The Academic Council met at 3 p.m. on Wednesday, April 10, 2002, in the Deans' Conference Room of Derryberry Hall with Dr. Gretta Stanger, Chairperson, presiding.

The following members of the Council were present:

Dr. Donald Elkins
Dr. Winston Walden
Dr. Robert Niebuhr
Dr. Marvin Barker
Dr. Roy Loutzenheiser
Mr. Hunter Hughes
Ms. Sarah Winningham
Prof. Charlene Mullins
Dr. John Harris
Dr. Jeff Roberts
Dr. Mark Stephens
Dr. Christine Miller
Dr. Jann Cupp
Dr. Roger Haggard
Dr. Julia Aucoin
Prof. Tara Watson
Prof. Ken Hunter
Dr. Gretta Stanger
Dr. Linda Null
Dr. Corinne Darvennes
Dr. Brian O'Connor

Also attending as resource persons were Elizabeth Boucher, Whewon Cho, Yvonne Gribble, and Rebecca Tolbert.. Beth Mannle attended for Dr. Darrell Garber.

The following members of the Council were absent:

Dr. Jack Armistead
Dr. Darrell Garber
Dr. Susan Elkins
Ms. Shannon Bennett
Mr. Clark Downum
Dr. Bruce Greene
Dr. Harry Smith
Dr. Ed Griggs
Prof. Ray Jordan
Dr. Katherine Osburn
Dr. Kurt Eisen

SUMMARY OF PROCEEDINGS

1. Approved the agenda.
2. Approved the minutes of the January 30 meeting.
3. Approved annual reports from committees reporting to the Council.
4. Received a report on the results of the e-mail vote on four proposals.
5. Elected Jann Cupp as chairperson for 2002-03.
6. Received a resolution from the Arts and Sciences Curriculum Committee regarding the TBR mandate that all General Education courses be transferable between two-year and four-year schools and appointed a committee to identify problems associated with the transfer of these courses.

PROCEEDINGS

Approval of the Agenda

Dr. Stanger stated that under "Such Other Matters," Dr. Null is requesting to present a resolution from the College of Arts and Sciences Curriculum Committee. Dr. Roberts MOVED approval of the agenda as amended, and Professor Hunter SECONDED the motion. The agenda was APPROVED.

Approval of the Minutes of the January 30 Meeting

Dr. Loutzenheiser MOVED approval of the minutes of the January 30 meeting, and Dr. Darvennes SECONDED the motion. The minutes were APPROVED as posted on the website.

Annual Reports from Committees Reporting to the Academic Council

Dr. Null MOVED approval of all annual reports, and Dr. Aucoin SECONDED the motion. Dr. Loutzenheiser pointed out that the motion approved by the Admissions and Credits Committee applies not only to No. 3 but also to No. 4. The Council APPROVED annual reports from the committees reporting to the Academic Council: Admissions and Credits; Commencement, Convocations, and Academic Ceremonies; Curriculum; Extended Education; Faculty Research; Graduate School Executive; Instructional Improvement and Faculty Development; Library; and Teacher Education.

Report on the E-mail Vote on Proposals

Dr. Stanger reported that four proposals were disseminated for a vote via e-mail on February 25, and all were APPROVED. The proposals are: (1) Electrical and Computer Engineering proposal for a non-thesis option in the MSEE program - 24 affirmative votes, 1 abstention; (2) Manufacturing and Industrial Technology proposal to reduce the number of semester hours required for the IT degree from 134 to 128 and to add Law 3810 to the Business elective - 22 affirmative votes, 1 abstention; (3) and (4) School of Nursing proposal for curricular changes and deletion of requirement for a minor - 22 affirmative votes, 2 negative votes, 1 abstention.

In light of the cancellation of the February Council meeting, Dr. Aucoin asked about the timing of meetings of committees reporting to the Academic Council when action is required by the Council. Dr. Stanger reviewed the procedure. Ms. Tolbert explained that the Curriculum Committee prefers to meet late in the semester, but only new program proposals and changes in the number of hours for a degree require approval of the Academic Council. In response to a question about the need to obtain approval of the proposals in February, Dr. Stanger said that some units needed approval then so that they could begin advising students.  Options suggested were to change the policy to require more than a simple majority for e-mail votes, to eliminate e-mail votes altogether, or to call a special meeting of the Council.

Report from the Nominating Committee

Dr. Brian O'Connor, chairperson of the nominating committee which also included Dr. Corinne Darvennes and Dr. Jeff Roberts, MOVED to nominate Dr. Jann Cupp as chairperson of the Academic Council for 2002-03. Professor Hunter SECONDED the motion. Dr. Null MOVED to elect Dr. Cupp by acclamation, Dr. Elkins SECONDED the motion, and the motion PASSED by a unanimous vote. Dr. O'Connor expressed appreciation to Dr. Stanger for her leadership.

Such Other Matters

Resolution from College of Arts and Sciences Curriculum Committee

Dr. Null distributed copies of a resolution from the Arts and Sciences Curriculum Committee in response to the TBR mandate that General Education courses be completely transferable between TBR two-year and four-year schools and that course numbers and course rubrics for similar courses at two-year and four-year TBR schools be uniform. Because the content of these transferable courses offered by two-year schools sometimes does not provide material that is equivalent to the material covered in the course with the same number taught at the four-year schools, the resolution from the Arts and Sciences Curriculum Committee calls for a committee to be formed to address the differences.

Dr. Null said the real issue is that the course cover the same material with the same student outcomes goals, although there may be individual differences in the course. Dr. Loutzenheiser suggested that a committee be formed to determine if there are significant differences in the course content for the same numbered courses at two-year and four-year TBR schools and, if so, develop some sort of remedial situation. Dr. Barker said he is concerned about courses that do not have the proper prerequisites for courses, but he has trouble with the use of the word "content" in the resolution. Professor Tolbert said there is a committee at TBR that will look at problems associated with this mandate, and we can point out specific problems that we may have. Dr. Barker said the Board's assumption when they started was that courses would not be identical but would be equivalent. After considerable discussion, Dr. Stanger appointed a committee to identify the problems associated with the TBR mandate: Linda Null, chairperson; Roy Loutzenheiser; and Sarah Winningham.

Question about Student Evaluation of Faculty

Ms. Winningham asked if students could have access to student evaluations of faculty. Members of the Council said that there are schools that allow access, and Dr. Barker said at some schools the students run their own evaluation of faculty.

Adjournment