THE UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE AT CHATTANOOGA
FACULTY COUNCIL MINUTES
November 16, 2000 Signal Mountain Room
University Center
Elected Members Present: Roland Carter, Beth Craig, Linda Cundiff, Susan Davidson, Joe Dumas, Steve Eskildsen, Dawn Ford, Phil Giffin, Zibin Guo, Lee Harris, Michael Jones, Irene Loomis, Gail Meyer, John Mies, Sarla Murgai, Burch Oglesby, Oralia Preble-Niemi, Ed Rozema, Mike Russell, Ken Smith, Mac Smotherman, Chris Stuart, Steve Underwood, Judith Wakim
Elected Members Absent: Rob Bailey, Tom Bibler, Fritz Efaw, Diane Farone, Ron Goulet, Charles Knight, Mike Long, Claire McCullough, Verbie Prevost, Valerie Rutledge, John Trimpey
Ex-Officio Members Present: Bill Stacy
Among the Guests Present: Bob Desmond, Judy Fry, Bruce Hutchinson, Lanny Janeksela, Marsha Scheidt, Cecilia Wigal, Sandy Zitkus
Call to order
1st Vice President Roland Carter called the meeting to order at 3:03 p.m.
Approval of the Minutes of November 2, 2000
With absolutely no enthusiasm Professor Ken Smith moved that the minutes be approved as distributed. The minutes were unanimously and unenthusiastically approved.
Report from The Graduate School
Professor Deborah Arfken gave the following report: Two proposals were presented for Faculty Council approval; one from Criminal Justice and one from Environmental Sciences. The proposal from Criminal Justice recommended that students in the Masters program select either a thesis or comprehensive exam option. Students choosing the 6 hours of thesis option would be exempt from having to take the comprehensive exam. Students who elect to take the comprehensive exam would complete an additional 6 hours of electives. The proposal also recommended eliminating Criminal Justice 598 as it is no longer needed. Graduate Council approved this proposal with a 10-0-0 vote.
The Environmental Sciences proposal recommended adding S and NC to the type of grading possible for ESC 501r, Selected Topics.
Professor Russell - I have no questions about the Environmental Sciences proposal but do have questions about the Criminal Justice proposal. Professor Russell expressed concerns about the program in that the quality of the program would probably not be affected if a thesis were an option but what about a culminating experience? Do the comprehensive exams fulfill this requirement of a culminating experience?
Professor Arfken was unable to respond to the actual content of the comprehensive exams but did express that the program felt that the students choosing the comprehensive exam option would have substantial writing to do not only in the exam but in the two additional elective courses.
Professor Russell responded that this being a graduate program, he would expect substantial writing as a requirement especially in the absence of a thesis.
Professor Arfken responded that the THEC program review requirements would not be adversely affected in approving this option because the comprehensive exam with the two additional courses would be considered a culminating experience.
Professor Lee Harris - Do we have other masters degree programs here where students can chose the option of comprehensive exams or a major paper? I thought that comprehensive exams were fairly standard for most programs?
Professor Arfken commented that some programs have a capstone course instead of the thesis, project or comprehensive exam, which again is considered a culminating event.
Dean Janeksela – I have had the opportunity to review a number of masters programs and this is a trend we are seeing. People entering the masters programs are in the field and are full time practitioners. This is following the national trend.
Professor Ron Goulet – Will this option be available to those in the field that have substantial experience?
Professor Arfken - This option will be open to everyone in the Criminal Justice program.
The Environmental Sciences proposal passed 25-0-0.
The Criminal Justice proposal passed 20-2-3.
Report from the Curriculum Committee
Professor Bruce Hutchinson gave the following report: The following proposals were submitted to the University Curriculum Committee for approval. Theology, Chemistry, 2 from Engineering, 2 from Communications, and 2 from UHON. The proposal from UHON concerning Traditions of Latin America raised the question as to whether or not it is a nonwestern program. The Curriculum Committee feels that this issue needs to be handled by the University General Education Committee. It has not gone to the General Education Committee yet.
Professor Gail Meyer – How does the industrial technology management program differ? How does it fit into the other engineering programs?
Professor Phil Kazermersky – It is not a separate program.
Professor Ken Smith – For the sake of political correctness, on the chemistry proposal, under prerequisites & expectations, the second line from the bottom a friendly change to use his/her or their work.
Professor Gail Meyer - I think it should be his/her instead of their.
Professor Bruce Hutchinson - That is certainly an acceptable change and if it is approved we can get the wording changed before it is archived.
Professor Mike Russell – I am not in opposition to any of the proposals but I did notice in the geology proposal on page three, majors can take as many as 12 hours that are 300-level courses. My concern is that students in several of the majors don’t have any classes to take just for fun outside the major.
Professor Bruce Hutchinson - I agree with you and I will do my best to communicate that.
Professor Ed Rozema – Expressed concern about geology moving a course from 200 – 300 and engineering moving a course from a 300 level to a 200 level.
Professor CeceliaWigal responded to Professor Rozema's concerns.
The proposals passed with the following counts.
Geology 24-0-1
Chemistry 25-0-0
Engineering Industrial Technology Management Program 25–0-0
Engineering Stats 25–0-0
Communications Comm 350 25–0-0
Communications New Minor 25–0-0
UHON Latin America 25–0-0
UHON Film Studies 25 0-0
Report from the Petitions Committee
Professor Irene Loomis - The deadline for excessive hour's petitions needs to be submitted no later than the first class day of the semester to give the committee time to rule on the petition before the drop date.
Professor Ed Rozema – How would this affect summer?
Professor Roland Carter - First day of each term?
Professor Ron Goulet – What are excessive hours?
Professor Roland Carter - More than 20 hours.
Professor Mike Russell – How will this information be communicated to students?
Professor Mac Smotherman – In the normal way.
(Spontaneous laughter erupted throughout the chamber)
Sandy Zitkus – The directions are on the back of the petition form.
Various suggestions were thrown out for discussion:
Put it in the Stars? (Otherwise known as the Timetable) Student handbook? Students need to be informed before the first day of classes. Advisors need to inform students as well.
Associate Provost Jane Harbough – This needs to be in the catalog and the timetable well in advance with a deadline date.
Professor Roland Carter - Is there also a deadline for the committee to meet and respond to the student's petition?
Professor Mac Smotherman – The Petitions Committee meets at the beginning and end of the semester. Students submit forms after we have met at the beginning of the semester.
Sandy Zitkus – Suspension and dismissal petitions are due by the 3rd day of classes. The Committee meets by the end of the first week of the semester.
Professor Roland Carter - All in favor of making the deadline the first day of class of each semester please vote. The motion passed 21-0-0.
Judy Frye – We need to give the students time so perhaps fall 2001 would be the best time to implement this new policy.
Associate Provost Jane Harbaugh - We need to give the students time to receive this information and the catalog and the Timetable are the best ways to communicate this information.
Chancellor's Report
Dr. Stacy – no report
Old Business
Professor Roland Carter - I did a follow-up about the Timetable issues from the last meeting even though I was unable to send a message via Raven from home. Since Judy Frye is here, do you have any questions for her? Although I don't mean to put her on the spot. (This being said, Dr. Frye is now put on the spot)
Professor Mike Russell – The Chancellor had posted out on Raven that sheets would be distributed something other than what was put out on the Web.
Dr. Judy Frye– Julie Bomar has been working to get that pulled together.
Professor Roland Carter – Students need to be informed that the most up to date information is on the Web.
New Business
Professor Gail Meyer – Early registration is getting out of hand, students are feeling intense due to others getting to registered early. Margaret Daniel in adult services says students are extremely upset and they do not do it. There are special groups of students that get to register early and why is this allowed to happen? I put this out on Raven and got very few replies. Some admitted to doing it, others didn't know it was a problem and some didn't know you could do it. I guess they know now. The pressure is on for faculty to do it.
Professor Mike Russell – This is a complex problem. Students can register themselves but not early with the advise code. Faculty are doing it or staff, not the students, we had these problems before the web with special students getting to register first.
Professor Gail Meyer – Students want to know why some can and some can't. Its faculty doing it, not students. I'd like to have some type of official reply to this issue. I think there is a lot of ill will being created because of this.
Professor Roland Carter – We'll have the Executive Committee look at a possible solution or appoint an ad hoc committee.
Announcements
Professor Roland Carter – Professor Beth Craig and I attended the adjunct faculty luncheon this week. It was informative and we expressed our appreciation from the faculty for their service.
I also wanted to invite everyone to Happy Hour tomorrow to celebrate my last meeting but they are not having it. To thank you for your cooperation and patience. We are all looking forward to having John Trimpey back next semester.
Professor Oralia Preble-Niemi - Put forth the motion to thank Professor Carter for his service to the Council. (This followed by applause)
Adjournment
After thanking the Council, Professor Carter called for the motion to adjourn.
Professor Mike Russell - This is a new one, I move with boundless joy that we adjourn!
Professor Roland Carter loudly seconded that motion!
The meeting adjourned at 3:50 p.m.
Happy Holidays!
Susan Davidson
Secretary
4