Minutes of the Academic Policies Committee
for February 5, 2010

Approved February 19, 2010.

The meeting was called to order at 12:05.

Present:  Laura Gellott, Chair; Gail Gonzalez, Stuart Hansen, Susan Hawkins-Wilding, Rhonda Kimmel, James Kinchen, Ron Otto, Joy Wolf.

Excused: Dennis Rome, Carmel Ruffolo.

Absent: Erin McDermott (student rep.)

Business.

1.  Approval of draft minutes of January 22, 2010. Stuart Hansen objected that the draft omitted his concern that there is an ethical issue in re: allowing a student to get all the way to a capstone course, and then deny the student an opportunity or opportunities to retake the course is they fail it.   Also, the draft minutes should strengthen the call for data to support how big a problem the repeat failure of capstone courses is.  The minutes will be so amended.

2.  Advising Resolution.  With just the slight addition to the footnote, the resolution was approved and will be sent to University Committee and the Senate.

3.  Laura Gellott shared a letter from Theresa Castor, chair of the Academic Assessment Committee.  That committee has recommended to the administration the use of the 40 minute long MAAP test for the VSA testing program.  Members of APC expressed their appreciation for the work done by AAC on this issue.

4.  Rhonda Kimmel had brought up before the meeting the existence of a UWS policy:

Resolution 5088/adopted 11/11/88, amended by 5957 and 5958, 11/91, stating that “new freshmen who are admitted to . . . the University of Wisconsin System .. . [and who are required to complete remedial course must do so] prior to completion of 30 credits.”  This would include, of course, Math 015. 

Rhonda pointed out that “completion of 30 credits” could be construed to mean completion of degree credits, which does not include the 010, 090, 015 courses, thus giving students a little more leeway.  Nevertheless, we need to bring our catalog statement into line with UWS policy. c 

It was pointed out again that all this puts more emphasis on the need for good advising.

5.  Gail Gonzales asked that the committee considered recommending the addition of the MODL requirement to the graduation requirements that must be completed within 60 credits. 

Ron Otto reminded the committee of an earlier discussion about the need for a more rigorous sequenced curriculum for students.  Ron raised a concern about the hardships that such a structured curriculum might work on students who needed to start with a number of remedial courses. 

Discussion followed.  Gail spoke to the importance of taking the MODL courses early:

a.  students will forget a lot if they only had a year in high school and then take  the second “year,” i.e. the second semester course here at UW-P.

b.  the MODL courses reinforce the grammar being taught in ENGL 100/101.

c.  the MODL courses also work to develop study skills with students.

Susan Hawkins-Wilding pointed out that some departments, notably those in the Fine Arts, front-end load their curricula with discipline based courses the first two years.  This requirement would be an added problem for those departments.  At present it is difficult for those students to do the composition and math requirements in the first 60 credits.

Meeting adjourned at 1:00 p.m.

Next meeting:  Friday, February 19, 2010.

Submitted by:

Laura Gellott