February 13, 2001
MINUTES OF ACADEMIC COUNCIL
APPROVED: March 13, 2001
Present: Edmund Buis, Sarah Cron, Ann Gifford, Sandy Hinkle, Dennis Holt, Fred Janzow, Martin
Jones, Bert Kellerman, Gerald McDougall, Chris McGowan, Milo Miller, Wes Mueller,
David Naugler, Michael Parker, Phil Parette, Carol Scates, Jane Stephens, and Shirley
Stennis-Williams.
Guests: Sharon Bebout-Carr, Anthony Duben, Ray G. Ewin, Peter Hirschburg, Michael Roark,
Dennis Seyer, Mark Strauss, Mike Weatherson, and Glen Williams.
- Minutes of December 5, 2000. Upon motion of Chris McGowan and seconded by Fred Janzow, minutes were approved
unanimously.
- Action Items
- Restructuring Proposals for Department of Speech, Communication & Theatre: Provost
Stephens reiterated with the Council and guests that the School of the Visual and
Performing Arts will be created as a separate issue from the acquisition of the River
Campus. She announced that there is to be no vote on this creation of the School
of the Visual and Performing Arts since the Board of Regents has already announced
its approval of the creation of the school. She further announced that for purposes
of today’s meeting, the council would only be voting on the restructuring of Speech
and Communication. Martin Jones moved for establishment of a Department of Communication
Studies. Carol Scates seconded the motion. Stephens opened the floor to comments
of the guests. Dennis Seyer and Ray Ewin presented a handout outlining student credit
hour ratios in support of the creation of a Department of Communication Studies.
Concerns were expressed regarding the small number of tenure track/tenured faculty.
After extensive discussion of the council and guests, Stephens asked for a vote of
the council. The vote was 3 ayes, 14 nays. The proposal did not pass Academic Council.
- Proposed Revision to BS Major in Geography: Martin Jones moved for approval of the
revision to BS Major in Geography. Sarah Cron seconded the motion. Jones began with
comments and opened the floor for questions. Main concerns were the use of General
Education courses in the major and the lack of upper level courses in geography.
After discussion of the council and guests, it was decided that more time would be
granted to the College of Liberal Arts to rework the proposal for the BS Major in
Geography. It was moved by Dean McDougall to table the motion. Chris McGowan seconded
the motion. The vote to table was passed unanimously, and will be placed as an action
item on the March 13th Academic Council’s agenda.
- Proposed Revision to Minor in Geography: Martin Jones moved for approval of the revision
to Minor in Geography. Sarah Cron seconded the motion. Jones explained that this
was a simplification of the minor in geography. The motion was approved unanimously.
- Proposal for Interdisciplinary Option in BS in Applied Computer Science: Chris McGowan
moved for approval of the Interdisciplinary Option in BS in Applied Computer Science.
Martin Jones seconded the motion. McGowan turned the floor over to guest, Anthony
Duben. Following discussion, it was felt by the council and guests that there was
a need to change the name of the option to better clarify “interdisciplinary”. The
proposal was voted on with the name change as follows: BS in Applied Computer Science
– Applied Computer Science Option. The motion was approved unanimously.
- Discussion Items
- Meeting Scheduled for March 6, 2001: The next regularly scheduled meeting of the
Academic Council, March 6th, is cancelled due to a Faculty and Staff Convocation which
has been scheduled by the President. After discussion, it was decided to hold the
next meeting on Tuesday, March 13th, from 3:00 to 5:00 in the University Center’s
Party Room.