Minutes of the University Academic Council

Minutes of the University Academic Council February 12, 2007

A meeting of the University Academic Council was held in Y-Hall at 3:00 on February 12, 2007. Members present included David Bailey, Pat Beatty, Wayne Bedford, David Bowen, Alan Brown, Richard Buckner, Marsha Cannon, Linda Carr, Donnie Cobb, Michael Cooke, Clarence Egbert, R. T. Floyd, Martha Hocutt, Nancy Kudlawiec, Judy Massey, Gene May, John McCall, Carey Moore, Christy Padgett, Stephen Slimp, Neil Snider, Louis Smith, Gary Stone, David Taylor, and Nancy Taylor.

The first college to submit curriculum changes was the College of Business. Dr. Wayne Bedford said that the changes in course description reflect current terminology being used in accounting. To strengthen the accounting major, in every case where there is a pre-requisite course, students must earn a C before advancing to upper-level courses. Dr. Gary Stone will retire in August, so technology will be integrated into the college of Business. Mr. Shelton will move into management and business administration. TY 454 and TY 455 will be deleted. Some courses will be combined. For example, MG 455 is a combination of two technology courses. The prerequisite for MG 351 will be changed to MG 300. All of the prerequisites for MG 455 will be replaced by MG 300.Dr. Bedford said that in the CIS. section, instead of having free electives, students will choose one of three options. A prerequisite of a grade of C or higher will be added to CS 320 and CS 330. Dr. Bedford said that “E-Commerce” will be changed to “Ubiquitous Commerce” to reflect the expanded content of the course. Dr. David Taylor asked Dr. Bedford which option will probably be the most popular with students. Dr. Bedford predicted that most students will probably want to take Application Development. Dr. Taylor was also concerned that students earning a D or F in CS 300 will be “in limbo” for a year. Dr. Linda Carr said that students who earn a D in CS 300 will probably earn an F in CS 301. Dr. Gary Stone said that it is good that one instructor is not teaching all three options.

Speaking for Technology, Donnie Cobb said that under the new system, students will earn a business degree with a technology major. There will be a two-year and a four- year degree. TY 247 will be eliminated. TY 280 will be a combination of TY 233 and CS 380. Mr. Cobb also said that a business professional component will be a requirement of Industrial Technology courses. Students will take only thirty hours of Industrial Technology courses, as opposed to fifty hours in the past. However, students majoring in Technology will not be required to complete the Business Professional Component. The title of TY 381 will be changed to Network Administration. TY 333 will be the equivalent of CS 381. TY 433 will be the equivalent of CS 382. TY 380 will be the equivalent of CS 380. Judy Massey moved that the proposed curriculum changes be accepted. Dr. Pat Beatty seconded. The motion passed.

The next college to present its changes was the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics. Dr. John McCall said that the full-time geologist the college has hired wants to change the title of BY 392 to History of Life on Earth. Dr. McCall wants to change the title of BY 420/520 to Field Zoology because students were confused by the title Animal Taxonomy.

Dr. Judy Massey said that the Math-CIS changes were made to be in line with the CIS Changes. Dr. Bailey moved that the curriculum changes proposed by the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics be accepted. Dr. Gary Stone seconded. The motion passed.

Representing the College of Liberal Arts, Dr. Michael Cooke asked Dr. David Bowen to present the curriculum changes for the Department of History and Social Sciences. Dr. Bowen said that his department is adding PY 489 Psychology Seminar as part of the psychology major. Dr. Bowen said that this course will be a dual capstone course because regular psychology students and general education psychology students will be required to take PY 480. Dr. David Taylor suggested that Dr. Bowen make more of a distinction between PY 480 and PY 490. Dr. Bowen agreed to revise the course descriptions. Dr. Bowen said that he is requesting a lecturer in Psychology so that his experimental psychology instructors will have time to teach PY 480 and PY 490. Dr. Bowen predicted that SW 330 Social Welfare Policy will appeal to students from inside and outside UWA. Under the heading “Financial Implications,” Dr. Bowen added the following: “Salary for adjunct for the summer.” Dr. Bowen changed the name of SW 350 to Sociological Theory. He also changed Sociological Traditional Track to Sociology: Criminal Justice Track.” Dr. David Taylor said that it will be beneficial to UWA to have a Criminal Justice track because of the possibility that a women’s prison might be built in Epps in the near future. Dr. Taylor asked Dr. Bowen to change the prefixes of some of the required sociology courses in the Criminal Justice Track to CJ. Dr. Bowen said that in HY 307, he will be adding a grade point average of 2.5 or higher as a prerequisite. Dr. Taylor suggested that instead of listing a specific G.P.A. as prerequisite that Dr. Bowen add Permission of Instructor and Dean.” Dr. Bowen said that two new course, HY 403/503 World War I and HY 404/504 World War II, will be offered on-line in the summer. The instructor will be Dr. Jeff Gentsch. Dr. Bowen wants to add HY 413/513 Jacksonian America. Dr. Bowen does not want any prerequisites for HY 403/503 and HY 404/504. Dr. Bowen said that many of the changes he is proposing will have to pass through the Graduate Council. Dr. Gary Stone moved that the curriculum changes proposed by the College of Liberal Arts be accepted. Dr. David Bailey seconded. The motion passed.

The final college to propose curriculum changes was the College of Education. Dr. Martha Hocutt said that her college will be adding concurrent courses which must be taken prior to the Senior Block. She also moved Methods of Teaching Literature to the Senior Block. She will be adding EE 426 and ED 408 as a prerequisite to ED 423, ED 425, ED 428, and ED 426. Dr. Linda Carr moved that the changes proposed by the College of Education be accepted. Dr. Judy Massey seconded. The motion passed.

Just before the meeting adjourned, Mr. Clarence Egbert said that the Datatel prerequisite check will not be operating this Spring. He also asked that Deans who are proposing new courses that will be requiring a fee to let him know how much the fee will be. The meeting adjourned at 4:20.

Respectfully Submitted,

Alan Brown