Liberal Learning Advisory Council Minutes Fall 2003

Minutes Arranged by Date

December 10, 2003

Present: L. McCauley (Chair), S. Albertine, R. Anderson (Secretary), R. Edelbach, D. Fair, R. Fangboner, L. Gabriel-Stheeman, S. Mitchell, S. Ryan

The minutes from November 12th were approved as submitted.
The CAP and Deans Conference Committee on Liberal learning had recommended the following regarding Writing Proficiency [Item number 2]:
” The Conference Committee supports the statement from the Deans’ report that WRI 102 can count as one of the three writing intensive courses for those students required to take it through TCNJ placement mechanisms.
Effectively it would mean that students, presumably, weaker in writing skills, who must take WRI 102, would not be required to take both the sophomore/junior writing intensive course and the senior major writing intensive course; they would take WRI 102 and FSP 101 in their first year and then either the sophomore/junior course or the senior one. The stronger students, those exempted from WRI 102 due to their AP scores or their performance in the TCNJ writing assessment instrument, however, would take FSP 101, the sophomore/junior writing intensive course, and a senior level writing intensive course in their major.”
Issues included the anomaly of having the better writers take two upper division writing course with the less talented writers taking only one, the front loading of writing courses for weaker writers in contradistinction to our experiences in the Rhetoric program, and lingering questions about the practicability of having all major programs offering enough good quality writing courses.
The following resolution was approved by a vote of 8 in favor, 0 opposed, and 0 abstaining: Credit for WRI 102, Academic Writing is in addition to the three writing intensive courses-FSP 101, First Year Seminar, a sophomore or junior level writing intensive course in the major or in liberal learning, and a senior level writing intensive course in the major.
Several issues regarding FSP 101 were discussed, including how much documentation is needed for approval, if repeat semesters of the same course need re-approval, the time line for receiving proposals for Fall 2004, and how best to have GEAC members access the proposals. Without vote consensus emerged on requiring the cover document with title, description, list of readings, and breadth category by February 27th. We want to have as complete a list as possible by Spring Day on March 28th in order to give an effective presentation. Repeat seminars largely unchanged will not require further documentation.
Bob Anderson agreed to set up a SOCS account with threaded discussion capability in which would be placed all electronic cover sheets, syllabi, and the like regarding FSP 101 proposals (and additional electronic materials received pertinent to other aspects of the Liberal Learning program).
Members decided to defer discussion of the revised GEAC charge until a subsequent meeting while Larry McCauley and Bob Anderson continue to work on it together. However, the following distribution of 15 members was recommended, with the understanding that when members from a given school could not be recruited, the Faculty Senate would endeavor to find the best qualified persons, and that primacy should be given to faculty from professional schools:
- Art, Media, and Music: 1
- Business: 1
- Culture and Society: 3
- Education: 1
- Engineering: 1
- Nursing: 1
- Science: 2
- Undergraduate Students: 3
- Academic Dean: 1
- Director of Liberal Learning: 1
Bob Anderson agreed to contact chairs and deans to get lists of transformed courses and other relevant curricular items sent to him, preferably in electronic format, so as to begin the process of evaluation. Susan Albertine indicated that members of the community may well be waiting for direction from us. She also suggested that the matrix format, when completed appropriately, might prove to be the most helpful for us. Bob Anderson agreed to accelerate the process of getting our SOCS account up and running so as to add coherence to our own processes.
Bob Anderson brought forward a request from CAP that we look at Debbie Compte’s September 24, 2003 request for a Languages Across the Curriculum (LAC) rubric to support LAC initiatives at TCNJ. Rather than the one credit she is requesting to students taking an LAC independent study enhancing another appropriate course, GEAC was asked to consider whether it may more appropriately be credited as an “equivalent, sustained, experience.” No conclusive decision was reached, but Bob Anderson agreed to solicit Dr. Compte’s opinion on the matter.
Members agreed to add an additional, luncheon meeting on January 14, 2004 during which planning could be accomplished and business conducted. Bob Anderson agreed to manage logistics including the precise time, appropriate location, and invitation of relevant guests. Adjournment was at 2:15 pm.

November 12, 2003

Present: L. McCauley (Chair), R. Anderson (Secretary), D. Dalafave, R. Edelbach, D. Fair, R. Fangboner, L. Gabriel-Stheeman, A. Quinton, K. Peterson, S. Ryan

The minutes from October 22nd were approved as submitted.
Bob Anderson distributed a draft memorandum from the Steering Committee charging GEAC to develop a new charge and a membership distribution representative of the newer seven school structure. Larry McCauley and Bob Anderson agreed to work on it for discussion by next meeting.
Bob Anderson agreed to send a call for seminars for 2004/2005 to the faculty, and to stress the need for a first semester seminar opportunity for all entering first year students. Several members indicated that having all or most seminars in the first semester would have ripple effects throughout the curriculum.
The question of coherence in interdisciplinary concentration was considered without formal definition or resolution. Consensus on the need for coherent concentrations as well as an overall coherence in liberal learning was clear.
Adjournment was at 1:50. The final meeting of the semester was set for December 12th at whatever location was established following consultation with Conference and Meeting Services over the apparent room conflict between GEAC and InterVarsity Christian Fellowship.

October 22, 2003

Present: L. McCauley (Chair), S. Albertine, R. Anderson (Secretary), D. Dalafave, R. Edelbach, D. Fair, R. Fangboner, L. Gabriel-Stheeman J. Gray, C. Kuhn, S. Mitchell, A. Quinton, S. Ryan

Minutes from October 8th were approved as submitted.
During the first 30 minutes the various small groups met to discuss tasks at hand and means of working toward solutions thereof.
The remainder of the meeting was given over to reports by group members and a general discussion of problems and questions encountered by the respective groups. Issues brought forward included:
- Overlap between FSP 101 breadth categories and Options A, B, and C categories.
- The qualifications of faculty offering FSP 101 seminars. What happens if we use professional staff members without full qualifications in a particular academic discipline?
- The location and specificity of learning goals and outcomes. Where are they in the respective reports? How can they be made clearer to students and faculty members presenting courses and programs for approval?
- What are the composition and roles of advisory panels?
Adjournment was at 4:40. The next meeting was set for November 12th at 12:30.

October 8, 2003

Present: L. McCauley (Chair), S. Albertine, R. Anderson (Secretary), D. Dalafave, R. Edelbach, D. Fair, R. Fangboner, L. Gabriel-Stheeman J. Gray, C. Kuhn, S. Mitchell, A. Quinton, S. Ryan

The minutes of September 24th were approved as accepted.
The approval process for Liberal Learning components was tabled, awaiting reports small groups working on particular elements. Bob Anderson agreed to rewrite the document.
Four working groups were established as follows:
- First Year Seminar: Bob Anderson (Convener), Ralph Edelbach, Ray Fangboner
- Options A and B Proposals: Larry McCauley (Convener), Chris Kuhn, Susan Ryan
- Option C Courses and Programs: Susan Albertine (Convener), Danielle Dalafave, Ray Fangboner, Luis Gabariel-Stheeman, Susan Mitchel
- Diversity Courses or Programs and Equivalent Sustained Experiences: Al Quinton (Convener), Daryl Fair, Janet Gray, Chris Tuohy
Groups agreed to contact one another and meet if possible. In any event the first half hour of the next meeting would be devoted to group meetings.
Adjournment was at 1:55. The next meeting was set for October 22nd at 3:30 in Social Science 102.

September 24, 2003

Present: L. McCauley (Chair), S. Albertine, R. Anderson (Secretary), D. Dalafave, R. Edelbach, R. Fangboner, L. Gabriel-Stheeman, S. Mitchell, A. Quinton, S. Ryan

The minutes of September 10th were approved as submitted.
Bob Anderson reported on a meeting he had with academic leaders from the School of Education who shared concerns about the approval processes, the timeliness of creating Option A sequences, and ways of fulfilling community engaged learning.
Bob Anderson distributed copies of an “Interim Method for Approval of Perspectives on the World Courses” approved by GEAC and CAP in October 2002. Following a lengthy discussion he agreed to revise it as a model for approving courses under the Liberal Learning program and to submit it to GEAC members in time for the next meeting.
A tentative plan to divide the council into smaller, working ‘sub-councils’ was approved with the understanding that Larry McCauley and Bob Anderson would look at details and report back at the next meeting.
A discussion of FSP 101 brought up issues such as the number of sections a particular faculty member may teach, whether or not all sections should be offered during the Fall Semester, and what ‘mentoring’ actually means. GEAC recommended that faculty members be allowed to teach more than one seminar at a time, and that FSP 101 sections be distributed over both semesters. Susan Ryan, who currently teaches a seminar, offered the suggestion that faculty members should be advised that mentoring as understood in the seminar description is considerably different from academic advisement. Susan indicated that it is not an onerous task.
Adjournment was at 4:45. The next meeting was set for October 8th at 12:30 in Social Science 102.

September 10, 2004

Present: L. McCauley (Chair), S. Albertine, R. Anderson (Secretary), D. Dalafave, R. Fangboner, L. Gabriel-Stheeman J. Gray, C. Kuhn, S. Mitchell, A. Quinton, S. Ryan, C. Tuohy

New and continuing GEAC members introduced themselves.
Larry McCauley was elected council chair for academic year 2003-2004. The vote was by a unanimous 12 to 0 with no abstentions.
The minutes of April 23rd were approved as submitted. Those present at the April 23rd meeting approved without objection.
Meeting times for September 24th and October 22nd were corrected. They will be for one hour only, from 3:30 to 4:30.
A luncheon meeting for all FSP 101 faculty, fall and spring, and GEAC members on October 29th was suggested and agreed to. Bob Anderson will make all necessary arrangements.
A discussion of the role of GEAC during these transition times focused on the implementation of the transformed curriculum. Bob Anderson distributed a list of GEAC tasks including promoting and approving interdisciplinary concentrations, encouraging and promoting the First Year Seminar, establishing streamlined approval processes for courses and sustained experiences, ensuring smooth operation of the liberal learning program, and promoting liberal learning on campus and beyond.
A further discussion on the need to develop a variety of Interdisciplinary Concentrations ensued.
Bob Anderson agreed to send the URLs for each to the task forces to GEAC members.
The council adjourned at 2:52. The next meeting was set for September 24th at 3:30 to 4:30.