WESTERN WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY

ACADEMIC COORDINATING COMMISSION MINUTES

Regular Meeting  -- February 15, 2005

Chair Tom Downing called the meeting of the Academic Coordinating Commission to order on February 15, 2005 in OM340 at 4:03 p.m.   There were fourteen (14) members present, one (1) guest, the Registrar (1) and recorder (1) for    a total of seventeen (17).  The Provost was attending a legislative session in Olympia.  (See attached roster).

Approval of ACC minutes

Members approved the minutes of February 7, 2005 with several corrections. 

AGENDA ITEMS - Action Items

College Curricular Minutes.  The following minutes came before the Commissioners:

Teachers Curricula and Certification Council, 1/25/05 - Accepted

College of Fine and Performing Arts 1/25/05, and 2/1/05 – Accepted. 

Fairhaven College Curriculum Committee, 1/19/05, and 1/26/05 – Accepted.

o        Members noted that core courses 201 and 203 are now required of all Fairhaven students.  Marie Eaton, Fairhaven representative to the ACC, explained that 201 represents Fairhaven’s increasing commitment to teaching writing and critical thinking. Introduction to Modern Social Theory (203) is also considered important in navigating modern coursework, and is no longer waived for transfer students.

o        Fairhaven has given many courses numbers that were very recently used for other courses, and this is against ACC and University policy. The policy rule is that a number for a course cannot be used for a new course for five years after the last offering of the old course. Eaton reported that Fairhaven College and Joseph St. Hilaire, Registrar, are collaborating on finding a solution to this problem.

o        A MOTION was made by Marie Eaton, seconded by Linda Kimball, to “approve the courses with the assumption that Fairhaven, in consultation with the Registrar, will change the numbering system so that it conforms to University policy.  Subsequent courses will come in the new format.”   The Commission passed the motion.

o       Eaton clarified additional questions regarding Physics and Audio Recording Class and a Philosophy of Science class.  Commissioners heard that student-led classes are overseen by a faculty member.  Only two or three students actually complete the three required quarters of a “planning system” for leading a class and then get to lead a class in spring quarter.

International Programs Advisory Committee, 11/22/0 - Accepted.  Chair Downing will request a copy of a Village Studies report from the IPAC chair when the report is completed.

Women Studies 212, 12/200 – Accepted, including as GUR course

A motion was made by Marie Eaton, seconded by Grant Donnellan, to approve WS 212. With the approval of the GER Committee this course will be classified as a Writing Course II in the Block C Communications requirements of the General Education Requirements.  Commissioners unanimously passed the motion.

DISCUSSION ITEMS

Interdisciplinary Committee

Following the review of the Women Studies course, members recalled a discussion (see text below) in which members considered the formation of an “Interdisciplinary Committee” to review those courses which have no specific college home:

“Curricular Routing

§         “Commissioners reviewed a motion prepared and distributed by the Chair as recommended by the Executive Committee which would ensure that all courses taught at Western pass through a college curricular committee.  Currently there are various reporting routes (including no route) for interdisciplinary academic programs such as American Cultural Studies, East Asia Studies, International Studies, Women Studies, and Canadian American Studies.  There may be others such as Honors, Library Information, Marine Sciences, etc.  (emphasis added)

§         “A consensus emerged that it would be preferable to form an altogether new committee to review curriculum from interdisciplinary programs.  Forcing programs to submit their materials to an existing college committee would in some cases be arbitrary, and it might awkwardly fail to reflect administrative reportage.  Further, it would be just strange to do so in the case of such things as FIG seminars.. . ..”  (ACC, 11/16/04)  

The ACC will move forward on the topic at its next meeting.

CONSTITUENT CONCERNS:

GENERAL STUDIES (GS) MAJOR

Commissioners viewed favorably Chair Dawning’s report that Kris Bulcroft, Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education will work up some proposals concerning the General Studies major upon her return to campus in March.  Provost Bodman is at legislative hearings in Olympia today so the response from the Deans to his inquiries about college oversight of the GS major could not be reported to Commissioners. 

DEGREE AUDIT SYSTEM

St. Hilaire will present the new Degree Audit System at the next meeting. 

Adjournment

Commissioners adjourned at 4:50  pm.

Rose Marie Norton-Nader, Recorder, February 15, 2005

ACADEMIC COORDINATING COMMISSION 2004-2005 ROSTER

Adjournment

Commissioners adjourned at 6:00 pm.

Rose Marie Norton-Nader, Recorder, February 1, 2005

ACADEMIC COORDINATING COMMISSION 2004-2005 ROSTER