Subcommittee on Core Curriculum Minutes 2015-09-11

Call to Order

The Subcommittee on Core Curriculum was called to order by Mary Magoulick at 1:00 p.m. in Arts & Sciences 2-51.

Attendance

Voting Members Present: Nancy Beasley, Mary Magoulick, Kristi Papailler, Cara Meade Smith, Brandon Samples, Dana Wood
Non-Voting Member Present: Kay Anderson
Regrets: Ruth Carter, Roberta Gorham, Stephanie Opperman, Noland White
Absent: Doug Goings
Guests: Jamie Addy, Kasey Karen, Jeff Turner, Stephen Wills

Agenda

The agenda was approved as distributed.

Minutes

The minutes from the August 28th meeting were approved with two corrections. The committee did not meet on September 4.

Action Item

GC2Y 2000 New Zealand: Tragedy, Nationality, and Diversity as an Area B2 Section
The committee discussed the use of the fourth hour within the context of a study aboard course, and asked that the submitter more clearly articulate the fourth hour in the proposal. Upon a vote, the committee approved the course pending the submission of the fourth hour clarification. (The chair will not forward this proposal until that clarification is received.)

Discussion Item

Cara Meade Smith discussed SoCC’s role in the assessment of the core. SoCC has had limited involvement in core assessment in the past. We now have several semesters of core assessment data, most of which was compiled for the SACS visit, and we are in a positon to begin exploring other options for core assessment. SoCC can help inform that process. We need to begin to get interested faculty from each area of the core together to discuss how to assess their area. We have significant discretion in how we assess these areas. Several areas are satisfied with their current methods, such as Area A’s use of rubrics, while others have larger philosophical issues with the way assessment is conducted in their areas.

Steve Jones contacted Mary Magoulick and asked if there were any topics for professional development that SoCC felt would be beneficial for faculty. The committee brainstormed a few ideas, several of which focused on writing. Committee members may submit additional ideas to Mary.
Mary reminded committee members that there was still time to join a LARP Discussion Group. Many of the groups have just met for the first time, and initial feedback from facilitators has been positive.

Next Meeting

The committee’s next meeting is Friday, September 18, 2015, at 1:00 p.m. in A&S 2-51. Pending any other action items, the committee will review assessment data.

Adjournment

The committee adjourned at 1:54 p.m.