Action Requested
Recognize Occupational Safety & Environmental Health (OSEH) and the combination of Industrial Technology (ITEC)/Technology Education (EDTE) as separate departments for counting approved General Education courses. All of these programs are housed in the Department of Industry & Technology.

Proposal Background
The Industry & Technology Curriculum Committee, Industry & Technology faculty, School of Education Curriculum Committee, Teacher Education Council, and the Curriculum Committee for the G3 block have approved the requested action. The Undergraduate Course and Program Review Committee has not approved the action requested by the majority of voting UCPRC members. Neither vote on either May 5, 2006 or April 10, 2007 was a unanimous decision of the UCPRC Committee. The Department is now abiding by the University Governance Policy in presenting this proposal to Faculty Senate for deliberation and action.

Rationale
More than 20 years ago the OSEH program was a part of the Department of Educational Foundations. Consolidations within the University led to the merger of the OSEH degree program into the Department of Industry & Technology. The three degree programs within the department are different in terms of curriculum, outcomes and career paths (see attached comparison chart). The OSEH program prepares graduates for employment as safety and health professionals in a variety of industries, agencies and organizations. EDTE and ITEC share common technology laboratory courses with EDTE preparing certificated K-12 technology education teachers and ITEC preparing graduates for technical management positions. The OSEH program has a course that has been approved as a G3 elective. EDTE majors cannot take this approved General Education course simply because the degree programs are housed within the same department, even though there is no overlap in curriculum among the OSEH and EDTE/ITEC degree programs. EDTE majors do not complete any OSEH courses as part of their required curriculum. Historically when similar situations have occurred on campus exceptions to the general education policy have been granted. For example, an exception to this policy was granted to the Department of Sociology/Anthropology in which approved General Education courses for Sociology may be counted in the Anthropology program and vice versa. Similarly, Foreign Language majors can take Humanities approved G1 courses, even though Humanities and Foreign Language are housed within the same Department. ITEC and EDTE majors should have the same opportunity to elect an OSEH General Education course the way that all other undergraduate majors at MU can count such a course. Had the OSEH program remained in the Department of Educational Foundations then the current policy would permit EDTE and ITEC majors to count approved OSEH courses for General Education credit and vice versa.

In conclusion, this proposal is based on the justification that students should be provided an equal opportunity to elect General Education courses regardless of the department in which they are administratively classified or the building in which the courses are housed. Past practice has enabled majors in different programs within the same administrative department to elect approved General Education courses outside of the program major. Additionally, the EDTE/ITEC programs are significantly different than the OSEH program, and approved General Education courses in either EDTE/ITEC or OSEH will broaden the General Education preparation of majors in the other program.