General Education Council
Minutes
1.26.09 

Council Present:
K. Peirce-Fine Arts and Communication
E. Morrison-Health Professions
T. Hindson-Liberal Arts Alternate
E. Blunk-Applied Arts
R. Cook-McCoy Business Administration
C. McCall-Education
S. Beebe-Liberal Arts
B. Erhart-Liberal Arts
G. Passty-Science
P. Pattison-Chair Representative
V. Luizzi-Chair Representative
D. Neal-Student Representative
W. Stone-Applied Arts

Council Absent:
G. Farr-Science
R. Mooney-Health Professions
J. Walker-Education
I. Davidson-Fine Arts and Communication
M. Keefe-McCoy Business Administration
D. Burrow-Student Representative

Guests:
Phil Suckling
Richard Dixon
Richard Earl
Gail Ryser 

Meeting convened at 3:29 p.m. 

Motion:

R. Brown asks for a motion to approve the minutes from October 27th.  S. Beebe so moves.  W. Stone seconds the motion.  The October 27^th minutes are approved as prepared. 

Motion:

R. Brown asks for a motion to approve the minutes from November 3rd.  C. McCall so moves.  K. Peirce seconds the motion.  The November 3rd minutes are approved as prepared. 

R. Brown received a request from the Department of Geography to add GEO 1105/1305 (Meteorology) to the General Education Core as a Natural Science Component. 

The proposal is designed through the American Meteorological Society (US and International) and is coordinated and comprehensive in weather studies curriculum.  The study includes the sun and earth solar radiation and how that drives the functions. 

The lab manual coordinates with the book and is hands on.  (Assess larger data sets on the web) 

Offer 120 seats/semester with labs of 20 students (240 per year) 

Foundation/separate applied science
-Historical development driving into foundation draws on all sister sciences, but well developed and can stand-alone 

Subcommittee to review the proposal:
Greg Passty (Chair)
Kate Peirce
Beth Erhart
Daniel Neal 

Report Due Date:  Late Feb. meeting or March 23 

Plan for Spring Semester:

Meeting dates:  Feb. 23, Mar. 23, April 13 and April 27 

We may need to meet in May to approve the SACS reports from the departments 

Syllabus Review Assignments: To review the syllabi to ensure compliance with general education minimum syllabus requirements and that learning outcomes are the same on the syllabus as the department SACS learning outcomes

• Mathematics
• PFW
• US1100

Subcommittees for Syllabus Review:
Mathematics:  R. Cook and C. McCall
PFW: W. Stone and V. Luizzi
US 1100:  P. Pattison and S. Beebe 

Guest Gail Ryser:
CLA is being used for assessment.  We had 101 students take the test in fall out of a sample of 300.  We will test the seniors in Spring. 

Discussion of Assessment of General Education Competencies

1. Map competencies to courses (introduce, reinforce, master)—(Dept. based Model)--Describe as introduce competencies, reinforce during course work in major and master in capstone—all reinforce and then mastery in capstone—ex: PFW

Reading, writing and critical thinking can be assessed through CLA so that leaves oral communication, mathematics, computer/lit and ethics still needing assessment. 

Add 9 local survey questions to the CLA (review questions passed around by G. Ryser and send her any others at GR16) 

Institutional Portfolio:

What they are and how are they defined?
--Suggested that you do one competency per semester
--Artifacts—paper or product from the student
--1 portfolio per competency’
--Rubric
--1 team--= 1 course overload 

Review handout:  Institutional Portfolio
-Common Learning Outcomes
-Syllabus
- Faculty reflection
-3 assignments that best demonstrate
-Provide assignments work sample
-Faculty evaluation
-Review team—rate 

Once a year/1 course 

Competencies—can be met 

Rubric—handled by department—looking at broader (in terms of major) 

Long-term—continue on-going 

SACS visit onsite next March (2010) 

Meeting adjourned 4:59 p.m.