Minutes of the Undergraduate Studies Committee - 11/26/2013

 

Attending Voting Members: R. Ellis (AMAT), K. Spink (BIOL), M. Snyder (CAEE), M. Bauer (CS), G. Pulliam (HUM/CAC), M. Safar (INTM), J. Cesarone (MMAE), C. Segre (PHYS), E-J Lee (PSYC), B. Steffenson (SSCI), A. Aderele (SGA), R. Trygstad (ITM).

 

Also attending: G. Welter (UGAA), G. Smith (UGAA), J. Kallend (ACE), P. Zachocki (Registrar).

 

Absent departments: ARCH, BME, CHEM, CHBE. ECE, MSED, ROTC, SSB

 

The meeting is called to order by Snapper, noting a lack of quorum. Agenda is rearranged due to this.

 

Documents pertaining to this meeting are at:

<http://www.iit.edu/~ugsc/documents/>

Adjourn: 1:40 p.m. Minutes recorded by Pulliam.

 

Minutes of 11/12/2013 meeting are approved.

 

New business

1) (Segre) New BS in Astrophysics introduced, along with (informational item) a new minor in astronomy. To be voted on at the next meeting.

 

12:58 p.m: The chair notes that there is now a quorum.

 

 Old business

2) (Bauer) New Program Form. Unanimously adopted as a required form for new programs.

 

3) (Pulliam, Spink, Lee, Steffenson). Goals and objectives for general education at IIT submitted by the General Education Subcommittee, with modifications suggested by Bauer, Welter, C. Emmons and  C. White are unanimously adopted.  This is the statement that was adopted:

 

In concert with and complementing core learning objectives within the various degree programs, general education contributes significantly to IIT's overall goal that its graduates

Be committed to positive change in their communities, nations and the world, able to:

á      Identify and analyze contemporary issues and problems.

á      Compare and contrast different points of view, both within and across cultures.

Think critically, viewing problems as opportunities for innovation, able to:

á      Appropriately employ multiple quantitative and qualitative methods of analysis and evaluation.

á      Employ the best available technology to achieve solutions.

Collaborate professionally and ethically, able to:

á      Work successfully with others within and across disciplines and cultures.

á      Identify and discuss ethical issues.

Communicate effectively, able to:

á      Establish an objective, and clearly and cohesively support it.

á      Speak and write in a manner that does not require significant work by the audience to fill in needed information or to ignore linguistic distractions. 

á      Speak and write appropriately within and across disciplines and cultures.

 

 

4) (Kallend) Grade reports.  The committee votes unanimously to endorse the suggestion that there will be a secure method to import grades into SIS from faculty electronic records.

 

5) (Aderele) Course re-take policy change.  SGA is proposing we allow students to retake more courses for improved grades, and that we cut the red tape currently required. A working group is established of Aderele, Ellis, Welter, Spinks (and possibly Saletta).

 

Adjourn.