Baccalaureate Core Committee

Voting members present: Pat Ball (remote), Nancy Barbour (remote), Isabelle Brock, Natalie Dollar (remote), Filix Maisch, Bob Paasch, Weihong Qiu, Dana Sanchez, Inara Scott, Bill Smyth
Voting members absent: Rorie Spill Solberg
Ex-Officio members present: Academic Affairs – Heath Henry, WIC – Vicki Tolar Burton
Guests: Jon Dorbolo, John Edwards, Alix Gitelman

• Category Reviews
  • Discussion Needed
    • CH462 (WIC)
      • The verbatim Baccalaureate Core statement is missing from both syllabus and needs updated Disability Access Services (DAS) and Student Conduct links.
• In order to meet SLO #3, the course needs a more significant individual writing project of at least 2000 words that addresses multiple aspects of writing, including brainstorming, drafting, using sources appropriately, and revising comprehensively after receiving feedback on a draft.
• The syllabus and/or assignment sheet should clearly reflect that students are expected to write a single paper of at least 2000 words. The 2000 words must be submitted in draft form, significantly revised and resubmitted after receiving feedback. 
  • There is no assessment for how students smaller writing assignments meet the critical thinking requirements
• We suggest the learning outcomes matrix submitted with the form be included in the syllabus so that students know how each outcome is met.
  • Decertify, send back for major revisions
• MTH338 (WIC)
  • They do not meet outcome 1 as there is no graded informal writing and there is no mention of critical thinking. It is also not clear how students will be introduced to writing in the discipline
  • Students write 1,000 words, revise it and add an additional 1,000 words. This does not equate to the minimum requirement of writing and revising a 2,000 writing assignment
  • It is not clear on how students will receive feedback and that revision is required
  • It is missing the term paper handout
  • Decertify, send back for major revisions
• BB/BI317 (WIC)
  • Only one syllabus was submitted for two instructors. It was clarified that they do not share a syllabus, but as one of the instructors is retiring soon, they made the decision to only submit the one.
  • The 2,000 word writing assignment does not include outside sources. The assignment is a pathway project where students map out their futures as biologists
    • How do they meet the outside sources requirement for the course?
      • There is another, smaller assignment in which students are required to use outside sources. This is unusual but not uncommon and fulfills the requirement.
  • Standard syllabus issues are present: verbatim Baccalaureate Core statement is missing, outdated DAS and Student Conduct links
  • Recertify with minor syllabus changes
• No Discussion Needed
  • WR 224 (WR II)
    • The syllabus all look great, though some standard issues are present; many syllabi are using the outdated DAS link
    • Recertify
  • WR 201 (WR II)
    • There was some initial concern as the assignments did not list a word count, but it was clarified that word counts do not need to be listed for a WR II course
    • Recertify
• Category II Proposals
  • Discussion Needed
    • WGSS460/560 (WIC)
      • Standard syllabus issues are present: verbatim Baccalaureate Core statement, outdated DAS and Student Conduct links
      • The on-campus syllabus has tracked author changes turned out; recommend they turn it off before making it available to students
      • WIC Director states that it meets all the requirements for a Writing Intensive Curriculum (WIC) course
      • Approve, request syllabus updates
    • HC 199 (WR II)
      • The course is also up for a Category Review but they have not submitted their documents despite being reached out to. Will attempt to contact again.
      • The syllabus is missing the verbatim Baccalaureate Core statement and is missing the course specific learning outcomes
      • Approve
    • REL/PHL 407 (WIC)
      • WIC Director asked that they make some changes to the syllabus; they resubmitted and made the requested changes.
      • Syllabus is still using the outdated DAS and Student Conduct links
      • Approve, minor syllabus changes needed
  • No Discussion Needed
    • REL378 (CGI)
      • Approve
    • WGSS 480
      • Needs to update the Student Conduct link
      • A few typos are present and should be addressed before making the syllabus available to students
      • It was brought up that the name of the course in the catalog does not match what is on the syllabus
        • It was clarified that this Category II proposal is to change the name of the course to what is written on the syllabus
      • The learning outcomes and assessments are bulleted, rather than using a table. This is fine, but there is no clear definition between the outcome and how it is assessed.
        • Suggest to the submitter that they italicize the assessment portion, or find another way to make it stand out from the learning outcome so it is more obvious
      • The form mentions a final exam but there is no final exam listed in the course schedule
      • The syllabus lists a ‘7-page’ paper. Should it be more specific and provide a word count? Does it meet the minimum of 1,250 words?
        • At 250 words a page, double spaced, a document that is 7 pages will exceed the 1,250 word minimum.
          • The syllabus states that students will be evaluated ‘as a group or individually’. How are individuals assessed if it is a group project? Are students individually meeting the 1,250 word requirement?
            • Send back for clarification
      • Approve, but will be sent back for minor syllabus changes
• Discussion
  • Alix Gitelman and John Edwards will discuss HB2998 and the Foundational Curriculum
    • HB2998 is the latest attempt by the legislature to fix the problems transfer students have; the largest of which is useless credits.
      • Degree requirements between universities and community colleges typically don’t match, which leads to wasted money and credits when students transfer in
      • The task force is work on the Unified State-Wide Transfer agreement which is major specific and the Foundational Curriculum which will need to map with OSU’s Baccalaureate Core requirements
        • There are currently two transfer programs that students can use:
          • Associate of Arts Oregon Transfer (AAOT)
            • This is an all or nothing, 90 credit degree. Students transferring in with an AAOT tend to have a large amount of useless credits
          • Oregon Transfer Module (OTM)
            • Approved in 2005 by the Faculty Senate, this is a 45 credit degree program. However, due to the way it is constructed, it also leads to a lot of useless credits
              • The Foundational Curriculum is a 30 credit program based off the OTM and AAOT that should lead to fewer dead credits for students who transfer in from Community Colleges
      • The Baccalaureate Core Committee needs to find how the courses in the Foundational Curriculum will align the Baccalaureate Core learning outcomes and requirements. John would prefer to have the Baccalaureate Core Committee vote on whether the current outcomes align before taking it to the Faculty Senate
        • The Baccalaureate Core Committee would like to see the differences between the Foundational Curriculum learning outcomes and the Baccalaureate Core outcomes
          • For example, the AAOT had a cultural literacy requirement but it is different from OSU’s cultural diversity requirement.
          • If the committee could view the difference, they would be more comfortable taking a vote
            • More information will be provided later this week
    • If a student has Willamette Promise credits and goes to Chemeketa Community College, and then transfers to OSU, do those Willamette Promise credits transfer?
      • Willamette Promise tends to meet most lower division requirements, but in terms of how it is articulated, it’s a course by course basis
      • The Registrar’s Office is aware of the potential issues between the Willamette Promise program and the HB2998
    • Credits are not yet able to be laterally transferred or transferred back into a Community College
      • This is likely something that will be addressed in the future
    • How can Community Colleges check to see if their courses meet the requirements for Universities?
      • HECC is working on putting together an oversight committee to assist with this

Minutes prepared by Caitlin Calascibetta