Regular Meeting of the School of Professional Studies Curriculum and Policy Committee

 

Date and Time:  Wednesday, February 16, 2006, 12:00pm

Location:  The Rose Parlor, Trinity University, 125 Michigan Avenue, NE, Washington, DC  20017

 

The meeting was called to order by Dr. Kathleen Burke, Dean, in the President’s Board Room at 12:05 pm.

 

Attendance

Dr. Kathleen Burke – Voting

Dr. John Volpe – Voting

Dr. Rhonda Jones – Voting

Dr. Sheila Barry-Oliver -- Voting

Dr. Sharon Mailey – Voting

Dr. V.R. Nemani - Voting

Dr. Emilio Iodice – Voting

Dr. Cindy Chance – Non Voting

Mr. Vyan Smith – Non Voting

Ms. Candice Washington – Non Voting

Dr. Cindy Chance – Guest

 

Agenda for Meeting

  • Approval of Minutes from Meeting of January 31, 2006
  • Proposal on the Bachelor of Liberal Studies – Dr. Chance
  • Proposal on Makeup of the SPS CAP – Dr. Iodice
  • Proposal to Approve or Disapprove A Proposed School Policy Concerning Undergraduates in Graduate Courses – Dr. Volpe
  • Proposal to Change the Graduate Student Overload Policy – Dr. Volpe

 

Meeting Minutes

 

Agenda Point 1 – Approval of Minutes from Meeting of January 31, 2006

A motion was made by Dr. Iodice to accept the minutes of the January 31, 2006 SPS CAP meeting

The motion was seconded by Dr. Barry-Oliver

The motion to approve passed  – 5 for (4 faculty plus the dean in favor), 0 opposed, 0 abstentions

 

Agenda Point 2 - Proposal on the Bachelor of Liberal Studies – Dr. Chance

Dr. Burke reminded the committee that our task was to approve or disapprove of an alteration to a currently existing major in the School of Professional Studies.  At this point, we are not making any decisions as to the elimination of majors or degrees.

 

Dr. Chance returned with an amended proposal to the committee regarding the Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies Degree.  The proposal addressed many of the questions raised at the last SPS CAP meeting.  It had the following

A.     An explanation of the benefits of the BLS

B.     A description of the BLS

C.     A course of action for implementation of the BLS

D.     5 initial concentrations for the BLS

A motion was made by Dr. Barry-Oliver to modify the existing SPS BLS degree to require 42 credit hours in up to 2 concentration areas as outlined in the proposal dated February 15, 2006.  The specific concentration areas to be approved are:  Business Administration (minor), Communications, Human Resource Management, Humanities, Information Systems and Technology.

The motion was seconded by Dr. Volpe

The motion to modify passed – 7 for (6 faculty plus the dean in favor), 0 opposed, 0 abstentions

 

Agenda Point 3 – Proposal on Makeup of the SPS CAP – Dr. Iodice

Dr. Iodice returned to the cap committee with a new proposal on the make-up of the SPS CAP which addressed the number of voting members allowed to serve on the committee, as well as the procedure for selection of new members. 

The Framework for Academic Governance states,

“Each L-CAP includes:

1.      A minimum of two members of the faculty chosen according to the procedures established by the faculty of the school; a school may determine that a need exists for a larger number of faculty on this committee, but the number generally should not exceed six faculty on the committee proper…

2.      The Dean

3.      Such other members as the school may determine are necessary…”

Currently, the SPS CAP is composed of all full-time faculty as voting members.  At present there are 6 voting members as well as the Dean.  However, there is one member yet to be hired.  There is also missing representation from the Communications Department, which is a part of SPS and has full-time faculty.  This would bring the total committee voting membership to 8.

 

Dr. Barry-Oliver moved to compose the SPS CAP Committee of all full-time SPS faculty until it reaches 10 members.  When the membership reaches 10, the composition of the committee will be reconsidered.

The motion passed –  6 for , 0 opposed, 1 abstention

 

 

Agenda Point 4 --Proposal to Approve or Disapprove a Proposed School Policy Concerning Undergraduates in Graduate Courses – Dr. Volpe

Dr. Volpe returned with information regarding what peers do in terms of undergraduates in graduate courses. 

Several institutions allow undergraduate students to take up to nine credits as undergraduates.  However there are some stipulations

  • Most of these institutions work with the understanding that the coursework will only count as graduate work if the student completes the graduate work at the same institution (there was an exception, where two separate institutions had reached an agreement) otherwise the class will be treated as an elective
  • Some of the institutions required that the student actually apply to the graduate or professional school.  They are not permitted to take courses unless they have been accepted.  There acceptance is based on the same academic criteria (with the exception of degree completion) as graduate students who have completed their bachelor’s degrees.
  • The students are charged the undergraduate tuition costs until they graduate with their bachelor’s degree

The committee had previously discussed having the following requirements:  completion of 90 undergraduate credit hours and a minimum GPA of 2.8.

 

Dr. Barry Oliver pointed out that if we agree to have this policy, there should be a restriction on what courses the students could take.  Specifically, the undergraduate students would be restricted to concentration courses, not core.

 

Dr. Jones moved to table the proposal and to circulate the proposal via email so that they could discuss the language of the policy.  An email vote could be done once the discussion ceases.

The motion was seconded by Dr. Barry-Oliver

The motion to table passed – 6 for, 0 opposed, 1 abstention

 

 

Agenda Point 5 -- Proposal to change the Graduate student overload policy – Dr. Volpe

At the last meeting the committee asked for a policy regarding graduate student overloads.  The concern was that there would not be an upwards limit, and that there would be inconsistency among the advisors in terms of implementation.

The committee discussed several examples of students who are currently taking overloads.  It was felt that while the advisor is the most knowledgeable person regarding a student’s abilities in terms of this matter, there did need to be a system that could ensure uniformity.

 

A motion was made by Dr. Volpe to change the policy to state the following:

1.      Any graduate student who wishes to take more than 12 credit hours in one semester must have the approval of his/her advisor

2.      Any graduate students who wishes to take more than 15 credit hours in one semester must have the approval of his/her advisor, and the Dean.

The motion was seconded by Dr. Nemani

The motion passed – 5 for, 0 opposed, 2 abstentions

 

The meeting was adjourned by Dr. Burke

 

Respectfully Submitted,

 

Candice Washington