The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
EDUCATIONAL POLICY COMMITTEE
Minutes
April 17, 2008
Attending: S. Birrell, M. Gilbert, K. Hall (committee staff), R. Honey, R. Ketterer, J. Kimberley, Philip Kutzko, J. Menninger, M. Niño-Murcia
Excused Absence: D. Redlawsk, A. Segre
Guests: Professor Robert Ketterer, Interim DEO, French and Italian; Professor Geoffrey Hope, French and Italian;
Professor Tom Rice, DEO, Political Science
- J. Menninger chaired the meeting for H. Dettmer who could not attend.
- The minutes from April 10 were approved as written.
- The proposal for a new track within the undergraduate French major combining French and Arabic study was presented by Professor Robert Ketterer, Interim DEO, French and Italian; and Professor Geoffrey Hope, French and Italian. R. Ketterer reminded EPC of the close ties of France to North Africa and Arabic and of the department’s interest in world Francophone studies, especially at the graduate level. Undergraduate students have also shown an interest in combining the study of French and Arabic, and the new track is proposed in response to that undergraduate interest. EPC discussed the level of coursework; the relation of the track to the other French tracks; the importance of encouraging public schools to teach Arabic; and the elimination of any obstacles for students wishing to further study Arabic in the Study Abroad Program. EPC unanimously approved the track.
- Professor Tom Rice, DEO, Political Science, discussed his department’s ideas and concerns on the conversion of the PEOPLE certificate to a major. EPC decided to discuss the proposal further before making a recommendation.
Respectfully submitted,
EPC Secretary
Robert Ketterer