Faculty Senate

Curriculum Council

February 29, 2008
Minutes

• Jonathan Katz, Nicole von Germeten, and Ben Mutschler from the History discussed the History Department proposal to increase all history (HST) courses above the 100-level from 3 to 4 credits. The CC does not yet have a written proposal but will get one following BCC action. The BCC meets to discuss the History proposal on March 4, 2008.
• The History department is pursuing the change from 3-4 credits to better serve students. The extra hour would: 1) better reflect the workload (particularly reading and writing) required of students in history classes, 2) provide an extra contact hour per week to enable instructors to adequately cover course material, and 3) allow instructors to increase the writing component of each course and more effectively emphasize writing instruction in class.
• Discussion focused on the implications of the increase in credit hour for baccalaureate core courses. Will students have an adequate selection of 3- or 4-credit courses in each area of the core to take whichever type of course is preferred?
• 4-credit history courses are more the norm at other universities.
• A concern was raised by a CC member that there will not be adequate 3-credit DPD choices if the History proposal is approved. The History Department representatives suggested that analysis of DPD offerings across the core would reveal no shortage of 3-credit DPD offerings. The Council has some data on this issue but was unsure how to interpret that data. Since this is an empirical issue, we should find an advisor to crunch the numbers and explain them to us.
• The representatives from History understood from discussion with the BCC that it was constrained by the access (choice) issue as overriding in the context of the History proposal; consequently, History amended its original proposal to keep all 100-level, baccalaureate core History courses at 3-credits to address the access (choice) concern. HST 101, 102, and 103 will remain 3-credits and HST 104, 105, 106 will be proposed for the Western Culture category of the baccalaureate core to increase availability of 3-credit courses in that area.
• After the representatives for History left the meeting, members of the CC discussed the History proposal and general issues related to the current baccalaureate core program. The CC will meet next week to continue the discussion. Points raised by members present included:
  • OSU has made an effort over that last 10-15 years to make graduation under virtually all majors possible with a 180-credit hour program (from 192-credit hours or more) but has left the baccalaureate core at 48 hours with an additional 3-credit WIC requirement. So, de facto, the baccalaureate core has become a larger part of each student’s degree program, which has created a “credit hour crunch” for a number of colleges (Engineering and Business were mentioned in particular).
  • Because of the foregoing item, a reduction to total required baccalaureate credits may be timely.
  • The focus should not be on 3-credits versus 4-credits but on the academic content of the course and the extent to which the course coverage serves the goals of our baccalaureate core program for our students.
  • The History Department proposal should not have to take responsibility for this larger credit-hour problem. It has spent two-and-a-half years developing and advocating this change, and a number of committee members feel that its proposal should not be held hostage to a larger issue that is beyond its control. While the credit hour problem is a real one, it is also problematic to dictate a department’s curriculum decisions when those decisions are pedagogically sound.
  • Entrenched interests and economic considerations may be playing too large a role in the baccalaureate core vis a vis the academic goals. 
  • 4-credit baccalaureate core courses with an enhanced writing component emphasizing synthesizing ideas would be a more effective learning experience for our students.
  • Consideration should be given to double-counting baccalaureate core courses that are approved for more than one area of the core.
  • We should estimate the percentage of 4-credit baccalaureate core courses in each core area now and, if the History proposal is adopted, get an idea of the impact of that particular proposal.
  • Most departments cannot cover all they would like their students to learn in a 180-credit program and do not want baccalaureate core requirements to further restrict their programs.
  • Consider how baccalaureate core goals (e.g., communication skills, critical thinking skills, etc.) tie in with or reinforce degree program outcomes. Exposure to other disciplines is good, but is a challenge with professional accredited programs.
  • In professional programs there are (can be) serious conflict between the need for students to get more content-based curriculum and exposure to a baccalaureate core experience.  Some departments are trying to find ways to better use the core to meet some of their content needs, and that is not always successful.
  • Departments who free up credits in their degree programs to increase elective choices for their majors don’t want those choices made by de facto increases in the baccalaureate core.
  • Despite the last two items, departments may support some increase in the number of credits a student must take to really satisfy the baccalaureate core requirements if those extra credits were devoted to developing better writing (communication) skills in the context of the course, a la the History proposal.
• Invite Lynda Ciuffetti and members of the BCC to our March 7, 2008 meeting.