Baccalaureate Core Committee

Baccalaureate Core Committee

April 13, 2016

Minutes

 

Voting members present: Robert Brudvig, Susie Dunham, Kevin Gable, McKenzie Huber, Kira Hughes, Bob Paasch, Bill Smyth Rorie Spill Solberg

Voting members absent: Dennis Bennett, Gerd Bobe, Isabelle Brock, Steve Giovannoni, David McMurray

Ex-officio members present: Academic Affairs – Heath Henry; WIC Director – Vicki Tolar Burton

 

Approved Without Discussion

1. Cat II:

• ART 322 – Medieval Art and Architecture

• PS 354 – International Organizations and Global Politics
• ART 210 – History of Western Architecture

• GEO 100 – Natural Disasters: Hollywood Versus Reality

 

2. Category Reviews:

• ART 313 – Art of Japan
• ENG 204 – Survey of British Literature: Beginnings to 1660
• PHL 301 – History of Western Philosophy

 

Category Review

1. SPAN 331 – The Cultures of Spain and Portugal (From pre-history to Catholic Kings)  – Western Culture

• Problems with the syllabi; CSLOs are not listed; category is not indicated; no connection between syllabus and CSLOs; no indication on syllabus of how CSLOs are assessed; not possible to review without more information.

Action: Decertify course due to incomplete information provided.

 

2. SPAN 332 – The Cultures of Spain and Portugal (1500-1700) – Western Culture

• Concerns with the pre-requisite which requires students to speak Spanish; grading  - 41% received C or C-, and 12% of the students received a D; students are not prepared to do the amount of Spanish speaking required  - no plan is articulated to assist students. Preparer didn’t respond to all of the questions on the survey – incomplete. Syllabus meets minimum requirements.

Action: Decertify course due to incomplete information provided.

 

3. SPAN 338 – Latin American Culture – Western Culture

• There are two sections; most students are seniors with the bulk from CLA and a few from CPHHS and COS; detailed syllabi; concern was that the language pre-requisite required that the course is taught in Spanish; and there is clear alignment between the syllabi and Course Learning Outcomes.

Action: Recertify; letter will indicate there is a concern with the pre-requisite, but understand that courses are being restructured, and there is an expectation for future courses that they be accessible.

 

4. H 434 – Health Care Law and Regulation – WIC (previous year resubmission)

• The responses related to how the changes will be made are exemplary.

Action: Recertify

 

5. HST 102 – History of Western Civilization – Western Culture

• Grading leans heavily on A’s, B’s and C’s – Ecampus section had high number of Fs; Hubler taught Fall/Spring) and Rubert taught Winter – unclear re: Summer instruction – may be new instructors for coming year?; requested CLO’s separate SPI and WC – Hubler didn’t do this for Ecampus. Reviewer prefers more content thru the course how learning outcomes are met. Rubert is no longer at OSU, but all of the instructors need to work together to provide consistency for learning outcomes via assignments for future syllabi. Hubler: Ecampus – break up learning outcomes; add course credit;  change Blackboard to Canvas; link to Student Conduct is not functional; on-campus syllabus lists the course credits; change Blackboard to Canvas; and no Students Conduct link provided. Rubert: no course credits; course CAN fulfill requirement and will assist (rather than should) attain course outcomes.

Action:  Recertify - In the past it didn’t appear that instructors worked together, but Hubler and the three new instructors need to work together.

 

6. PS 206 – Introduction to Political Thought – Western Culture

• Concerns in terms of how course fulfills requirement – neither syllabi states that it fulfills the category. States that Western Culture outcomes are secondary to the course learning outcomes – don’t rank outcomes – remove statement and copy form minimum syllabi page. In both syllabi, but particularly Anderson’s syllabus was less exciting in identifying assignments – no description of assignments. Matrix doesn’t describe theories nor indicates how it relates to the CSLOs outcomes and how they assess the outcomes; all assignments can’t assess all outcomes. Uncertain how criteria is met. Syllabi – Bb to Canvas, no Student Conduct Statement; Anderson needs course credits.

Action: Provisionary status now and review again in three years, unless the reviewer adequately corrects issues, then the review will be in seven years. Need specificity for assignments; how does the course relate to the CSLOs; change from Blackboard to Canvas; add Student Conduct Statement; and add course credits.

 

7. ENG 275 – The Bible as Literature – Western Culture

• Lots of Seniors enrolled; Honors, on-campus and Ecampus sections; Honors and on-campus syllabi are taught by the same instructor and are very similar. Concern – instructor noted that students struggle to understand the Bible as a work in progress with cultural historical influences over time – the reviewer felt the same from the responses – the instructor may wish to call out learning outcomes more clearly. On-campus syllabus needs statement that the course meets Baccalaureate Core requirements. Course didn’t meet full hours for four credits – needs expectation for amount of work required outside of class.

Action:  Recertify following above updates.                    

 

Gerd’s Proposal re: Western Culture CSLOs (see below)

 

Gerd’s proposal:

I would like to suggest that we discussion if we can revise the Western Culture learning outcome:

Western Culture Learning Outcomes

1. Identify significant events, developments, and/or ideas in the Western cultural experience and context.

2. Interpret the influence of philosophical, historical, and/or artistic phenomena in relation to contemporary Western culture.

3. Analyze aspects of Western culture in relation to broader cultural, scientific, or social processes.

         

Discussion:

• One felt that reciprocity can get lost.
• Suggestion to add “including the U.S.” at the end of XXX
• One stated that faculty have questioned why there is a Western Culture category – and have suggested combining Western Culture and Cultural Diversity.
• People are having trouble responding to questions on the survey – perhaps revise the form. Need to provide better education to faculty.

Action: Heath will circulate the review form to the members for review and potential revision. Start with Western Culture and move to the other categories.

•  

 

with the last three points of the evaluation:

1.       Study, from a historical perspective, the origins and evolution of important

features of Western culture

2.       Examine events, movements, ideas or artistic achievements of Western

culture in a broad context, including the significance they have for

contemporary U.S. culture and institutions

3.       Demonstrate interrelationships or connections with other subject areas

          Discussion: the first two above can’t be measured.

 

The reason for my suggestion is that many Western Culture syllabi lacking in the last two points of the evaluation. Furthermore, I think many of the faculty do not interpret the WC learning outcomes according to the last two points of the evaluation.

 

 

Minutes recorded by Vickie Nunnemaker, Faculty Senate staff