Liberal Learning Advisory Council Minutes Fall 1996

Minutes Arranged by Date

December 4, 1996

Present: R. Anderson (Secretary), J. Carney, D. Compte, K. Finkral, E. Friedman, A. Gormly, R. Kamber (Chair), S. Klug, E. Matthes, H. Murray, M. O’Connell, L. Rice, P. Tramdack

The minutes of November 20th were approved as submitted.
HONR 328, Systems of the Brain was approved for social science content by a vote of 8 in favor, 3 opposed, and 1 abstention. It was noted that goals 7 – e, f, g, and h were particularly useful for council members’ understanding of the course.The request for natural science approval was turned down without vote because the course does not have a lab and carries only three semester hours credit.
The meeting was adjourned at 4:50 without considering additional business. The next meeting was set for December 18th from 12:30 to 3:00. Real business will be conducted followed by a circumspect celebratory experience and modest refreshments.

Courses Approved

HONR 328 (Social Science Content)

November 20, 1996

Present: R. Anderson (Secretary), J. Carney, D. Compte, R. Kamber (Chair), S. Klug, R. Margraff, H. Mayo, R. McCormack, H. Murray, M. O’Connell, L. Rice

The Minutes of November 6th were approved as submitted.
POLS 200, Political Analysis was approved for social science process by a vote of 8 in favor, 0 opposed, and 0 abstentions. Approval was unconditional.
PHIL 230, Philosophical Issues in Science was approved for philosophy or religion with the understanding that a second paper be incorporated into the course assignments. The syllabus provided indicates a single “argumentative paper (1250-1500 words).” Given the scope of the course and the outcomes listed under goal 1, members of the council think a second assignment of similar magnitude would be appropriate. The vote was 11 in favor, 0 opposed, with 0 abstentions.
Further discussion of the process of general education took up the remainder of the meeting. An initial focus group on diversity distribution requirements will be established toward the beginning of the Spring semester (1997). Details are yet to be worked out. Bob Anderson agreed to request a teaching syllabus for each Perspectives on the World course offered each semester.
Adjournment was at the uncommonly early time of 2:15 pm. Having agreed not to hold a meeting on November 27th, the next meeting was set for December 4th at 4:00 to 4:50 in a location to be determined (most likely Holman 315 or 316).

Courses Approved

POLS 200 (Social Science Process)
PHIL 230 (Philosophy or Religion)

November 6, 1996

Present: R. Anderson (Secretary, Chair pro tempore), J. Carney, D. Compte, K. Finkral, E. Frede, A. Gormly, S. Klug, E. Matthes, H. Murray, M. O’Connell, L. Rice

The minutes of October 23rd were approved as submitted.
HONR 326, Frames of Thought was approved for social science process by a vote of 9 in favor, 0 opposed, and 1 abstention. There were no conditions or further recommendations.
By a vote of 7 to 2 with no abstentions and one no vote, HONR 328, Systems of the Brain was returned to the Honors Program with the following questions and comments:

Although the course seeks social science content, only one such goal is checked, 7-c, and the explanation for the goal is lumped together with the rationales for goals 7-e and f (which are process goals). Why is there not a more explicit explanation of how the course fulfills social science content requirements?
More fundamentally, members of the council question the fit of HONR 328 into the area of social science as defined for Perspectives on the World. Would students taking this course for social science content have sufficient understanding of a field within that area? Is the course really a natural science course?
There was unanimous agreement that the course was worthy, challenging, and appropriate for students at TCNJ. The only questions concerned its suitability for Perspectives on the World. All courses in the college are not expected to meet those requirements.

Adjournment was at 4:59. The next meeting was set for November 20th, 12:30 to 3:00 in a location yet to be determined. Bring your divining rod, Ouija board, or Bermuda Triangle charts.

Course Approved

HONR 326 (Social Science Process)

Course Returned

HONR 328

October 23, 1996

Present: R. Anderson (Secretary, discussion leader), D. Compte, K. Conway-Turner (guest) K. Finkral, E. Frede, E. Friedman, A. Gormly, R. Kamber (Chair), S. Klug, E. Matthes, H. Murray, M. O’Connell, L. Rice, P. Tramdeck

The minutes of October 16th were approved as submitted.
HONR 420, Postmodernism: Explorations of the World as Text was approved as literature by a vote of 13 in favor, 0 opposed, and 0 abstaining, and for Western diversity distribution by a vote of 11 in favor, 1 opposed, and 1 abstention. Although approval is without condition, council members made the following suggestions: Reading and writing assignments should be made more specific, particularly the Perspectives on the World requirement that such courses should have a minimum of five pages of graded, out of class written assignments. It was also suggested that careful attention should be given to women writers, and/or that such attention should be made more clear.
By a vote of 12 in favor, 0 opposed, and 1 abstention HONR 220, Honors The African Diaspora was returned to the Department of African American Studies to be reworked along the lines of the new AFAM 201 proposal.
Assessment discussion: The remainder of the meeting was taken up by a consideration of the means whereby we assess the general education program. The original proposal, as approved by the Board of Trustees, called for an ongoing assessment program. Pen and pencil tests, portfolio assessment, departmental assessments, focus groups, and alumni surveys are among the means suggested. Rick Kamber remarked that GEAC members have so far been committed to the task of approving courses for Perspectives on the World (POW), and have been fully occupied doing so. Bob Anderson remarked that we had set the fourth year of implementation, AY 1996-97, as a year to concentrate on assessment. He also reviewed assessment measures so far in place or attempted. These include the recently conducted ETS Academic Profile examination given to 100 randomly selected first year students, the on-going portfolio review program involving 35 to 50 students from each of the four classes beginning at the college since Fall 1993, the attempt during Summer 1995 to engage departments in assaying the success of POW courses at meeting general education goals, and our current plans to begin focus group reviews of diversity distribution efforts. Bob Anderson also agreed to begin a review of approved POW courses against the general education outcomes to determine the extent to which we attempt to meet them. Rick Kamber also reminded members that the Departmental Review process also involves an assessment component of certain general education outcomes. Members of the council agreed to meet as a working committee of the whole to continue developing and implementing general education assessment plans.
Adjournment was at 3:30 sharp. The next meeting is scheduled for November 6th from 4:00 to 4:50 in Holman 315 (note change). Bring your map and flashlight.

Course Approved

HONR 420 (Literature, Western)

Course Returned

HONR 220

October 16, 1996

Present: R. Anderson (Secretary, discussion leader), J. Carney, D. Compte, E. Frede, R. Margraff, R. Kamber (Chair), S. Klug, E. Matthes, R. McCormack, H. Murray, M. O’Connell, L. Rice

The minutes of October 2nd were approved as submitted.
Debbie Compte agreed to replace Allan Gotthelf on the Western definition, promulgation, and assessment committee (sub-council?).
Bob Anderson reported that Gloria Dickinson has agreed to narrow the foci of AFAM 201 and AFAM 202 and to resubmit them to GEAC at the earliest possible date.
Members of the council discussed HONR 326, Frames of Thought, proposed for social science process, and decided to send it to Roger Chaffin of the Psychology Department for an opinion. In like manner HONR 328, Systems of the Brain, proposed for social science content, was sent to Betsy Ruddy, also of psychology, for her opinion.
SOCL 330, Population Dynamics was approved for social science process. The vote was unanimous and unconditional. There were 11 yes votes, 0 no votes, and 0 abstentions. Steve Klug did comment that there could be some confusion caused by the title, which to biologists might suggest plant or animal population studies. Bob Anderson agreed to relay that to the department.
The regular meeting was adjourned at the uncommonly early hour of 2:10. Several confused members lingered, being unprepared for spontaneous activity. The next meeting was set for October 23rd at 2:00 to 3:30 in the usual place.

Courses Approved

SOCL 330 Population Dynamics (social science, process)

Courses Tabled

HONR 326
HONR 328

The following are unofficial minutes of the Western Committee:

The committee on Western definition (joined by Rick Kamber but minus Keith Finkral who was ill) met after the regular meeting. The following issues were discussed:

Do we want to continue with the relatively strict construction of Western, i.e., the “self-consciously Western” doctrine, or should we make it more parallel with the other two diversity definitions?
Can we begin to list some actual attributes of “Westernness”? The idea that philosophical thoughts and insights can and ought to be formulated in words (rather than remain in ineffable states) was put forth as one. Another was the idea of the existence of a creating, caring divinity offering the hope of salvation to persons with eternal souls (as opposed, say, to individuals trying to escape from an eternal wheel of rebirths).
How do we discover how students having completed the Western requirement understand what it means to be Western? Shall we ask that of all course proposers? Should we also ask if students leaving such courses are able to define some aspects of Western civilization? It was agreed that we must begin with an assessment effort.

The committee adjourned at 3:00. No time was set for the next meeting.

October 2, 1996

Present: R. Anderson (Secretary, discussion leader), K. Finkral, E. Frede, E. Friedman, S. Klug, E. Matthes, H. Mayo, M. O’Connell, L. Rice

The outcome of the election for two members from the School of Arts & Sciences, Arts and Humanities was announced as follows: Deborah Compte 77, Allan Gotthelf 36, Jo Carney 58, Paolo Blelloch 33. Profs. Compte and Carney were elected to three year terms ending June 30, 1999.
The minutes of September 25th were accepted as corrected and amended.
ECON 325, Women, Gender, and Work was unconditionally approved for social science content and gender diversity distribution.
Action on AFAM 201, African Diaspora Religion and Culture was tabled by a vote of 9 to 2 with no abstentions. Discussion prior to tabling revolved around the following points:
- The course still covers more ground than is ordinarily expected of a Perspectives on the World course. Is it reasonable to expect a single course to cover a full range of African cultures over a broad sweep of time, including those on the continent of Africa and in the various places where Africans have been dispersed?
- The course as proposed does not clearly belong in any of the Perspectives on the World categories. There is very little philosophy. Perhaps 40% of the course deals with religion, although not in a clear disciplinary manner. There are aspects of history and anthropology in the course as well, and some literary analysis–but those disciplines do not seem to be the driving force of the course.
- The course does not appear to meet the minimal Perspectives on the World requirement of a five page graded, out-of-class written assignment.
- Efforts should be made to discuss these matters with Dr. Gloria Dickinson prior to reconsidering the proposal.
Adjournment occurred at 4:55 pm amidst cries of “We want to meet longer.” The next meeting was set for October 16, 12:30 to 3:00 in Holman 311.

Courses Approved

ECON 325 (Social Science Content, Gender)

Courses Tabled

AFAM 201