Undergraduate Studies Committee                                         Minutes 9/9/08

Attending Voting Members: A. Chipman (BCPS), J. Chong (BCPS), R. Gordon (Psych), J. Kallend (MMAE), R. Krawczyk (Arch), M. Bauer and Z. Lan (CS), N. Nieswandt (MSED), M. Pelsmajer (Math), V. Perez-Luna (CHBE), J. Saniie (ECE), M. Shapiro, (SS), J. Snapper (Hum), M. Snyder (CAEE), K. Spink (BCPS), J. Twombly (Bus), R. Trygstad (CPD), G. Williamson (ECE).

Attending IIT Guests: L. Goldstein (Tech News), D. Geiger (Student Life), M. Gosz (Assoc. Provost, Undergrad. Affairs), G. Doyle (Undergrad. Admissions), K. Mutyaba (SGA), C. Stuart (Library) G. Welter (Ed. Serv.), P. Zachocki (Registrar)

In the absence of Prof. Fasshauer, the meeting is chaired by John O'Leary.

The minutes are recorded by John Snapper.

Convene 12:50 PM. Adjourn 1:45 PM.

The Chair notes that there is a quorum for business.

The UGSC approves the minutes of the meeting of March 8, 2008, by unanimous consent.

The UGSC recognizes the important contributions made by Prof. LoCicero during his many years of service on the UGSC.

Mr. Doyle briefs the UGSC on the composition of the matriculating class, including overall numbers, distribution by major, national test scores, and demographics.

Dr. Bauer briefs the UGSC on new programs for identifying and assisting individual students with academic problems. It appears that the programs have added several percentage points to the IIT retention rate for 1st year students. Dr. Bauer notes that we can now track such matters as the high correspondence between grade point and class attendance. At the request of the UGSC, Dr. Gosz will provide, by email, a report on that correspondence.

Mr. Welter informs the UGSC that, following Spring 08, UGSC debate over changes to the Bulletin statement of the IPRO General Education Requirement, those changes were removed from the Bulletin before publication. Mr. Welter informs the UGSC that the Bulletin Committee has established a policy that the UGSC will be asked to authorize proofs for the Bulletin statement of the general education requirements.

Dr. Snapper draws the attention of the UGSC to the Faculty Council motion affirming UGSC authority over General Education requirement, but notes that the UGSC does not have an established procedure for review of courses that are recognized as satisfying those requirements in the Bulletin.

It is moved and seconded that

The UGSC will create a two person sub-committees to review each new designation of a course as satisfying a general education requirement in Computer Science, Humanities, Mathematics, Natural Science, Social Sciences, Writing and Communication, That two-person committee will have UGSC authority to approve the designation. That two-person committee will report back to the UGSC in a timely way about all its decisions. The UGSC then has the authority to leave or to reverse the decision of the two-person committee. In general, the two person committee should include one person from a unit that typically offers the relevant courses, and one person from a unit that does not typically offer such courses.

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

J. Snapper, Secretary to the UGSC