Tuesday, November 28, 2006
Attendance: Jane Evans (Chair), Karen Turner (Vice-Chair), Paul LaFollette (CST), Robert Aiken (CST), Bonnie Averbach (FSBM), Zdenka Delalic (Eng), Judith Goode (CLA), Sally Harrison (Tyler), Pauline Hurley-Kurtz (Ambler), Luke Kahlich (BCMD), Diane Maleson (Law), Lois Millner (SSA), Ira Shapiro (STHM), Joan Shapiro (Educ), Roy Stevens (Dental), Karen Schaefer (CHP), Maxine Chisholm (Coord)
1. Call to Order:
The meeting was called to order at 1:10 PM.
2. Approval of Minutes:
The minutes from November 21 were approved as corrected.
3. Guest Peter Jones:
Jones began with a statement of what changes are happening. The honors program is being expanded from a two year to a four year program by adding upper level honors courses. This will permit transfer students to take part in honors activities. He also wants to increase the size of incoming honors classes in the first year. The upper division honors program will require a 3.6 GPA and 6 honors courses of which two are specified:
a) research or creative activity and
b) a thesis.
Our Rome and Japan campuses have expressed an interest in participating in our honors program as well. Aiken asked whether the research and thesis courses would have a specified number of credit hours.Answer: They would typically be 3 credit courses but we can be flexible. Aiken described problems that the CIS department had experienced in getting a proposed honors course approved. This prompted a discussion of honors faculty and why the current oversight committee had not yet provided a mechanism for identifying honors faculty. Related to honors, Jones said that he also wants to do more to encourage undergraduate research. A part of this will be done by increasing the Summer Academy Programs. Currently there are plans for three, Pre-health, Robotic Engineering, and Sustainability. In addition the Temple Undergraduate Research Forum is being expanded. It currently encompasses seven colleges and the goal is for it to become University wide. Jones then addressed the issue of GenEd. He indicated that he had inherited "The Document" and a faculty who felt that this document had been imposed upon them. Nonetheless, he feels that there are some good ideas in "The Document." Some accommodations have now been made. The issue of waivers is becoming clarified, and as a result the total number of GenEd hours for many students will be decreased below 36. Money will at some point be made available for the creation of course portfolios and for peer evaluation of courses. The portfolios will allow a course to be understood and properly taught by those who were not involved in its initial development. A long, long discussion followed about the issue of free electives. There was little agreement between the FSSC's position and that of Jones, and the discussion came to no real resolution.
4. President’s Report:
With respect to the President's Institution, Evans asked whether the planning committee should be invited to the delegate's luncheon. The FSSC agreed that they should. We will invite Lewis Gordon to meet with us next semester.It was proposed that we also invite the men’s basketball coach. Aiken suggested we add the football coach as well. Turner proposed adding the women's basketball coach and the Athletic director. All of those suggestions were approved.
5. Vice-President’s Report:
We agreed to appoint Toby Eisenstein to the Research and Creative Awards committee if the provost has not already done so. Silage, Delalic and Arno were approved for RPPC.
6. Old Business:
Evans asked that we look at the proposed motions for membership in the Faculty Senate and get back to her with suggestions.
7. New Business:
There was no new business.
8. Adjournment:
At 3:10 PM the room was required for another meeting and we adjourned.
Respectfully submitted,
Paul LaFollette, Jr.
Secretary
