General Education Committee

Minutes

 

November 19, 2012

 

Present:          Mark Jacobson                                     Bernie Quetchenbach

                        Melinda Tilton                                     Kurt Toenjes

                        Rhonda Dillman                                  Mike Havens

                        Jennifer Lynn                                       Tom Regele

                        Leanne Gilbertsen                               Patricia Nichols

                        Michael Scarlett                                   Scott Harris

                        Elizabeth Fullon                                  TyRee Jenks

                        Daniel Barnhart (student)                    Tasneem Khaleel (ex-officio)

                        Becky Lyons (ex-officio)                     Matt Redinger (ex-officio)

 

Absent:           Mark Fenderson (excused)

 

Guests:           Stan Wiatr                                           Ken Miller

 

 

Mike Havens called the meeting to order at 2:34 p.m. in the Missouri room.

 

The minutes of October 15 and 24 were accepted as presented.

 

I.          ITEMS – FIRST READING

 

Item 14.b  Gen Ed Course:  M 122 College Trigonometry.  Submit for category I.A. Mathematics.

Item 14.d  Gen Ed Course:  M 151 Precalculus.  Remove from category I.A. Mathematics.

 

It was noted that these changes remove Precalculus from Gen Ed and add a new course, College Trigonometry.  Precalculus is five credits, which is difficult to schedule, especially for science majors.  The course also has a large overlap with College Algebra.

 

- Motion by Tom Regele, seconded by Bernie Quetchenbach to approve Items 14.b and 14.d and waive second reading.

 

- Motion carried.

 

- Motion by Kurt Toenjes, seconded by Daniel Barnhart to delete Precalculus and add College Trigonometry to Gen Ed.

 

- Motion carried.

 

Item 15.c  Gen Ed Course:  COMT 110 Interpersonal Communication.  Remove from category III. Social Sciences and submit for category I.C. Communication & Information Literacy.

 

It was noted that the GEC changed the name of category I.C. to Communication and Information Literacy.  In the past, COMT 110 was included in Gen Ed in the old Communication category, but was left out in the Academic Foundations overhaul.  The course is more appropriate in Communication & Information Literacy.

 

- Motion by Bernie Quetchenbach, seconded by Mark Jacobson to approve Item 15.c on first reading.

 

- Motion carried.

 

- Motion by Tom Regele, seconded by Bernie Quetchenbach to waive second reading of Item 15.c.

 

- Motion carried.

 

II.        ITEMS FOR INFORMATION

 

Item 14  M 121 College Algebra.  Change prerequisite and course description.

Item 14.a  M 122 College Trigonometry.  New course.

Item 14.c  M 151 Precalculus.  Delete course.

Item 20.d  M 171 Calculus I.  Change prerequisite.

 

- Motion by Kurt Toenjes, seconded by Melinda Tilton to accept Item 14 for information.

 

- Motion carried.

 

- Items 14.a, 14.c, and 20.d were accepted by general consent.

 

Item 21.d  PHSX 105 Fundamentals of Physical Science.  Delete course.

Item 21.e  PHSX 106 Fundamentals of Physical Science Lab.  Delete course.

Item 21.f  ASTR 110 Introduction to Astronomy.  Change course description.

Item 21.g  BIOB 102 Discover Biology Laboratory.  Change course description.

Item 21.i  PHSX 104 Our Physical World Laboratory.  Change course description.

Item 21.j  PHSX 205 College Physics I.  Change prerequisite and course description.

 

Stan Wiatr, Chair of Biological & Physical Sciences, stated that they are deleting PHSX 105 and its lab because the course has been a failure.  It is supposed to cover three areas of physical science, but it is not working well at all.  It’s too much information in one semester.

 

- Motion by Mark Jacobson, seconded by Rhonda Dillman to accept Items 21.d through 21.j for information.

 

It was noted that the College of Education has concerns regarding what elementary education students will do after the elimination of PHSX 105 and 106.  The course and lab actually serve two purposes:  to meet Gen Ed requirements and elementary education science requirements.  Ken Miller, Chair of Educational Theory and Practice, stated that the COE agrees the course is not working and should be deleted, but the Department of Biological & Physical Sciences gave very little notice before removing the course from the course schedule for Spring 2013.  The issue is not with deletion of the course, but with the manner in which it was deleted.

 

It was stated that the interconnection between the College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Education is not the purview of the Gen Ed Committee.  This discussion should be taken to the Academic Senate.

 

- Motion carried.

 

Item 18  WRIT 221 Intermediate Technical Writing.  REVISED.  Change prerequisite and course description.

 

- Motion by Daniel Barnhart, seconded by Melinda Tilton to accept Item 18 for information.

 

It was noted that WRIT 122 has been added as an either/or option with WRIT 101 for prerequisites.

 

- Motion carried.

 

III.       DISCUSSION/ACTION ITEMS

 

A.  Reducing Gen Ed to 30/31 Credits

 

We have not yet heard from the Senate on this issue.  In the meantime, please email any thoughts or concerns to Dr. Havens.

 

B.  Assessment Tool and Pilot Study

 

Next meeting we will need to discuss and make decisions on what strategy to implement to build a sample of 100 students.  If we impose on the Department of Biological & Physical Sciences and use BIOB 101, we will not get any biology majors in the sample.  We will likely have similar issues with other courses.  However, we don’t just have to get students finishing Gen Ed and their college careers; we will get valid data from a range of students.

 

 

The meeting adjourned at 3:36 p.m.

 

Respectfully submitted, Rita J. Rabe Meduna.