General Education Committee
Friday, November 21, 2003 4:00 - 5:00 PM,
Plains Room, Memorial Union, NDSU

Committee members attending: Virginia Clark-Johnson, Orv Swenson, M0arina
Ioudina, Kate Haugen, Bob Harrold, RaNelle Ingalls, Justin Wageman, Char
Myhre, Larry Peterson, Chair, Doug Rymph, Brian Dougan

1. RaNelle Ingalls agreed to serve as recorder for the meeting.
        
2. Minutes from November 7, 2003 meeting were approved unanimously.
      
3. Report from Science & Technology Subcommittee of the General Education Committee met with Al Schneiter from Plant Sciences. The Computer Science Department is interested in developing and submitting CSCI 159 to the Gen Ed Comm. There was a question as to whether a "catch-up" course is appropriate for Gen Ed. More information to come.
        
4. Report from Humanities, Fine Arts, and Communication Subcommittee recommended that five courses be accepted.
       
   -The first is ENGL 345: Themes in American Culture be accepted as having met the standards for a 5 year renewal with outcomes 1,2,3 and cultural diversity. The motion was approved without discussion.
           
   -The next two courses were reviewed together because the courses will be offered alternating semesters (ART 110 fall and ART 111 spring).
   ART 110: Introduction to Visual Arts as a 5-year renewal and
   ART 111: Introduction to Art History as a new course.
   The suggested outcomes for both courses are 1, 3 and 6 as well as cultural diversity.
   -Discussion followed which included:
   -Outcome 1 was later removed because it was not determined to meet a variety of communication contexts and formats. It was determined that the title of ART 111 is Introduction to Art History and each of these courses covers different material. The courses are not redundant. Is there enough evidence of student learning in the evaluation process of the course to determine that cultural diversity is a definite outcome? The working definitions and essential considerations for Gen Ed courses were handed out for Global Perspectives and Cultural Diversity. It was suggested that the instructor use exercises in the class to show how cultural diversity is being measured. It was suggested that the Gen Ed Committee reconsider its approach to review Gen Ed courses and how the instructor can fully communicate the measure of student learning in the area of cultural diversity. The motion to approve was tabled with the understanding that Bob and Larry will contact the course instructor to discuss what information is needed to prove learning in the area of cultural diversity.
        
   -HON 386: World Literature: Imaginary Homelands be accepted as a new course (prefix change from LANG 491H) having met the standards with outcomes 1, 6, and cultural diversity. The motion was approved after discussion that included how the definition in this course proved learning in the area of cultural diversity.
      
   -MUSC 103: Introduction to Music History be accepted as having met the standards for a 5 year renewal with outcomes 1, 7, and cultural diversity. The motion to approve was tabled with the understanding that Bob and Larry will contact the course instructor to discuss what information is needed to prove learning in the area of cultural diversity.
          
5. Report from the Social and Behavioral Sciences, Quantitative Reasoning, and Wellness Subcommittee recommended that CDFS 182: Wellness and Aging, a new course proposing outcomes 2 and 7 be revised and resubmitted.
        
6. The meeting was adjourned at 5:12 PM.