Received by the Undergraduate Coordinating Council--December 7, 2006
COMMITTEE ON THE UNDERGRADUATE CURRICULUM (CUC)
Fourth Meeting/2006-07 Academic Year
November 16, 2006
Approved
i of iii
PRESENT:
G. Aase (BUS/OMIS), R. Newsom (VPA/TH-D), J. Rabak-Wagener (HHS/AHP, chair),
F. Solares-Larrave (LAS/FL--), V. Talsma (EDUC/TLRN), R. Tatara (EET/TECH), R.
Vasudevan (EET/Student Rep)
ABSENT:
R. Beatty (UCC/BUS/OMIS), E. Seaver (Vice Provost, ex officio), J. Song (LAS/GEOG),
Z. Ye (LAS/MATH)
CONSULTANTS: D. Smith (Catalog Editor/Curriculum Coordinator)
GUESTS:
M. Pritchard (HHS/Associate Dean), S. Todd Yeary (Center for Black Studies)
ANNOUNCEMENTS
None.
CONSENT AGENDA
There was no consent agenda.
COLLEGE MINUTES AND OTHER CURRICULAR ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION
None.
OLD BUSINESS
1. Subcommittee on the Review of Contract Majors and KNPE 101 Letter-Suffixed Courses
No report.
2. New Student Information System
No report.
3. Curriculum items not approved at the November 9, 2006, meeting
a. Homeland Security certificate of undergraduate study language from CEET #s 3 & 4
The College of Engineering and Engineering Technology approved the CUC’s
suggestion with regards to the Certificate of Undergraduate Study in Homeland
Security. Talsma made a motion, seconded by Aase, to APPROVE OF THE NEW
LANGUAGE AS PRESENTED. The following will be placed after the Major in
Technology:
Received by the Undergraduate Coordinating Council--December 7, 2006
COMMITTEE ON THE UNDERGRADUATE CURRICULUM (CUC)
Fourth Meeting/2006-07 Academic Year
November 16, 2006
Approved
ii of iii
Certificate of Undergraduate Study
The Department of Technology participates in the Homeland Security Certification
of Undergraduate Study. See the section on Inter-College Interdisciplinary
Certificates in this catalog for details or visit the Homeland Security website at
http://www.niu.edu/HomelandSecurity/index.shtml.
Discussion followed as to whether or not similar language should be added to every
department participating in the certificates. Motion passed unanimously.
Talsma made a motion, seconded by Newsom, that ALL DEPARTMENTS
PARTICIPATING IN THE CERTIFICATE OF UNDERGRADUATE STUDY IN
HOMELAND SECURITY INDICATE THEIR INVOLVEMENT ACCORDING TO
ABOVE LANGUAGE.
Discussion followed regarding exactly what departments would be affected. For
some tracks, a department is involved because only one of their courses is listed as an
elective. Talsma amended the motion, seconded by Newsom, to RECOMMEND
THAT EACH COLLEGE WITH ONE OR MORE DEPARTMENTS
PARTICIPATING IN THE CERTIFICATE OF UNDERGRADUATE STUDY IN
HOMELAND SECURITY CONSIDER PLACING A STATEMENT TO THAT
EFFECT IN THE CATALOG WHEN THEY DEEM APPROPRIATE. Motion
passed unanimously.
b. CSCI 240 from CLAS #2
No report.
4. New courses (IDSP 312, IDSP 350, IDSP 410, IDSP 420, IDSP 440) and course revision
(IDSP 493) for the Center for Black Studies
S. Todd Yeary was present to address questions and concerns. Rabak-Wagener stated that
the committee is eager to assist the Center for Black Studies with their course development
and is very supportive of the proposal. Several committee members had questions and
comments. The first question was how would the new courses fit in with the Minor in Black
Studies. It was explained that the courses, including the capstone course, would be added as
additional electives for the minor. Since the courses would be electives, the total hours
required for the minor would not change. It was then clarified what was being changed in the
course revision for IDSP 493, that the title was all that was changing. For that course, the
committee suggested that the center simply provide the revision without the supporting
materials. Yeary noted the revision to IDSP 493, as well as the proposals for new courses,
were driven in part by standards of the National Council of Black Studies. In addition, the
new courses were developed from the different topics covered under IDSP 310, Topics in
Black Studies. Committee members then provided constructive feedback for improving the
rationale for the new courses. Suggestions included explaining that new courses were
developed from the topics course, noting the high demand for the courses, and incorporating
the differences in educational objectives and course content.
Received by the Undergraduate Coordinating Council--December 7, 2006
COMMITTEE ON THE UNDERGRADUATE CURRICULUM (CUC)
Fourth Meeting/2006-07 Academic Year
November 16, 2006
Approved
iii of iii
The committee then made sure that the new course proposals contained all the information
required as outlined on the Checklist for New Course Proposals. It was noted that the
justification on the checklist is similar to the rationale for the formal proposal and everything
else on the checklist should also be included in their proposal. The center also needs to be
sure they have contacted other departments for verification of nonduplication and include
such communication with each course proposal.
The committee proceeded to evaluate what was included in the proposals that wasn’t
necessary, specifically the list of related courses. Tatara suggested that if they did include the
list, to be sure the courses listed were still available.
It was agreed that Yeary would update the proposals according to the suggestions from the
CUC and provide the information to Smith 10 days before the next CUC meeting of
February 8, 2007.
NEW BUSINESS
Revisions to the Homeland Security Certificates in Undergraduate Study
Pritchard presented the revisions to the certificate. She stated that the Homeland Security Task
Force works on the certificates then presents them to the CUC since they are interdisciplinary
certificates. The task force also seeks approval from the college curriculum committees. She
noted that one of the revisions is to rename one of the tracks so it better represents the course
work involved. The other revisions deal with offering more choices to students. Talsma made a
motion, seconded by Solares-Larrave, to RECEIVE THE OTHER CATALOG CHANGES TO
THE CERTIFICATE OF UNDERGRADUATE STUDY IN HOMELAND SECURITY. Talsma
mentioned a desire for a “Peace Education” track, possibly sponsored by the Center for
International Studies, building off the work of the faculty involved in that program. Motion
passed unanimously.
The meeting was adjourned at 1:55 p.m.
The next meeting will be February 8, 2007, 12:30, Altgeld 225.
Respectfully submitted,
Donna M. Smith