Minutes of the General Education Committee
for April 28, 2003

The April 28 meeting of the General Education Committee was called to order by Chair E. Zepp at 12:06 P.M. Also attending were members L. Allen, L. Gellott, P. Goldsmith, G. Greenfield, S. Hawk, L. Johnson, F. Kavenik, F. Khan, M. Mullen, and L. White. Also attending was guest P. James. S. Norton sent a written contribution to the meeting.

1) The miniutes of the meeting of March 31, 2003 were approved as appended (noting F. Khan's reservations about scrapping the University Seminar without having a replacement).

2) Guest P. James spoke to the committee about the administrative decision to delete the position of the "Director" of General Education and to assign some of these duties to the new Associate Vice Chancellor position, as "co-ordinator." The University Committee will most likely ask the General Education Committee to redefine the functions of the Committee Chair and the "co-ordinator," and their working relation/roles. S. Hawk asked for a definition of "Chair," vs. "Director," vs. "Co-ordinator." E. Zepp noted that we were being asked to react, vs. having participated in this decision, or even having been informed previously of it. F.
Kavenik noted that the "Directorship" had a number of functions, including acting as liaison with the Administration. Such functions could be lost, unless built into the definition of the Committee's Chair--which would require more of a Committee Chair than is usually the case. Given the radical changes in the Gen. Ed. program which the Committee is facing, committee members expressed concern the the Directorship was chosen to be eliminated, an indication that the Administration felt it was no longer needed. M. Mullen also noted the number of task forces, many of which are dealing with General Education issues, but which do not/have not reported to this committee. G. Greenfield suggested that the Committee consider inviting designees from other committees: i.e. Teaching and Learning, CAP, Committee on Advising, for the purpose of General Education reform.
P. James left the meeting at this point.

3) Members of the Committee continued to discuss the nature of the Chair next year. F. Kavenik suggested the committee consider having Co-Chairs. The Committee recognized the need for previous position descriptions for the "Director" of General Education, and the Chair agreed to try to obtain these from the office of the Secretary of the Faculty.

4) In accordance with the Faculty Governance policy called to the attention of the Committee by the Secretary of the Faculty, the Committee reviewed the decision of the Ethnic Studies Steering Committee to remove the ethnic diversity flag (DV) from the "Body in Question" course in the Biology Department (BIOS/ETHN 108). The motion to APPROVE the ESSC action was made by F. Kavenik, seconded by L. Gellott and was approved by voice vote (no nays being heard).

5) Concerns expressed from the Registrar's office, advising, and the library over the way to deal with the INFORMATION LITERACY REQUIREMENT, give the deletion of the University Seminar requirement. F. Kavenik moved (seconded L. Gellott) that the General Education Committee endorse the suggested solution (consultations having taken place with the appropriate departments, offices, etc.): Instructors in English 95, 100, and 101 will take one class period to bring the students to the Library and stay with them for the Information Literacy presentations. The motion was APPROVED by voice vote (no nays being heard).

6) Using the Summary document on the resolution to eliminate the University Seminar as a guide, volunteers were obtained to pursue the various ideas presented within the document:

a) working on the General Education performance outcomes for the four identified goals of General Education, begun by the Chair: Sue Norton, Pat Goldsmith, and Laura Gellott
b) discussing an expanded Freshman Orientation with the appropriate offices: Lisa Johnson, Steven Hawk, and Jerry Greenfield (on the question of an Honor Code, Jerry noted that the Committee on Teaching and Learning had considered previous (but was not doing so now), a general code of conduct to be placed in all syllabi.)
c) possibly appending a 1 cr. seminar to the (14?) courses that most Freshmen take: Fran Kavenik and Farida Khan
d) working on more specific co-operation between departments and "General Education" in incorporating, realizing, and assessing the Gen. Ed. goals: Megan Mullen, Lori Allen, and Farida Khan