Date: 
06/05/2013 1:00 pm to 2:30 pm
Location: 
120 Waldo Hall
Agenda: 
  1. Introductions
     
  2. Approval of May 21 meeting minutes
     
  3. Course Reviews - BCC
    • 85436 – WR 240 (WR II)
    • Reviews over the summer
  4. Synthesis Category Review Update - Kerry & Marion
     
  5. First Year Skills Compliance - Vicki & Kerry
     
  6. Dual Degree Programs with International Universities and Implications for the Bacc Core - Sunil Khanna, Associate Provost for International Programs
     
  7. Advocating for Bacc Core Leadership - Kerry
     
  8. Other Business
Minutes: 

Voting Members Present: Linda Bruslind, Uta Hussong-Christian, Kerry Kincanon (co-chair), Michael Lerner, Rebecca Olson, Marion Rossi (co-chair)
Ex-officio Non-voting Member Present: Vicki Tolar Burton (WIC)
Guests: Sunil Khanna, Valerie Rosenberg

Action Items:

  • The BCC completed one course review, WR 240, a potential addition to Writing II. The BCC tabled a decision until the Writing Advisory Board has a chance to look at the course.
  • The BCC co-chairs shared final decisions on Phase II of the Synthesis Category Review. All courses in Phase II will be approved, but the co-chairs will provide targeted feedback to certain courses and flag them for a follow-up review in 2014-15.
  • BCC members are invited to share feedback on a memo from the BCC to Academic Affairs and Faculty Senate leadership advocating for a permanent Director of the Baccalaureate Core. Hard copies were distributed, and an electronic copy was sent to each BCC member.

May 21 minutes not yet complete. Approval of May 21 and June 5 minutes will happen electronically

Course Reviews
The BCC completed one course review – WR 240, a course proposed for addition to Writing II. Reviewers expressed a generally favorable response to the course, the originator’s responses to the BC questions, and the fit with the category. The only concern was that assignments were very narrowly defined on the syllabus (which is common) and there wasn’t a transparent connection made to the relationship between the assignments and the learning outcomes. Per our standing rules, the BCC will await word from the Writing Advisory Board before proceeding on approval or request for additional changes.

As it is our last meeting of the academic year, the BCC will not have occasion to conduct reviews in person until next fall. The co-chairs will monitor incoming reviews through the end of June to determine which need immediate attention and which can be held until next fall.

Synthesis Course Review Update
The co-chairs have finished considering the BCC’s Category Review for Phase II of the process. All courses in Phase II will be approved, although some units will be provided targeted feedback and their courses will be flagged for priority follow up in the 2014-2015 academic year. Decisions will be communicated to the units in the coming weeks.

First Year Skills Compliance
Vicki Tolar Burton updated the BCC on undergraduate compliance with the First Year Skills requirement. With the implementation of the First Year Skills Requirement starting in the fall of 2011, incoming OSU undergraduates are required to complete Writing I, Speech, and Mathematics requirements before they complete 45 credits. At the time of this requirement, the decision was made not to create an enforcement mechanism, but rather to rely on advisors to promote and advocate for completion of these three categories. Vicki shared data showing a comparison by college of 2010-11 (the year before the requirement was implemented) and 2012-13 cohorts. The numbers demonstrate marked improvement in almost all colleges for compliance in all three categories. Vicki and Kerry will be taking these numbers to both the Academic Advising Council and the Council of Head Advisors workgroup to get feedback on reasons for non-compliance and whether or not the BCC should pursue an enforcement policy. Kerry noted that, from his experience, students often have valid reasons for non-compliance with First Year Skills classes the first year.

Dual Degree Programs with International Universities
Sunil Khanna, Associate Provost for International Programs, and Valerie Rosenberg, INTO Director of Student Experience and Director of International Admissions, visited the BCC to discuss an emerging priority for internationalization efforts at OSU – the establishment of Dual Degree programs between OSU and international universities. The Dual Degree program, whereby a student would earn two degrees (one from OSU and one from the international partner) has precedence at other institutions, and there is desire on the part of international universities to create such a program at OSU. A task force has been formed to look at models for such a program, and that group has initiated work to create a template for a Memo of Understanding. As this program incorporates all aspects of an undergraduate degree, the role and position of the Bacc Core in the Dual Degree program and how much of it a student would need to complete is germane to how the program develops and any agreements that are established. Sunil and Valerie would like representation from the BCC on the task force, particularly when they get to the stage of site visits from potential partners to OSU. The co-chairs will make sure that this request is included in the annual report under emerging issues for the BCC to consider next year.

Advocating for a Director of Baccalaureate Core
Per conversations that happened at the May 7 BCC meeting, Kerry shared a draft of a memo to be sent to Academic Affairs and Senate leadership advocating for the creation of a Director Baccalaureate Core. Members were invited to review the memo and share feedback over email. The memo will also be sent electronically to individual members of the BCC with an invitation to suggest additions or revisions before the co-chairs forward the memo to intended recipients. Those present noted that a Director of the Baccalaureate Core would actually be the ideal person to liaison to the aforementioned Dual Degree task force and suggested adding it as an example.

Meeting adjourned at 10:35 AM.