Minutes 12-3-2003
Degrees and Certificates Committee
Minutes
December 3, 2003
Sylvania Campus, 3:30-5:00 pm
CT 209 Conference Room
Present: Susanne Christopher, Patty Barnett, Pat Lewis, Linda Gettman, Dave Stout, Tony Zable, Guy Sievert
Guests: none
1. November Minutes: no action taken.
2. General Education Requirements
Sievert reported on statewide commission’s work dealing with general education requirements.
He thinks we should make clear guidelines for our PTE faculty to follow, should they want to try to embed gen ed into their “regular” courses. The commission has stepped up the scrutiny it brings to bear on embedded gen ed or related instruction, and they are recommending a process similar to the one Guy is recommending.
Patty reported on the desire to create a class in Criminal Justice called “Cultural Diversity in Law Enforcement” and “Communication Issues in CJ.” The Speech SAC objected to CJ faculty teaching what they considered to be a Speech course, while the Sociology faculty wanted CJ faculty to prove that their course was NOT a sociology course.
We differentiate between degrees and certificates. Core learning outcomes are for degree holders, not certificate holders. The gen ed requirements and core outcomes can definitely be demanded from degree seekers. But certificates are more narrowly focused. One question is the degree to which general education requirements should be a part of certificate programs, unless they are specifically required for the specific profession they wish to enter.
Instructor qualifications: Accreditation standards say that a “qualified instructor” must teach these embedded standards. In their further documentation they define qualified instructor as anyone whom we designate as competent. The State of Oregon’s instructor qualification guidelines are more stringent than those of our accreditation body.
Guy foresees an instructor approval process that not only addresses their subject area competence, but also their background and preparation to teach embedded general education elements.
Kendra wants our guidance on distribution of gen ed credits.
Kendra Cawley is working on this issue now, and we will be able to respond to her work when she is ready for our feedback.
3. Machine Manufacturing Technology
Mike Flaman met with the committee and explained changes in the Machine Manufacturing Technology certificate and degree. Number of credits stay the same, there is a shift of some credits from required to technical electives. Committee approved recommending these changes.
Discussion returned to general education. Kendra Cawley asked us to discuss how to divide the three areas represented in related instruction. We agreed that for initial discussion, 1/5 of related instruction time needed to come from communication; 1/5 of related instruction time needed to come from computation; 1/5 of related instruction time needed to come from human relations; and, 2/5 of related instruction time was at the discretion of the SAC. Susanne will send this information on to Kendra.
Meeting adjourned at 5pm.
Submitted by Dave Stout, 12/3/03