Academic Senate

TO:                         Educational Policies and Programs Committee
FROM:                   Lori Beth Way, Chair                                          
DATE:                    September 26, 2008                                                                             
SUBJ:                     EPPC Minutes– September 25, 2008, K-209, 2:30 p.m.             

Present:                  Berglund-Smith, Berry (Edelmann), Brady, Brown, Challinger, Collins, Crotts, Daley, Ford, Gatton, Leigey, Loker, Meadows (Geddie), Ponarul, Ryder Fox, Scholz, Selvester, Shepherd, Tinkler, Way, Wyrick, Zartman (Sudduth)
Not present:          Chiang, Ellingson, Wright
Guest(s):                Bitsy Wagner

 

1.         Approve minutes of September 11, 2008
The minutes were approved.  Clarification was asked for 9f and writing efficiency on 9 g (the second g) was changed to writing proficiency.

2.         Approve September 25, 2008 agenda
The agenda was modified and approved.  The Change to Graduate School Constitution was postponed to the next EPPC meeting.

3.         Announcements
Daley announced the Rawlins Awards reception that afternoon.  Crotts and Loker talked about the book in common as a community event.  Scholz announced a performance of the High School Honor Choir.  Way announced the first University Budget Committee Meeting on 10/31/08 from 8:30 to 10 AM in Kendall 207/209. 

4.         Significant Change Proposal From – Discussion Item
Way passed out the form and asked for feedback.  Is there anything faculty would like to change?  Bitsy Wagner from Academic Affairs reviewed the criteria for a significant change and asked if we thought they needed to be updated.  The committee discussed the issue and agreed that the criteria are OK and changes are not needed.  The form itself was then discussed.  Issues discussed included whether graduate and undergraduate programs needed to have separate forms.  Are we asking the right questions about resources and program support?  Should questions about program demand and enrollment history be added?  Do we need the questions about the relationship to the Strategic Plan?  Should there be a clearly worded justification for the change?  Should the change then relate to the Strategic Plan?  Additional items were discussed.  A suggestion was made that “minor change” be changed to something else because the title can be confused as meaning changes to a minor.  Memos of Intent were discussed and it was clarified that they are required for all new courses.  Finally the faculty resources issue comes out often with degree/program proposals.  It was asked if we could include more questions on the Chancellor’s Office form.  Wagner suggested that an addendum was used because the new material would have to be extracted from the form before going to the Chancellor’s Office. The subcommittee on this issue will address the issues raised by the full committee and bring back a revised document for their review.

5.         Add Drops – Discussion Item
Berry noted that his office is seeing many more classes set to faculty permission and students are having difficulty adding and dropping classes.  The committee discussed the issues.  Berry asked if we need to keep the faculty permission to drop in the 3rd and 4th week.  Enrollment management issues were discussed.  Members noted that having to get a signature to drop the class forces students to meet with faculty and the faculty member could often uncover the reason for the drop.  Allowing students to drop in the 3rd and 4th week could cause classes to be under enrolled and some students to drop below minimum units for financial aid.  Electronic waitlists were discussed.  Currently PeopleSoft can’t check for pre-requisites with the electronic waitlist.  The waitlist feature may be useful for lower division GE courses.  

6.         Catalog Cycle – Discussion Item
Berry discussed current talk about moving to a 1-year catalog cycle.  He noted the additional amount of work it would generate particularly for advising and registration.  Advantages would be that curriculum would be more flexible and moving to an electronic catalog would reduce printing costs.  It was not clear whether the catalog cycle is in EPPC’s jurisdiction.  Way will ask about any plans to go to a 1-year catalog cycle in EC and will note EPPC’s interest in being involved in the discussion.

7.         Other
Way said the next meeting may be cancelled.

8.         Adjourn
The meeting adjourned at 3:45 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,
Jennifer Meadows, Secretary du jour