General Education Council
Minutes
9.13.04

Council Present:
C. McCall-Education
B. Melzer-Health Professions
R. Northcutt-Science
B. Pevoto-Applied Arts
V. Sriraman-Science
T. Hindson-Liberal Arts
D. Flaherty-Business Administration
T. Mottet-Fine Arts and Communication
K. Knox-Health Professions
R. Stein-Fine Arts and Communication
Council Absent:
M. Reese-Chair Rep.
J. Crawford-Chair Rep.
B. Stone-Applied Arts
J. Charles-Business Administration
D. Wiley-Education
S. Ogletree-Liberal Arts

Meeting convened at 3:35 p.m.

-Meeting Dates:
                 Recommended Meeting Dates for Fall 2004 and Spring 2005
September 13
September 27
October 11
October 25
November 8
January 24
February 14
February 28
March 28
April 11
April 25
-Roster was update
-Copy of the pending curriculum proposals was handed out (addition of BIO 2430 as a natural science)—need to make a decision to even consider
 
Motion
R. Brown asked for a motion to approve the minutes from April 26th. D. Flaherty so moved. R. Northcutt seconds the motion. The April 26^th minutes were approved as prepared.
-The THECB is complete and has been sent to Dr. Moore.
-Assessment
-Do we revisit the natural science component issues and re-evaluate Astronomy and Physical Anthropology?
-Natural Science Component

• When approved Astronomy and Physical Anthropology met the criteria
• Can’t single those out
• If someone wants to re-evaluate those courses they can do so in writing and they will need to make a case for why
• R. Brown will talk to B. Stone about how committed he is to this issue

-Do we want a more coherent CC and what might that entail

• Are we trying to connect the general education experience?
• It should be more than just a collection of classes
• If students don’t continue to use what they learned in GE courses they forget it
• If we don’t encourage this continued use throughout the majors and minor it won’t happen
• US 1100 connection
• Students have inability to make connection from class to class
• Maybe a faculty/instructor issue
• Good ideas, but limited resources
• We teach to compartmentalize because we don’t have a common experience
• Students have different levels of ability
• GE problem-don’t understand so memorize—test—pass—forget
• Find a vehicle to connect across campus like common experience
• Do we have a special appeal that sets us apart
• Many other universities do not think about this issue (maybe some LA Colleges)
• We don’t have rules for what they have to take, but some majors do
• Moving US 100 to upper level (capstone)
• Statement about philosophy and what say to go
• Classes that connect give students a feeling of a more meaningful education-collect data
• What does the faculty know about DE
• Advising
• Institutional commitment
• Students have different commitment and different levels of understanding
• What is relevant to them
• Don’t emphasize jobs
• In Capstone-see where they are and what they retained
• We need to be clear about what we want
• Who is this important for
• Why are we making them take these hours
• They want to get out quickly
• Put out suggestions to support data analysis

-Continue assessment discussion (North Carolina has course imbedded assessment)
-Learning outcomes-test pre and post testing of courses

Meeting adjourned at 4:50 p.m.