Francine G. McNairy
Provost and Vice President
for Academic Affairs
DATE:
February 18, 1997
SUBJECT:
APPROVAL OF FACULTY SENATE CURRICULAR RECOMMENDATIONS
As the President's designee, I am informing you of the approval of the
following Faculty Senate Curricular Actions:
1. Faculty Senate actions at meeting on November 19, 1996.
-- Master's of Early Childhood Education Degree Proposal
Tabled.
COMMENTS: Administrative action on this proposal will occur after the
department completes a more thorough needs assessment, obtains a
consultant review (as required by the System Board of Governors), and
determines impact on other graduate programs as well as resource
implications.
-- Departmental Handbook Policy
Revised as indicated below.
Proposal
* Departments should ensure that handbooks are consistent with the "Blue
Sheet for Departmental Requirements" and the Catalog record of officially
approved curricular actions and policies.* Recent changes to degree
requirements Degree requirements not reflected in the catalog University
catalogs must have received proper approval in order to be viewed as
supplemental to the binding contract university approval in order to
appear in department or program handbooks.
COMMENTS: The language in the text proposed by Faculty Senate was
modified. First, legal counsel has advised us that university catalogs
are not binding contracts with the student, as explained in the
disclaimers inside the front cover. However, the catalogs are used by
students and advisors as guides for curricular requirements in their
academic programs. When changes in curriculum and academic policy are
approved in the two-year interim between catalog publications, it is
difficult to promulgate this information to the university community.
This is especially problematic because handbooks are only one source of
such information; others include the "blue" and "gray" sheets for majors
and minors and degree audits.
A current copy of the Department and/or Program handbooks should also be
given to the school dean so that accurate information is available for
review of graduation requirements and, if necessary, to arbitrate student
concerns regarding degree requirements.
2. Faculty Senate actions at meeting on December 3, 1996.
-- MATH 102 Survey of Mathematical Ideas in Non-European Cultures:
3 credits, General Education-G2, Q, QARC), effective Spring 1998.
Approved.
COMMENTS: The undergraduate class schedule should include a notation
that MATH 100 and MATH 102 cannot both be taken for general education
credit. Also, faculty who teach these courses should include a statement
in the course syllabus so that students understand that only one of the
two courses may be used in general education requirements.
-- HIST 251 Violence in America: 3 credits, add General
Education-G3 designation, effective Winter 1997.
Approved.
-- Governance Structure, Women's Studies Program
COMMENTS: Deans' Council reviewed the curricular elements of the
proposal. For any new Women's Studies course, it is understood that the
approval process should include the Undergraduate Course and Program
Review Committee, Faculty Senate, and Deans' Council. Sections of
existing courses that are approved for use in the Women's Studies program
must have the WSTU designation included in the course title to
differentiate them from non-WSTU sections.
Under Section C. "Selection of the Director of Women's Studies,"
it is noted that selection of the Director of Women's Studies and the
assignment of release time are the prerogative of the University
President, rather than actions to be reviewed by the Faculty Senate.
cad
c: Ms. Frances Axsmith, Assistant Registrar
Ms. Candace Deen, Academic Information Officer
Mr. Mariano Gonzalez, University Registrar
Mr. Colin McLeod, Director of Academic Advisement
Deans' Council Return to Faculty Senate Home Page Return to MU Home Page