Baccalaureate Core Committee

Baccalaureate Core Committee

February 29, 2016

Minutes  

 

Voting members present: Susie Dunham, Kevin Gable, Steve Giovannoni, Kira Hughes, Rorie Spill Solberg

Voting members absent: Dennis Bennett, Gerd Bobe, Isabelle Brock, Robert Brudvig, McKenzie Huber, David McMurray, Bob Paasch, Bill Smyth

Ex-officio members present: Academic Affairs (Heath Henry), WIC Director (Vicki Tolar Burton)

 

Approved without Discussion

1. Category II: None
2. Category Reviews: 

• ART 313 – Art of Japan – Cultural Diversity
• COMM 459 – Contemporary Theories of Rhetoric – WIC
• ENG 213 – Literatures of the World: Middle East – Cultural Diversity
• HST 388 – Islamic Civilization – Cultural Diversity
• HST 392 – Modern China and Japan – Cultural Diversity
• PHL 206 – Religious Ethics and Moral Problems – Western Culture
• PHL 315 – Gandhi and Nonviolence – Cultural Diversity
• WR 411 – The Teaching of Writing – WIC

 

 

Category Reviews

• ANTH 312 – Peoples of the World – Europe – Western Culture
  • Postponed

 

• ART 311 – Peoples of the World – North America – Cultural Diversity 
  • Postponed

 

• COMM 418 – Interpersonal Communication Theory and Research – WIC
  • Postponed

 

• COMM 456 – Rhetoric: 500 BC to 500 AD – WIC
  • Vicki – critical thinking is not mentioned in the syllabus; instructor considers drafting the paper to be formal writing, which it’s not; outcome 3 – handout gave detailed I students don’t appear to be required to revise 2,000 words;

Action: Provisional three-year recertification

 

• ENG 208 – Literature of Western Civilization – Western Culture
  • Syllabus is missing the Baccalaureate Core statement and Course Student Learning Outcomes are not correct. It appears that Davison edits the outcomes for his course, but he needs to separate the Baccalaureate Core outcomes and Course Student Learning Outcomes. Recommend that the syllabus show a connection between course content and Course Student Learning Outcomes. Syllabus needs correct student conduct link. There is no percentage related to grades, i.e., A=35%.  There is no explanation of how fourth credit hour is assessed and meeting learning outcomes, separate from the other three credits.

Action: Provisionally recertify and fix above issues.

 

• ES 241 – Introduction to Native American Studies – Cultural Diversity
  • There is no connection between outcomes and assessment; no syllabus for an additional instructor – only listed one instructor; large grading difference between the two instructors. The missing syllabus is from someone who is gone.

Action: Recertify and request that they fix connection between outcomes and assessment

         

• FST – 273 – Wine in the Western World – Western Culture
  • Appears to be two TA’s but didn’t indicate a teaching structure for the TA’s; they could possibly be graders only. Consists of mid-terms and quizzes.  Critical thinking    No mention of connection between in syllabus    Interesting way to present Western Culture.

Action: Recertify; inquire about TA clarification, make connections in syllabus regarding how students will have a better understanding.

 

• HST 201 – History of the U.S. – Western Culture
  • Grade distribution is 15% A, 25% D, F, and W – F’s and W’s are higher in online sections. Since it’s an Introductory course, reviewer was struck by the high number of D, F, and W grades.

Action: Recertify, but note that student success may not be as high as expected; think about better student engagement and student success. Advise that Shay’s courses have much lower grades.

 

• PS 343 – Russian Politics – Cultural Diversity
  • Postponed

 

• PSY 434/534 – Brain and Behavior Methods – WIC
  • Syllabus consists of four pages; no pre-requisites are listed; instructor appears to have edited the learning outcomes to reflect the discipline – need verbatim statement; need verbatim Bacc Core statement; wrong student conduct statement; need Word count; no description in the syllabus of the assignments or how they will be assessed; unclear whether the learning outcomes are being met. A new instructor search is ongoing and that instructor will teach this course.
  • Vicki – The syllabus is inadequate in every aspect – it’s important to not allow the new instructor to use the existing syllabus.

Action: Three-year recertification. Rorie will discuss course with John Edwards, unit head, indicate that the BCC is wavering between decertifying and three-year recertification, BCC understands there will be a new instructor, encourage new instructor to take the WIC seminar, and how does he wish to proceed.

 

• PSY 440 – Cognition Research – WIC
  • Postponed

 

 

Category II Reviews – None

 

Matters Arising

Vicki – BCC needs to think through how the Bacc Corfe relates. In Academic Affairs, in particular Susana Rivera-Mills area, there is such a push for literally everything to be focused on First-Year Experience and graduate rates. It seems that faculty development is being redefined as increasing graduation rates.

 

Kevin – need to emphasize that curriculum is designed and presented by the faculty. Faculty via FS has adopted Bacc Corfe has an integral part of every area on campus. Designing curriculum is not Susana’s purview.

 

Steve – part of the problem can be addressed by changing curriculum, but another part involves student problems aside from the curriculum. Can we request an analysis of why it’s felt that curriculum is a problem?

 

Kevin – there are problems with FYE which leads to graduation rate. Multi-dimensional problem, beginning with 94% acceptance rate (peers are in 80 percentile).  We rely on experience from Vicki and Nana, if positions are diverted or eliminated, that will damage eventual success of students as graduates. There are bottle necks for upper division because resources are directed toward FYE.

 

Vicki – if FY retention rate is a problem, what percentage are Bacc Core courses?

Kevin noted that there is a set of courses where DFW is correlated with failure to return, likely primarily due to Skills.

 

Kevin – 3-4 credit is still an issue

 

Rorie – additionally, across the board is how many hours are students working at jobs – correlation between hours worked and coursework; the quarter system is also a factor.

 

Vicki – also – Oregon State legislature wants every Oregon high school graduate to leave with 9 college credit. Last week was a fast turnaround request on four models to be approved; her understanding is that all provosts have said they will accept the legislation. WR 121 will be a seated exam taught by a HS teacher who may not have any graduate teaching of courses. BCC could partner with CTL re: coursework. Need to be ready with recommendations and evidence that Bacc Core is an impediment.

 

Kevin wants to know how the Faculty Senate leadership wishes to address this issue., specifically, what are the concrete things for which the BCC will be held accountable and the need to speak up for the value of staff support (i.e., WIC and DPD directors) we are getting.

 

Invite Kate Halischak and Jay Noller to discuss these issues in the Spring.

 

• Vickie will distribute Spring meeting availability.

 

• The co-chairs will work on recommending proposed revisions to the Standing Rules to increase the membership.

 

 

 

Minutes recorded by Vickie Nunnemaker, Faculty Senate staff