Committee Minutes

August 19, 2019

Date/Time
Sunday, 08/18/2019
Location
Reaud 202
Submitted By:
Judy Smith

Attending: Michael Saar, Library Services; Judy Smith, Nursing; Janes Armacost, Biology; Kami Makki, Arts and Sciences rep;  Zanthia Smith, DSDE; Larry Osborne, College of Arts & Sciences;  Stefan Andrei, CID representative; Edward Doan, SGA representative;

Via Proxy: Barbara Hernandez, Health and Kinesiology; Millicent Musyoka, Fine Arts and Communications;

Absent: Ken Aung, Engineering; Garrick Harden, Faculty Senate Representative; Mamta Singh, Education and Human Development; Qin Qian, Engineering; John McCollough, Business; Serdar Ilban, Fine Arts and Communication; Alberto Marquez, Engineering;

Ex-Officio: Joe Nordgren, Acting Associate Provost; David Short, Registrar; Craig Escamilla, Acting Exec Dir Student Achievement & Retention; Kayla Holloway, Interim Director, UAC.

Ex-Officio Absent: Theresa Hefner-Babb, Exec. Dir. OPA;

Executive Associate Academic Affairs: Aida Lasher

 

Presiding: Michael Saar

 

Call to Order: 3:35 pm

 

Approval of Minutes: 6-17-19

  • Zanthia motioned to approve the minutes as written: Edward seconded the motion. Minutes approved unanimously.

                                       

Announcement: Michael reviewed the heretofore syllabus requirements which specifies that grading criteria must be present but does not provide a specific uniform way in which it should be addressed in the syllabi. Thus giving faculty academic freedom in addressing it. We have had several syllabi that this became an issue that did not need to be addressed by the committee. The committee charges are to review the syllabi to make sure the significant pieces are addressed in a timely manner.                           

 

Business:

  • B.S. in Computer Science Degree Plan.
    • Stefan outlined the changes in the degree plan regarding Math requirements for the degree plan. ABET regulations made additional requirement changes to the plan and hours for the degree were reduced to a total of 120.
      • MATH 3328 was changed to MATH 2318
      • On Lab science course was removed per ABET requirements
      • MATH 332/3435 were removed per ABET requirements
      • Courses were redistributed according to the level in which the course should be taught such as POLS 2301 (Gov 1) from the fourth year to the second year spring.
      • Added COSC 4333 Distributed Systems per ABET, with other additional changes as described on the degree plan.
    • Judy made a motion to approve the degree plan changes as written; Edward seconded the motion; motion was unanimously approved.
  • The Game Development certificate was changed to becoming an actual program within the Department of Computer Science and has been converted to an approved Game Development program through the THECB.
    • Larry made a motion to approve the change; Zanthia seconded the motion; approved unanimously.
  • B.S. in Electrical Engineering
    • Noted that the first semester of the fourth year has only 13 hours total while it was listed as having 16 hours total. As a result the degree plan is three credit hours short.
    • Stefan made a motion to return the degree plan to the department for clarification on the number of credit hours expected in the first semester of the fourth year; Zanthia seconded; unanimously approved.
  • BIOL 4303 Medical Microbiology
    • This was a special topics course that has been found to fill a need for the students and has been converted to a permanent course offering in the Department of Biology.
    • Judy made a motion to approve; Kami seconded: unanimously approved.
  • POLS 3343 Public Policy Formulation
    • This was a special topics course that has been found to fill a need for the students and has been converted to a permanent course offering in the Department of Political Science.
    • Pre-reqs were listed on the form but not in the syllabus. Max repeat hours still says 3. Question raised that if this is now a permanent class offering should the Max repeat hours be zero
    • Judy made the motion to approve pending clarification on the pre-reqs and Max repeat hours; Zanthia seconded; unanimously approved.
  • POLS 3344 Intro to Public Policy
    • This was a special topics course that has been found to fill a need for the students and has been converted to a permanent course offering in the Department of Political Science.
    • Pre-reqs were listed on the form but not in the syllabus. Max repeat hours still says 3. Question raised that if this is now a permanent class offering should the Max repeat hours be zero
    • Judy made the motion to approve pending clarification on the pre-reqs and Max repeat hours; Kami seconded; unanimously approved.
  • POLS 3345 State and Local Government
    • This was a special topics course that has been found to fill a need for the students and has been converted to a permanent course offering in the Department of Political Science.
    • Pre-reqs were listed on the form but not in the syllabus. Max repeat hours still says 3. Question raised that if this is now a permanent class offering should the Max repeat hours be zero
    • Larry made the motion to approve pending clarification on the pre-reqs and Max repeat hours; Edward seconded; unanimously approved.
  • POLS Deletions
    • POLS 2330 Political and Cultural Geography deleted because it has not been taught for several semesters and the content is taught in other upper division courses.
    • POLS 3342 Environmental policy deleted for same reason as above.
    • POLS 3962 TX Legis Internship program was deleted because it had not been offered several semester due to lack of internal and external funding.
    • POLS 4340 Formulation of Public Policy has been deleted and replaced by a newly revised formulation course. Deletion requested to avoid repetition and to increase clarity for the POLS course offerings.
    • None of these courses have any impact on any other degree plans
    • Zanthia made the motion to approve these deletions; Larry seconded; unanimously approved.
  • CPSC 4334 Computer Vision
    • Pre-reqs not listed on the form
    • Was a special topics course that has been found to fill a need for the students and has been converted to a permanent course offering in the Department of Computer Science.
    • Minimum grade for pre-reqs was corrected to say the students must have a B or better.
    • Larry motioned to approve the syllabus with the corrections made; Edward Seconded, unanimously approved.
  • CPSC 4335 Image Processing
    • Same issues as noted above.
    • Kami made a motion to approve with required changes; Jim seconded the motion; approved unanimously.
  • MATH changes
    • MATH 0132 companion course to MATH 1332 Foundations of Contemporary Math
      • Has been changed from a graded course to a Pass/Fail option in order to promote the matriculation through the curriculum while preventing students from being able penalized when they may need both developmental math and an additional Math course for their degrees. These courses are taught for the TSI restricted students.
      • Stefan motioned to approve the syllabus; Zanthia Seconded, unanimously approved
    • MATH 0370 companion course to 1314 Foundations of College Math
      • Issues same as above
      • Stefan motioned to approve the syllabus; Kami seconded, unanimously approved

 

  • MATH 0372 companion course to 2311 Foundations of Pre-Calculus
    • Face sheet is missing pre-requisites and the course description
    • CIP and CB ADMIN Codes did not appear to be accurate. The syllabus was missing an attachment.
    • Zanthia motioned to approve the syllabus with changes as described and clarifications of the course description: Edward seconded: approved unanimously
  • MATH 1342 Elementary Statistical Methods
    • Course was changed to meet compliance standards
    • Course description change and pre-reqs were discussed on a separate page from the face sheet.
    • Kami motioned to approve the syllabus: Judy seconded: approved unanimously
  • MATH 1332 Contemporary Mathematics
    • Adjusted pre-reqs to meet standards for non-STEM majors and the course description changed which was explained on a separate page from the face sheet.
    • Judy motioned to approve the syllabus: Kami seconded: approved unanimously
  • CHEN 2374 Thermodynamic I
    • Pre-reqs have been changed to eliminate the course ELEN 1301 that was previously removed from the degree plan.
    • Edward motioned to approve the syllabus: Larry seconded: approved unanimously

 

New Business:

 

  • Judy Smith has submitted her resignation as the Committee Secretary but will remain on the committee as her department representative. Michael recognized her for all of her efforts. All committee members are being asked to consider taking on this vital role.

Adjourn:

  • Motion to Adjourn at 4:45 pm by Edward; Seconded by Larry and was unanimously approved.

 

Respectfully submitted:

Dr. Judy Smith, Secretary University Undergraduate Committee.