Academic Foundations Committee

Minutes

January 20, 2009

Present: Oliver Chen Mark Hardt

Dan Lennon Richard Pierce

Jane Howell

Absent: Kurt Toenjes Jay Shaw

Abbas Heiat – excused

David Garloff – ex-officio Tasneem Khaleel – ex-officio

Gary Young – ex-officio Mary Susan Fishbaugh – ex-officio

Karen Heikel – ex-officio John Cech – ex-officio

D’Ann Campbell – ex-officio Stacy Klippenstein – ex-officio

Presiding: Mark Hardt, Chairperson

Mark Hardt called the meeting to order at 3:46 p.m. in the Bridger room of the SUB.

The minutes of November 25 and December 17 were accepted as presented.

I. DISCUSSION/ACTION ITEMS

A. Assessment Data for 2007-2008

Dr. Hardt stated that he has still not seen the 2007-2008 data.

It was noted that there was only one faculty member who attended the data entry training sessions offered in December and January. Perhaps that was the one person who was having an issue with the database.

It was cited that there will likely be a proposal brought forward at this week’s Academic Senate meeting to abolish this Committee and replace it with a larger body composed of Department Chairs.

B. Upper Level Academic Foundations Program Assessment: Form and Implementation

It was agreed that the AFC has settled on integrating the second/upper level of assessment into major capstone courses. It was noted that other universities have used a discipline-bound thesis system. Students demonstrate three levels in the thesis: (1) general knowledge, (2) ability to communicate in a professional and formal manner, and (3) provide exemplars for other students. For us, this could be a thesis, a portfolio of work, or other possibilities, as part of a student’s capstone course.

It was cited that NWCCU would most likely approve this format if the disciplines took seriously the criteria for the student projects.

- Motion by Dan Lennon, seconded by Jane Howell that capstone courses should:

1. Demonstrate both a general and specific knowledge of the field or academic area,

2. Be composed in a formal and professional format, and

3. Serve as exemplars to students who subsequently enter the discipline at this University.

A capstone course with these requirements will serve as the second/upper level assessment of Academic Foundations.

- Motion carried.

C. Possible Separate Academic Foundations Program Assessment for AA and AS Degrees

It was noted that Associate’s level students complete the full 37 credits of the Academic Foundations program, while the Associate of Applied Science students are only required to take 12 credits of Academic Foundations. Is it important to assess those 12 credits with a second assessment? It was cited that since the AAS students are not completing the whole program, they don’t need to do a program assessment.

It was further noted that we do all the lower level (class level) assessing in a general, aggregate way. There is no way to differentiate students who are in two-year programs and those in bachelor programs. It is unnecessary for associate-level students to take a bachelor’s-level assessment (i.e., the capstone course).

- Motion by Dan Lennon, seconded by Richard Pierce that the upper level capstone assessment is geared toward bachelor’s programs only.

- Motion carried.

D. Other

It was noted that there have been a few minor technical glitches with the assessment data entry. Please forward any problems to Dr. Hardt, who will convey them to I.T.

The meeting adjourned at 4:15 p.m.

Respectfully submitted, Rita J. Rabe Meduna.