MINUTES
(approved
A meeting of the
1. Announcement
Dr.
DeWine reminded faculty of the events planned for Homecoming, including a
reception on Friday for alumni/ae, and retired and current faculty.
2. Curriculum Committee: 21st Century
Curriculum
On
a motion being made and seconded Motion I and the Amending Motion “tabled” at
the October 14 meeting were brought before the faculty.
Dr.
Sibicky then moved a further amending motion, namely,
That section V of the “21st
Century Curriculum Proposal” document under the Diversity heading be amended as
follows. The changes are indicated:
deletion with over-strike, and additional language in italics.
Diversity – (up to 3 credit
hours) (Core value 9)
The term diversity refers to
“otherness”, or the variety of human qualities and experiences that are
different from our own and outside the groups to which we belong, yet are
present in other individuals and groups.
Dimensions of diversity include but are not limited to race, ethnicity,
gender, physical or mental ability, religion, socio-economic status and sexual
orientation. The goal of diversity
courses is to teach students to examine their own attitudes and beliefs about
others, to foster tolerance toward a variety of human experiences, and to learn
effective ways to function with others in a diverse world.
Through
the process of critical analysis and open class discussion, these courses are
intended to help students live and work in a diverse environment that often
requires interdependence and cooperation among diverse groups of people.
Specific Criteria for
Diversity courses:
1. Promote open discourse
on issues of diversity.
2. Utilize a
discipline-based approach toward understanding the underlying causes of
genocide, racism, sexism, hatred or other forms of discrimination and
prejudice.
3. Examine ways to increase
tolerance and reduce conflict between diverse groups of people.
Must address all of the following:
1. Explore the diverse backgrounds and characteristics found among
humans through the examination of at least one of the following issues: age,
disability, ethnicity, gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, and social
class.
2. Provide background knowledge and analytical skills from at
least one disciplinary approach to enable students to understand differences
between groups of people.
After
some discussion on appropriate parliamentary procedure, the Chair ruled that
the meeting would be conducted as a “committee of the whole” in order to
facilitate the discussion of the inter-related amending motions. This action was endorsed by a voice vote.
Two
stylistic friendly amendments were accepted in the description of Diversity
courses, namely “among diverse groups” rather than “between diverse groups” and
in the first criterion for Diversity courses, “and” should be “or” immediately
after “sexual orientation,”.
The
Chair returned the meeting to formal session and on being put to a vote Dr.
Steinhagen’s motion to amend the Global and Diversity Requirement failed by a
substantial majority.
On
a vote for the Curriculum Committee’s motion to amend the language in the
Diversity Requirement the motion passed with one vote against.
Dr.
Cress moved a motion to amend, namely
That section V the “21st
Century Curriculum Proposal” document under the Global Issues and Diversity
heading be amended as follows. The
changes are indicated: deletion with over-strike, and additional language in
italics.
Global Issues and Diversity (6 credit
hours in Global Issues or 3 credit hours in Global and 3 credit hours in
Diversity) (Core Value 9)
Specific criteria required for Global
Issues courses:
Courses that focus on a contemporary culture, social
structures, religion, historical traditions and customs, language, politics or
economics and how these factors contribute to world issues.
1.
Focus on at least one culture outside of the United States through the study of
at least one of the following: social structures, religion, historical
traditions and customs, language, politics, or economics; and
2.Explore how the selected
factor or factors contribute to an
understanding of contemporary world
issues.
The
motion was seconded and discussion ensued on amending the specific criteria for
Global courses. Comments and questions
included the meaning of “world issues,” does the reference to “culture” imply
that the course would be linked to a specific region? In response to a question as to which modern
language courses would be expected to satisfy the criteria, Dr. Sibicky replied
that some would and some would not and the chair of the department indicated
that probably most would not.
On
being put a vote, the motion amending the language in the Global Issues requirement
passed with three votes against.
Dr.
K. McDaniel moved to amend the language under Historical Perspectives. The motion was seconded.
That the language in the “21st
Century Curriculum Proposal” document, Section V, Cognate Area Descriptions and
Criteria, under Historical Perspectives be amended as follows. The changes are indicated: deletions with
over-strike and the additional language in italics.
Historical Perspectives (3
credit hours) (Core Values 1 & 9)
The purpose of the
historical perspectives requirement is to examine the similarities and
differences between the contemporary world and worlds of the past. This requirement introduces students to the
political, cultural or intellectual contexts of the past previous eras. The intent is to examine the
interconnectedness and continuity of the human experience, as well as introduce
the process of historical interpretation.
Specific Criteria Required
for Historical Perspectives Courses:
1. Examine historical
texts or other evidence illustrative of past experience.
2. Explore a region,
topic, issue, era, or movement over time.
3. Introduce students to
the process of historical inquiry and analysis.
Historical Perspectives courses are those whose primary focus is
on each of the following.
1. Studying the causes and consequences of events and ideas in the
past.
2. Developing theses explaining processes of historical change and
continuity.
3. Using both primary and secondary sources to analyze events,
people, movements, and ideas over time.
4. Providing an appreciation for the uniqueness of historical
contexts and for the social construction of reality.
Discussion
ensued. Dr. Sibicky reported that the
Curriculum Committee considered the suggested language too restrictive. Concern was expressed over the handling of
situations where historical texts would be used to study a genre of literature
or where the content was other than history.
In response to a question about use of primary texts in survey courses
it was pointed out that many survey texts now include substantial and
appropriate extracts from primary texts. One faculty member opined that the
amendment did not argue for achieving a historical perspective and so he was
unclear what the goal of the requirement was.
In response to a question for an explanation of the phrase “social
construction of reality” the proposer said that the phrase indicated that the
study of history helps us understand how society at any moment in time saw
itself.
The
call for the question received in excess of the required two-thirds
majority. The amending motion was put to
the vote and passed with eight votes against.
There
was a call for the question on the main motion, Motion I, as amended. The call received more than the required two
thirds majority and by a ballot vote, the amended Motion I received Yes 50, No
8, 2 Abstentions.
3. Next Meeting
The
Chair announced that there would be a faculty meeting on Monday October 28 to
continue discussion on the General Education proposal.
4. Adjournment
The
meeting adjourned at
Fraser
G. MacHaffie
Secretary
to the Faculty
Note: A copy of the approved Motion I was attached
to the notice for the October 28 meeting.