General Education Committee Meeting Minutes
Wednesday, January 12, 2005
12:00 – 1:00 p.m.
Plains Room, Memorial Union

Present: Michael Christoffers, Robert Harrold, RaNelle Ingalls, Sudhir Mehta, Char Myhre, Larry Peterson, Doug Rymph, Orven Swenson, Kevin Teigen, Robyne Williams, Kristi Wold-McCormick.

The meeting was called to order at 12:05 by Larry Peterson. Karen Bjellum served as recorder for the meeting.

Harrold/Williams moved to approve the minutes for the December 9, 2004 meeting. Minutes were approved as emailed.

Student Petitions

A student has petitioned to have the global perspectives class waived since he was stationed overseas for two years. (Okinawa, Japan) He feels that his experience in Japan is the equivalent to the global perspectives requirements. His petition gave numerous examples of his off-base experience and was supported by a separate letter from the department chair. He graduates in May 2005. (Rymph/Williams). A motion to approve the petition was made, motion carried.

Announcements

Larry Peterson's term as chair of the General Education Committee is up in May 2005. The election of the new General Education Committee Chair should take place as soon as possible. Eligible Members include: Michael Christoffers, Kimberly Vess Halbur, Doug Rymph, Cindy Urness, and Robyne Williams. No nominations were made.

Harrold proposed a representative(s) from the General Education Committee should attend the next Executive Committee meeting and put forth a proposal to increase committee member terms from a maximum of four one year terms for committees such as General Education. Bob Harrold, Kristi Wold-McCormick, and Robyne Williams will meet to go over the details.

Peterson announced the AAC & U Education Conference in Atlanta, Georgia. Provost Schnell's office will provide financial support for two people to attend. If anyone is interested, the hotel deadline is January 20, 2005; and the registration deadline is February 3, 2005. For more information, the web site's url is: http://www.aacu-edu.org/meetings/generaleducation/index.cfm Please contact Larry Peterson as soon as possible.

Subcommittee Reports

Humanities, Fine Arts, and Communication
No report.

Science & Technology
No report.

Social and Behavioral Sciences, Quantitative Reasoning, and Wellness
No report.

University 189 Committee
The subcommittee is working out a schedule.

New Business

Discussion on the new Matrix for Reviewing Capstone Courses . The committee finds the new document acceptable, after some minor changes are made.

Larry Peterson met with the Agriculture Chairs about the co-requisite requirement for science lecture and lab courses. The Science and Math Chairs have also discussed this issue. Larry will forward their responses to the Committee.

The English Department is submitting a proposal “New Motion on the Vertical Writing Requirement for NDSU Faculty Senate. Discussion ensued. Committee member are to direct any questions to either Dale Sullivan, or Chuck Harter. Wold-McCormick noted that from her point of view as Registrar, the present motion from English would mean that transfer students who completed their general education elsewhere would not be required to complete a 300 level writing course as part of General Education. They could be required to complete a course if it were required by the major or the college. They could also be required to complete it if it were embedded in the major as is done with the capstone courses.

Larry Peterson received a memo from Paul Gleye, department chair for Architecture & Landscape Architecture asking the General Education Committee to “establish a formal and specific reward structure in the PTE process for teaching General Education courses.” Copies were distributed to the members. Committee members noted that the Committee has no responsibility and no power in this area. Larry will urge Gleye to consider revisions in Department and College PTE guidelines.

Note: We may or may not be meeting next Wednesday depending on if we need to or not. Peterson will check with the members and send out an email to indicate if we are meeting next week or not. Peterson also indicated that he will try and change our room reservations to the Meadow Lark rooms.

Respectfully submitted, Kären Bjellum, recorder