Minutes of the Undergraduate Studies Committee
2/27/2018

Attending Voting Members: J. Twombly (SSB), R. Steffenson (SSCI), E. Orklu (ECE), A. Moller (PSYC), G. Shobeiri (SGA), CW Adams (ROTC), C. Torres (ARCH), F. Weening (AMAT), G. Pulliam (HUM/CAC), M. Safar (INTM), P. Troyk (BME), X. Guan (CHEM), SH Hong (CHBE), C. Wark (MMAE), N. Menhart (BIO), P. Snopok (PHY),J. Hayek (ITM), G. Popovic (MSED)

Also attending: J. Gorzkowski (UGAA), G. Smith (UGAA), N. Novak (Galvin Library), M. Lopez (UGAA), B. Katz (ODL), S. Pariseau (UGAA), J. Rosenberg (SSCI), R. Nichols (Registrar), V. Foster (Compliance), J. Miller (UGAA), K. Spink (PreHealth), L. Kang (AMAT), J. Sanjie (ECE), T. Arshad (UGAA)

Departments with absent voting members:  CS, CAEE

Quorum declared at: 12:45

Adjourn at: 1:45

 

Documents for this meeting are available at:

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

Meeting chaired by Ray Trygstad

Minutes recorded by Rebecca Steffenson

 

1. Minutes of the 2/13/18 Meeting (http://www.iit.edu/~ugsc/2-13-18minutes.html)

Minutes approved unanimously.

Old Business

2. Proposal: Allow Core Curriculum courses to double-count in second or double majors or degrees [G. Pulliam – Humanities]

 

The proposal suggests changing the existing double-counting policy for Core Curriculum courses from the current “Students who take the standard core curriculum’s distribution of courses may apply them toward the requirements of any standing minor” to instead read: “Students who take the standard core curriculum’s distribution of courses may apply them toward the requirements of any standing minor, or to a second or double major, or to a second or dual degree program.” This proposed language has been modified by the proposer in consultation with Undergraduate Academic Affairs to clarify the intent of the statement to now read: “Students may apply course work from the Core Curriculum’s Human Sciences and/or STEM modules toward the requirements of any standing minor, second major, or the second degree of a dual-degree program. This allowance does not override the distribution requirements of either core module for a student’s first major or first degree program.”  

 

The proposal was unanimously amended to read, “Students who take the standard core curriculum’s distribution of courses may apply them toward the non-core requirements of any standing minor, or to a second or double major, or to a second or dual degree program.”

UGSC discussed the need for students to have the standard core distribution for the first degree program, meaning that students would need to declare one of the degrees as their first program and only be allowed to double count for the second program.   

 

Motion passes unanimously.

 

3. New degree proposal: Bachelor of Science in Science, Technology and Society [J. Rosenberg – Social Science] The proposing department has requested that this proposal discussion and vote be tabled until our next meeting. We will entertain and vote on a motion to table. 

 

Motion passes unanimously.

 

4. New degree proposal: Dual Degree in Biochemistry and Psychological Science [N. Menhart – Biology and J. Miller – Psychology] Proposal is available at: http://www.iit.edu/~ugsc/documents/Bchm-Psyc_Dual_Degree_Program_to_UGSC_v1.0.pdf We intend to vote on this proposal. 

 

During discussion it was noted that students can now choose to apply two psychology major courses towards the core curriculum if psychology is designated as the second degree, and that there was now no urgency for the departments to specify this in the program. Psychology and Biology had concerns about how to show the dual degree in the bulletin. Humanities asked that the proposal be tabled for further negotiations. Psychology noted that the department voted unanimously that it wanted the program articulated in the bulletin with the double counted courses and wanted it voted on immediately. Biology pointed out that there was integration of these two programs beyond the double counted psychology courses because there are other courses that are double counted in this dual degree, and that it was valuable to market this to students.  Humanities and Social Sciences object strongly to dictating the core courses in the bulletin as major courses, arguing that it would take away choices for students. Other members noted that the bulletin needed to clearly outline the choices available to students because it was hypocritical to only have a secret way to do this. Others noted that the dual degree policy would be in the bulletin and that advisors would be able to inform students of their options, but Miler (UGAA) argued that it was dangerous to assume that advisors have the knowledge and skills to guide students.

 

Motion to approve this degree program failed by a vote of 3-6 (with abstentions).  

 

5. New degree proposal: Bachelor of Science in Computer and Cybersecurity Engineering [E. Oruklu – Electrical and Computer Engineering] Proposal is available at http://www.iit.edu/~ugsc/documents/Proposal_-_BS_in_Computer_and_Cybersecurity_Engineering_2-8-18.pdf 

 

ECE was asked if the program would be ABET accredited. It was noted that this degree would fall under the engineering track for ABET and that ABET faculty saw no impediment to approval.

 

Motion to approve the degree program passed unanimously.

 

 

 

6. New Degree Proposal: Bachelor of Science in Statistics [L. Kang, M. Pelsmajer, and R. Ellis – Applied Mathematics] Proposal is available at http://www.iit.edu/~ugsc/documents/BS-Statistics-UG-Program_Proposal.pdf We intend to vote on this proposal. 

 

No questions or discussion. Motion to approve this degree passed unanimously.

 

7. New Co-Terminal Degree Proposals: Armour College of Engineering undergraduate engineering/interdisciplinary graduate degrees [B. HaferkampArmour College] Proposals are available at http://www.iit.edu/~ugsc/documents/ArmourCo-terminalProposals(pdf).zip (PDF 3.8MB) or http://www.iit.edu/~ugsc/documents/ArmourCo-terminalProposals(Word).zip (MS Word 737KB) with an additional document at http://www.iit.edu/~ugsc/documents/ArmourCo-terminalsUG-MEngMapping2-8-2018.xlsx. (The UGSC normally does not post documents in any format other than PDF but given the size of the resulting zip file, they are posted here in MS Word format as well.)

 

No questions or discussion. Motion to approve this degree passed unanimously.

 

8. Discussion: Clarification of language on the web page covering English language requirements for admission [G. Pulliam – Communication Across the Curriculum Director] This page is at https://admissions.iit.edu/undergraduate/apply/international-student-english-proficiency-requirement 

 

The proposed statement reads, “If you do not meet our minimum English proficiency requirements, or if there is other evidence which suggests you may need additional English training, you may be required to take additional English proficiency assessment measures, which will be evaluated by our professional English Language Services faculty, and could result in your being required to take a course or courses in our English language programs.”

 

It was noted that the statement addressed some of the concerns raised earlier by this body, and that most importantly it identified who was going to determine if students need additional English language proficiency.

 

Motion to endorse this language passed unanimously.

 

 

New Business 

9. Proposal: Use a centralized advising process for new first-year students this summer [K. Spink – Chair, Advising Committee] Proposal is available at http://www.iit.edu/~ugsc/documents/Proposal_for_Centralized_Advising_for_New_First_Year_Students_2-12-18.pdf 

 

Spink asked to defer this issue to the next meeting due to time constraints.

 

 

10. New Degree Specialization: Computer Science Honors Research [M. Bauer – Computer Science] Documentation is available at http://www.iit.edu/~ugsc/documents/Computer%20Science%20Honors%20Research%20Specialization.pdf 

 

This is informational item.

 

11. Minor Curriculum changes: Bachelor of Information Technology and Management courses [J. Hajek – ITM] Documentation is available at http://www.iit.edu/~ugsc/documents/ITM_Information_Items_Jan_2018.pdf 

 

This is informational item.

 

12. Minor Curriculum change: Bachelor of Architecture Site Planning course [C. Torres – Architecture] Documentation is available at http://www.iit.edu/~ugsc/documents/Bach.%20of%20Architecture%20Site%20Planning%20Course.pdf 

 

This is an informational item.

 

13. New Minor: Statistics [L. Kang, M. Pelsmajer, and R. Ellis – Applied Mathematics] This item is informational and should not require a vote by the UGSC. Documentation is available at http://www.iit.edu/~ugsc/documents/StatisticsMinor-AMAT-2-12-18.pdf 

 

This is an informational item.

 

14. Discussion: Apparent need to require more detailed justification of change of grade for reason “Other” [C. White via R. Trygstad – Chair] Recently a change of grade form was submitted requesting a change of grade for a student who had submitted late work. In the reasons on the change of grade form, this would be marked as “Other.” Is this acceptable? Does the one-liner of the form attached to “Other” provide sufficient space to explain the circumstances, or should additional documentation be provided? Thoughts? Do we need a policy on grade changes for late work, or do we need a policy on justification for changes of grade for “Other”? 

 

Discussion focused on premise that “other” is an acceptable category and that to remove it would be contrary to faculty governance. Members suggested that the “other” form box could be made bigger or allow for file attachment.  

 

15. Report: Late administration of the Writing Placement Exam / Basic Writing Proficiency [R. Trygstad – Chair] Proposed new Undergraduate Bulletin language regarding Basic Writing Proficiency was approved by the UFC. The approved language is at: http://www.iit.edu/~ugsc/documents/BWP_Bulletin_Language.pdf 

 

This report was approved by the UFC.

 

16. Report: Approval of CAC subcommittee review of the College of Architecture and CAEE department [R. Trygstad – Chair] The report at http://www.iit.edu/~ugsc/documents/ARCH-CAEEreviewmemo.pdf was approved by the UFC. 


This report was approved by the UFC.

 

17. Other New Business 

 

18. The next UGSC meeting will be March 27, 2018 at 12:45pm in WH 115. There is no March 13 meeting due to Spring Break. 

 

All minutes and supporting documents may be found on the UGSC website: http://www.iit.edu/~ugsc/