Minutes 9-11-2003
Degrees and Certificates Committee
Minutes
September 11, 2003, Sylvania Campus, 3:30-5pm, CT219
Present: Susanne Christopher, Linda Gettman, Pat Lewis, Lucinda Eshelmann, Dave Stout, Tony Zable, with special guest Guy Sievert
1. Guy walked us through the July 24, 2003 memo from the Northwest Association on “Clarification of Requirements for General Education and Related Instruction.” It appears that our Gen Ed requirements are solid in our degree requirements, but there is some question as to how well we do with Gen Ed in certificate programs.
Guy thinks we need to take on the task this year of answering these questions:
- Do our General Ed standards need to be revised in light of the core outcomes, and if so how?
- Could we develop specific guidelines for how Gen Ed requirements can be embedded in other certificate courses?
- What kind of Gen Ed requirements do we want to implement for one- and two-year certificates?
The current standard is that there be 9 hours of Gen Ed courses for each year of requirements for a degree or certificate (one-year certificate requires 9 hours of Gen Ed, two-year degrees/certificates require 18 hours).
We agreed that we would use the current standards to evaluate new or redefined certificate programs that departments bring us, while at the same time (in the background) reviewing those standards.
2. Accelerated programs: does our committee even have to review these proposals, since the required courses have not changed, only the mode of delivery?
Guy talked at length about the formula of 2 hours of work outside class for each hour of classroom contact. It might be reasonable for us to evaluate whether or not an accelerated curriculum leaves enough time for both kinds of learning.
3. Another question we may face is whether 24 credits of ENL is a good maximum for all associate degrees, or whether the limit should be reduced..
4. How do we build core outcomes into our requirements? What other means are there for demonstrating that students are meeting the core outcomes in their degree programs?
Guy recommends that we form a sub-committee to look at Gen Ed and distribution requirements and their relationship to the Core Outcomes for all two-year degrees.
5. Susanne told us to anticipate visits from Frank Goulard representing the Math SAC to review the math requirement for the AS degree.
6. We will be meeting on the first Wednesday of each month, starting 10/1, 3:30 – 5:00 in the CT conference room next to CT 219.
7. Linda and Lucinda walked us through the current requirements for AAOT, Associate of Science, Associate of General Studies, Associate of Applied Science. We then looked at the entry requirements for OUS schools.
Students who do NOT take the AAOT (but instead do the AS degree) still have to meet core requirements at the schools to which they transfer.
8. Susanne is continuing to work with Karen Jolly (new EAC Chair) and Kendra Cawley (new Curric. Chair) to make sure that people know which things to bring to Degrees and Certificates, and which go instead to Curriculum. We will meet at the same times each month, so that it is easy for colleagues to visit both committees on the same day.
9. Linda Gettman agreed to lead the efforts of the group looking at how Gen Ed requirements can be met in Prof/Tech programs and how that learning can be demonstrated, especially when the Gen Ed material is embedded in PT courses.
Submitted by Dave Stout, 9/11/03