Minutes

LAC Oversight Body Meeting

Thursday, February 4, 2010

BA 524 8:00am

Present: Baker, Lori; Brandt, Maria; Brodersen, Lyn; Butler, Corey; Gehle, Vaughn; Nelson, Linda; Thomas, Will; Williford, Tom

  1. First-Year Seminar
  • The revised instructions for faculty thinking about teaching a section of FYS were discussed. It was suggested that the language from the approved LAC outcomes be used in the FYS instructions.
  • The longer list of supplemental learning outcomes will be retained in the instructions.
  • It was suggested that the focus on newspapers be stricken from the first supplemental learning outcome.
  • The FYS proposal form was then examined.
  • Question: How will the FYS sections be approved? Response: The approval process will follow the Global Studies model; each section will only need to be approved by the LACOB, not Curriculum Committee.
  • The body agreed that any faculty member wanting to teach this course must agree to meeting and training as suggested by the LACOB.
  • We hope to keep the onerous nature of the submission process to a minimum; a simple explanation of what the FYS section will look like will be required first, and a second step would be submission of a syllabus.
  • Timing is an issue. Scheduling for Fall requires we start moving on this quickly.
  • Tom Williford moved that the LACOB require two separate forms. The first would be a proposal form asking for the course topic and how this topic would be utilized to promote critical thinking and class discussion as well as an agreement to other requirements of FYS. The second form (to be received after the first form is approved) will require a syllabus, readings, and assessments. The motion was seconded and carried.
  • Question: To what extent are we going to have the FYS instructors meet together? Response: We should keep meetings to a minimum—maybe one meeting with a follow-up.
  • Corey Butler will be working on the course instructions out to faculty as soon as possible. Guidelines will be posted to the website, an announcement made at SmSUFA Assembly today (February 4), and a meeting time scheduled. Two meetings were scheduled to introduce faculty to the FYS: Tuesday, February 9th, one meeting at noon and one at 4:30. Linda Nelson will submit a notice of these meetings to the SMSU Info email newsletter.
  • Question: How many FYS sections are we expecting? Response: 15-20 sections in the fall.
  • Discussion was held about which critical thinking text to require all FYS sections to use.
  • Corey Butler moved that we approve Anthony Weston’s A Rulebook for Arguments as the required FYS text. Tom Williford seconded. Motion carried.

2. LIT 200: Rural/Regional Experience: Tom Williford moved that LIT 200: Rural/Regional Experience be approved for the “Humanities and Fine Arts” Disciplines outcome. Lyn Brodersen seconded. Motion carried.

3. MUS 101: Survey of World Music for Global Perspectives: This course has already been approved for the “Humanities and Fine Arts” Disciplines outcome. Corey Butler moved that it be approved for “Global Perspectives” as well. Lori Baker seconded. Motion carried.

4. ENG 107: Intro to Creative Writing for Humanities and the Fine Arts: Corey Butler moved that ENG 107 be approved for the “Humanities and Fine Arts” Disciplines outcome. Lyn Brodersen seconded. Motion carried.

5.SPAN 201: Intermediate Spanish I—for approval on Global Perspective: Corey Butler moved that SPAN 201 be approved for the “Global Perspective” outcome. Lyn Brodersen seconded. Motion carried.

6.SPAN 202: Intermediate Spanish II—for Global Perspective: Tom Williford moved that SPAN 202 be approved for the “Global Perspective” outcome. Lori Baker seconded. Motion carried.

7.PHIL 103: Ethics—for Ethical and Civic Responsibility: Corey Butler moved that PHIL 103 be approved for the “Ethical and Civic Responsibility” outcome. Lori Baker seconded. Motion carried.

8. PHIL 105: Ethical Issues in Business—for Ethical and Civic Responsibility: Corey Butler moved and Tom Williford seconded that PHIL 105 be approved for the “Ethical and Civic Responsibility” outcome. Motion carried.

9. PHIL 107: Environmental Ethics for Ethical and Civic Responsibility: Linda Nelson moved that PHIL 107 be approved for the “Ethical and Civic Responsibility” outcome. Lyn Brodersen seconded. Motion carried.

10. HUMT 203: Modern Western Civilization for The Humanities and Fine Arts: Corey Butler moved and Vaughn Gehle seconded that HUMT 203 be approved for the “Humanities and Fine Arts” discipline outcome. Motion carried.

11. IDST 110—

  • Linda Nelson distributed a document to give the body a sense of what the University Experience covers. The course does include self-assessments and critical thinking case studies.
  • Lyn Brodersen respectfully requested that Academic and Diversity Resources faculty have the ability to propose and teach IDST 100 (FYS) courses.
  • There seems to be overlap between University Experience and FYS. The FYS sections taught by ADR personnel would be purely for provisional admits; IFO faculty would work with regularly admitted students.

Minutes from the January 28, 2010, meeting were approved with corrections.

Meeting adjourned at 9:55am.

Minutes respectfully submitted by Maria Brandt.