Minutes
University Curriculum and Academic Policy Committee
November 3, 2005
Members present:
Carolyn Bocian, Rosemarie Bosler, Lee Chiang, Bobbie Dorr,
Kaye Gapen,
The minutes of the October 6 2005 meeting were approved.
I. Program Assessment
and Evaluation
Cristina Parsons informed the committee that the History
program had submitted a draft of their third year report. She agreed to email the report to
Bobbie Dorr completed an evaluation of the Biology program’s 2nd year report. Cristina asked another UCAP member to read the report, along with Bobbie’s evaluation, to ensure that the evaluation was consistent with other UCAP reviews of 2nd year reports. Carolyn Bocian volunteered to do so. Cristina parsons asked for all comments on the Biology program report to be returned by the 17th of November, so that UCAP’s final evaluation could be transmitted to the program.
Rosemarie Bosler volunteered to be the second reviewer (along with John Volpe) on the Religious Studies 3rd year report. Cristina asked both reviewers to return their evaluations to her by November 19th.
Lee Chiang enquired how the Mathematics program could request an extension for the completion of its 2nd year report. Since the Math program will have only one faculty member for the Spring 2006 semester due to leaves and sabbaticals, Lee explained that an extension would be necessary. Cristina agreed to check on the formal procedure for requesting an extension.
II. Workshops
The 1st year workshop was held on October 14th from 10:00 a.m. to noon. Programs entering the first year, and in attendance, were: Public Affairs, Physics, Human Relations, and Language and Cultural Studies. Bobbie Dorr helped Cristina Parsons facilitate the workshop. Attendees found the session very informative and useful. The Language and Cultural Studies program requested a mentor for the assessment process, and Sister Rosemarie agreed to serve in this capacity.
III. Assessment of
General Education
On behalf of UCAP, Cristina Parsons conducted several projects related to the assessment of Trinity’s general education curricula. First, she carried out a faculty survey on the Core and FLC, gauging faculty perceptions of these programs’ effectiveness and need for reform. Secondly, she conducted a syllabus review of Core and FLC courses offered in 2004-5 to determine the extent to which the study of values, ethics, and diverse perspectives was included in these courses. Finally, she developed a draft plan for assessing Trinity’s general education curricula.
Members discussed the draft general education assessment plan, which established a division of labor among UCAP and the local CAPs for the completion of various assessment tasks. According to the draft, UCAP would have responsibility for assessing whether the FLC and Core curriculum goals adequately reflect the mission of Trinity, and whether the two sets of goals express sufficient parity in student learning expectations across the two curricula. Meanwhile, the local CAPs would be responsible for collecting and analyzing data on student learning outcomes for their respective schools’ curricula.
Bobbie Dorr agreed that it was UCAP’s responsibility to ensure parity between the Core and FLC in terms of expected learning outcomes. She felt that the goals of the two curricula must be compatible, although the means would differ. John Volpe, while not rejecting the importance of comparable FLC and Core goals, pointed out that SPS faculty felt the Core should consist of courses that would better prepare students for their professional work. For example, SPS might wish to reconsider the language and religion requirements in the Core curriculum. Saundra Oyewole responded that eliminating certain current Core requirements could compromise the integrity of the liberal arts foundation that the Core is designed to provide. Clearly, efforts to reform the Core and FLC will provoke a great deal of faculty discussion.
The meeting was adjourned at 1.15 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,