COUNCIL OF DEANS
March 13, 2002
The Council of Deans met in regular session at 9:30 a.m., Wednesday, March 13, 2002, in the Provost's Conference Room. Sam Buchanan presided, and the following council members were present: Gabriel Esteban, Bob Everding, Jonathan Glenn, Neil Hattlestad, Maurice Lee, Jane McHaney, Elaine McNiece, Sally Roden, and Ron Toll. Tony Sitz and Peter Mehl attended to discuss curricular issues.
Norma Tio was present to ask for the deans' support for a Counselor Appreciation Day and gave an overview of the program, which is scheduled for April 19. Following discussion, Tio departed.
The COD minutes of February 13 and 27 were approved as circulated.
McNiece presented the Graduate Council minutes of February 21.
McNiece moved to recommend a Master of Science in Training Systems. Following a second by McHaney, the motion passed unanimously.
McNiece moved to recommend the following new course:
ENGL 5360 History and Structure of the English Language [tabled]
Lee seconded the motion. Concern was expressed about the proliferation of 5000-level courses and a reduction in 6000-level requirements. Following discussion, Hattlestad moved to table the course until external consultants conclude their review of the English program. McHaney seconded the motion. Following a vote of 5-2-1, the course was tabled.
McNiece moved to recommend the following change to variable credit.
SPTH 6313 Special Problems (to be offered as 1-3 hours credit)
Hattlestad seconded the motion, which passed unanimously.
McNiece presented the following information items, which the COD accepted:
Course title change:
HIST 6323 Colonial and Revolutionary America, 1759-1815 TO
HIST 6323 Colonial and Revolutionary America
FLAN 5315 Methods of Teaching Foreign Languages TO
WLAN 5315 Methods of Teaching Second Languages
Prefix change:
All FLAN prefixes will be changed to WLAN to reflect new department name.
The COD did not accept the following courses as reinstatements:
HIST 5367 Tudor- Stuart England 1485-1714
HIST 5369 Victorian England 1815-1901
The concern about the proliferation of 5000-level courses was again discussed. The two courses may be resubmitted through appropriate channels as action items, but the deans agreed that no request to reinstate previously deleted courses will be considered as mere information items.
Mehl presented the actions of the General Education Committee.
Mehl requested that the following course be recommended to fulfill general education requirements in World Cultural Traditions. Roden moved to recommend the course.
WRTG/WLAN 23XX World Languages
Everding seconded the motion, which passed unanimously.
Following recommendation of the general education course, Mehl departed.
Roden presented the Undergraduate Council minutes of February 19.
Roden moved to recommend approval of a new minor in linguistics. Everding seconded the motion, which passed unanimously.
Roden moved to recommend the following new writing course:
WRTG 4340 Teaching Creative Writing: History, Theory, and Practice
Everding seconded the motion, which passed unanimously.
Roden moved to recommend that proposed changes for BBA degrees be approved. Esteban seconded the motion, which passed unanimously.
Roden moved to recommend the following new course:
PHYS 2411 College Astronomy
Toll seconded the motion, which passed unanimously.
Roden moved to recommend the following degree requirement changes.
The requirement for the General Science Major and the elective for Physical Science Minor is changed from PHYS 1401 to PHYS 2411. The change benefits students who are general science majors, physical science majors, physics majors and minors, and students pursuing a BS degree who opt to fulfill the BS degree requirements through astronomy courses.
Toll seconded the motion. Following discussion, the motion passed unanimously.
Roden presented the following information items, which the COD accepted:
Prefix changes from FLAN to WLAN:
FLAN 1300 Elementary Language I
FLAN 2300 Level 3 Intensive English Core Program
FLAN 2315 Cultural Studies
FLAN 4315 Methods of Teaching Foreign Languages
FLAN 2325 Second Language Acquisition
FLAN 4330 Second Language Assessment
Course title changes:
From WLAN 4315 Methods of Teaching Foreign Language
To Methods of Teaching Second Languages
From WRTG 4320 Non-Western Rhetorical Traditions
To Rhetoric and Cross-Cultural Communication
From INFO 3363 Business Telecommunications
To Telecommunications and Computer Networks
Prerequisite changes:
WLAN 4315 Methods of Teaching Second Languages
INFO 3328 Systems Analysis and Design
INFO 3322 Introduction to Minicomputers
INFO 3329 End-User Systems Planning and Design
INFO 3362 Programming in Visual Basic
INFO 3363 Telecommunications and Computer Networks
INFO 4329 Database Management Systems
INFO 4339 Computer Applications in Business
INFO 4350 Information Systems Technology
INFO 4362 Administrative Information Management
PHYS 2421 Observational Astronomy
Revised bulletin descriptions for:
Programmer/Analyst Track of the Information Systems major
End-Users Support Track of the Information Systems major
INFO 3301Problem Solving with Cobol
INFO 3322Introduction to Minicomputers
INFO 3328Systems Analysis and Design
INFO 3329End-User Systems Planning and Design
INFO 3362Programming in Visual Basic
INFO 3364Desktop Publishing
INFO 3366Web Site Management
INFO 4329Database Management Systems
INFO 4339Computer Applications in Business
INFO 4362Administrative Information Management
PHIL 4310 Senior Thesis in Philosophy deletion from the Philosophy major.
McNiece led a discussion of credit hour standards for courses in non-traditional formats. The deans agreed that non-traditional formats should carry the same credit hour restrictions as traditional courses. For example, a course that meets over a three-week period and carries three credit hours must be equivalent to a course carrying the same credit taken during a regular academic semester. If activities other than "seat" time will be taken into consideration, that information must be clearly stated in the course approval process.
Buchanan (1) informed the deans of a recent incident of theft through timesheet falsification, and asked deans to be sure that departmental timekeepers are checking student worker timesheets closely; (2) asked if there was interest in holding a deans' retreat; (3) shared information from AACTE; (4) gave McNiece information about a McNair fellowship.
Dean Reports
Glenn (1) reported that there will be a Technology Symposium on April 30 similar to last year's event, distributed a tentative agenda, and asked the deans to send suggestions to him; (2) discussed the revision of the Student Handbook, and asked the deans to review pages 27-29.
Esteban (1) announced that on April 4 the second in a series of invited speakers, John Sloop with the Edward Jones Company, will present a program entitled, "Investing During Turbulent Times"; (2) stated that the second annual golf tournament will be held May 10 in Little Rock.
McHaney invited the deans to attend an Open House at the Technology Learning Center on April 17.
Sitz (1) reported on registration programming initiatives; (2) stated that his office will participate in recruiting visits next week; (3) will send classroom use information to departments; (4) discussed delays in on-line grade submission.
Roden asked that deans remind chairs to maintain accuracy of on-line four-year plans.
McNiece (1) distributed mid-year promotional grant reports; (2) asked deans to mark August 27 as the date for New Faculty Orientation next fall and shared information about remaining NFO events scheduled for this semester; (3) distributed Continuing Education Activity and Event Reports for February; (4) shared an abstract of UCA prepared in conjunction with a Title III proposal; (5) asked the deans to send to her nominations for CASE U.S. Professor of the Year.
Hattlestad shared information about the upcoming National Conference of Academic Deans. He expects UCA to host a larger group this year based on preliminary inquiries.
Toll reported on the removal of Biology Department electronic data bases from the library.
Following a motion by Esteban and second by Everding, the meeting adjourned at 11:30 a.m.
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