Curriculum Office

Minutes 1-22-2003

Degrees and Certificates Committee

Minutes
January 22, 2003
Sylvania Campus,
3:30-5:00 pm
CT219

Present: Susanne Christopher, Karen Jolly (guest from Curric. Comm.), Lucinda Eshelman, Linda Gettmann, Bob Ewing, Amy Alday-Murray, Pat Lewis

  1. Susanne summarized a meeting she had with Guy Sievert and Karen Jolly in an attempt to clarify the roles and responsibilities of the two different committees. Attempts to simplify processes and clarify pathways to approval have been partially successful, but there is still a great deal of confusion out there among the faculty. It was agreed that Program Revision and Approval would ideally come solely to this committee, and we would prefer not to look at a program change until and unless all the courses involved had been approved by the Curriculum Committee first. If, in an emergency, a program revision came to us before the Curriculum Committee had approved all the courses involved, then we would have the option of approving program changes, pending approval of any new or changed courses by the Curriculum Committee.
  2. We are actively seeking representation on our committee from Rock Creek to replace Bob Ewing from RC and we currently have no one from Cascade. The group brainstormed some names of nominees, and Susanne asked us to email her suggestions for other names.
  3. Addiction Studies Certificate
    The program has been up and running since at least 1999, but it never made it through all the steps of the approval process, so they are going back and completing that process now. The program is designed as a re-training for professionals who already have BA degrees or equivalent. Amy Alday-Murray assured us that all the paper work is in order.

    Motion made by Linda Gettman to recommend approval to the EAC of the certificate program, seconded by Pat Lewis. Motion passed unanimously.

  4. Adult High School Diploma Program
    HS completion specialists met with Amy Alday-Murray and reviewed the paper work that will go to the state and will be coming next month to this committee to show us the changes they propose.
  5. Joan Hayward and Paula Wilson joined us to talk about the EMT-Paramedic degree program proposal
    This program has been in the works for about 20 years and was before the Curriculum Committee on January 8, 2003.The curriculum outlined (see paper work submitted) covers 8 quarters. Questions of specific requirements were addressed, like whether CIS 120 is the appropriate computer course to require. Linda Gettmann explained that other computer software/applications courses could be used to meet this requirement.

    The state has mandated many of these courses, Linda G. explained (including the computer applications requirement).

The program entails a total of 95 credits, and the current constellation reflects improvements to the proposal originally taken to the Curriculum Committee.

Susanne suggested that rather than listing a specific psychology course that students be given, they instead be required to complete a course from a list of approved courses—and even recommending one specific course.(In the case of Psychology those courses would be PSY 101. 201 or 215).We suggested a similar approach to the computer literacy requirement.

Joan and Linda also explained that there is a formal entry process into the program that takes place between the first and second year. If students successfully complete the first year of the program, it is, indeed, possible that they would be denied admittance to the program. So successful completion of the first year is necessary for admittance to the program, but it is not sufficient. One must also successfully complete the formal application process to the program before the 2nd and final year. See language making this distinction in the Medical Lab Tech program.

Stout asked about why the issue of cross cultural communication is not addressed in the curriculum, given the growing diversity of our state’s population. Paula said that these issues are addressed in practica, internships and in some of the other courses. It is not, however, at present a state requirement. Joan promised to carry this concern forward to the state and urge them to add this to the requirements of all state approved EMT programs.

We then had a lively discussion of whether there were sufficient general education electives in this program. Given the requirements proposed, students would need 6 hours of social science and six hours of arts/humanities, although half of each of those would be a specific, required course.

Stout moved, Ewing seconded that we recommend approval of the program with the changes outlined above. The motion passed unanimously.

Our next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, February 5th (simultaneous with the Curriculum Committee), 3:30 – 5 pm.