University Curriculum Committee Minutes 03/02/2011

University Curriculum Committee (UCC) Meeting

03/02/11

In attendance: Ken Farr, Steve Elliott-Gower, Cara Meade, Alex Blazer, Barbara Funke, Deborah Vess

I) Minutes from 02/16/11 approved with minor corrections.

II) Courses for approval today:

1.     Area B1: We the People

a.     This is being resubmitted after receiving initial feedback from this committee.

b.     Outcome 6 on the UPS is a very clear link to the B1 outcome; more clear than what is on the UCC form. Committee will request that they add outcome 6 from the UPS to the UCC form.

c.      Critical thinking outcomes are well addressed.

d.     Course is approved pending item b is addressed. Ken will contact them requesting this change, email committee for final feedback, and then either send approval notice or add to the next agenda, depending on electronic feedback from the committee.

2.     Area B1: Using Creative Arts Therapies: Strategies to Explore Contemporary Social Issues in the US

a.     Committee will suggest a shortened title.

b.     B1 outcome is aligned in that outcome 2 implies strongly the multiple intellectual approaches.

c.      Committee will make the following suggestions regarding breaking down the critical thinking outcome #5 in the following way:

                                                        i.     Students will demonstrate critical thinking through written assignments.

                                                       ii.     Students will demonstrate problem-solving skills through written assignments.

d.     Ken will return course proposal to the department for changes as articulated above and pending resubmission will add to the next agenda. 

3.     Area B1: Growing up with Literature

a.     Unanimously approved with no corrections or suggestions.

4.     Area B1: Into the Wilderness

a.     Unanimously approved with no corrections or suggestions.

5.     Area B1: Multiculturalism in the US

a.     Committee suggests rewording course B1outcomes to make them more measureable. ‘Demonstrate an understanding’ and ‘demonstrate an awareness’ are difficult to measure.  Verbs suggested are evaluate, appraise, assess, critique, articulate, illustrate, identify, etc…While the committee appreciates that understanding demonstrated by students is a crucial goal of higher ed., the quandary is that demonstrating one’s understanding is hard to assess; a job which the assessment committee must soon undertake.

b.     Critical thinking course outcomes need to be rewritten to map more clearly back to CT overlay outcome. The third outcome could be written to more broadly address all of the critical thinking outcomes. Caution however not to become too vague.

c.      LBTC is not quite sufficient as it is written but components 1 and 2 from the speaking and writing section could be included in LBTC to strengthen it.  They could simply add sentence, drawing from the speaking and writing section, to LBTC section stating, “Students will be required to attend co-curricular activities….”

6.     Area B2: This Island Earth

a.     All the way throughout, strike ‘Develop an understanding (or awareness)’ from each beginning of the outcomes and begin each with a more measureable verb. Assess, analyze, critique, appraise, articulate, explain, illustrate, identify, etc…

b.     Take out the list of assignments from the writing/speaking emphasis section.

7.     Area B2: Worldly Wise: Issues that Impact on a Global Scale

a.     Postponed

8.     Area C2: Music 1200

a.     Postponed

III) Courses for feedback today:

1.     Exploring World Cultures

a.     Postponed

Due to unfinished business from today’s meeting, the committee will meet next week, March 9^th, to complete today’s agenda and address additional business.