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April 4, 2000
MINUTES OF ACADEMIC COUNCIL
Present:
Buis, Burton, Cossaboom (Lipetzky), Cron, Eddleman, Ehie (Kellerman), Gifford, Hinkle,
Holt, Janzow, Jones, Keys, McGowan, Miller, Naugler, Pittman, Scates, Shaw, Sterrett
(McDougall), Westbrook (Barrett)
Guests:
Ervin, Langenfeld, Parker, C. Veneziano, Wade, M. Yuan
- Minutes
McGowan moved that the minutes of February 1, 2000, be approved. Janzow seconded
the motion. The motion was approved unanimously.
- Action Items
- Harrison College of Business Proposed Name Change: Department of Management to
Department of Management and Management Information Systems (MIS)
Jack Sterrett and Ike Ehie were present to discuss the proposal from the Department
of Management to change the name of the Department of Management to the Department
of Management and Management Information Systems (MIS). It was moved by Sterrett
and seconded by McGowan that the name change be approved. The motion was approved
unanimously.
- Proposed Revision to Major in Recreation/Tourism
Keys led the discussion, along with Langenfeld, Parker, and Yuan, about the proposal
from the Department of Health and Leisure to revise the major in Recreation/Tourism.
Keys stated that these changes are based on regional needs and that the proposal ties
to strategic planning goals 17 (Regional Development and Research) and 18 (Program
Offerings). Yuan presented several diagrams of the proposed curriculum. Jones distributed
minutes from the April 4, 1995, Academic Council meeting in which he read the following
unanimous motion. “To approve the revision of the geography major to provide an emphasis
in geo-tourism for a transitional period of two years, after which (in Fall 1997)
a program proposal for a new program in geo-tourism will be brought to Academic Council
for consideration.” Jones stated that enrollments and internships have been slow,
there are many courses missing from the program which tourism students need, there
are currently 3 majors in the program, and only 5 people have graduated from geo-tourism
in the last 5 years. Jones saw no rational for the program. Members questioned why
the proposal had not been brought forward in Fall 1997. Keys responded that there
was a turnover of faculty members at that time, and that the program is now a high
priority for the people of the region and in Jefferson City. Jones moved that the
revision be tabled until the next meeting when the documents containing the evidence
Keys presented could be provided to Council members and that the proposal could be
put in the correct CBHE format, and Scates seconded the motion. It was pointed out
that some of the tourism components are missing. Yuan stated that there are 3 tourism
tracks: geography, business, and recreation, and that they have a difference philosophical
basis. This proposal is based on more of a social aspect that doesn’t need some of
the tourism components. Yuan also stated that these programs are very healthy in
Missouri. The geo-tourism option didn’t draw students to those fields. It was asked
where the interdisciplinary courses were because recreation has traditionally been
interdisciplinary. Yuan responded that the strategic plan was used to guide them.
Buis stated that there are no students in geo-tourism and that no one checks out the
tourism books in the library. There is no evidence of students wanting to participate
in this program, which would be competing with all other programs for books. Sterrett
said it was a very incomplete proposal. He did not see a demonstrated need for the
program. Had anyone ever looked at Universities close to Southeast? Is there any
evidence of the employability of majors? How do students fare? Cron stated that
students could go through an Interdisciplinary Studies degree and accomplish the very
same thing. Janzow asked how many jobs would be available to graduates. Jones stated
that students who are working in the tourism field can get a Bachelor of General Studies.
Yuan stated that there are currently 12 majors in geo-tourism, but they expect 30
majors within the next three years. Students would finish the program in 4-5 years.
Jones asked if a list could be provided with the names of the tourism majors since
Yuan claimed 12 majors and his data indicated 3. It was asked if there was any minimum
number of students needed in order to meet accreditation standards. Yuan didn’t know.
Jones then made a motion that Academic Council strongly recommend that Academic Affairs
rescind the “Geography: Tourism Emphasis” 51-hour major advising track that appears
in the Undergraduate Bulletin on page 78, eliminate the “Tourism” minor that appears
on page 125, and eradicate the proposed tourism component of the now-proposed revision
to the major in Recreation. In addition, it is moved that tourism courses be phased
out by the end of the next academic year, 2000-2001, and that any current majors and
minors be immediately advised that all Tourism (TR prefix) courses will be eradicated
after the next Bulletin. Further, advanced students involved in this transition shall
be assisted to complete their programs as smoothly as possible and have the Bachelor
of General Studies degree option as a fall-back alternative. In sum, the motion is
to eliminate tourism courses and programs from the curriculum altogether and not consider
such again for at least 5 years. Janzow seconded the motion, and the motion was approved
by a vote of 19 yes with one abstention.
- New Program Request – Industrial Management: Master of Science
Shaw led the discussion regarding a new program request, Industrial Management: Master
of Science. Burton stated that the request had passed Graduate Council. It was moved
by McGowan and seconded by Gifford that approval be given to the new program request.
The motion was approved unanimously.
- New Program Request – Criminal Justice: Master of Science
John Wade and Carol Veneziano were present to discuss a new program request, Criminal
Justice: Master of Science. Burton stated that the request had passed Graduate Council.
Cron commented on library resources. She noted that the proposal states that the
Department will allocate 25% of its allocations over the next five years specifically
to the development of library holdings for the graduate program. Twenty-five percent
of its allocations, with the average price of a book at $30, would allow the purchase
of 40 books. If there were 80 students, each student would receive half a book.
The request provides very limited support, and she does not want to see an endowment
request at a later date. It was moved by Shaw and seconded by Cossaboom that approval
be given to the new program request. The motion was approved unanimously.
Holt congratulated Shaw, Wade, and Veneziano on their excellent proposals. He stated
that their proposals were exemplary and some of the best he had seen presented to
the Council.
- Major in American Studies
Jones opened discussion about the removal of the major in American Studies. It was
moved by Jones and seconded by McGowan that the major be removed. The motion was
approved unanimously.
- Admission/Retention for Mass Communication Majors
Jones opened discussion about edited admission/retention criteria for Mass Communication
majors. He distributed a revised copy dated April 3, 2000. Ferrell Ervin led the
Committee through the revision. It was moved by Jones and seconded by Janzow that
the criteria be adopted. The motion was approved unanimously.