I. Minutes of the 4-19-05 Meeting
II. Report of the Faculty Senate Chairperson
IV. Report of the Graduate Student Organization
V. Report of the Administrative Officers
Provost Prabhu reminded faculty members that the deadline for submission of materials for promotion is November 1, 2005; he emphasized that November 1 is a firm deadline. He announced that there will be a workshop in mid-September that will deal with the process. If there is sufficient demand, a second workshop will be scheduled.
He also announced that 40% of the faculty participated in the academic advisement survey. The survey results will be distributed electronically in the near future. Hard copies of the survey results will also be available.
Vice President for Student Affairs Thomas
Vice President for Student Affairs Thomas reported on new construction of the dorms built by Student Services on Shenks Lane. They will be ready for the Fall semester and will be fully occupied.
The ACE Task Force Report originally scheduled for this meeting was postponed until the Fall semester at Dr. Ron Umble's request.
VI. Reports of the Faculty Senate Standing Committees
New Undergraduate course: HIST 381 - History of West Africa to 1800, 3 credits, a G3 General Education and Writing-Across-the-Curriculum (W) course.
A number of proposals were introduced that requested waiver of the one-meeting rule so that they could be acted on at the current meeting. Many of these proposals dealt with bringing Bachelor of Secondary Education majors into compliance with PASSHE regulations. A McLarnon/Bookmiller motion proposing waiver of the one-meeting rule for these proposals passed without dissent. These included changes in the BSE in Biology, the BSE in Earth Sciences, the BSE in History, the Technology Education major, the BSE in Art Education, the Biology minor and the BSE Social Studies (Citizenship) Major; a new Earth Sciences course (ESCI 281), and a new option (the Biology/Pre-Athletic Training Option and Dual Degree Program with West Chester University. Details of these proposals are included below under the Second Readings heading.
Second Readings
The Revised Distance Learning Policy brought to Senate by the Academic Policies Committee was passed by the Senate without dissent.
(1) CHANGE IN COURSES/CURRICULA Requirements for the BSE in Biology - dropping required credits from 129 to 126 credits.
Proposal to count the Professional Education block courses (EDFN 211, EDFN 241, EDSE 321, EDFN 330, and EDSE 435) as satisfying the Perspectives (P) Requirement for BSE Biology majors. This is being done to satisfy the PASSHE mandate to decrease the BSE Biology major from 129 to 126 credits. Rather than allow the 5 Professional Education block courses to count as fulfilling the P requirement, Dr. Wismer suggested [see Attachment #1] that a better way to accomplish this goal is to waive the Perspectives (P) requirement for Biology BSE majors because this particular curriculum is extremely multidisciplinary in nature (with Required Related courses in Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics and Earth Sciences in addition to the Professional Education block courses). The Wismer/Luek motion to amend the BSE Biology proposal passed as did the amended proposal with one dissenting vote (Dr. Bookmiller).
Desired effective date - Fall 2005
(2) CHANGE IN COURSES/CURRICULA Requirements for the BSE in Earth Sciences - dropping required credits from 129 to 126 credits.
Proposal to decrease the requirement for 6.0 Biology credits to 3.0 Biology credits (BIOL 241 - Principles of Ecology) by dropping the requirement for BIOL 100 (3 credits). BIOL 241 requires demonstrated competency in Biology as a prerequisite. Such competency may be demonstrated by one of the following:
The change will reduce the total semester hours needed for the BSE in Earth Sciences from 129 to 126 s.h. The proposal passed without dissent.
Desired effective date - Fall 2005
(3) CHANGE IN COURSES/CURRICULA Requirements for the BSE in History - BSE-History majors who successfully complete HIST 406 (with a B or better) will be permitted to substitute HIST 406 (Senior Seminar) for the G4 Upper Level/Advanced Writing (AW) requirement. This will help the BSE in History comply with the 120-credit limit imposed by the Board of Governors.
Some amendments were passed and the amended proposal subsequently passed. The Wismer/McLarnon motion to amend the proposal follows:
On the second page of the proposal, Psychology was removed from the second line under Rationale and on the third line from the bottom," waived" was replaced with "satisfied".
There was also a McLarnon/Luek motion passed to remove the proposed AW label from the course, since the intention is for the course to satisfy the requirement for an AW course rather than for the course to actually become an AW course.
Desired effective date - Fall 2005
(4) CHANGE IN COURSES/CURRICULA Requirements for the Technology Education major - a reduction in the number of advanced technical elective credits from 3 to 2; thereby reducing the overall program credits to 126. This reduction in credits is mandated by PASSHE. The proposal was approved without dissent.
Desired effective date - Fall 2005
(5) CHANGE IN COURSES/CURRICULA Requirements for the BSE in Art Education - Eliminate ART 310 (Art Criticism and Aesthetics) and allow ART 312 (Survey of Art History) to count as a Perspectives (P) course for Art BSE majors. These changes drop the total credits required for graduation with the BSE in Art degree from 132 to 126 credits; the major field requirements would drop from 60 to 57 credits. This reduction in degree credits is mandated by PASSHE.
An objection to this proposal was raised. ART 312 is not a Perspectives (P) course. The Chair has been directed to ask the Art Department if they intend to propose Art 312 as a Perspectives course, so that anyone at the University could take it. If that were done, the proposal could be handled as the MUSI 363 course is presently handled. Each year the Senate is asked to renew the proposal to double count the course toward the major and as a Perspectives (P) course.
Desired effective date - Fall 2005
(6) CHANGE IN COURSES/CURRICULA Renewal of the policy allowing the Music Department to double-count MUSI 363 (Music History and Literature II) as both a required Music major course and as a Perspectives (P) course for the 2005 - 2006 academic year. This proposal will allow the Music Department to remain in compliance with the 120-credit policy mandated by PASSHE. This renewal was approved without dissent.
Desired effective date - Fall 2005
(7) CHANGE IN COURSES/CURRICULA
Revision of the Biology Minor
Addition of BIOL 100 (General Biology) to the Required Biology course block and provision of options in the Required Biology course block (a choice of two of the following four courses (BIOL 263 [Cell Biology], BIOL 211 [Concepts of Zoology], BIOL 221 [Concepts of Botany] and BIOL 365 [Genetics]). Previously all four of these courses were required and General Biology was not. Furthermore, the number of Biology elective credits is being raised from 5 credits at the 300 - 400 level (with one 200 - level course used upon advisor's approval) to 9 - 10 credits of Biology courses at the 300 - 400 level (with one 200 - level course used upon advisor's approval). This provides more flexibility for Biology minors. The proposed changes passed without dissent.
Desired effective date - Fall 2005
(8) NEW UNDERGRADUATE COURSE ESCI 281 - GIS Applications for the Earth Sciences, 3 credits. Course prerequisites - ESCI 221 or ESCI 241 or ESCI 261. Students cannot take both ESCI 281 and GEOG 295 for credit. The proposal passed without dissent.
Desired effective date - Fall 2006
(9) CHANGE IN COURSES/CURRICULA Revision of requirements for the BSE Social Studies (Citizenship) Major-- The History, Geography, Government and Economics courses taken in the concentration must be at the 200-level or above. This closes a loophole that allowed students to take certain 100-level courses within the major. This revision passed without dissent.
Desired effective date - Fall 2005
(10)CHANGE IN COURSES/CURRICULA Biology/Pre-Athletic Training Option and Dual Degree program with West Chester University. Students will earn a Bachelor of Science in Biology/Pre-Athletic Training from Millersville University and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Athletic Training from West Chester University. The program provides general education, biology and pre-athletic training requirements through Millersville University and the Athletic Training credits via Distance Learning and one summer of courses through West Chester University. The proposal was approved without dissent.
Desired effective date - Fall 2005
The Faculty-Student Athletic Committee asked for Senate endorsement of a proposal [see Attachment #2] suggesting procedures for the avoidance of scheduling conflicts between the athletic and academic schedules of student-athletes. The proposal, if adopted, would allow in-season student athletes to register one day earlier than all other similarly situated students with respect to credits (those within the same credit-hour groupings) and only if the student-athlete opts to take advantage of the opportunity. Juniors and seniors would thus not be excluded from courses that have been filled by first- or second-year student athletes. The Senate voted without dissent to endorse this policy.
VII. Reports of the Faculty Senate Special Committees
VIII. Faculty Emeritus
No Proposals.
IX. Other/New Business
X. Old Business
Respectfully Submitted,
Joel B. Piperberg
Acting Chairperson and Acting Secretary of the Senate