Academic Senate Youngstown State University Youngstown, Ohio  44555

1.  Call to Order.

At the June Senate meeting, the Curriculum Committee's business had to be suspended because of the loss of a quorum (officially noted following a vote to end debate on a proposed amendment to the Curriculum Committee's motion). The September 13 meeting will begin with the Curriculum Committee's business. However, the committee plans to withdraw the motion it placed on the floor at the June meeting; we will then proceed with the rest of the agenda.

2.  In accordance with Senate Bylaw 3, section 5, the next order of business at this organizational meeting of the Senate will be nomination of the Chair of the Senate and nomination of the members of the Charter and Bylaws Committee.

3.  Approval of Minutes for 7 June 2000.

4.  Senate Executive Committee Report; report from the Chair; Ohio Faculty Council report.

5.  Report of the Charter and Bylaws Committee.

6.  Report of the Elections and Balloting Committee.

7.  Reports from Other Senate Committees.

A. Academic Standards Committee
B. Academic Programs Committee
C. Curriculum Committee see—Attachment 1
D. Academic Planning
E. General Education—see Attachment 2.
F. Integrated Technologies
G. University Outreach
H. Library
I. Academic Research
J. Student Academic Affairs
K. Student Academic Grievance
L. Honors
M. Academic Events

9.  New Business.

10. Adjournment.
 

The following courses have been certified by the General Education Committee and have been circulated.  Some have passed the objection stage.  They are being appended to the Senate agenda as information.  Some of these courses may be removed from certification at the Senate meeting because of a failure to clear the objection stage.  These courses must also clear the University Curriculum process as well.  For a complete list of certified courses, see the General Education Website linked to the YSU homepage.

Capstone

990217 – GEOG 4890, Senior Research.
990218 – ENGL 4899, Professional Writing Senior Project.
990224 – MATH & STAT 4896, Senior Project
990235 – MECH 4808, 4809, 4808L

Oral Communication Intensive

990231 – MECH 4835L, Thermal Fluids Application Laboratory
990240 – ECEGR 3712, Intermediate Laboratory 2

Critical Thinking Intensive

990191 – ENST 3700, Environmental Chemistry.
990213 – GEOG 2610, Map Use and Interpretation
990220 – NURS 3743, Professional Nursing III
990234 – MECH 3781, Dynamic Systems Analysis and Vibrations
990236 – JOURN 4824, Press Law and Ethics

Writing Intensive

990223 – MATH 3721, Abstract Algebra I
990225 – GEOG 3721, Regional Geography of Ohio
990226 – MUSHL 3773, Music History & Literature III
990227 – RESPC 3741, Respiratory Clinic III
990228 – MECH 3751L, Stress and Strain Analysis Laboratory
990229 – MECH 3720L, Fluid Dynamics Laboratory
990239 – GEOG 3719, Geography of the United States
 

I. Proposal of an Already Existing Course

A. After Dean’s review, the department submits the course proposal to the General Education Committee.

B. The General Education Committee reviews the course and undertakes one of the following actions:

1. Certification of the course as proposed.  Course is then circulated as part of the objection stage.
2. Return of the course to the department with advice on how to improve the proposal for possible certification.  Coordinator will meet with the department if requested.  The course may be resubmitted for possible certification.
3. Rejection of the course proposal.  The Coordinator will explain the reasons for rejection to the department.

C. A certified course will be circulated for ten working days through the deans’ offices and with notification to the chairs.  The circulation process may result in the following options:

1. If no objections are forthcoming, the course is certified as a general education course and appended to the Senate agenda.  It will also be added to the list of certified general education course on the General Education Website.
2. If a faculty member, chair, or academic administrator lodges a complaint with a written memo to the Coordinator of General Education within the ten working days, then the Coordinator will notify in writing the department proposing the course that an objection has occurred, and attach the objection to the memo.  The Coordinator will request that the objector and the department proposing the course resolve the objection.
3. If the objection is resolved, the Coordinator must be notified in writing of the resolution.  The proposed course is then returned to GEC for continuing action, which includes the following:

a) If no changes have occurred, then the course has cleared the objection stage, is certified and appended to the Senate agenda.
b) If changes have occurred, the committee will review the changes and determine whether they are acceptable.  If acceptable and the changes do not require further review by the UCD, the course will be appended to the Senate agenda. If a review is needed, then the course proposal will be forwarded to the department for submission as a course change proposal.

4. If those involved are unable to resolve the objection, the GEC will seek reconciliation.  If the differences still cannot be resolved, the GEC will then conduct a hearing regarding the objection. (See HEARING)

A. A proposing department must submit a completed University Curriculum Division form and a completed General Education Course Proposal form in one package to the University Curriculum Division.  The UCD will send the appropriate forms to the GEC.

B. The General Education Committee will review the course and undertake one of the following actions:

1.  Pre-certification of the course as proposed.  Course is then returned to UCD for its review and circulation as part of the objection stage.
2.  Return of the course to the department with advice on how to improve the proposal for possible certification.  Coordinator will meet with the department if requested.  The course may be resubmitted for possible certification.
3. Rejection of the course proposal.  The Coordinator will explain the reasons for rejection to the department.

C. A pre-certified course will be jointly circulated with UCD for ten working days through the deans’ offices and with notification to the chairs.  A course must clear the objection stage for both committees to be certified as a general education course.  The circulation process may result in the following options:

1.  If no objections are forthcoming to either committee, the course is certified as a general education course and appended to the Senate agenda.  It will also be added to the list of certified general education courses on the General Education Website.
2. If a faculty member, chair, or academic administrator lodges a complaint with a written memo to the Coordinator of General Education within the ten working days, then the Coordinator will notify in writing the department proposing the course that an objection has occurred, and attach the objection to the memo.  The Coordinator will request that the objector and the department proposing the course resolve the objection.
3. If the objection is resolved, the Coordinator must be notified in writing of the resolution.  The proposed course is then returned to GEC for continuing action, which includes the following:

a) If no changes have occurred, then the course has cleared the objection stage, is certified and appended to the Senate agenda.
b) If changes have occurred, the committee will review the changes and determine whether they are acceptable.  If acceptable and the changes do not require further review by the UCD, the course will be appended to the Senate agenda. If a review is needed, then the course will be forwarded to the UCD with a recommendation that the department submit a new course proposal through appropriate channels.

4. If those involved are unable to resolve the objection, the GEC will seek reconciliation.  If the differences still cannot be resolved, the GEC will then conduct a hearing regarding the objection.  (See HEARING)

A. In order to insure a just and orderly hearing of the objection, the following procedures must be observed by all parties:

1. Prior to the day of the hearing, a precise written statement of the objection(s) will be distributed to all parties.
2. All concerned persons are permitted in the room during the hearing.
3. The Coordinator will call the meeting to order and clarify any procedural questions.
4. Any objectors may be present.  Each will be heard. The objections will be presented in a reasonable and concise manner.
5. The representative for the course proposal will present the department’s position in a reasonable and concise manner.
6. The objector may present a rebuttal in a reasonable and concise manner.
7. The department representative for the course proposal may present a rebuttal in a reasonable and concise manner.
8. GEC members will then have the opportunity to ask questions of both the objectors and the department representative.
9. At the close of the hearing, the objector, department representative and all observers will be excused.
10. The GEC members will then discuss the issues and report the Committee’s decision, in writing, to the objector and department proposing the course within five working days.

B. The GEC must reach one of the following decisions and forward the course proposal to the Senate:

1. Reaffirm its certification of the course proposal.
2. Withdraw its certification of the course proposal.
3. Make no recommendation.

C. The GEC then will undertake one of the following actions at the next Academic Senate meeting:

1. Move to certify the course proposal.
2. Present the course proposal without a recommendation.  The Senate may then take appropriate action.

From page 2 of the General Education Model, the language reads in the second paragraph under Essential Skills: Writing

Additionally, students must take two courses with a writing intensive component.  One writing intensive course may be taken at the upper division level, preferably in the major or minor, which lies outside of the list of courses meeting other GER requirements.  The General Education Committee will, however, review and approve the designation of such a course as writing intensive.  Because writing intensive components will occur in courses already meeting other GER goals, or on the upper division level (and meeting other requirements), the student will not have to take an additional general education course.  Any faculty member may propose a writing intensive course.  Writing coordinators, however, will offer training courses.  To be certified as a writing intensive course for GER purposes, a course must be at the 700 or 800 level.

The change of language will read:

Additionally, students must take two courses with a writing intensive component.  Any upper division course, except for a capstone, may qualify as writing intensive, whether it is a GER course or not, as long as it has been certified as writing intensive.  Any lower division course with a prerequisite of English 1551 may also be certified as writing intensive, provided it meets the criteria for a writing intensive course.  Students must take at least one writing intensive course at the upper division level.  Any faculty member may propose a writing intensive course, and writing coordinators will offer training courses.

Under Speaking on page two, the language presently reads:

To become effective speakers, students will take an introductory course.  In addition, students must take at least two oral communication intensive courses which are not regular speech courses; rather they include a speaking assignment.  [Any GER course meeting designated requirements may include an oral communication intensive component, but it is also possible for faculty to include such a component in upper division courses for the major or minor.  The General Education Committee will review and approve the designation of any GER course or upper division course in the major or minor as oral communication intensive.  Students are permitted to take one of the two courses required as oral communication intensive as an upper division course in the major or minor.]

The language to replace the wording contained within the brackets will read:

Any course, except for a capstone, may qualify as oral communication intensive, whether it is a GER course or not, as long as it has been certified as oral communication intensive.

The language in the first paragraph, second line, under Critical Thinking presently reads:

Any course may qualify as critical thinking intensive, whether it is a GER course or not, as long as it has been certified as critical thinking intensive.

The new language will read

Any course, except for a capstone, may qualify as critical thinking intensive, whether it is a GER course or not, as long as it has been certified as critical thinking intensive.