AUC Annual Report Summary – 2013-2014
In the 2014 academic year, 102 proposals were submitted to the AUC for consideration, up from 68
submitted during the prior academic year. In general, once proposals are submitted, they are referred
by the AUC to one of its three standing committees. During AY 2014, 88 proposals (86%) were referred
to the Curriculum Committee. The Academic Policies Committee considered 7 proposals (7%), and the
Student Affairs Committee reviewed 2 proposals (2%). (Note – some proposals are referred to multiple
subcommittees).
The largest category of submissions was proposals for new courses. In total, 24 different courses were
added to the curriculum. Of these, 3 were created as part of the restructuring of the Interdisciplinary
Studies major (IDIS Capstone Seminar, Interdisciplinary Studies Seminar, and Interdisciplinary Research
Methods Seminar). Three courses were added as the foundation of the Computer Science Department’s
new concentration in Game Programming (Mobile Application Development, Game Programming, and
Computer Graphics Programming). The Computer Science Department also added Ethical Issues in
Computer Science to the CS-CIS curriculum in response to the program review by its accrediting agency,
ABET. The Business Administration Department was quite busy, adding 2 courses as part of the new
minor in Entrepreneurship (Intro. to Entrepreneurship and Writing the Business Plan) as well as
modifying its BSAD Accounting concentration by adding 2 courses (Advanced Accounting II and Federal
Taxation). The BSAD Marketing concentration also added a course, Digital Commerce. Three courses
were added to the History program, a revamped World Civilizations II, Oral History and Fitchburg State
University’s Past, and Immigration and American Identity. In compliance with regulations from the
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, the Education Department added a
course, Sheltered English Immersion, which will help teachers to adapt content instruction so that
English Language Learners (ELLs) can access curriculum and ultimately achieve success in the classroom.
Also adding courses this year were Sociology (Poverty and Consumer Society), English (Media Conscious
Storytelling and Genres, Forms and Themes in Creative Writing), Humanities (Ancient Art),
Communications Media (Video Production Fundamentals), Biology and Chemistry (Foundations of
Biochemistry), and Nursing (RN to BS Capstone).
Two new programs (major, minor, or concentration) were added in AY 2014, and five substantive
changes were made to existing programs. The Business Administration Department added a minor in
Entrepreneurship for non-BSAD majors (AUC 98), and the Computer Science Department added an
interdisciplinary concentration in Game Programming for its CS majors (AUC 32). Notably, the IDIS major
was significantly revised (AUC 85) based upon the recommendations of the Interdisciplinary Studies
Review Group (which was formed in AY 2013 to fulfill a goal of the Academic Plan). The History major
underwent revision in AY 2014 (AUC 17), including changes to the math requirements for the major as
well as to the World Civilizations survey sequence. Additionally, the Theater minor was reinstated for
majors in Communications Media who do not concentrate in Theater (AUC 8). The Accounting
concentration within the BSAD major was modified to include new courses (AUC 11), as was the Middle
School Education General Science Licensure Track to include more options for the IDIS minor (AUC 21).
Thirty-four additional proposals focused upon changes to the existing curriculum and to courses within
various programs. These changes included requests for LA&S cluster designations; modifications to
course titles, descriptions, and prerequisites; changes to major/minor requirements; requests to cross-
list courses; and the deletion of courses from programs. In addition to the 34 aforementioned proposals,
there were 14 proposals outlining the addition of the newly developed Sheltered English Immersion
course to program requirements.
There were 5 important policy changes submitted to the Academic Policies Committee and approved
during AY 2014. AUC 2 focused upon establishing multi-year appointments for the Institutional Review
Board (IRB) and the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC). Terms of service for the IRB
and IACUC will be 3 years. AUC 48 created a third degree conferral, without a commencement
ceremony, on August 31st of each year. AUC 49 led to the development of an MSCA appointed Common
Community Read Steering Committee. AUC 51 instituted a mechanism to approve LA&S designations for
Topics Courses, and AUC 99 outlined changes to the undergraduate day program withdrawal policy.
These modifications to the withdrawal policy include 1) assigning the grade of “W” to all courses taken
by students who are called to active duty after 11 weeks of the semester and who complete a
withdrawal form; and 2) allowing for the Registrar to automatically withdraw any degree seeking
student who does not register for a course for two years.
Two proposals were considered by the All University Committee without referral to its standing
subcommittees. AUC 88 revised the name and description of the Center for Teaching and Learning
Advisory Board. The renamed Center for Teaching and Learning Council carries with it a more active and
clear description of the job responsibilities associated with a Council member. AUC 91 established the
following committees and subcommittees for the purpose of strategic planning: Executive Planning
Council; Strategic Planning Council; Academic Planning Subcommittee; Academic Values Subcommittee;
Community Subcommittee; Financial Structure and Operations Subcommittee; Marketing/Admissions
Subcommittee; Student Services Subcommittee; and the Technology Subcommittee.
Three proposals were withdrawn by the proposer without resubmission (AUC 64, 100, and 101). Nine
proposals were withdrawn by the proposer and subsequently resubmitted in revised form (AUC 14, 15,
22 - 28). One proposal was submitted for commentary and feedback but not for approval (AUC 102). In
all, 88 (99%) of the 89 proposals submitted were recommended for approval by the AUC and its
subcommittees. AUC 35 was recommended by the Student Affairs Committee but not by the Academic
Policies Committee; this proposal was subsequently withdrawn by the proposer. All 88 (100%) of the
proposals submitted to the President were approved by him.
Full proposal details are available at: http://web.fitchburgstate.edu/aucproposals.