Minutes
Curriculum Committee
4:15 p.m., Tuesday, September 10, 2002
PDR F
Members: James Swartz (Chair), Gerald Adams, Diane Robertson, Andy Hamilton, Jerry Lalonde, Mark Montgomery, Noe Montez , Jonathan Wellons , Gabe Rosenberg, and Devan McGranahan.
Proposed agenda
items:
1. The Executive Council discussed the Curriculum Committee proposal for course changes. The Council suggested that the Curriculum Committee members and Divisional chairs take the proposal to divisions for discussion this month and that they report back. Some members of the Council suggested that too much was taken away from divisions in terms of course dropping, delisting, etc.
It is unclear to the committee as to what we would be asking the Divisions to discuss as the Curriculum Committee has already approved this proposal. It was the feeling of the committee that this proposal should go forward as quickly as possible. It was decided that the Curriculum Committee members would talk to the Divisional chairs about moving forward with this proposal. At the same time the Chair of the faculty will approach the Executive Council again about going forward with this proposal as quickly as possible. There seemed not to be sentiment to have the proposal approved by the faculty at large.
There was some concern by the Executive Council that if divisions did not approve certain changes, they would never find out about them. It was suggested that the Curriculum Committee could deal with that problem by annually publishing a compilation of all such changes and disseminating it to the faculty as a whole, for instance in the annual report of the Curriculum Committee.
2. 10-Credit Limitation: A student may count no more than 10 credits of independent study earned in any one department in Guided Reading 297, Individual Reading 387, and Independent Project 397 toward satisfaction of graduation requirements. Credits earned in "Plus-2" projects, internship study, or Directed Summer Research 399 are not included in this 10-credit limit.
Should MIP 299's and MAP 499's be included in or excluded from the 10-credit limit?
There was a general discussion on the merits of the 10-credit limit. The general feeling of the committee was that having a 10-credit limit was good for both students and faculty but there was no agreement as to what should be included or excluded. For example, some would consider Individual Reading not an independent activity and thus excluded for the limit. It was noted that Senor Thesis was not on the list and it is an independent activity. It was decided that the Curriculum Committee would bring the question stated above regarding 299 and 399 to divisions for discussion this month and then report back.
4. The Committee reaffirmed the proposal from the faculty that this committee look at faculty compensation for independent study projects other then MAPs.
3. The Committee
agreed that the meeting should never go past 6:00 pm.