University Undergraduate Programs Committee
Meeting Minutes – March 19, 2010
Members present: Chair Jerry Haky, SC; Ann Branaman, AL; Monica Escaleras for Anita
Pennathur, BA; Ellen Ryan, CAUPA; Peggy Goldstein, ED; Yan Yong, EG; Miguel Vázquez,
HC; Joy Longo, NU; Victoria Thur, Library; Jeffrey Buller, University Honors Council; Dean
Edward Pratt, Undergraduate Studies; Elissa Rudolph and Maria Jennings, Registrar’s Office.
Jerry Haky called the meeting to order at 10:02 a.m.
I.
Minutes and Announcements
1. Minutes: The minutes of the February 19, 2010, meeting were reviewed and
approved.
2. Reminder: Chair Haky asked committee members to remind their faculty that items
for the UUPC meeting need to be submitted a week before the meeting to be added to the
meeting agenda and website.
II.
Old Business
1. Tabled item: ENC 1939, Special Topics: College Writing 2, was tabled for Arts and
Letters because the course form indicates it is a Writing Across Curriculum (WAC) course and a
General Education course. Confirmation that it has been approved by the WAC committee and
the General Education committee was not included.
III. New Business University-Wide
1. Enhancement of honors education on Boca Raton campus
The University Scholars Program, the honors program on the Boca Raton campus, has been in
existence for more than 15 years, but only 36 students are currently participating. The University
Honors Council has created a plan that revamps the program to increase the number of students
and give those in the program a better honors experience. University Honors Council Chair
Jeffrey Buller outlined the key points of the proposal. Below is the full proposal, which includes
changing the name of the program to the University Honors Program. The title will be
gradually phased in during the 2010-2011 academic year and made official in 2011-2012. The
UUPC approved this proposal.
Proposal to Enhance Honors Education on FAU’s Boca Raton Campus
Goals:
1. To expand the availability of honors opportunities for undergraduate students on Florida Atlantic
University’s Boca Raton campus.
2. To attract increasing numbers of high ability students to Florida Atlantic University.
3. To provide a more cohesive framework for honors education throughout all of Florida Atlantic University.
Plan:
1. In order to increase the attractiveness of the University Scholars Program to students, the number and
variety of seminars offered each semester will be increased.
a. Beginning with the fall semester of 2010, the number of USP seminars offered each semester will
be expanded from at least four to at least six.
b. This number may be increased in the future as demand dictates.
March 19, 2010 – UUPC Meeting
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c. FAU’s Faculty Honors Fellows program will be expanded as the number of seminars increase in
order to induce even more faculty members to participate in honors education at the lowerdivision level.
2. In order to provide a more robust honors experience for undergraduate students in Boca, the number of
credits required to complete the University Scholars Program will be gradually increased from 16 to 25,
beginning in the fall of 2011. Students will meet this new requirement in the following way:
a. 4 approved honors seminars that will usually be taken during the freshman year (12 credits)
b. a 1-credit First Year Experience course (SLS 1503) that will be taken during the freshman year and
that will be specially designed to meet the needs of high ability students (1 credit)
c. additional credits of approved honors seminars or other approved courses that fulfill the learning
goals of the Intellectual Foundations Program. These courses must be certified jointly by the Dean
of Undergraduate Studies and the Dean of University Honors Programs in consultation with the
University Honors Council.
i. 6 additional credits will be required for students entering the program in the fall of 2011.
ii. 12 additional credits will be required for students entering the program in the fall of 2012
and later.
In order to reduce the impact on workload for academic departments, this additional requirement may be
met in several different ways:
a. Additional sections of University Scholars Program seminars.
b. Honors Compacts (see the Honors Curriculum Manual).
c. Approved upper division honors course substitutions for core requirements (requires permission of
the Dean of Undergraduate Studies and the Dean of University Honors Programs).
d. Designated honors sections of approved lower division courses. (For example, a department that
offers multiple sections of a course may propose to designate one section as an honors section.)
e. Other strategies that departments may propose to the Dean of Undergraduate Studies and the Dean
of University Honors Programs.
3. In order to further enhance the undergraduate honors experience on the Boca Raton campus, consideration
will be giving to adding the following features to the University Scholars Program.
a. The desirability of residency for all first-year honors students who are under the age of 26,
unmarried, or without children. Boca students for whom this requirement would be a hardship or
otherwise difficult to meet may apply for an exemption through the Dean of Undergraduate
Studies or the Dean of University Honors Programs. The possibility of having a faculty member
reside in the residence hall with honors students and coordinate programmatic activities will also
be explored.
b. A faculty mentor who would be assigned to every entering student in the program to advise and
guide the students during their freshman and sophomore years.
c. Expanded programmatic activities, including lunches to bring students and faculty together to
discuss their research.
4. In order to provide a clearer identity for undergraduate honors opportunities throughout the University, the
name “University Scholars Program” (which does not contain the word “honors” and thus can be confusing
to students) will be phased out according to the following plan.
a. 2010-2011 academic year: “The Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College presents [small type] The
University Scholars Program [large type].”
b. 2011-2012 academic year and after: “The University Honors Program.” In circumstances where it
is appropriate, the phrase “The University Honors Program, in affiliation with the Harriet L.
Wilkes Honors College” will be used.
Please note that students will continue to receive their degrees from the college that offers their upper-division
programs, as is currently the case. In other words, this practice will continue even for students pursuing an
honors-in-the-major/upper-division honors program offered by any college.
5. In order to enable students to continue their honors experience in their majors, assistance will be provided
to departments that wish to explore upper-division honors opportunities (i.e., “honors-in-the-major”
programs).
a. Periodic training in honors education will be provided through workshops and faculty learning
communities.
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b.
c.
d.
A certain amount of funding will be available for honors students to engage in research or creative
activity, which could cover scholarly travel, presentation of work at significant conferences,
purchase of lab supplies and other essential scholarly/creative materials, publication subvention,
and the like.
Students in upper-division honors programs will present their research at an Undergraduate
Research Symposium on the Boca campus.
Departments will be given as much flexibility as possible in developing an upper division honors
opportunity that works for their pedagogical goals and within their budgets.
2.
Changes to courses in the University Scholars Program
Dean Buller also outlined the University Honors Council’s proposal to increase the number of
courses in the honors program. The courses will all have the word “Honors” at the beginning of
the title and can be listed with variable titles. They will all have the number 1930, for honors
courses that include the Writing Across Curriculum (WAC) component, and 1935, for non-WAC
honors courses. Departments are encouraged to create 1930 and 1935 seminars to increase the
offerings available in the program. Departments with courses in the Intellectual Foundations
Program will also be encouraged to create honors sections of their Intellectual Foundations
courses. The UUPC approved this proposal. See the full proposal below.
Format for Courses in the University Honors Program
1.
Departments/programs wishing to propose a “special topics” course for students in the University Honors
Program (UHP) should use the course numbers 1930 or 1935.
a. The number 1930 is used for courses that satisfy WAC requirements. Whenever possible, UHP
courses should satisfy WAC requirements.
b. The number 1935 is used for non-WAC courses in the University Honors Program. UHP courses
will be offered in a non-WAC format only when it is absolutely impossible for the course to be
offered in a format that meets WAC requirements.
c. Although the numbers 1930 and 1935 will be reserved for UHP special topics seminars, the title
and courses description of these sections may vary each time one of these seminars is offered.
d. Departments/programs that do not already have an approved 1930 or 1935 course are encouraged
to do so in order to be able to offer UHP special topics seminars.
e. Each 1930 or 1935 seminar must meet the learning outcomes of a specific category in Florida
Atlantic University’s Intellectual Foundations Program. The Dean of Undergraduate Studies must
approve the assignment of the seminar to the appropriate category in the Intellectual Foundations
Program.
2.
Beginning with the 2010-2011 academic year, departments/programs may propose that special sections of
courses already approved for the Intellectual Foundations Program be taught in an honors format.
a. With the joint approval of the Dean of Undergraduate Studies (who oversees the general education
program) and the Dean of University Honors Programs (who oversees courses receiving honors
credit), an honors section of an approved Intellectual Foundations course will count toward a
student’s requirements in the University Honors Program.
b. If the faculty member teaching such a course has accepted a Faculty Honors Fellowship, only
students in good standing with the University Honors Program or the Wilkes Honors College may
enroll in that section.
3.
Grade review procedures update
Undergraduate Studies Dean Ed Pratt returned the Grade Review Procedures draft to the UUPC
for one more look after changes were made to it by other University entities. Dean Pratt
explained that according to the University’s legal counsel and recent court rulings, the setting of
grades rests with the institution not the professor; therefore, the provost should be the final word.
March 19, 2010 – UUPC Meeting
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Dean Pratt added that the general feeling among faculty members is they feel uneasy with
colleagues changing their grades. The full proposal appears below.
Student Academic Grievance Procedures for Grade Reviews
Faculty exercise professional judgment in determining how to assess student performance, based on standards in
their departments or disciplines and on their own expectations for student achievement. They maintain a
fundamental right to determine how student performance is assessed. A student may request a review of the final
course grade, as described below, only when the student believes that one or more of the following conditions apply:



There was a computational or recording error in grading.
Non-academic criteria were applied in the grading process.
There was a gross violation of the instructor’s own grading statement.
Students who falsify or misrepresent information during a grade review are subject to disciplinary action, as outlined
in the Student Code of Conduct. Any time frames described below may be modified at the discretion of the
University Provost (or designee).
Resolution Procedures
Step 1. If a student believes that a grade has been assigned under one or more of the conditions above, the student
may request a meeting in writing with the instructor, who will explain how the grade was determined and attempt to
resolve any disagreement. The student must request the meeting by the end of the next regular semester, whether
enrolled or not (fall semester, in the case of a grade in a spring or summer term course; spring semester, in the case
of a grade in a fall semester course).
Step 2. If the student is unable to resolve the grade issue through consultation with the instructor, or if the instructor
is unable or refuses to meet with the student, the student may request a conference in writing to the chair of the
department or director of the school/program in which the course was taught. The request must be presented within
twenty (20) business days after the start of the next regular semester. The request for a conference must include clear
evidence that the grade assigned was based on a computational or recording error; that non-academic criteria were
applied in the grading process; or that there was a gross violation of the instructor’s own grading statement. The
instructor may participate in such conference. No other parties may be in attendance at the conference(s) with the
chair/director. Unless the chair/director determines that the appeal is without merit, the chair/director will attempt to
mediate the issue. The chair/director will provide the student and the dean of the college administering the course a
summary of findings.
Step 3. Should the grade issue remain unresolved to the student’s satisfaction, the student may appeal in writing to
the dean of the college administering the course. The appeal must be received by the dean within five (5) business
days of receipt of the chair/director’s findings. The dean (or designee) will review the written appeal, supporting
evidence, and statements from the instructor and chair/director. Unless the dean (or designee) determines that the
appeal is without merit, the dean (or designee) will convene a Faculty Committee (“Committee”) within ten (10)
business days of receipt of the student’s appeal. The Committee will be composed of the dean (or designee), who
will serve as Committee chair, and three faculty members, at least two of whom must be from the department/school
in which the course was taught. The Committee chair will direct the hearing and maintain the minutes and all
records of the appeal hearing, which will not be transcribed or recorded. The hearing is an educational activity
subject to student privacy laws/regulations, and the strict rules of evidence do not apply. The student and instructor
may attend the meeting and present testimony and documents on their behalf. The student may choose to be
accompanied by a single advisor, but the advisor may not speak at the hearing. Additional witnesses may be
permitted to speak at the dean’s (or designee’s) discretion and only if relevant and helpful to the Committee. The
Committee will deliberate and prepare a summary of findings. The Committee chair will discuss the case with the
instructor and inform the student in writing of Committee findings and the instructor’s response.
Step 4. Should the grade issue remain unresolved to the student’s satisfaction, the student may request an appeal in
writing of the instructor’s action to the University Provost (or designee) and include relevant documentation in
support of such appeal. The appeal must be filed within five (5) business days of receipt of the dean’s (or
designee’s) notification. The University Provost (or designee) will determine that (a) no action is required; (b) the
course and grade will be expunged from the record and the student’s fees for the course refunded; (c) the course and
March 19, 2010 – UUPC Meeting
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grade will be expunged and substituted with a new section of the same course with a grade determined by the Provost
in consultation with the Faculty Committee and other experts in the field, as appropriate; or (d) the grade issue be
returned to the Faculty Committee for reconsideration or clarification of findings. The Provost will notify the
student, dean, and instructor in writing of any action. This decision by the Provost (or designee) constitutes final
University action.
The UUPC found a discrepancy regarding how much time is allowed between step 1 and
step 2. According to the proposal, if the student does not reach a resolution with the instructor or
the instructor is unable or refuses to meet with the student, the student may request a conference
with the chair of the department “within 20 business days after the start of the next regular
semester.” Peggy Goldstein, ED, commented that this time frame is too long because the student
does not have to act on step 2 until the next semester if that is what the student prefers. This
drags the decision out over several semesters. She made a motion to shorten the amount of time
between step 1 and step 2. Her motion: Step 2 must follow 20 business days after the step 1
decision, and language needs to be added to clarify what constitutes a “decision” that would
allow the student to move on to step 2. The UUPC seconded and approved her motion and
approved the document based on the motion above. Dean Pratt will revise the language.
4.
Changes to policy regarding double majors
Dean Pratt also informed the group regarding a policy change to double majors. The current
policy allows double majors within one degree with 120 credits. He would like to allow students
to receive double majors across two degrees, such as a B.A. and B.S. Students would receive the
two majors with 120 credits, but only one degree will appear on their records. He asked
committee members to think about the change and send him their thoughts.
IV. New Business from the Colleges
1.
The Department of Languages, Linguistics, and Comparative Literature in
the Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters requested changes to its ESL Certificate
to make the certificate easier to complete in a reasonable amount of time. In order to improve the
availability of required courses, the department proposes adding alternate courses in three of the
five areas. For the purpose of the certificate, these are equivalent courses. The changes were
approved by the English Department.
New courses and course changes from the Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters:
ASH 4603
CPO 4042
Zen and Buddhism
Comparative European Politics
3
3
CPO 4101
Politics of European Union
3
GET 3660*
GET 3680*
ITA 3424
Kafka, etc.
Thomas Mann
Italian Writing Workshop
3
3
3
March 19, 2010 – UUPC Meeting
New
Change prereqs.
and coreqs.
Change prereqs.
and coreqs.
New
New
New
5
ITW 3394
Reading the Italian Press
3
New
MMC 4501
Media Criticism
(New title: Visual Media Criticism)
Urban Politics
3
Change prereqs.,
title and descript
3
POS 4182
(POS 3182)
POS 4204
Florida Politics and Government
3
Change prereqs.
and coreqs.
Change level
Public Opinion and American Politics
3
Change prereqs.
POS 4235
Media in Politics
3
POS 4258
(POS 3258)
POS 4275
Political Film and Fiction
3
Change prereqs.
and coreqs.
Change level
Campaigns/Elections
3
POS 4413
The U.S. Presidency
3
POS 4424
The U.S. Congress
3
POS 4453
Political Parties and Interest Groups
3
POS 4603
Constitutional Law 1
3
POS 4604
Constitutional Law 2
3
POS 4609
The Judicial Process
3
PUP 4004
Policy Making and Administration
3
PUP 4008
Policy Analysis
3
PUP 4323
(POS 3323)
Women and Politics
3
POS 4145
Change prereqs.
and coreqs.
Change prereqs.
and coreqs.
Change prereqs.
and coreqs.
Change prereqs.
and coreqs.
Change prereqs.
and coreqs.
Change prereqs.
and coreqs.
Change prereqs.
and coreqs.
Change prereqs.
and coreqs.
Change prereqs.
and coreqs.
Change prefix and
level
* These courses are approved by the Department of English.
UUPC approved the College of Arts and Letters submissions.
March 19, 2010 – UUPC Meeting
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2.
changes.
The College of Business presented four curricular changes and several course
A.
The first proposal included changes to its residency policy.
Current Policy
The last 30 credits of upper-division course work must be from FAU. Students must complete at
least 27 credits overall and 50 percent of their major from FAU’s College of Business.
Proposed Policy
(1)
After a student matriculates at FAU, the COB will not accept upper-level business
transfer course work taken after admission, except from AACSB-accredited institutions.
(2)
After being admitted to the College and declaring a major (not pre-business),
transient course work is not permitted.
(3)
A minimum of 30 upper-level business credits (including ENC 3213) are required
from FAU to obtain a COB bachelor’s degree. The last 30 credits must be from FAU.
(4)
At least 50 % of a student’s course work in the major must be completed at FAU.
B.
The Health Administration Program would like to raise the overall
GPA required to declare a B.H.S. major from 2.0 to 2.25. The strategic purpose is to keep the
Health Administration (HA) program requirements similar in structure and application to the
B.B.A. The reasons for the change pertaining directly to the HA program are more academically
and performance focused: To improve classroom efficiency; to improve the level of assignments
and topics that can be presented; to reduce the number of low performing students placed in the
required practicum, strengthening the south Florida healthcare community’s general impression
of FAU students; and to reduce the number of HA majors who have to find another major toward
the end of their senior year because they cannot qualify for the required practicum.
Health Administration decided upon a 2.25 GPA after reviewing the performance of HA majors
who enrolled over the 10 semesters beginning summer term 2003 and ending fall 2006. The data
shows students entering with a GPA between 2.25 and 2.5 graduate at nearly the same rate as,
and show greater improvement in their GPAs than, those entering with 2.5+ GPAs. However,
students entering with GPAs below 2.25 perform much worse. For these reasons it decided to set
the entrance requirement at 2.25.
C.
Health Administration also proposed course changes for its
Gerontology Certificate. The Health Administration Program took responsibility for
administering a 15-credit undergraduate-level Certificate in Gerontology from the College of
Nursing in 2008. After handling the organizational aspects of the move, Health Administration
reviewed the course structure and the courses included. The objective of the review was to
identify ways to increase the business content and to broaden the span of material to which
certificate students will be introduced.
The initial structure called for three core courses, all from the College of Nursing, and two
electives from seven course choices offered by four colleges. The proposed structure calls for two
core courses and three electives. The two core courses are: HSA 4222, Long Term Care
Administration, offered by the College of Business; and NUR 4289, Foundations of Gerontology,
offered by the College of Nursing. The three electives can be chosen from sets of specified
March 19, 2010 – UUPC Meeting
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courses in: 1) business; 2) sociology or social work; and 3) nursing. Students will take one course
in each discipline. In addition, PET 4420, Exercise Programming for the Older Adult, is
recommended for certificate students interested in that area of gerontology.
This approach assures a business foundation and a broad exposure to different disciplines’
approaches to aging. All students will take at least two business courses but will also have the
flexibility to specialize in their most attractive discipline.
D.
The Hospitality Management Program is proposing the following
changes to its curriculum. The first is to remove both Principles of Real Estate (REE 3043) and
Personnel Administration (MAN 4301) from options within the Hospitality Management minor.
After much discussion with students, faculty leading the courses, and industry professionals, it
has been determined that neither course has significant hospitality management content. These
two courses are more useful as highly recommended electives. Instead a hospitality-specific real
estate component has been added to the Fundaments of Lodging Operations (HFT 4253).
The second change is to remove these same two courses, REE 3043 and MAN 4301, from
options within the Hospitality Management major. The rationale given above for the minor is the
same reason for removing these courses for the major.
E.
New course and course change from the College of Business:
ECP 3125
Economics of Poverty and
Discrimination
3
ECP 3603
Urban and Regional Economics
3
Remove Writing
Across
Curriculum
(WAC)
New
UUPC approved the curricular and course proposals presented by the College of Business.
3.
ANT 2240
ANT 2410
CHM 4135
New course and course changes from the Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College:
CLA 3850
ENC 1123
HUM 4947
Honors Magic, Witchcraft, and Religion
Honors Culture and Society
Honors Instrumental Methods of
Analysis
Honors Classical Mythology
Honors Intro. to Academic Writing
Honors Internship/Humanities
3
3
3
3
3
1-12
IDH 4931
POS 4970
Honors Reading Seminar
Honors Thesis in Political Science
1-3
1-6
New and WAC
Add WAC
Remove WAC
New and WAC
Add WAC
Change grading to
S/U
Remove WAC
Add WAC
The Honors College proposals were approved by the UUPC.
4.
New courses from the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science:
March 19, 2010 – UUPC Meeting
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PCB 4842
PCB 4843C
Cellular Neuroscience & Disease
Practical Cell Neuroscience
3
3
New
New
The College of Science proposals were approved by the UUPC.
V. Next Meeting/Adjournment
The committee decided to convene an April meeting if at least three colleges or Dean Pratt have
items to present. If the meeting is required, it will take place Friday, April 23, 2010, in SU 132.
This meeting adjourned at 11:20 a.m.
March 19, 2010 – UUPC Meeting
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