EDUCATIONAL POLICY COMMITTEE
Minutes
November 1, 2007

Attending: J. Cox, H. Dettmer (Chair), M. Gilbert, K. Hall (committee staff), R. Honey, R. Ketterer, J. Kimberley (student member),
J. Menninger, M. Niño-Murcia, M. Reagan, A. Segre

Excused Absence: S. Birrell

Guest: Raúl Curto, Executive Associate Dean of the College
           

1. The minutes from October 25 were approved as written.
2. The EPC discussed issuing guidelines for new majors in CLAS. EPC decided that it would be valuable to develop a template to help programs create a thoughtful and thorough proposal for a new major. The template will be limited to helping academic areas write a proposal in preparation for the EPC visit and the required Regents’ report.
3. Associate Dean Helena Dettmer proposed that EPC review and make recommendations concerning proposals for new tracks. Currently, EPC only recommends whether or not a track may be placed on the degree audit and transcript, thus reviewing proposals late in the process. The Faculty Assembly and the Regents do not now make recommendations concerning tracks, and this would not change. EPC discussed the issue, noting that tracks allow a swift change to the curriculum, but also present complicated issues in terms of specialization, overlap of areas, academic integrity, and assessment. The EPC consequently moved and unanimously approved that all new tracks, like majors, be reviewed by the Educational Policy Committee. To help departments prepare for the EPC review, a template for tracks will be written. Rough drafts of both templates will be drafted and brought back to EPC for further input.
4. EPC noted that it would like to return to three policy issues involving majors: the transfer GPA on the degree evaluation; the 50 credit-hour rule; and the use of grades as prerequisites.
5. Guest Raúl Curto, Executive Associate Dean of the College, spoke to EPC concerning two CLAS initiatives. The first involves a change in procedure, with DEOs being asked to submit a low-enrollment report each semester by the end of the early registration period. The report will be online and may be submitted electronically. This early reporting of under-enrolled courses will allow the Executive Associate Dean to work closely with departments to create alternative strategies to handle low enrollment.
   
   Dean Curto next discussed a new initiative by Vice Provost Tom Rocklin to have more courses offered on Fridays in order to affect the UI undergraduate culture. As the largest college, it is crucial that CLAS shows leadership on this issue. CLAS would like units to move appropriate lower-level undergraduate and well-attended courses taught by faculty to a Friday pattern beginning with the Fall 2008 schedule. The College is creating an incentive program to encourage departmental and program participation, with details soon to be announced.  
   
   EPC discussed the benefits of offering Friday courses and welcomed CLAS leadership on the issue. The committee also discussed the stresses involved with teaching on a Friday, which can include dealing with low enrollment and low attendance, making instruction difficult. Faculty who teach on Friday also give up valuable research time and the ability to attend conferences. Given these drawbacks of Friday schedules, EPC felt, overall, that the Friday initiative was needed and hoped that departments and programs would find useful ways to participate. The EPC student member noted the importance of faculty participating in this initiative since students especially respect the actions of faculty. If faculty set the tone by teaching on Fridays, it should help students to see Friday courses as valuable. EPC also suggested that the College be especially understanding if courses scheduled with a Friday pattern are under-enrolled, perhaps establishing a grace period. Dean Curto assured the committee that CLAS plans to work closely with departments willing to offer courses on a Friday. If a significant number of undergraduate seats are moved to a Friday schedule, issues of enrollment will level out, with students accepting the necessity and normalcy of Friday courses. It is important that some required and well-attended lower-level courses are scheduled on Fridays to encourage student participation.
6. Dean Curto briefly reviewed the status of the CLAS/DCE Partnership Program, and the continuing CLAS efforts to address the instructional needs of academic units serving first-year undergraduate and transfer students.

Respectfully submitted,
Mark Reagan
EPC Secretary