COUNCIL ON CURRICULAR PROGRAMS AND INSTRUCTION

Thursday, 9 February 2006

3:30 p.m.

Algonquin Room - University Union

A C T I O N M I N U T E S

MEMBERS PRESENT: P. Anderson, B. George, J. La Prad, A. Melkumian, N. Parsons, T. Waldrup, K. Winters, E. Woell

Ex-officio: B. Baily

MEMBERS ABSENT: L. Conover, K. Neumann, D. Williams

GUESTS: Alan DeRoos, Vicki Nicholson

I. Consideration of Minutes – 26 January 2006

APPROVED AS DISTRIBUTED

II. Approvals from the Provost – None

III. Announcements – None

IV. Old Business

A. Applicability of Multiple Titles to 450 Workshops

This item was tabled at the January 26 meeting pending attendance of a representative from Health Sciences. Health Sciences offers a number of workshops, mostly during the summers, and although these are specifically listed in the undergraduate catalog with descriptions, specific workshop topics are not included on student transcripts. Students are limited as to the number of workshops they can take with different topics, and Health Sciences professor Nancy Parsons stated it is difficult for the department to determine if students are registering for a topic they have already taken. Registrar Alan DeRoos stated that having these courses transcripted would also help his office as currently the only record of specific titles is within hard copies of schedule booklets. He suggested that Health Sciences may consider submitting requests for new special topics courses to replace the current 450 workshops. These courses would have their titles transcripted and would be easier for the department and Registrar’s Office to check, although the disadvantage would be that specific titles would not be listed in the undergraduate catalog. In response to a question regarding the description of a 450 workshop, Mr. DeRoos explained that in the late 1960’s/early 1970’s, workshops were intended to last one to two weeks, with full day instruction, and to have extra minutes beyond the traditional 750 hours. He stated that the minutes have not been enforced in recent years; Dr. Parsons noted that Health Sciences workshops are held over only one weekend. Dr. Parsons stated that her department would consider changing their 450 workshops to special topics in community health, in school health, in the health professions, in environmental health, etc., and then submit requests for multiple titles within each course. Vicki Nicholson of the Provost’s office added that a description of each special topics course could state some of the specific titles that might be included within that heading. A question was raised regarding the intention of limiting the number of times multiple titles courses can be offered: this specification is not included within CCPI policies and procedures. Mr. DeRoos stated that multiple titles courses do not have any specific number of times they can be offered, like 275/475 courses, but that the intent is that if a specific heading is offered regularly, it should be submitted as a new course request. He added that if a multiple titles course is being offered repeatedly under the same title, the Registrar’s Office will raise the issue with CCPI.

V. New Business – None

VI. Reports

A. Report from Subcommittee to Define Terms Related to Academic Programming

CCPI considered a revised report from the subcommittee, as well as responses from six of Illinois’s public universities to an informal survey of academic terms compiled by Vicki Nicholson. Both the revised report, the survey results, and the revised chart of academic terms, with the addition of specification information for options, will be presented to the Executive Committee at their February 14 meeting. Ms. Nicholson noted in her survey results that “the minimum number of hours for a baccalaureate degree at all responding universities is 120 s.h.” and that none of the universities cap their majors; although Illinois State attempts to cap their programs at 124 s.h., they allow for higher hours when special permission is granted by the university curriculum committee and academic senate. Ms. Nicholson noted that once definitions of terms are finalized by Faculty Senate, the undergraduate catalog will be changed to reflect those specifications. CCPI discussed the term “specialization,” which they concluded is often used as a descriptive term within the undergraduate catalog rather than a title. CCPI also noted that students do not use academic terms consistently when discussing program planning with University representatives such as advisors. The Council suggested that the undergraduate catalog define what specific items are transcripted once that information is finalized. Mr. DeRoos stated that would be very helpful since he sometimes has to defend that topic in discussions with students.

B. Provost’s Report – None

Motion: To adjourn (Parsons)

The Council adjourned at 4:22 p.m.

Ed Woell, Secretary

Annette Hamm, Faculty Senate Recording Secretary