Bryon Clark (Chair), Betty Clay, Jim Cunningham, Jane Elder, Steven Emge, Dick Hackett, Gene Hetsel, Linda Kallam, Brad Ludrick, Shannon McCraw, Steve McKim, John Mischo, Greg Reimen (proxy for Gleny Beach), John Topuz, Cherrie Wilmoth
Sharon Morrison, Patty Pool, Charles Price, Chip Weiner (ex-officio)
The meeting was called to order by the chair at 3:35 p.m. Jim Cunningham moved and Greg Reimen seconded to approve the minutes of the 15 February 2005 meeting. The council voted in the affirmative. The log of the 1 March 2005 gathering of the Council was also presented. It could not be considered official minutes because not enough members were present to make up a quorum. Gene Hetsel moved to accept the log as written. Linda Kallam seconded. The motion to accept was passed by a majority vote.
The next order of business was a request by the Fine Arts Department to drop general education designations for two music classes and one art class. The justification was that these classes are taken only by majors and are not appropriate for non-majors. Dick Hackett moved to approve the changes in course designations for all three courses. Linda Kallam seconded. The council approved as requested and that will be passed on to the Curriculum Committee.
The Council then considered the sequencing of required gen ed courses. The proposal before the Council was the require Composition I (ENG 1113), a gen ed approved Mathematics course, and either Computers in Society (CIS 1003), Business Computer Applications (BIM 1553), or successful completion of the Computer Proficiency Exam, be completed in the first 30 hours of college study. Further, two additional classes, Composition II (ENG 1213) and either Interpersonal Communication (COMM 1233) or Business and Professional Speaking (COMM 2213) be completed in the first 45 hours of college study. Dick Hackett moved to accept the proposal and Gene Hetsel seconded. The various departments involved assured the Council they were sufficiently staffed to be able to handle the proposal. The proposal was passed unanimously.
Dick Hackett moved and Linda Kallam seconded officially including the computer requirement (CIS, BIM, or Proficiency Exam) in the general education requirements. This would increase gen ed requirements from 41 to 44 hours. The motion was unanimously passed.
Discussion ensued on whether or not the Council should advocate for a grade of C or better in the five above-mentioned skills courses. Dick Hackett moved and Linda Kallam seconded to do so. Questions raised included whether there should be some mechanism to test out of those courses, how transfer students would be handled, whether there would be any sort of grievance/appeals process, whether this proposal might result in grade inflation, and whether a pass/fail option should be included. Members of the Council expressed a desire to see data related to what percentage of students who have completed 45 hours or more have received a C or better in those five courses. Brad Ludrick moved and John Topuz seconded to table the motion until that data could be obtained. The Council voted 9-5 to table.
There was a discussion by the Chair detailing the particulars of Goals and Outcomes requirements, the Assessment Plan, and the Guidelines for Departmental Assessment Reports.
The next meeting will be 22 March 2005 at 3:30. Further meetings were also tentatively scheduled on 5 April, 19 April, and 3 May as needed.
The meeting was adjourned at 5:00 p.m.