Baccalaureate Core Committee

Voting members present: Heather Arbuckle, Kathy Becker-Blease, Daniel Faltesek, McKenzie Huber, Matthew Kennedy (remote), Filix Maisch, Lori McGraw, Bob Paasch, David Roundy, Rorie Spill Solberg, Kaplan Yalcin
Voting members absent: Aidas Banaitis
Ex-Officio members present: Faculty Affairs – Heath Henry; Ecampus – Craig Rademacher
Guests present: Tam Belknap

Category Proposals

• Discussion Needed
  • ENG 109 – Literature & the Arts
    • The reviewer has twice asked that learning outcomes (LOs) 2 and 3 be explained but the submitter has not done so.
    • The submitter did make an attempt to expand their readings to reflect on history but it’s not evident in the syllabus how the readings align with the LOs and there is little context for it.
    • The submitter did send a response to the committee’s concerns, but the committee feels the response is not sufficient and would like the submitter to review their previous notes for needed changes.
      • Send back with notes
  • PHL 456 – Science, Technology, and Society
    • Existing course that the college is trying to enter into the Baccalaureate Core (BC). All they have done to try and tie the course into the category as add the word ‘machines’ to the title. The catalog description has not changed.
    • The reviewer feels the course has potential and could fit in to the category, but the description needs updating and it needs a little more work put into it.
      • Send back with notes
  • HEST 201 – Social Processes and Institutions
    • Cross-listed course between College of Engineering (COE) and College of Business (COB)
    • To tie into the social process category, they have arranged two faculty from Anthropology to come in and give guest lectures.
      • There is no commitment from the College of Liberal Arts (CLA) to continue providing guest lectures
    • None of the readings are consistent with social processes and does not resemble existing courses.
    • The course focuses on students coming together to create a solution to a social problem and then pitch that problem to a sort of think tank group that will invest in the projects.
    • There hasn’t been much of a response from any of the liaisons.
    • There are concerns that the syllabus is not sustainable, especially with the lack of commitment from CLA.
      • Would it be better to cross-list with CLA?
    • Answers on the BC form are very vague and there are questions from the committee if it really fits in the category, or even belongs in the BC at all.
      • Social Processes & Institutions requires a writing component which is not listed in the syllabus
        • Feels like it may fit in more with either Science, Technology and Society or Contemporary Global Issues better.
      • Is it truly accessible to students of all majors?
        • The course is about developing solutions for low-economic countries. It can be any type of design, not necessarily engineering. Technical aspect will likely be pretty low and accessible for students from varying majors.
    • The course is being funded through a grant. What happens after the grant funds are exhausted?
      • Send back informing the submitter that the course does not meet the Social Processes & Institutions category
  • SOC 372 – Difference, Power, & Discrimination
    • Some minimum syllabus requirements are not being met.
      • Needs an updated Difference, Power, & Discrimination (DPD) and BC statement.
      • Needs the new outreach statement
    • The course, on its own merits, is fine but there is concern that the lack of distinction between it and other courses may cause unnecessary competition between units.
      • It was noted that there is not as much competition online. There are multiple DPD courses available on campus, but none are offered through Ecampus.
      • Should they speak with ES and WGSS to see how they can make their course more distinct from ones already offered by these groups?
        • The similar WGSS course is only 100 level
    • It was suggested that they add some language to the course description about a focus on US popular culture and the ways in which the Global is used for comparative purposes.
      • Send back due to concerns about a lack of distinction between this and other existing courses already in the BC; how does this course benefit students in a way that is not already covered by an existing BC course?
      • The chairs will send a message to CLA and DPD about the amount of courses coming into the BC trying to cover the same type of category or topic.
  • IAWS 328 – Science, Technology, and Society
    • The course has several issues and the reviewer believes that quite a bit of editing is in order before it can be approved.
    • The course reads as more of a general science course, rather than one that fits the category and has very little mention of technology or society.
      • The submitter does not address how soil science relates to or affects society.
    • Lacks the 1,250 word writing assignment
    • Does a poor job of explaining how the LOs are addressed and assessed.
      • The form shows a little more effort in explaining these, but it’s not clear on the syllabus.
        • Send back for major revisions
  • H 344 – Contemporary Global Issues
    • The unit would like to move it to Contemporary Global Issues
    • The course feels very major specific
    • Assignments are not connected to the BC LOs and there is no mention the BC LOs are assessed.
    • The Ecampus syllabus is very ‘cute & paste’ and there is no mention of who is teaching the course.
    • The college sent a request asking for a written list of what’s required from them when submitting forms and documents to the BC.
      • This sort of continuity and assessment was mentioned in the accreditation report.
        • Send back for revisions
  • GEOG 103 – Social Processes & Institutions and/or Cultural Diversity
    • Originally approved for Social Processes, but the new syllabus appears to be for the Cultural Diversity category.
      • A committee member was able to confirm that they are looking to switch the course from Social Processes & Institutions to Cultural Diversity
        • With that clarification, the co-chairs will assign a reviewer for the course.
• No Discussion Needed
  • AG 455 – Social Processes & Institutions
    • Approved with no discussion needed - exemplary

Updates from Co-Chair and Faculty Senate meeting

• Reach Out for Success statement
  • The one listed in the minimum syllabus requirements is what’s been approved. Ones used by Ecampus that differ need to be sent back because it has not been approved by the Faculty Senate.
• Update on WR 121
  • The committee is able to raise the credits for the course from 3 to 4, but to up the credits of the entire BC would require a recommendation to the Faculty Senate to up it for the category.

New Business

• Work Groups
  • Will be discussed more next week.

October 28 Meeting

• Baccalaureate Core Committee Listening Sessions and Moving Forward with the Baccalaureate Core, BCIL – Mina Carson, Faculty Senate President
• Proposals
  • PHL 234 – Western Culture