MINUTES OF THE ACADEMIC COUNCIL

TENNESSEE TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY

November 4, 1998

The Academic Council met at 3 p.m. on Wednesday, November 4, 1998, in the Deans' Conference Room of Derryberry Hall. Dr. John Harris, Chairperson, presided at the meeting.

The following members of the Council were present:

Dr. Jack Armistead                             Dr. Jeffery Roberts
Dr. Donald Elkins                              Dr. John Harris
Dr. Rebecca Quattlebaum                        Dr. Norman Williams
Prof. Rebecca Tolbert                          Prof. Darlene Franklin
Dr. Winston Walden                             Prof. Ken Hunter
Dr. Marvin Barker                              Dr. Gretta Stanger
Dr. Robert Bell                                Dr. Andrzej Gutek
Dr. Ken Purdy                                  Dr. Linda Null
Mr. Joseph Raymond                             Dr. Orville Crowell
Mr. Casey Schewe                               Dr. Brian O'Connor
Ms. Joy McCown                                 Dr. Corinne Darvennes

Also attending as resource persons were Dr. Frank Stapor, Dr. Karen Adams, and Dr. Dean Richey.

    The following members of the Council were absent:  

Ms. Sammie Young			       Dr. Harry Smith
Mr. Mark Orr				       Dr. Ed Griggs
Dr. Reed Cripps				       Dr. Joe Anderson
Dr. Jane Reagor				       Dr. Mary Kornguth
Dr. Mark Stephens			       Dr. Ed Lisic
Prof. John Dodson

SUMMARY OF PROCEEDINGS

1. Approved the agenda.

2.. Approved the minutes of the October 7 meeting.

3. Approved an addition to the catalog relative to a C grade in Geology.

4. Rescinded the action taken at the September meeting relative to a category of "Authorized Leave for Students" on the Financial Aid form.

6. Approved and recommended to the President as an exception a revised BFA curriculum with 127 hours.

PROCEEDINGS

    Professor Tolbert MOVED approval of the agenda, and Professor Hunter SECONDED the motion. The agenda was APPROVED.

    Professor Hunter MOVED approval of the minutes of the October 7 meeting, and Professor Tolbert SECONDED the motion. The minutes were APPROVED as distributed.

Addition to the Catalog Relative to a C Grade in Geology

    Dr. Frank Stapor, faculty member in the Department of Earth Sciences, said the Department has been concerned for several years that far too many of their geology majors do not have the right preparation to take upper division courses and that they do not have a sufficient knowledge base when they graduate with a B.S. to perform adequately in the job market. If approved, students will be advised of this change beginning next semester, and the new policy will go into effect Fall 1999. The policy would apply only to courses taken from August 1999 onward. Dr. Roberts MOVED and Professor Hunter SECONDED to approve the following statement to be placed in the catalog:

    Geology majors must earn a grade of C or better in all required geology courses. Before enrolling in any required geology course, geology majors must have earned a grade of C or better in all geology courses prerequisite to that course.

    The policy would apply only to geology courses that are prerequisite to other geology courses. Professor Tolbert said that because students would be given timely notification this year, the policy change should not be a problem for students who came in under a prior catalog.

    The change was APPROVED by a unanimous vote.4

Authorized Leave for Students

    Dr. Barker said that when he presented the request at the September meeting for an authorized leave category on the financial aid form, he did not have the information that the federal government has a 60-day limit on this type of leave. Because the addition of this category would not meet any need we have, Dr. Barker MOVED to rescind the previous action of the Academic Council establishing an "Authorized Leave for Students" category on the financial aid form. Dr. Bell SECONDED the motion, and the motion was APPROVED by a unanimous vote.

New Program Proposal from the College of Education for a Ph.D. in Exceptional Learning

    Dr. Harris said that the Faculty Senate has had an opportunity to review the proposal, and he then asked Dean Adams and Dr. Richey for any introductory comments they would like to make. Dean Adams said that in addition to what was distributed with the agenda, Council members could also review the backup material--charts, graphs, faculty vitae, and syllabi.

    Dean Adams stated that Dr. Barker talked with the College of Education executive committee during the summer of 1997 and determined that they would be interested in designing a Ph.D. program that would be on the cutting edge and that would have an impact on the Upper Cumberland region. The program design committee met all last year and reviewed programs in the state to ensure that this program would not duplicate anything at the graduate level in Tennessee. The three concentrations--Young Children and Families, Literacy, and Applied Behavior and Learning--are not confined to an age level or a school setting. Two surveys were done. The first survey surveyed about 500 teachers, administrators, graduate students, and professionals on and off campus to determine if there was interest in a Ph.D. program at TTU, and the second surveyed 1400 teachers and graduate students throughout the service area to measure regional interest in this specific program. The response to both surveys was overwhelmingly positive with about equal interest in all of the three concentrations.

    Dr. Quattlebaum MOVED approval of the program, and Professor Tolbert SECONDED the motion.  Speaking for Dr. Lisic who could not be present Dr. Gutek noted that if this program has the effect of changing TTU's status to a "Ph.D. Granting Institution," more support for research would be required.

    Professor Tolbert noted that prior to asking for TBR and THEC approval of the program, two external reviewers were invited last summer to come to the campus and review the program. The external reviewers found no major problems and responded very positively to the focus and to the strength of the program.

    Regarding the cost of the program, Dr. Barker said the program should generate money through the formula, because it is expected to have good enrollment. Also, it is likely to generate increased external funding. Finally, a reclassification to a "Ph.D. Granting Institution" could increase our state funding through new peers. Dr. Purdy cautioned that this fact should not be the sole motivation for implementing the program.

    Dr. Roberts called the question, and the proposal received unanimous APPROVAL by the Council.

Referral from the Curriculum Committee for a Revised 127-Hour Curriculum for the BFA as an Exception

    Professor Tolbert said that the revised 127-hour curriculum for the BFA was approved by the University Curriculum Committee at its last meeting. Because the Academic Council at its October meeting tabled the motion to decrease the minimum number of hours for a degree from 132 to 120, Professor Tolbert said the Curriculum Committee is requesting that the revised curriculum for the BFA be approved as an exception. Professor Tolbert MOVED approval of the revised BFA curriculum as an exception, and Dr. Bell SECONDED the motion.

    Discussion ensued regarding the percentages and the reduction in electives by six hours. If approved, the requirement of a minimum of 127 hours for the BFA will be so marked in the catalog. Dr. Barker pointed out that the decision of the Council is really a recommendation to the President. The Council APPROVED the motion with a few dissenting votes.

Adjournment

    The meeting was adjourned at 4:30 p.m.

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