The Academic Council met at 3 p.m. on Wednesday, September 4, 2002, in the Deans' Conference Room of Derryberry Hall. Dr. Jann Cupp, Chairperson, presided at the meeting.

The following members of the Council were present:

Prof. Rebecca Tolbert
Dr. Roy Loutzenheiser
Dr. Don Elkins
Dr. Jack Armistead
Dr. Winston Walden
Dr. Robert Niebuhr
Mr. Hunter Hughes
Dr. Ben Byler
Dr. Cathy Cunningham
Dr. John Harris
Dr. Sharon Whitney
Dr. Mark Stephens
Dr. Christine Miller
Dr. Jann Cupp
Dr. David Larimore
Dr. Ed Griggs
Dr. Roger Haggard
Prof. Gail Stearman
Prof. Tara Watson
Dr. Jeff Roberts
Dr. Brian O'Connor
Dr. Corinne Darvennes
Dr. Gretta Stanger
Prof. Ken Hunter
Dr. Linda Null
Prof. Ray Jordan
Dr. Katherine Osburn

Dr. John Wheeler represented Dean Garber, and Mr. Wayne Blaylock attended for Mr. Mike Palumbo. Also attending as resource persons were Ms. Yvonne Gribble and Dr. Francis Otuonye.

The following members of the Council were absent:

Dr. Darrell Garber
Dr. Susan Elkins
Ms. Carie Harrington
Mr. Mike Palumbo
Ms. Jessica Whitehead

SUMMARY OF PROCEEDINGS

1. Approved the agenda.
2. Approved the minutes of the April 10 meeting.
3. Approved appointing a subcommittee of the Academic Council to study the wording of "I's" and "W's" in the catalog.
4. Approved eliminating the University requirement for a minor.
5. Discussed the issue of notifying instructors about students on probation.
6. Received an update from the committee looking at transfer courses.

PROCEEDINGS

Approval of the Agenda

Dr. Cupp welcomed everyone and introduced new Council members. He expressed appreciation to Dr. Gretta Stanger for her leadership the past two years. At the request of Dr. Null, Dr. Cupp added to the agenda under "Such Other Matters" a report from the committee on transfer courses. Dr. Loutzenheiser MOVED approval of this addition to the agenda, and Mr. Blaylock SECONDED the motion. The addition to the agenda was APPROVED. Professor Hunter MOVED approval of the agenda as revised, and Professor Tolbert SECONDED the motion. The agenda was APPROVED.

Approval of the Minutes of the April 10 Meeting

Dr. Loutzenheiser MOVED to approve the minutes of the April 10 meeting, Dr. Harris SECONDED the motion, and the minutes were APPROVED as posted on the web site.

Catalog Wording for Assigning Incomplete Grades

Professor Tolbert presented background information back to 1991 when the form was enacted to show the department what a student needed to do to complete an "I" grade. The intent was that the "I" grade was for the student who had passed the majority of the term but for some reason was not able to complete the course. Professor Tolbert read the statement in the current catalog under the heading of "Grade of I (Incomplete)" on pages 42-43 and stated that the wording in the first sentence under this heading had been changed from the previous catalog by including the words "he/she has not been able to complete the last 2-3 weeks of the course requirements." Professor Tolbert stated that this change should have been sent to the Academic Council last spring, but this was not done. Since that time Professor Tolbert said she has received a request to review the one-year time limit on removing an "I" grade, and she asked that the Council look at that also.

After considerable discussion, Dr. Cupp asked if the Council should approve the statement that was changed. Dr. Loutzenheiser MOVED to approve using the wording of "2-3 weeks" as stated in the catalog, and Professor Hunter SECONDED the motion. Indicating that this wording is tied in with late withdrawal, Dr. O'Connor MOVED to refer the wording of "I's" and "W's" in the catalog to a subcommittee of the Academic Council. Professor Jordan SECONDED the motion, and the Council APPROVED sending it to a committee. Dr. O'Connor volunteered to serve as chairman of the committee.

Required Number of Hours for Upper Division and Minors in 120-Hour Degree Programs

In the absence of Dr. Barker, Professor Tolbert presented the question about the number of upper division hours that should be required in 120-hour degree programs. The Council took no action on the current requirement of 36 hours of upper division work for a degree.

Professor Tolbert presented the issue of minors to the group. Dr. Harris MOVED that the University requirement for a minor be eliminated effective with the implementation of the 120-hour degree. Dr. Null SECONDED the motion. Dr. Byler MOVED TO AMEND the motion to add "but does not preclude departments and/or individual curricula from requiring a minor." Dr. Whitney SECONDED the motion to amend. Dr. Harris accepted this motion as a FRIENDLY AMENDMENT to the original motion, making the original motion now read that:

The University requirement for a minor be eliminated effective with the implementation of the 120-hour degree requirement, but eliminating the University requirement does not preclude departments and individual curricula from requiring a minor.

The motion PASSED with one dissenting vote. Professor Tolbert noted that departments who wish to have a minor could determine the number of hours required for the minor.

Possible Faculty Notification of Students on Probation

Dean Armistead said that he was asked if faculty could be notified of students on probation so that they could better help these students. It was pointed out that SIS indicates if a student is on probation, and, also, information about probation is provided to advisors. The consensus of the group was that the student should be able to choose whether to notify the instructor that he/she was on probation, but instructors could add a statement on the course syllabus to the effect that help is available if any student should need it. No action was taken.

Such Other Matters
Update from Committee Looking at Transfer Courses

Dr. Null stated that the committee, which also included Dr. Loutzenheiser and Ms. Sarah Winningham, was formed last spring to look at transfer courses that are prerequisites for courses taught at TTU to see how transfer students perform compared to students who take the prerequisite courses here. Dr. Null reported that a questionnaire has been sent out, information is being collected, and the results will be reported to the Council at a later meeting.

The Council discussed Dr. O'Connor's question to Ms. Gribble about entering grades and the last date attended.

Adjournment

The meeting was adjourned at 4:10 p.m.