
HISTART 208/ CAAS 208. Introduction to African Art. Professor David Doris. W09
COURSE APPROVAL REQUESTS
3. The committee approved a total of 33 courses: 2 deletions; 23 modifications; and 8 new
courses (see Appendix).
4. The following courses were approved for distribution and/or BS-eligibility:
a. HU: CLARCH 220/HISTART 220 (Sp10); HISTORY 338/AMCULT 338 (W10);
and MUSICOL 111/THEORY 111 (W10)
b. ID: ACABS 324/ANTHRARC 384/HISTORY 324 renumbered from ACABS
413/ANTHRARC 442/HISTORY 440 (F10)
c. SS: SOC 230 (W10)
d. NS and BS-eligibility: ENVIRON 203/BIOLOGY 203 (F10)
e. BS-eligibility: GEOSCI 494 (W10); MATH 203 W10)
CONCENTRATIONS
The following concentration modifications were approved effective W10:
1. Cognition and Cognitive Neuroscience Sub Plan (name change)
2. Informatics (updated course lists)
3. Mathematical Sciences (advisory prerequisites)
4. Mathematics Teaching Certificate (updated course list)
5. Mathematics: Actuarial Math and Math of Finance and Risk Management
(sub-concentration prerequisites)
6. Modern Greek (concentration requirements)
7. Polish (updated course list)
8. Russian (updated course list)
9. Social Anthropology (discontinued)
19
10. Sociology Subplans (discontinued)
ACADEMIC MINORS
The following academic minor modifications were approved effective W10:
1. Polish Language, Literature, and Culture (updated course list)
2. Ukrainian Language, Literature, and Culture (updated course list)
3. Urban Studies (updated course list)
ROLE OF WRITING IN COURSE PROPOSALS
The committee approved the attached document titled Role of Writing in Course Proposals, which is
intended to encourage faculty to think about ways in which writing can be incorporated into their
courses.
MATTERS ARISING
On behalf of LSA Student Government, Adam McFarland requested the committee’s feedback
before submitting a proposal to change concentration advising in specific departments. They are
concerned about perceived departmental barriers, such as not using the online scheduling tool.
The meeting was adjourned at 4:10 pm.
NEXT MEETING: SUBCOMMITTEES
November 17, 3-5 pm
NEXT FULL MEETING: COURSE APPROVALS
December 1, 3-5 pm
20
MEMORANDUM
TO:
Members of the LSA Executive Committee
FROM:
Pam Rinker
DATE:
December 9, 2009
SUBJECT:
Summary of LSA Curriculum Committee Minutes
December 1, 2009
1. Minutes of November 10, 2009 were approved.
2. The committee discussed proposed changes to the Individual Concentration
Program.
3. The committee acted upon course approval requests.
4. The committee acted upon concentrations modifications.
21
LSA CURRICULUM COMMITTEE
Minutes of December 1, 2009
Present: Bob Megginson (Chair), Robyn Burnham, Jennifer Crocker, Ellie Dertz, Tim Dodd, KarlGeorg Federhofer, Lori Gould, Marjorie Horton, Mika Lavaque-Manty, Neil Marsh, Adam
McFarland, John Mitani, Jennifer Myers, Sally Oey, Jeremy Peterson, Catherine Sanok, Naomi
Silver, Lauren Ross, Bob Wallin, and Evans Young
Visitor: David R. Smith
The meeting came to order at 3:10 pm.
MINUTES
Minutes of November 10, 2009 were approved.
INDIVIDUAL CONCENTRATION PROPOSAL
David R. Smith, the Newnan Center advisor for the Individual Concentration Program (ICP), joined
Esrold Nurse, Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs, in answering questions about the attached
proposal to modify the Individual Concentration Program. The changes are intended to create an
academic community for exploring interdisciplinary studies, provide a context for continuing facultystudent interactions, and structure the work of ICP students in the senior year. There are about 15-18
ICP graduates each year, which means that a required course would have at least ten students
enrolled. Committee members were enthusiastic about many aspects of the proposal and agreed that a
capstone experience for students in the program would be valuable. They were concerned, however,
about how difficult it would be to teach a single research methods class that deals with the diverse
interests of students in the program. The committee recommended a different title and thought
“modes of inquiry” might be more accurate than “Research Methods.” They also suggested that a
formal research proposal might be added to the many possible forms of the required Senior Project.
The committee noted that it would be important to coordinate the implementation of the modified
ICP program with the Honors Program and the Residential College. Prof. Smith welcomed the
committee’s suggestions and will submit a revised proposal and syllabus.
COURSE APPROVAL REQUESTS
1. The committee approved a total of 17 courses: 13 modifications and 4 new courses (see
Appendix).
2. GEOSCI 112 was approved for NS distribution and BS-eligibility.
CONCENTRATIONS
1. Modifications to the Geological Sciences concentrations were deferred.
2. Changing the four tracks in the International Studies Concentration to subplans was
approved.
The meeting was adjourned at 4:20 pm.
NEXT MEETING: SUBCOMMITTEES
January 12, 3-5 pm
NEXT FULL MEETING: COURSE APPROVALS
January 19, 3-5 pm
22
MEMORANDUM
TO:
Members of the LSA Executive Committee
FROM:
Pam Rinker
DATE:
February 4, 2010
SUBJECT:
Summary of LSA Curriculum Committee Minutes
January 19, 2010
1. The committee accepted the recommendations of the R&E Subcommittee.
2. The committee approved a total of 58 course approval requests: 1 deletion; 32
modifications; and 25 new proposals.
3. The committee approved nine concentration modifications.
4. The committee approved three academic minor modifications.
5. The committee deferred approval of a new Academic Minor in Complex
Systems.
6.
Matters Arising included three changes already approved by LSA.
23
LSA CURRICULUM COMMITTEE
Minutes of January 19, 2010
Present: Bob Megginson (Chair), Robyn Burnham, Ellie Dertz, Tim Dodd, Karl-Georg Federhofer,
Phil Gorman, Lori Gould, Jeffrey Lankowsky, Mika Lavaque-Manty, Neil Marsh, John Mitani,
Jennifer Myers, Esrold Nurse, Sally Oey, JoAnn Peraino, Jeremy Peterson, Pam Rinker, Catherine
Sanok, Naomi Silver, Mandy Syerle, Donna Wessel Walker, Bob Wallin, and Evans Young
The meeting came to order at 3:10 pm.
R&E PROPOSALS
The committee accepted the following recommendations of the R&E Subcommittee:
APPROVE (3)
Recertification / Blanket
1. AMCULT 201. American Values: Imagining Community and the Problem of “We.”
Professor Kristin Hass. F10.
2. WOMENSTD 354. Race and Identity in Music. Professor Naomi Andre. W10.
3. SOC 304/AMCULT 304. American Immigration. Professor Silvia Pedraza. W10.
DEFER (2)
New Proposal / Topic Specific
4. ENGLISH 313.Topics in Literary Studies: Oprah Winfrey Presents American Literature.
Professor Michael Awkward. W10.
Recertification / Blanket
5. ANTHRO 447. Culture, Racism, and Human Nature. Professor Melvin Williams. F10.
COURSE APPROVAL REQUESTS
1. The committee approved a total of 58 courses: 1 deletion; 32 modifications; and 25 new
proposals (see Appendix).
2. The following courses were deferred:
a. CICS 301. Principles of International Studies. The committee suggested a different
title and course description would reflect the content more clearly as well as allow
CICS to offer other topics in the future.
b. HISTORY 263. Exploring America: 1492-1607. Requested that the title and
description be reviewed in light of the course emphasis on interactions among
peoples and cultures.
c. MCDB 412. Teaching Biology. How does this course differ from MCDB 302 and
why is 302 not repeatable for credit?
d. WOMENSTD 411/AMCULT 411. Rednecks, Queers, and Country Music: Identity
& Social Status in Popular Culture. Requested clarification about the relationship
between the proposed title and subtitle and which was most reflective of course
content.
24
3. The following courses were approved for a distribution and/or college requirement
effective Fall 2010 unless otherwise noted:
a. HU: CLCIV 125 (W10); COMPLIT 222/GTBOOKS 212; ENGLISH 250;
ENGLISH 260; ENGLISH 275; ENGLISH 280; ENGLISH 368/MEMS 368;
HISTORY 328; and LING 349
b. NS/BS-eligible: BIOPHYS 115 and 116
c. SS: ANTHRCUL 234; CSP 100 (Su10); HISTORY 224/PUBPOL 224; HISTORY
262 (W10); HISTORY 264; and HISTORY 329 (Sp10)
d. BS-eligible: MCDB 437, 455, and 456
e. QR2: STATS 412
CONCENTRATIONS
The attached concentration modifications were approved effective Fall 2010:
1. Biophysics
2. CAAS Honors
3. Geological Sciences
4. International Studies
5. Judaic Studies
6. Latina/o Studies
7. Mathematical Sciences Program
8. Romance Languages & Literature
9. Statistics
ACADEMIC MINORS
The attached academic minor modifications were approved effective Fall 2010:
1. Asian/Pacific Islander American Studies
2. Mathematics
3. Modern European Studies
The attached proposal for a new Academic Minor in Complex Systems was deferred: The committee
it would be an excellent opportunity for undergraduates interested in the subject. Approval was
deferred, however, pending resolution of the following issues.
1. High level of academic difficulty: Many students would be able to complete the core
requirements by taking two 200-level courses (the new COMPLXSYS 270 on modeling and
COMPLXSYS 281/POLSCI 281), with CMPLXSYS 501 as a third option. In addition to
several 400-level courses, the list of electives includes COMPLXSYS 250 and
COMPLXSYS 260/SOC 260. Most of the 500- to 700-level electives, however, seem far too
demanding except for a few very advanced math/science students.
2. Faculty and budgetary resources: Does the program have any estimate of the number of
students who might want to take the minor? The committee asked for enrollment reports for
classes in which with additional enrollment could pose a challenge.
25
3. Academic advising: The proposal states that Mita Gibson, Key Administrator, will initially
play this role along with the director. LSA expects faculty to be primarily responsible for
advising students, with staff serving a triage function. Faculty advising is all the more
important for such a complicated minor that could take several directions depending on each
student’s interests.
MATTERS ARISING
1. CICS 101: One-Term-Only course approval effective W10 has been extended effective
Sp10. This will allow time for CICS to evaluate Winter term’s first offering of CICS 101 and
report back to the committee in F10.
2. The Center for Russian and East European Studies (CREES) has been renamed effective
immediately as the Center for Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies. The acronym
remains CREES.
3. The undergraduate concentration, M.A. program, and graduate certificate for CREES have
been renamed effective immediately as Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies.
The meeting was adjourned at 5 pm.
NEXT MEETING: SUBCOMMITTEES
January 26, 3-5 pm
NEXT FULL MEETING: COURSE APPROVALS
February 2, 3-5 pm
26
MEMORANDUM
TO:
Members of the LSA Executive Committee
FROM:
Pam Rinker
DATE:
February 17, 2010
SUBJECT:
Summary of LSA Curriculum Committee Minutes
February 9, 2010
1. Minutes of 2/2/10 were approved.
2. Representatives from Newnan Advising Center updated the committee on the
efforts of LSA Academic Advising
3. UM Undergraduate Admissions gave the committee an overview of next year’s
entering class.
27
LSA CURRICULUM COMMITTEE
Minutes of February 9, 2010
Present: Robert Megginson (Chair), Ellie Dertz, Tim Dodd, Karl-Georg Federhofer, Phil
Gorman, Lori Gould, Jeffrey Lankowsky, Mika Lavaque-Manty, Neil Marsh, John Mitani,
Jennifer Myers, Esrold Nurse, Sally Oey, Jeremy Peterson, Pam Rinker, Catherine Sanok,
Mandy Syerle, Donna Wessel Walker, and Evans Young
Visitors: Ted Spencer, Erica Sanders, and Cathy Conway-Perrin
The meeting came to order at 3:10 pm.
MINUTES
The minutes of 2/2/10 were approved.
ANNUAL UPDATE FROM LSA ACADEMIC ADVISING
The following representatives from Newnan Advising Center were invited to update the
committee on the efforts of LSA Academic Advising: Esrold Nurse, Assistant Dean for
Student Academic Affairs; Tim Dodd, Academic Advising Director; and Phil Gorman, LSA
Advising Technology Director; and Cathy Conway-Perrin, Director of Academic Standards
and Academic Opportunities. During their three-day Summer Orientation appointment, all
incoming LSA students are assigned to a specific academic advisor with whom they can
establish an ongoing relationship throughout their undergraduate career. The same is true for
advisors in the Honors Program, Residential College, and Comprehensive Studies Program.
The attached job description and enrollment totals provide an overview of the basic
responsibilities and qualifications of general advisors. A number of technological advances
have enabled advisors to serve students more effectively. For example, all LSA students now
have an online undergraduate advising file into which advisors enter notes of each meeting.
Since most departments use the same tool, general advisors and departmental concentration
advisors have access to the same information. Concentration and academic minor release
forms are now processed online as well. The ability of advisors to print a one-page LSA
degree audit for each student significantly enhances their meetings with students. Faculty
advisors on the committee were interested in having access to these tools. Advising is
considering how that could work in view of confidentiality concerns and appropriate use of
personal information.
As summarized in the attached PowerPoint presentation, Newnan Advising Center is in the
second year of an ongoing assessment project of gathering longitudinal data as they follow each
cohort of students until graduation. Students provide feedback by completing surveys, one
immediately after Orientation and another at the end of Winter term. In these follow-up
surveys, with a response rate of 34-37%, students rate what they value the most in their
advising appointments and which services they deem most effective. For example, a lot of
students rate the printed First-Year Course Guide as an especially valuable resource. The
advising center also gathers feedback by sponsoring focus groups and student panels about
specific issues. The attachment titled Student Experience with Concentration Advising
summarizes a recent Student Advisory Panel on Academic Advising (SAAPA).
On the third day of Orientation, advisors help advisees to register for classes, which is the
highest priority for incoming students. The overall focus of LSA Academic Advising,
however, is to help students evaluate and broaden their educational goals from a long-term
28
perspective. The model developed by Newnan Advising Center makes it possible for their
efforts to permeate the lives of students throughout their undergraduate career.
ADMISSIONS
Ted Spencer, Executive Director of Undergraduate Admissions, and Erica Sanders, Director
of Recruitment and Operations and LSA’s Admissions liaison, gave the committee an
overview of next year’s entering class. The number of applicants, including more
international students, continues to increase each year despite the past year’s economic
decline. One of the primary goals of UM’s holistic admissions process is to achieve diversity
in all parameters. Each year their hard work yields a class of “the best and the brightest” that
exceeds the last in terms of GPA (around 3.8) and extracurricular activities. Dr. Spencer also
reported that UM succeeded better than most institutions in hitting its enrollment target. The
attached PowerPoint document includes a wealth of information about the outcome of the
admissions process and how it compares with other institutions.
The passage of Proposal 2 in 2008 severely limits the university’s ability to attract students
with targeted scholarships and financial aid, especially in competition with other top
universities that can offer a full ride. It is especially challenging to enroll more underrepresented minorities, now down to 8%. Overall the use of “early admissions” has been
very successful in attracting more top-notch students, and the discontinuation of
recalculating grades has not made much difference. Dr. Spencer thinks that next year’s
switch to the Common Application will make it easier for students and increase volume. In
closing, he talked about his desire to develop a program of sponsorship, i.e. identifying
current students willing and able to help applying students on a one-on-one basis. Members
appointed by LSA Student Government expressed interest in supporting his efforts.
The meeting was adjourned at 5 pm.
NEXT MEETING: JOINT MEETING WITH ENGINEERING
February 16, 3-5 pm
29
MEMORANDUM
TO:
Members of the LSA Executive Committee
FROM:
Pam Rinker
DATE:
March 10, 2010
SUBJECT:
Summary of LSA Curriculum Committee Minutes
February 16, 2010
1. The Curriculum Committee minutes of 2/9/10 were approved.
2. Brad Orr, Chair of Physics, provided an overview of the department’s
curriculum changes beginning Fall 2010.
3. Vijay Nair, Chair of Statistics, spoke to Engineering’s questions about the
need for better training in data analysis and statistical techniques.
4. Curtis Huntington, Associate Chair for Education in Mathematics, answered
questions about the department’s introductory math sequences.
5. The committees discussed efforts by both colleges to increase course
offerings during the Spring and Summer months.
6. Engineering noted the success of ENGR 490 for developing entrepreneurial
projects.
30
LSA CURRICULUM COMMITTEE
Minutes of February 16, 2010
LSA Curriculum Committee: Robert Megginson (Chair), Robyn Burnham, Ellie Dertz, Tim Dodd,
Karl-Georg Federhofer, Phil Gorman, Lori Gould, Jeffrey Lankowsky, Mika Lavaque-Manty, Neil
Marsh, Jennifer Myers, JoAnn Peraino, Jeremy Peterson, Pam Rinker, Mandy Seyerle, Donna
Wessel Walker, and Evans Young
Engineering Curriculum Committee: Marina Epleman (IOE and Chair); James Holloway (Associate
Dean for Undergraduate Education); Edward Larson (Nuclear Engineering and Radiological
Sciences); Lorelle Meadows (Academic Programs Director); Susan Montgomery (Chemical
Engineering); Fred Terry (EECS); Fred Ward (Technical Communications); and Judy Wolfe
(Registrar)
Visitors: Curtis Huntington, James Liu, Vijay Nair, and Brad Orr
The meeting came to order at 3:15 pm.
MINUTES
The minutes of 2/9/10 were approved.
PHYSICS
Brad Orr, Chair of Physics, provided an overview of the department’s curriculum changes beginning
Fall 2010. The goals include emphasizing PHYSICS 135/235 as the preferred life science sequence,
increasing the size of the lecture sections for each lab, differentiating PHYSICS 160/161 as the
Honors sequence, and replacing the PHYSICS 127 and 128 labs with PHYSICS 136 and 236. The
department will continue to offer PHYSICS 125 in Fall term for incoming students who have
insufficient math preparation, with the option of switching to another course at mid-term. PHYSICS
135/235, which is less algebra-based and more popular especially among pre-med students, will be
offered regularly. Students who want to balance calculus and algebra could take PHYSICS 135/240
as an alternative. Honors students who place out of PHYSICS 160 would take 161 with more applied
and numerical content.
STATISTICS
Vijay Nair, Chair of Statistics, spoke to Engineering’s concern that many of its students need more
training in data analysis and statistical techniques prior to their junior year. STATS 250 (350) has
been an excellent course for this purpose. Engineering suggested that students would learn more
effectively through examples. Prof. Nair said the department prefers to emphasize concepts first and
examples later, and that it takes at least 3-4 weeks just to grasp probability. He would urge various
departments to develop their own applications and modules. There may be interest in a half-term
course.
MATHEMATICS
Curtis Huntington, Associate Chair for Education in Mathematics, said the department’s introductory
math sequences have not changed. Due to high demand, the department has to manage enrollment in
these courses very carefully. Engineering reported that some of their students have difficulty placing
into MATH 116. They also were concerned about a number of their students who have to drop
MATH 215. Prof. Huntington suggested students enroll first in the less difficult MATH 216. He also
pointed out that MATH 110 works well for Engineering students. Engineering noted that an
increasing number of their students opt to enroll in MATH 105 first. Prof. Huntington’s experience
with LSA students is that they fight to place out of 105. There are multiple factors that can influence
students’ self selection, including concern about their GPA and discussions with peers. Students who
do not pass their mid-term in MATH 115 have the option of switching to 110. The Mathematics
31
Department recently studied the effectiveness of the MATH 115 sequence, using a pre-test and posttest as well as comparing it with other college curriculums. He reported that UM students in all
sections of 115 ranked far above the scores of students in other colleges and said the statistics were
stunning.
HALF-TERM CURRICULUM
LSA is trying to increase course offerings in all departments during the Spring and Summer months.
That not only uses facilities and resources more effectively but also provides more opportunities for
students. Many students, however, are unable to take advantage of summer classes because they rely
on summer earnings, especially during the current economic downturn. Departments can have
difficulty identifying faculty who are willing to teach during the Summer months. Sometimes a
scheduled section does not fill, which is especially problematic. On a one-time-only basis, LSA has
allowed GSIs with established qualifications to staff 300-level courses. This not only serves students
but also provides GSIs with very valuable teaching experience. Engineering is also discussing ways
to increase its half-term offerings.
MATTERS ARISING
A member of the Engineering Curriculum Committee noted the success of ENGR 490, which allows
students to work on entrepreneurial projects as part of multi-disciplinary teams with business
students.
The meeting was adjourned at 4:35 pm.
NEXT MEETING: SUBCOMMITTEES
February 24, 3-5 pm
NEXT FULL MEETING: COURSE APPROVALS
March 9, 3-5 pm
32
MEMORANDUM
TO:
Members of the LSA Executive Committee
FROM:
Pam Rinker
DATE:
February 12, 2010
SUBJECT:
Summary of LSA Curriculum Committee Minutes
February 2, 2010
1. The committee accepted the recommendations of the R&E Subcommittee.
2. Course approval requests were acted upon.
3. POLSCI 386 and SWC 410 were approved for QR2.
4. The committee approved a new Academic Minor in Complex Systems
effective F10.
5. The committee approved changes to the Individual Concentration Program.
6. Matters Arising: Dean Megginson informed the committee that subsequent
to the 1/19/10 approval of the new Academic Minor in Art & Design, the
School of Art & Design asked that the proposal be withdrawn.
33
LSA CURRICULUM COMMITTEE
Minutes of March 9, 2010
Present: Bob Megginson (Chair); Robyn Burnham; Ellie Dertz; Tim Dodd; Karl-Georg Federhofer;
Phil Gorman; Lori Gould; Jeffrey Lankowsky; Sally Oey; JoAnn Peraino; Jeremy Peterson; Pam
Rinker; Catherine Sanok; Naomi Silver; Mandy Seyerle; Donna Wessel Walker; and Evans Young
The meeting came to order at 3:10 pm.
MINUTES
Minutes of 2/16/10 were approved.
R&E PROPOSALS
The committee accepted the recommendations of the R&E Subcommittee (see attached report for details).
Approve (3)
New Proposal / Topic Specific
1. COMM 478. Special Topics in Media & Culture: Race, Representation and the Media.
Assistant Professor Shazia Iftkhar. W10.
New Proposal / Blanket
2. SLAVIC 316 / RCLANG 333. RUSLAN: Russian Language, Culture and People in the
US. Lecturer Alina Makin. F10.
Recertification / Blanket
3. ANTHROCUL 447. Culture, Racism, and Human Nature. Professor Melvin Williams.
F10.
Defer (1)
New Proposal / Blanket
4. HISTART 208/ CAAS 208. Introduction to African Art. Professor David Doris. W10.
COURSE APPROVAL REQUESTS
1. The committee approved a total of 63 courses: 3 deletions; 46 modifications; and 14 new
proposals (see Appendix I).
2. Four courses were approved for HU distribution effective F10: ACABS 204, HISTORY 330331, and LATIN 306.
3. Two courses were approved for ID distribution effective F10: ECON 140 and ENGLISH
142.
4. AAPTIS 250 / ASIANLAN 250 was approved to meet the Language Requirement effective
W11.
5. ACABS 204, Introduction to Christianity, was approved as a new HU course. Since the absence of outof-class writing differs from the typical pattern for distribution courses, the committee was interested in
assessing the learning effectiveness of this approach. They asked the instructor to evaluate the course
and report back after the first offering. They also asked the instructor to consult with Sweetland Writing
Center about the possibility of adding informal writing assignments outside of the exams.
34
6. The following course approval requests were deferred:
a. ECON 404: The request to remove STATS 250 (350) from the credit exclusions was
deferred. Next week the committee will review a W10 syllabus for STATS 350 to
compare the content. Except for field-specific applications, would there be
significant overlap in content? If yes, Economics concentrators required to take both
would spend several weeks repeating material. The department’s plan to
accommodate the additional enrollment in ECON 404 by teaching fewer sections of
300-level electives seems plausible. Jim Penner-Hahn, Associate Dean for Budget,
had a remaining budgetary concern about the ~200 Econ majors who did NOT take
STATS 250 (350). The committee requested data to support the department’s
speculation that these students could have had AP or transfer credit. Otherwise the
college would need to add 200 more seats in STATS 250 in order to accommodate
the new advisory pre-requisite.
b. ORGSTD 410, RCSSCI 222, and STATS 250: Changes to the credit exclusions
were deferred pending a decision about ECON 404.
c. RUSSIAN 316 / RCLANG 333: The committee deferred the modification of this
course from Experiential to Regular Credit pending additional information from the
department with regard to the academic content of lectures. With regard to HU
distribution, they thought the content was more about social sciences.
CONCENTRATIONS AND ACADEMIC MINORS
1. Biophysics Academic Minor: Decreasing the total number of required credits from 18
to 15 was approved effective F10.
2. Modifications to two concentrations and the Academic Minor in Physics were approved
effective F10 (see attached document for details).
3. A request from the Residential College to rename the Academic Minor in Text-toPerformance to Drama: Text-to-Performance was approved effective F10.
4. Updated course lists for concentrations and academic minors effective F10 are in
Appendix II.
SCHOOL OF INFORMATION
SI 429 and 446 were approved for LSA credit (see attached syllabi for details).
MATTERS ARISING
Associate Dean Megginson foresees an increase in requests from other schools and colleges that
specific courses earn LSA credit. The criteria for such a determination is not always clear.
Megginson recommended a new process for these requests. After a brief review of the proposal, the
committee will try to identify an LSA department that offers the same type of courses and ask if it
would be interested in being cross-listed to the non-LSA course. If agreed upon, the cross-listing will
automatically confer LSA credit. If the department declines, they will be asked to provide feedback
to the committee as to how the course compares with similar LSA courses at the same level with
regard to content, instructional approach, required reading, and writing assignments. The committee
agreed and will follow this process for future non-LSA proposals.
The meeting was adjourned at 4:45 pm.
NEXT MEETING: COURSE APPROVALS AND DISCUSSION
March 16, 3-5 pm
35
MEMORANDUM
TO:
Members of the LSA Executive Committee
FROM:
Pam Rinker
DATE:
March 31, 2010
SUBJECT:
Summary of LSA Curriculum Committee Minutes
March 16, 2010
7. Brad Orr, Chair of Physics, gave a PowerPoint presentation about changes in
teaching the department’s introductory courses.
8. The committee acted upon course approval requests.
9. The committee acted upon requested modifications to several concentrations
and academic minors.
10. The committee briefly discussed courses that earn Experiential credit.
36
LSA CURRICULUM COMMITTEE
Minutes of March 16, 2010
Present: Bob Megginson (Chair); Robyn Burnham; Ellie Dertz; Karl-Georg Federhofer; Phil
Gorman; Lori Gould; Mika Lavaque-Manty; Neil Marsh; Tim McKay; John Mitani; Esrold
Nurse; Sally Oey; JoAnn Peraino; Jeremy Peterson; Pam Rinker; Catherine Sanok; Mandy
Seyerle; Donna Wessel Walker; and Evans Young
Visitor: Brad Orr
The meeting came to order at 3:10 pm.
MINUTES
Minutes of 3/9/10 were approved.
CURRICULAR CHANGES IN INTRODUCTORY PHYSICS COURSES
The committee invited Brad Orr, Chair of Physics, to give a PowerPoint presentation about
changes in teaching the department’s introductory courses. Solving the following major issues
provided the impetus.
1. Frequently students who enroll in PHYSICS 140, General Physics I, were
underprepared, while the top 10% were unchallenged. Their respective choices were to
either drop or be bored.
2. The strongest students were starting with PHYSICS 240, General Physics II, which
did not prepare them adequately for more advanced coursework.
3. Some concentrators were starting with 300-level courses without any preparation
beyond high school.
4. Many students who enrolled in the algebra-based PHYSICS 125, General Physics:
Mechanics and Sound, had difficulty remembering and applying 10th grade algebra
and trigonometry. The department is considering the implementation of PHYSICS 105
to help remedy this issue. Four years ago, as an alternative to PHYSICS 125, Professor
Tim McKay began developing PHYSICS 135, Physics for the Life Sciences I, for
students interested in the life sciences. Since this new course has been very successful
and far exceeded enrollment expectations, the department plans to offer PHYSICS 125
only in Fall term and 126 only in Winter. The committee was concerned that doing so
would not satisfy the continuing demand. Prof. Orr assured them that Physics would
meet the need by tracking the number of students who want to enroll in 125 with
Academic Reporting Toolkit. The department also has been revamping PHYSICS 160
and 260, Honors Physics I and II, and revised several course sequences (see
attachment). All of these significant curricular changes stem from asking the question,
what do students really need to know? They also reflect the huge advances in the way
introductory Physics courses are taught now, employing pedagogy that emphasizes
active-learning rather than memorization and also incorporates writing.
37
COURSE APPROVAL REQUESTS
The committee approved four course modifications (see Appendix for details). They deferred
the request to change the credit type of RUSSIAN 316 from Experiential to regular credit.
CONCENTRATIONS AND ACADEMIC MINORS
The committee approved the attached modifications to Concentrations and/or Academic
Minors in Chemistry, Informatics, and Sociology. They denied Informatics’ request to allow
concentrators to use STATS 350 (250) or its equivalent toward fulfillment of LSA Area
Distribution requirements.
EXPERIENTIAL COURSES
The committee briefly discussed courses that earn Experiential credit. They agreed with
Assistant Dean Evans Young’s suggestion to request an additional search category to the
Course Guide to help students identify Experiential offerings. This discussion will resume on
4/6/10, including what more can be done to promote civic and service-learning courses.
The meeting was adjourned at 5:05 pm.
NEXT MEETING: SUBCOMMITTEES
March 23, 3-5 pm
NEXT FULL MEETING: COURSE APPROVALS
March 30, 3-5 pm
38
MEMORANDUM
TO:
Members of the LSA Executive Committee
FROM:
Pam Rinker
DATE:
April 7, 2010
SUBJECT:
Summary of LSA Curriculum Committee Minutes
March 30, 2010
1. The minutes of 3/16/10 were approved.
2. Course approval requests were acted upon.
3. A change to the Biochemistry Concentration was approved.
4. The Academic Minor in Electrical Engineering was approved for
LSA Students.
5. The committee had a general discussion about how NS distribution courses
compare with those that earn MSA.
39
LSA CURRICULUM COMMITTEE
Minutes of March 30, 2010
Present: Bob Megginson (Chair); Robyn Burnham; Karl-Georg Federhofer; Phil Gorman; Lori
Gould; Jeffrey Lankowsky; Mika Lavaque-Manty; Neil Marsh; Jennifer Myers; John Mitani; Sally
Oey; JoAnn Peraino; Jeremy Peterson; Pam Rinker; Catherine Sanok; Naomi Silver; Donna Wessel
Walker; and Evans Young
The meeting came to order at 3:10 pm.
MINUTES
Minutes of 3/16/10 were approved.
COURSE APPROVAL REQUESTS
1. The committee approved requests for 76 courses: 6 deletions; 62 modifications; and 8 new
proposals (see Appendix).
2. Five courses were approved for distribution and/or BS-eligibility effective Fall 2010:
a. HU: RCHUMS 356 and 365
b. SS: RCSSCI 302
c. NS: CHEM 303
d. BS-eligible: CHEM 303 and 419
3. Four requests were deferred:
a. COMM 455: The committee is requesting more information about the course
requirements. It also wants to alert Budget of the GSI request that may require new
funding next year.
b. ENVIRON 321: The committee is requesting additional information to resolve two
issues. First, the course content does not meet the guidelines for ID distribution.
Second, they are asking the department and/or instructor to compare this new course
proposal with several existing courses that address global climate change.
c. RCHUMS 349: First, the committee recommended this course be offered at the 100
or 200 level rather than 300. Second, they considered the content as more similar to
existing courses in Music Theory, which generally satisfy HU distribution rather
than CE. Third, they were concerned about possible overlap with existing courses
offered the Music School and the need to distinguish it by making it more like other
LSA courses, with particular emphasis on academic content and course
requirements.
d. RCLANG 304: The committee is requesting more information about this course.
They were concerned that it seemed to be mainly about tutoring without sufficiently
addressing academic issues such as theory and social context.
BIOCHEMISTRY CONCENTRATION MODIFICATION
Effective Fall 2010 the committee approved a change in the upper-level laboratory requirements for this
concentration: from “4 credits of undergraduate research, elected as CHEM 398” to “a total of 4 credits of
undergraduate research elected as any combination of either CHEM 398 or BIOLCHEM 398.” The
committee also recommended that a request for LSA credit be submitted for BIOLCHEM 438.
40
ACADEMIC MINOR IN ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING
The committee approved the attached Academic Minor in Electrical Engineering for LSA students
effective Fall 2010 with the following text for the LSA Bulletin:
Exclusions: The minor in Electrical Engineering is not open to Computer Science
concentrators.
Prerequisites: MATH 115, 116, 215, and 216 or equivalent. PHYSICS 140/141 and 240/241
or equivalent. ENGR 101 or equivalent. LSA students are not required to take CHEM 125,
126, 130, or ENGR 100.
Minimum Grade Requirement: A grade of C or better is required for all prerequisites and
courses used to fulfill the minor.
Note: Most EECS courses in the Electrical Engineering minor count as non-LSA credit.
LSA students may use a maximum of 20 credits of non-LSA course work toward the total
120 credits required for the degree.
MATTERS ARISING
The committee had a general discussion about how NS distribution courses compare with those that
earn MSA.
The meeting was adjourned at 5:05 pm.
NEXT MEETING: COURSE APPROVALS AND DISCUSSION
April 6, 3-5 pm
41
MEMORANDUM
TO:
Members of the LSA Executive Committee
FROM:
Pam Rinker
DATE:
April 15, 2010
SUBJECT:
Summary of LSA Curriculum Committee Minutes
April 6, 2010
1. The minutes of 3/30/10 were approved.
2. Course approval requests were acted upon.
3. The subcommittee’s recommendation for the Matthews Underclass
Teaching Award was accepted
4. Possible improvements to the undergraduate course approval process
were discussed.
42
LSA CURRICULUM COMMITTEE
Minutes of April 6, 2010
Present: Bob Megginson (Chair); Robyn Burnham; Ellie Dertz; Tim Dodd; Karl-Georg Federhofer;
Phil Gorman; Jeffrey Lankowsky; Mika Lavaque-Manty; Neil Marsh; Jennifer Myers; John Mitani;
Sally Oey; JoAnn Peraino; Jeremy Peterson; Pam Rinker; Catherine Sanok; Amanda Seyerle;
Naomi Silver; Donna Wessel Walker; and Evans Young
The meeting came to order at 3:10 pm.
MINUTES
Minutes of 3/30/10 were approved.
COURSE APPROVAL REQUESTS
1. The committee approved 16 course approval requests: 9 modifications and 7 new
proposals (see Appendix). New courses include UC 285, 286, and 287, a three-course
sequence intended for students before, during, and after their participation in an off-campus
learning opportunity through the Global Intercultural Experience for Undergraduates (CGIS).
The committee recognized that these courses need to be offered a few times to clarify exactly
how they will work, e.g. how the textbook will be used in each and how CGIS will manage
enrollment for individual students at various stages of their off-campus experience. They
requested that AT Miller, CGIS Faculty Director, report back in Winter 2011 and provide a
syllabus.
2. Three courses were approved for distribution effective Fall 2010:
a. CE: RCHUMS 249
b. ID: HISTORY 238/AAPTIS 238/ACABS 238/GEOSCI 238
c. SS: ENVIRON 321
MATTHEWS UNDERCLASS TEACHING AWARD
The Matthews Underclass Teaching Award is presented each year to a faculty member in Mathematics,
History, or Modern Languages who has made a distinctive contribution to teaching first-or second-year
students. On behalf of the subcommittee that reviewed all of the nominees, Naomi Silver announced
their recommendation for this year’s Matthews award. The Curriculum Committee accepted their
recommendation and will submit the nominee’s name to the LSA Executive Committee for approval.
UNDERGRADUATE COURSE APPROVAL PROCESS
As suggested by Neil Marsh, Professor in Chemistry, the committee discussed the effectiveness of the
undergraduate course approval process. The LSA Curriculum Committee devotes at least two meetings
each month during the academic year to review all course proposals along with changes to
concentrations, programs, and academic minors. Once proposals have been approved by departmental
curriculum committees, the current process takes a minimum of six weeks: 1) users submit proposals
and online course approval request form (CARF); 2) the Curriculum Office reviews all requests and
obtains additional information as needed; 3) two subcommittees review general and R&E proposals; 4)
the LSA Curriculum and Executive Committees approve courses; and 5) the Curriculum Office delivers
printed forms to the Registrar’s Office for data entry into Pathways. Monthly deadlines are based on the
Registrar’s capacity to implement changes prior to each term’s student backpacking and early
43
registration. The need to make curricular changes so far in advance is a source of frustration for many
departments.
The consensus of the committee was that the current number of 20 members is about right to provide
various perspectives critical to discussions and decisions. Everyone agreed that approving courses
consumes too much time and energy to the neglect of more issues of importance to the college as a
whole. Suggestions for agenda items included:





Academic units and departments that have made significant curricular improvements
Possible changes to academic policies and college requirements
Role of writing and course assessment in course proposals
College curriculum as an integrative whole
Review of data about learning assessment and related pedagogical issues
The increased time for course approvals is due largely to the growing number of proposals, which
sometimes result in 100-200 pages of information to be read prior to each meeting. When departments
undertake a review of their overall curriculum, they submit up to 75 course approval requests for a single
meeting as well as changes in concentration and academic minor requirements. Nonetheless, the
committee prefers to continue designating one meeting each month for course approvals rather than on
a continuing basis. They strongly disliked the idea of conducting more business via email. To deal with
the sheer volume of work, committee members offered several ideas for streamlining the course approval
process:





Delegate approval of routine requests to the Curriculum Office and appropriate subcommittees
Sort all other requests into basic categories—such as distribution, renumbering, credits, and
prerequisites, and post each report in separate folders for review by the committee
Obtain additional information before sending proposals to the whole committee
Create sub-groups for an initial review of proposals before they go to the whole committee,
perhaps a selection of faculty to discuss larger curricular issues and representatives from
academic advising to provide input about student and technical issues, e.g. prerequisites
Assign faculty members to subcommittees on a rotating basis during their 3-year terms, possibly
the Course Approval Subcommittee the first year to gain the needed expertise, the R&E
Subcommittee the second year, and neither subcommittee the third year
Anne Rickert, Management Systems Coordinator in the Dean’s Office, has devoted a lot of time over the
last several years to developing the LSA Course Database, which drives not only the online CARF but
also the content of the Course Guide and LSA Bulletin. Being responsible for several other priority
projects now severely limits her time for additional programming changes. As a consequence sorting the
CARFs into separate reports would have to be done manually by the Curriculum Office. The committee
looks forward to future technological advances to use a more interactive process and make some changes
with a single click.
The meeting was adjourned at 5 pm.
NEXT MEETING: DISCUSSION
April 13, 3-5 pm
44
MEMORANDUM
TO:
Members of the LSA Executive Committee
FROM:
Pam Rinker
DATE:
May 1, 2010
SUBJECT:
Summary of LSA Curriculum Committee Minutes
April 13, 2010
1. The minutes of 4/6/10 were approved.
2. The committee discussed the attached Summary Findings of CRLT’s
assessment of the QR Requirement.
3. Dean Megginson thanked everyone for their hard work this year and
especially members of the committee whose term of service has ended. .
45
LSA CURRICULUM COMMITTEE
Minutes of April 13, 2010
Present: Bob Megginson (Chair); Robyn Burnham; Ellie Dertz; Tim Dodd; Karl-Georg Federhofer; Phil
Gorman; Lori Gould; Marjorie Horton; Jeffrey Lankowsky; Mika Lavaque-Manty; John Mitani;
Jennifer Myers; Sally Oey; Jeremy Peterson; Pam Rinker; Catherine Sanok; Amanda Seyerle; Naomi
Silver; and Donna Wessel Walker
The meeting came to order at 3:15 pm.
MINUTES
Minutes of 4/6/10 were approved.
FALL 2009 ASSESSMENT OF THE QUANTITATIVE REASONING REQUIREMENT
The committee discussed the attached Summary Findings of CRLT’s assessment of the QR
Requirement. Part of the data is based on a Fall 2009 survey of all students enrolled in QR1 courses.
The results indicate that the material is meeting the primary goal of teaching students how to reason
logically and make quantitative decisions. They thought the variation in survey responses showed that
QR courses approach the material in different ways and degrees depending on the subject and topic.
The data also suggests that requiring students to explain their logical analysis and decision-making in
writing is especially effective. CRLT’s research included consulting with peer institutions with a
similar requirement. One is the University of Wisconsin, which at this point lacks any hard data related
to QR assessment. Nonetheless, the result of its surveys and statistical models are statistically
significant when compared to UM data.
One of the questions emerging from these findings is why QR2 courses are necessary when those
approved for QR1 are so effective. Does the QR2 pairing accomplish the desired goals? By combining
and balancing the responses to all four survey questions, the committee thought CRLT’s assessment
offered valuable insights. Next year’s committee will review the implications and consider possible
changes. Excerpts from the minutes of committee discussions in September 2008 are appended as
background information.
CURRICULUM COMMITTEE ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
In view of the significant time and effort required by the Curriculum Committee, Dean Megginson
thanked everyone for their hard work this year. The attached summary of its activities underline the
committee’s valuable contribution to the college by reviewing a significant number of curricular
changes. He thanked the four LSA Student Government appointees whose input has been very helpful:
Ellie Dertz; Jeffrey Lankowsky; Jeremy Peterson; and Amanda Seyerle. He also thanked Curriculum
Specialist Pam Rinker for her administrative support that allows the committee to function well. Lastly,
Dean Megginson acknowledged the valuable contributions of three faculty whose term of service is
ending: Robyn Burnham, Associate Professor of EEB and Geology; Naomi Silver, Lecturer IV in the
Sweetland Writing Center; and Kali Federhofer, Lecturer IV in Germanic Languages.
The meeting was adjourned at 4:10 pm.
NEXT FULL MEETING: SEPTEMBER 14, 3-5 PM
Course Approvals
46
Summary of LSA Curriculum Committee Activity for 2009-2010
2009-2010
Total Course Approvals
2008-2009
921
407
Deletions
504
21
Modifications
283
269
New Proposals
127
115
7
2
77
76
2
24
28
20
Interdisciplinary (ID)
5
2
Natural Science (NS)
5
9
QR1
QR2
0
3
2
3
Social Science (SS)
11
5
BS Eligibility
19
10
4
1
LSA credit for Non-LSA courses
Distribution/Requirement
Creative Expression (CE)
Humanities (HU)
Language Requirement
Race & Ethnicity Requirement
20
50
3
10
11
14
Deferrals
5
0
Deletions
0
26
Deny
1
0
Concentration Proposals:
23
21
New Courses
Re-certifications
Modifications (23)
Biochemistry
Biophysics
CAAS Honors
Chemistry
Cognition & Cognitive Neuroscience Sub Plan
Earth Systems Science Program
Financial Mathematics
Geological Sciences
Informatics
International Studies
Italian
Judaic Studies
47
Latina/o Studies
Mathematical Sciences Program
Mathematical Teaching Certificate
Modern Greek
Philosophy
Physics
Polish
Romance Languages & Literature
Russian
Sociology
Statistics
Academic Minor Proposals
2009-2010
14
2008-2009
12
NEW LSA ACADEMIC MINOR (1)
Complex Systems
NON-LSA ACADEMIC MINORS APPROVED FOR LSA STUDENTS (2)
Community Action and Social Change (Social Work)
Electrical Engineering (College of Engineering)
LSA Academic Minor Modifications (11)
Asian/Pacific Islander American Studies
Biophysics
Italian
Mathematics
Modern European Studies
Philosophy
Physics
Polish Language, Literature, & Culture
Text-to-Performance
Ukrainian Language, Literature, & Culture
Urban Studies
Discussion Topics
Annual Report by LSA Newnan Academic Advising
Approving the Academic Minor in Art & Design (School of Art) for LSA Students
Center for Global & Intercultural Study (CGIS)
Changes to the Individual Concentration Program
Comparison of Courses with NS and MSA Distribution
Courses that Earn Experiential Credit
CRLT’s QR Assessment Report
Increasing Spring and Summer Course Offerings
Introductory Math Sequences
Matthews Teaching Award
Overview of Physics Curriculum Changes
PowerPoint Presentation by UM Admissions
Role of Writing in Course Proposals
Summary of Activities for 2009-2010
Training in Data Analysis and Statistical Techniques
Undergraduate Course Approval Process: Ways to Increase Efficiency and Effectiveness
48
ACADEMIC MINORS APPROVED FOR LSA STUDENTS
APRIL 2010
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
28.
29.
30.
31.
32.
33.
34.
35.
36.
37.
38.
39.
40.
41.
42.
43.
African American Theatre (Theatre & Drama)
Afroamerican & African Studies (CAAS)
Anthropology
Applied Statistics
Asian Languages & Cultures
Asian Studies
Asian/Pacific American Studies (American Culture)
Astronomy & Astrophysics
Biochemistry
Biological Anthropology
Biology
Biophysics
Chemical Measurement Science
Chemical Physics
Chemistry
Classical Archaeology (Classical Studies)
Classical Civilization
Community Action and Social Change (CASC, SSW)
Complex Systems
Computer Science
Crime & Justice (RC)
Cultures & Literatures of Eastern Europe
Czech Language, Literature, & Culture
Drama: Text-to-Performance (RC)
Early Christian Studies (NES/Classical Studies)
Earth Sciences — General
East European Studies (CREES)
Ecology & Evolutionary Biology (EEB)
Economics
Electrical Engineering (College of Engineering)
Environment
Environmental Geology
Epistemology & Philosophy of Science
French & Francophone Studies
Gender & Health (Women’s Studies)
Gender, Race, & Ethnicity (Women’s Studies)
General Philosophy
Geochemistry
German Studies
Global Change (Program in the Environment)
Global Media Studies (Screen Arts & Cultures)
History
History of Art
49
44.
45.
46.
47.
48.
49.
50.
51.
52.
53.
54.
55.
56.
57.
58.
59.
60.
61.
62.
63.
64.
65.
66.
67.
68.
69.
70.
71.
72.
73.
74.
75.
76.
77.
78.
79.
80.
81.
History of Philosophy
International Studies
Italian
Judaic Studies
Language, Literature, Culture of Ancient Greece
Language, Literature, Culture of Ancient Rome
Latin American & Caribbean Studies (LACS)
Latina/o Studies (American Culture)
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer
(LGBTQ) & Sexuality Studies (Women’s Studies)
Linguistics
Mathematics
Medical Anthropology
Medieval & Early Modern Studies (MEMS)
Mind & Meaning (Philosophy)
Modern European Studies (Center for European
Studies)
Modern Greek Studies (Classical Studies)
Modern Middle Eastern & North African Studies
(CMENAS)
Moral & Political Philosophy
Museum Studies
Music
Native American Studies (American Culture)
Near Eastern Languages & Cultures (NES)
Oceanography
Paleontology
Peace & Social Justice (RC)
Physics
Plant Biology (EEB)
Polish Language, Literature, & Culture
Political Science
Polymer Chemistry
Russian Language, Literature, & Culture
Russian Studies
Scandinavian Studies
Science, Technology, & Society (RC)
Spanish Language, Literature, & Culture
Statistics
Ukrainian Language, Literature, and Culture
Urban & Community Studies (RC)