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. Haferkamp – Armour 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/