Undergraduate Studies Committee                              Minutes 9/14/10

Attending Voting Members: J. Abbasian (ChBE), P. Arce (SGA).M. Bauer (CS), K. Ellington (Psych), M. Gosz (MMAE), L. Hosman (SocSci), G. Fasshauer (Math), D. Kamper (BME), C. Koehler (MSED), R. Krawczyk (Arch), G. Pulliam (Hum), R. Ruiz (MMAE), M. Snyder (CAEE), K. Spink (BCPS), S. Sennott (Arch), A. Tower (AF ROTC), J. Twombly (SSB), R. Trygstad (ITM).

Attending IIT Guests: R. Betts (Dean, College of Sci and Ltrs), J. Dorr (Library), G. Doyle (Undergrad Admissions), D. Geiger (Student Life), M. Lopez (Undergrad Acad. Affairs), A. Smith (Tech News), G. Smith (SGA), G. Welter (Undergrad. Acad. Affairs), P. Zachocki (Registrar).

The meeting is chaired by John Snapper.

The Chair notes that there is a quorum for business. Convene 12:50 PM.

Adjourn 1:45 PM. The minutes are recorded by Greg Pulliam.

The minutes of the April 2010 meeting are accepted by unanimous consent.

G. Welter informs the UGSC that there is a discrepancy in the Chem-E BS program. At present the Bulletin says that the BS requires 131 credit hours, including the 2 credits in CHE-451, but CHE 451 is now a 3 credit course. In effect, the BS requires 132 credit hours. In discussion, it appears the discrepancy is due to a confusing over the credit for BIO-403 offered by BCPS. The representatives from BCPS and ChBE will meet to review the situation and report back to the UGSC.

Michael Gosz informs the UGSC of complications created in the HSS general education requirement due to the institution of prerequisites for courses in Psyc, Soc, and PoliSci. The SS component requires 300-level courses in two disciplines. Since (with a small number of exceptions) the 300-level courses in Psyc, Soc, and PoliSci have recently received a 200-level prerequisite, most students are forced to satisfy the requirement with two courses in each of the two disciplines. This change forces students to take four courses in the SS component, although it is the clear intent of the general education requirement that students have the option to satisfy the requirement with three courses in the SS component.

It is moved and seconded that

All units offering (S) courses review upper level courses to determine which can be offered without prerequisites.

On UGSC policy, a vote is deferred to the next meeting of the UGSC

Greg Welter notes that the prerequisites for the courses do not appear in existing Bulletins, which may be considered contractual documents by present students. M. Bauer informs the UGSC that his office will routinely approve requests to take upper level SS courses without the recently created prerequisites.

Mark Snyder informs the UGSC of modifications to the specializations within the Engineering Management Degree. The modifications demand a more concentrated study of the chosen engineering specialization. Since the modifications do not change the structure of the degree, the UGSC views the modifications as an informational item, not requiring formal endorsement.

On behalf of the Student Government Association, Paola Arce presents a proposal for an instructional program to address a perceived lack of foreign language instruction at IIT.

It is moved and seconded that the UGSC urges the administration to implement the SGA proposal for a Foreign Language Program.

On UGSC policy, a vote is deferred to the next meeting of the UGSC.

The agenda item concerning the formula for unit votes is deferred to the next UGSC meeting.