Minutes
Curriculum Committee
October 31, 2006
Members: James Swartz (Chair), Eliza Willis, Erin Hurley, Lee Sharpe, Dan Reynolds, Jason Cook, Kristen Barlow, Tinsley Hunsdorfer, and Michael Billups.
1. The minutes of the 10/03/2006 meeting were approved.
2. Jim Swartz asked the committee whether the submission date for departmental reports on MAPs should be extended. Some in the Social Studies Division requested a delay to second semester. Reports from the Humanities and Science divisions did not indicate a desire for such a delay. The committee thought it important to have these reports before the end of the semester, so that consideration of them could begin. The committee decided that we should keep the deadline of November 3, and that the Registrar should remind department chairs that have not submitted a report to do so no later than the end of November.
3. The committee began a discussion of the complex issues of expectation of curricular breadth or other requirements for student participation in off campus study, second majors, independent majors, or graduation without fulfilling residence requirements. There was some sentiment that an off campus student experience is likely to be broadening, while the others on this list are potentially narrowing with respect to liberal education. It was noted that we often apply requirements (particularly language) for OCS beyond what is required by the program. There was concern about communicating to students the expectations so that students plan appropriately. Some sympathy for expectations for curricular breadth were expressed, but concerns were raised about applying any requirements only to those students applying for OCS. In the end the committee asked one of its members to draft a set of breadth requirements to be applied to all students as a graduation requirement.
4. Jim Swartz reported that a student had asked about the process for application for a third major. Since our current process does not allow more than a second major he indicated to the student that there was no process for such an application, and told the student that if he wanted to request three majors, he would need to apply to CAS for an exception to academic policy. There appeared to be no support on the committee for allowing three majors. This issue will be discussed as an aspect of the discussion of second majors when to committee gets to that topic.