Degrees and Certificates Committee Meeting
1/22/03
Present: Susanne Christopher, Karen Jolly (guest from Curric. Comm.), Lucinda
Eshelman, Linda Gettmann, Bob Ewing, Amy Alday-Murray, Pat Lewis
1. Susanne summarized a meeting she had had with Guy Sievert and Karen Jolly in an
attempt to clarify the roles and responsibilities of the two different committees. Attempts
to simplify processes and clarify pathways to approval have been partially successful, but
there is still a great deal of confusion out there among the faculty. It was agreed that
Program Revision and Approval will come solely to this committee, and we will not look
at a program change until and unless all the courses involved have been approved by the
Curriculum Committee first.
2. We are actively seeking representation on our committee from Rock Creek to replace
Bob Ewing from RC and we currently have no one from Cascade. The group
brainstormed some names of nominees, and Susanne asked us to email her suggestions
for other names.
3. Addiction Studies Certificate
The program has been up and running since at least 1999, but it never made it through all
the steps of the approval process, so they are going back and completing that process
now. The program is designed as a re-training for professionals who already have BA
degrees or equivalent. Amy Alday-Murray assured us that all the paper work is in order.
Motion made by Linda Gettman to recommend approval to the EAC of the certificate
program, seconded by Pat Lewis. Motion passed unanimously.
4. Adult High School Diploma Program
HS completion specialists met with Amy Alday-Murray and reviewed the paper work
that will go to the state and will be coming next month to this committee to show us the
changes they propose.
5. Joan Hayward and Paula Wilson joined us to talk about the EMT-Paramedic degree
program proposal
This program has been in the works for about 20 years and was before the Curriculum
Committee on January 8, 2003. The curriculum outlined (see paper work submitted)
covers 8 quarters. Questions of specific requirements were addressed, like whether CIS
120 is the appropriate computer course to require. Linda Gettmann explained that other
computer software/applications courses could be used to meet this requirement.
The state has mandated many of these courses, Linda G. explained (including the
computer applications requirement).
The program entails a total of 95 credits, and the current constellation reflects
improvements to the proposal originally taken to the Curriculum Committee.
Susanne suggested that rather than listing a specific psychology course that students be
given, they instead be required to complete a course from a list of approved courses—and
even recommending one specific course. (In the case of Psychology those courses would
be PSY 101. 201 or 215). We suggested a similar approach to the computer literacy
requirement.
Joan and Linda also explained that there is a formal entry process into the program that
takes place between the first and second year. If students successfully completed the first
year of the program, it is, indeed, possible that they would be denied admittance to the
program. So successful completion of the first year is necessary for admittance to the
program, but it is not sufficient. One must also successfully complete the formal
application process to the program before the 2nd and final year. See language making
this distinction in the Medical Lab Tech program.
Stout asked about why the issue of cross cultural communication is not addressed in the
curriculum, given the growing diversity of our state’s population. Paula said that the that
these issues are addressed in practica, internships and in some of the other courses. It is
not, however, at present a state requirement. Joan promised to carry this concern forward
to the state and urge them to add this to the requirements of all state approved EMT
programs.
We then had a lively discussion of whether there were sufficient general education
electives in this program. Given the requirements proposed, students would need 6 hours
of social science and six hours of arts/humanities, although half of each of those would be
a specific, required course.
Stout moved, Ewing seconded that we recommend approval of the program with the
changes outlined above. The motion passed unanimously.
Our next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, February 5th (simultaneous with the
Curriculum Committee), 3:30 – 5 pm.