September 10, 2018

Printable Minutes

Faculty Senate Meeting Minutes

September 10, 2018
3:15pm
Rudder 601
http://facultysenate.tamu.edu
 
CALL TO ORDER
Speaker Harlin called the meeting to order at 3:15pm.
 
INSTALLATION OF NEW SENATORS
New and re-elected Senators were sworn in and welcomed to the Faculty Senate.
 
GUEST SPEAKERS
Guest speakers Michael K. Young, TAMU President, and Carol Fierke, Provost and Executive Vice President, were introduced by Speaker Harlin.
Michael K. Young, President
After thanking Speaker Harlin and the Faculty Senate for its work and shared governance, President Young presented highlights of the work being done by University administration.
  • President’s Excellence Fund has allocated its first T3 grants; X grants are under review;
  • There has been robust funding in the Presidential Impact Fellows, University professorships and fellowships;
  • Support for research activities continues to be improved after taking over funding responsibilities from the System;
  • Faculty hiring continues as an emphasis with support from the Chancellor, focusing on sufficient diversity, and recruiting both junior and senior faculty;
  • Students are a focus, with ongoing discussions and recommendations on graduation rates, retention, and post-graduation employment opportunities;
  • With the increase in freshmen enrollment in recent years, resources to serve this population are being enhanced such as faculty, buildings, and student services staffing;
  • Expanded learning opportunities, including master’s degrees, summer offerings, and lifelong learning;
  • Intensive work over the summer to improve University response to Title IX concerns and related issues.
 
President Young addressed the current budget, sharing that additional revenue is going into academic programs.  The State Legislature is moving into session where President Young will be addressing the budget with focus on the formula funding and the Texas Research Fund.  The Capital Campaign is in the final stages, having reached 3.2 billion dollars of the 4 billion dollar goal.
 
Carol Fierke, Provost
Provost Fierke thanked all for the support she has received in her first year at the University, and presented highlights of the work being done by her office.
  • The Student Success Initiative announced in April; goals include first-year retention increased to 95%, four-year graduation rate to 65%, and six-year graduation to 85%, working to eliminate achievement disparities, and achieve designation as an Hispanic Serving Institution;
  • University-wide task force for Student Success combining academic and student affairs staff, with an open forum being held on November 5 at noon to discuss task force’s recommendations;
  • To address concerns about growth, it will be more measured and controlled with a decrease in first year students; retention in upper classes and graduate programs has meant an increase overall;
  • Title IX student matrix is available, and a committee led by DOF John August to create a similar matrix for faculty; working with CAFRT to address dismissal and related concerns;
  • Two new deans, Dean Nancy Fahrenwald, College of Nursing, and Dean Bobby Ahdieh, School of Law, were welcomed, along with 100 new faculty, and congratulations offered to newly tenured and promoted faculty;
  • Working on new efforts in mentoring Deans, Department Heads, and new faculty;
  • Continuing to talk about best practices for annual reviews and best practices in creating the best tenure and promotion packages;
  • Working with DOF for better policies for the Academic Professional Track faculty;
  • Working on a faculty reinvestment program with $3 million set aside for tenure-track faculty recruitment with focus on diversity, interdisciplinary appointments, and rising-star associate professors;
  • Starting new University professorships: five per year honoring tenured faculty who excel in research, teaching and service;
  • Has engaged in a variety of visits to each college and this summer visited Provost’s Academic Support units, recently focused on attending several Traditions;
  • Has office hours on the second Monday of each month in Rudder prior to the Senate meetings and is happy to come to Senate meetings whenever she is asked, and there will be upcoming town halls with she and the President;
  • Will soon be concluding the 2020 Vision and beginning the aspirational planning for 2030;
  • And lastly thanked the Senate and faculty for their engagement in shared governance.
 
Speaker Harlin welcomed President Young back to the podium to take questions with Provost Fierke.
 
Clint Magill, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Senator Magill posed question for clarification on the new nepotism policy.  Dr. Fierke responded that each case needs to be examined, but primarily you can’t supervise anyone from your family, with President Young adding that the two issues are notification and supervision.
 
Geoffrey Booth, College of Architecture
Senator Booth raised the issue of cutting down mature oak trees on campus, impacting the quality of place and the tradition of Texas A&M, asking whether there is a plan to save these trees.  President Young responded that there is an inventory of all trees and that whenever possible, live oak trees are transplanted although this is not highly successful.  Additionally, there is a Master Plan that includes weaving green space throughout campus as possible.
 
Jorge Alvarado, College of Engineering
Senator Alvarado asked how they would rate the financial health of the Colleges, and if resources are following the students.  President Young humorously replied, “We give money to the Departments we like,” receiving a hearty laugh from the Senate.  He shared that the financial health of the University is strong, but he believes we do more with less, especially compared with our peer institutions; there are cross-subsidies across colleges; and we are attentive to ensure money follows the students.
 
Provost Fierke seconded that the money follows students.  A new budget model is being created and expect it to be hybridized in 2023 to include multidisciplinary activity.
 
Senator Alvarado followed up asking if it is a good idea to review how colleges make financial decisions.  Dr. Fierke shared that this can be frustrating, but last year asked for three-year budget projections and are working with the Deans on the best way to do that.
 
John Hubbard, College of Medicine
Senator Hubbard, on behalf of the College of Medicine caucus, thanked the President, Chancellor and Board of Regents for approving the finances to complete construction at the College of Medicine, expand clinical facilities, and admit more students to the College.
 
Catharina Laporte, College of Liberal Arts
Senator Laporte asked if there will be any transport system, such as light rail, installed to facilitate movement of students and faculty across campus.  President Young acknowledged the transportation challenges that come with being one of the largest campuses in the country, including the limitations of bus routes.  He suggested that students may need to reconsider selecting classes that are too distant from each other to be reached in 23 minutes.  Possibilities include pushing parking to the outskirts of campus with the addition of shuttles but this is cost prohibitive; autonomous vehicle companies have been invited to experiment on campus with the first success taking disabled students from building to building, so there is hope for future programs.  More Ofo bicycles are being planned as well.
 
Jay Ramadoss, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences
Senator Ramadoss appreciated the efforts in the Student Success Initiative, sharing that the US News & World Report reported low graduation rates in public universities, with higher rates in private universities.  He thanked the administration for their efforts to promote improved graduation rates and retention, because when these improve the rankings improve.  President Young affirmed that we do it because it matters, despite what the rankings say.  Provost Fierke added that the Student Success Initiative is working on this, with the infusion of 12 million dollars over the next four years, with the intention of continuing the success.
 
Speaker Harlin thanked both President Young and Provost Fierke for taking the time to address the Senate.
 
SPEAKER COMMENTS
Speaker Harlin welcomed the Galveston Senators who arrived late due to inclement weather, and welcomed all new and returning Senators including those who drove from distance locations to attend the meeting.  She also thanked all the Deans for providing the travel funds for distance Senators, and funds for the Senate shirts and door plates.  Speaker Harlin explained that the shirts and door plates will help to identify Senators to their colleagues, and also serve as tokens of appreciation for service and commitment to shared governance.  Speaker Harlin reinforced that she is honored to represent the Senators, does not take this commitment lightly, and encouraged Senators to reach out to her with any comments or concerns.
 
Announcements:
  • Executive Assistant Betsy Peterson was recognized for her service in recent weeks, coordinating two events and making sure the shirts and door plates were here;
  • Speaker Harlin received a great deal of feedback regarding the Thursday football game.  Thanks to Senator Angie Hill Price for serving on the committee addressing potential issues leading up to game day.  There were some unforeseen issues which have been communicated to Provost Fierke and Jerry Strawser, Executive Vice President for Finance and Operations and Chief Financial Officer, with the recommendation that we not do “Game Day Thursday” again.
  • The Executive Committee members were recognized and thanked for their service over the past summer, and introduced to new members:
    • Andrew Klein, Speaker-Elect, Geosciences
    • Mark Sicilio, Secretary/Treasurer, Medicine
    • Angie Hill Price, Former Speaker, Engineering
    • Jorge Alvarado, Engineering
    • Alva Ferdinand, Public Health
    • Jose Fernandez-Solis, Architecture
    • Catharina Laporte, Liberal Arts
    • Rajesh Miranda, Medicine
    • Grace Townsend, Galveston
    • Hank Walker, Engineering
    • Joan Wolf, Liberal Arts
    • Jim Woosley, Education
  • Walter Daugherity, former Speaker and long-time Senator is no longer serving due to an appointment change, and was announced as the Senate Parliamentarian for this year.
  • New committee service has begun, and Senators were encouraged to check the website for their committee and its charges.  Senators serving as Committee Chairs were thanked.
  • Reminder: the Senate is hosting a reception immediately following the meeting upstairs in the University Club. 
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
The motion passed to approve the August 13, 2018 minutes as distributed.
 
CONSENT AGENDA
Upon Speaker Harlin’s request for comments or concerns on the Consent Agenda items, Senator Angie Hill Price, Engineering, requested that Attachment Q be removed from the Consent Agenda.  As such, it was pulled from the Agenda for discussion during the Unfinished Business portion of the Agenda.  The motion passed to approve the remaining consent agenda as presented.  (Approved Consent Agenda can be found below Adjournment.)
 
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
Special Consideration Item Attachment Q
  Associate Provost for UG Studies
Department of AP-Undergrad Studies
MINOR-ENTR    Entrepreneurship – Minor
 
Senator Angie Hill Price addressed her concerns related to the Entrepreneurship Minor: it is not coming from a University College but the School of Innovation which has no faculty members.  This means there will be no faculty oversight which is a deep concern.
 
Dr. Ann Kenimer, Associate Provost for Undergraduate Studies, shared the following:
  • She submitted the Minor on the behalf of a development committee made up from representatives from six colleges;
  • The proposed administrative structure is new, but all of the courses that have been recommended for inclusion in the minor have been proposed by faculty members from Agriculture, Business, and Liberal Arts;
  • The administrative work of the minor will be handled by the School of Innovation and The Office of the Associate Provost for Undergraduate Studies.
 
Senator Angie Hill Price put forth concern over future processes as they are not defined; she moved that the Minor should be tabled until additional information can be provided regarding the oversight committee and a formal documented process is created.  There was a second.  The motion passed unanimously so the Minor under consideration will be tabled until questions are answered.
 
COMMITTEE REPORTS
Core Curriculum Council
The Core Curriculum Council courses are approved as presented.  (Approved Core Curriculum Council courses can be found below Consent Agenda.)
 
The Core Curriculum Council report was presented by its Chair, Speaker-Elect Andrew Klein, Geosciences.  The report is attached below and can be read in its entirety.
 
Personnel & Welfare Committee
2017-2018 Committee Chair Jose Fernandez-Solis announced the important items that the Committee will address this year, including academic professional track faculty, post-tenure review, standard processes for Deans and Department heads, academic analytics, best practices for annual reviews, and professionalism by the faculty.
 
No further committees reported.
 
NEW BUSINESS
 
Open Access PolicyAttachment X – Passed – FS.36.105
Following the motion to approval this policy and it’s second, Senator Rob Hetland, Geosciences, a member of the Research committee that worked on this policy, summarized it for new Senators.  The policy is a way for the University to keep the non-commercial copyright for faculty works.  The library will publish any papers or creative works for free, in keeping with our land-grant mission to make our research available to the public.  Many peer institutions are also doing this.
 
Open Access Policy, Attachment X, was unanimously approved.
 
Proposed Revisions to Dean and Department Head Rules – Attachment Y
Speaker Harlin recapped why this rule was before the Senate, that the Executive Committee reviewed faculty input and shared it with the Provost and Vice Provost Benedik, and that once she receives a revised version it will be shared with the Senate with the intention of voting on the rule changes at the October meeting.  Discussion followed.
Saurabh Vishnubhakat, School of Law
Senator Vishnubhakat had a question relating to who can serve on a search committee in colleges such as his where there are no departments or heads of departments.  Michael Benedik, Vice Provost, and Senator Angie Hill Price, clarified that the majority of search committee members will be elected members of the faculty.
 
Deb Banerjee, College of Engineering
Senator Banerjee asked why the term changed from four to five years.  Speaker Harlin reported that the term was changed to be aligned with the national normal of a 5-year term, renewable to 10 years, and in exceptional cases, to 15 years.  This was affirmed by Provost Fierke.
Raymundo Arroyave, College of Engineering
Senator Arroyave queried as to what would happen if the Senate votes “no” in October.  Speaker Harlin suggested it would go back for further revisions.  Provost Fierke stated that this rule will be advisory, that she plans to follow it, but that we should continue to have discussions until the rule is satisfactory to both sides.  Senator Angie Hill Price provided some background, emphasizing that this rule is not from the University but the System, and the University is choosing to work with the Faculty Senate.
Heather Ramsey, College of Science
Senator Ramsey posed a question about the review changing from two years to three years into term.  Speaker Harlin replied that if terms change from four to five years, the midpoint timing of the review changes as well; this is confirmed by Vice Provost Benedik.  Provost Fierke favors some kind of review after the first year to avoid waiting if something is problematic, and hopes to implement a 360 degree review.  One does not preclude the other.
Dana Gaddy, College of Veterinary Medicine
Senator Gaddy wondered whether this new rule would affect existing Deans, as well as Department Heads.  Vice Provost Benedik answered that they are grandfathered in because they already have a contract.
 
Proposed Revisions to Student Rules Attachment Z – Passed – FS.36.106
Rule 14.6                                 Degree Requirements
Rule 58 Membership University Disciplinary Appeals Panel
Rule 58.2                                 University Disciplinary Appeals Panel
Rule 58.5-58.6             University Disciplinary Appeals Panel
Rule 58.9                                 University Disciplinary Appeals Panel
Proposed Revisions to Student Rules, Attachment Z, was unanimously approved.
 
Draft of Proposed 2019-2020 University Academic Calendar and Abbreviated Projection of the 2020-2021 University Academic Calendar Attachment AA
There was no discussion on Attachment AA, which is slated to be voted on at the October Senate meeting.
 
Committee of the Whole
Speaker-Elect Klein asked if there was any business, none offered, and meeting was returned to Speaker Harlin.
Adjourn
Speaker Harlin adjourned the meeting at 5:07pm. 

CONSENT AGENDA - Detail

GRADUATE COUNCIL 
New Courses – Attachment B – Passed – FS.36.085
CVEN 749         Advanced Visualization and Building Information Modeling in Structural Engineering Design ENGR 667 Project Management for Engineers
FINC 653           Maroon Fund Investments and Venture Capital
INTA 696           Analytic Tradecraft
KINE 651           Introduction to Human Clinical Research
VPAT 660          Mammalian Cell Pathobiology
VTMI 626          Disease Detection, Surveillance and Risk Assessment
 
Change in Courses – Attachment C – Passed – FS.36.086
ACCT 684                    Professional Internship
BAEN 622                    Unit Operations in Food Processing
BAEN 625                    Advances in Food Process Engineering
CPSY 602                     Counseling Techniques for School Counselors
CSCE 638                     Natural Language Processing-Foundations and Techniques
CSCE 702                     Law and Policy in Cybersecurity
CSCE 703                     Cybersecurity Risk
ECMT 670                   Econometric Analysis of Financial Data
ECMT 680                   Financial Econometrics
ECON 612                   Money, Banking and Financial Markets
ECON 614                   Economics of Microfinance
ECON 617                   Economics of the Multinational Firm
ECON 618                   Behavioral Financial Economics
ECON 633                   Energy Markets and Policy
ECON 663                   International Transfer Pricing
ECON 668                   Decisions Under Risk and Uncertainty
ECON 680                   Financial Economics
EPSY 640                     Statistical Analysis in Educational Research
EPSY 641                     Statistical Analysis in Educational Research II
FINC 649                     Financial Modeling
HLTH 611                    Organization and Administration of Health
HLTH 645                    Health Education Research and Program Evaluation
ISTM 615                     Business Database Systems
MEEN 601                   Advanced Product Design
MEEN 605                   Gas Dynamics
MEEN 613                   Engineering Dynamics
MEEN 626                   Lubrication Theory
MEEN 651                   Control System Design
MGMT 680                 Business and Corporate Strategy
NFSC 642                    Nutritional Biochemistry
PETE 612                     Unconventional Oil and Gas Reservoirs
PETE 620                     Fluid Flow in Petroleum Reservoirs
PETE 630                     Geostatistics
PETE 635                     Underbalanced and Managed Pressure Drilling
PHPM 681                   Seminar
PLPA 603                     Plant Disease Management
PLPA 607                     Pathogen Strategies
PLPA 608                     Pathogen Perception and Signaling
PLPA 609                     Defense Hormone Signals
 
Change in Courses - Inactivation Proposal Attachment D – Passed – FS.36.087
      College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Department of Entomology
ENTO 645                     Arthropods as Vectors of Plant Pathogens
 
Change in Courses - Inactivation Proposal Attachment E – Passed – FS.36.088
      College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Department of Wildlife & Fisheries Sciences
WFSC 603                     History of Ecological Thought and Conservation Practice
WFSC 609                     Wildlife Research Methods
WFSC 610                     Evolutionary Ecology
WFSC 611                     Estuarine Ecology
WFSC 620                     Vertebrate Ethology
WFSC 622                     Behavioral Ecology
WFSC 635                     Urban Wildlife and Fisheries
WFSC 640                     Human Dimensions of Wildlife and Fisheries Management
WFSC 649                     Principles of Fisheries Management
 
Change in Courses - Inactivation Proposal Attachment F – Passed – FS.36.0859
College of Dentistry
Department of Dentistry
DDDS 011                     Anterior Composites and Esthetics
DDDS 012                     Forensic Dentistry
DDDS 013                     Orthodontic Clinical Selective
DDDS 014                     Advanced Implant Dentistry-Case Analysis and Problem Based Approach
DDDS 015                     Interdisciplinary C.A.R.E. and Collaboration
DDDS 017                     Advanced Topics in Endodontics
DDDS 018                     Orthodontic Externship
DDDS 019                     Fabrication of Complete Dentures Utilizing CAD-CAM Technology
DDDS 024                     Externship in Pediatric Dentistry
DDDS 025                     Dental Ceramics
DDDS 034                     Dental Implantology
DDDS 042                     Athletic Mouthguards
DDDS 043                     Tutoring Skills Seminar
DDDS 053                     Secrets of Practice Success
DDDS 092                     Craniofacial Research
DDDS 098                     Dental Public Health
DDDS 099                     Public Health Sciences Community Preceptorship Program
DDDS 532                     Orthodontics
DDDS 554C                   Periodontics
DDDS 556C                   Fixed Prosthodon
DDDS 557C                   Removable Prosth
DDDS 559C                   Operative Dentis
DDDS 575                     Pain & Anxiety Con
DDDS 576                     Fixed Prosthodonti
DDDS 577                     Rem Prosth
DDDS 578                     Orthodontics
DDDS 580                     Oral-Maxillofacial
DDDS 581                     Oral Diagnosis
DDDS 583                     Pediatric Dentistr
DDDS 584                     Periodontics
DDDS 586                     Pharmacology
DDDS 589                     Endodontics
 
Special Consideration Item Attachment G – Passed – FS.36.090
      College of Pharmacy
      Department of Pharmacy
        Pharmaceutical Sciences Major
                        Doctor of Philosophy Pharmaceutical Sciences
 
Special Consideration Item Attachment H – Passed – FS.36.091
      Texas A&M Galveston
      Department of Marine Science
        Marine & Coastal Management & Science Major
        Doctor of Philosophy in Marine and Coastal Management and Science
 
 UNDERGRADUATE CURRICULUM COMMITTEE
New Courses – Attachment I – Passed – FS.36.092
CARC 101                  Cultural and Social Issues in the Natural, Built and Virtual Environment
GEOS 483                 Service Learning in the Geosciences
 
Change in Courses – Attachment J – Passed – FS.36.093
BIMS 320                  Biomedical Genetics
ENGL 228                  American Literature-Civil War to Present
SPAN 201                  Intermediate Spanish I
SPAN 202                  Intermediate Spanish II
SPAN 208                  Spanish for Health Professionals I
SPAN 218                  Spanish for Health Professionals II
SPAN 221                  Field Studies Abroad I
SPAN 222                  Field Studies Abroad II
SPAN 302                  Advanced Grammar
SPAN 304                  Advanced Grammar for Heritage Speakers
STAT 301                   Introduction to Biometry
STAT 302                   Statistical Methods
STAT 303                   Statistical Methods
VIBS 243                   Introductory Mammalian Histology
VTPP 323                  Physiology of Domestic Animals
 
Change in Courses - Inactivation Proposal Attachment K – Passed – FS.36.094
      College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Department of Entomology
FIVS 310          Applied Digital Forensics and Incident Response      
 
Change in Programs Attachment L – Passed – FS.36.095
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
      Department of Soil & Crop Sciences
              BS-PSSC-CRP: Plant & Environmental Soil Science Major, Plant & Soil-Crops Concentration
        Bachelor of Science, Crops Emphasis
 
Change in Programs Attachment M – Passed – FS.36.096
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
      Department of Soil & Crop Sciences
              BS-PSSC-SWR  Plant & Environmental Soil Science Major, Plant & Soil-Soil and Water Concentration
        Bachelor of Science, Soil and Water Emphasis
 
Change in Programs Attachment N – Passed – FS.36.097
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
      Department of Soil & Crop Sciences
              BS-TGSC          Turfgrass Science
        Bachelor of Science, Turfgrass Science
 
Change in Programs Attachment O – Passed – FS.36.098
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Department of Recreation, Park & Tourism Science
        CERT-CU56  Hospitality Management
 
Change in Programs Attachment P – Passed – FS.36.099
College of Science
Department of Biology
        MINOR-BIOI Bioinformatics – Minor
               
W&C COURSES          
New Core Component Proposal – Attachment R – Passed – FS.36.100
Courses Submitted for C Certification:
RPTS 402-C     Park Planning and Design
 
New Core Component Proposal – Attachment S – Passed – FS.36.101
            Courses Submitted for W Certification:
ECON 318-W              The Economics of Gender and Race
HEFB 325-W               Introduction to Secondary School Teaching
KNFB 325-W               Introduction to Secondary School Teaching
POLS 424-W               Comparative Governmental Institutions
STAT 482-W                Statistics Capstone
 
New Core Component Proposal – Attachment T – Passed – FS.36.102
Texas A&M Galveston
Courses Submitted for W Certification:
MARS 431-W                   Geological Oceanography-Earth’s Climate
  
______________________________End of Consent Agenda____________________________________
 
Core Curriculum Council
New Courses Submitted for International and Cultural Diversity Designation Attachment U – Passed – FS.36.103
FILM 455-ICD              Italian Cinema
ITAL 452-ICD               Women and Gender in Italy
 
New Courses Submitted for Foundational Component Area: Lang, Phil, Culture – Attachment V – Passed – FS.36.104
AFST 201-GE        Introduction to Africana Studies
LMAS 201-GE      Introduction to Latino-Mexican American Studies
 
Core Curriculum Council Report
September 10, 2018
Presented by Speaker-Elect Andrew Klein
An update on CD/ICD courses
For those of you unfamiliar with CD/ICD the acronyms refer to the Cultural Discourse and International and Cultural Diversity Courses that are part of Texas A&M’s University graduation requirements for all undergraduates. 

Prior to the 2019-2020 Catalog, all students receiving their baccalaureate degree at Texas A&M were required to take 6 hours of International and Cultural Diversity classes from an approved list. A year and a half ago, the Faculty Senate voted to divide these six hours into three hours of Cultural Discourse (CD) and three hours of International and Culture Diversity (ICD). These changes will affect students beginning with those admitted under the 2019-2020 catalog. Many of you in this body will remember our previous Senate discussions on this topic.

This change to our graduation requirements will necessitate changes to ALL undergraduate degrees.  These changes need to be sent forward SOON to assure that they make their way through the approval change in time to make the 2019-2020 catalog deadline. The deadline for curricular changes November 23rd, which is the agenda deadline for the December 7th UCC (University Curriculum Committee) Meeting.

First, the good news – Degree Programs that accept any ICD/CD courses should NOT, I repeat should NOT, have to make any changes to their degrees.

Now the bad news – However, if your department/program has elected, or will elect, to restrict the courses it accepts to meet the CD/ICD requirements, you will need to make changes to your degree plans. Departments with degree programs that include specific courses to fulfill the ICD graduation requirement should make sure the courses they require carry the ICD/CD attributes. Again just to reiterate each program will need one 3-hour ICD and one 3-hour CD course.

If your program needs to change its degree program to accommodate a change in ICD/CD courses, you MUST go through their college curriculum process.  If changes are approved by their college, the degree program change will then go to the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee (UCC) for approval.  And yes, you must use CARS.

Now some more good news – To aid programs in determining what ICD/CD courses they can offer their students, faculty in many departments have worked hard during the last academic year to propose courses to meet the ICD & CD requirements.  You should thank your colleagues how already done this and you should encourage, with stick and carrot, faculty who haven’t yet proposed ICD/CD classes to do so.

The CCC worked during the spring and summer to approve as many CD & ICD courses as possible. Thanks to these efforts, I am happy to report that as of now, 182 ICD and 65 CD courses including those we just voted on have been approved.  A number more are being revised or in the queue for approval this academic year.  

For those of you concerned about the number of available seats in CD classes…I know I have awoken to fears of administrators angry over increasing the time to degree… Thanks to the efforts of Kristin Harper, Barbara West and others we have preliminary estimates based on prior enrollments.  It appears our currently approved CD classes will result in about 6500 seats per year and there are about another 30+ CD classes already the approval pipeline.  Of course we always like more courses.

We are working on putting the list of these courses on the CCC page of the Faculty Senate Website. The list is also being distributed to the Academic Advising Administrators in each college. For the hardcore among you, you can also look at the list in CARS, though it is probably not recommended.

Now I would like to make two pleas. First, your department/college has ICD/CD courses that the CCC rolled back in CARS for revisions, it would be great to have those revisions completed and sent back to the CCC so we can review them this fall and they can make the catalog for next year.

Second, the university currently lacks a web site for informing faculty, staff and administrators about General Education Courses, requirements and processes. There is a real need to finish the Core Curriculum and Uniform Graduate Requirements Website so any help the administration can provide for making that happen would be appreciated.

Finally, I want to thank everyone for their hard, and continuing, work for making this change to our University graduation requirement a reality.  It is not a small accomplishment to implement a change that directly impacts the education nearly all of our 60,000+ undergraduates.