COMMITTEE: Academic Standards

MEETING DATE: October 21, 2002

PERSON PRESIDING: John Tilley

REGULAR MEMBERS IN ATTENDANCE: Joseph Gershtenson, M. S. Ravi, Catherine Rigsby, and John Tilley

EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS IN ATTENDANCE: Michael Bassman, Pat Dunn, Purificacion Martinez and Dorothy Muller.

1. The meeting was called to order by Tilley. M. S. Ravi agreed to act as Secretary for the meeting. The minutes of the meeting of Sept. 16 were approved without dissent.

2. The Chair reported that the committee's recommendations on SOIS forms for distance education courses was presented to the Faculty Senate in the October meeting, and they were approved by the Senate.

3. The Chair will present the Committee's recommendations on changes in the audit policy to the Faculty Senate in its November meeting.

4. Rigsby moved that Joe Gershtenson organize focus groups to solicit further input on general education requirements. Motion passed.

5. Michael Bassman moved that the Chair of the committee, in consultation with the student representative on the committee (Katie Sagle), should arrange to get student views on the general education requirements. Motion passed.

6. The Chair informed the committee that Michael Poteat has been invited to its November meeting to discuss general education assessment.

7. The subcommittee charged with gathering information on general education requirements in all our sister institutions in NC presented their data. There was a prolonged discussion of the general education definitions and goals set out by various institutions.

8. Rigsby suggested that we should start by defining general education in a short document that could be included in the undergraduate catalog, and which would provide a framework for further discussions on the particulars of general education requirements at ECU. In further discussion of this document it was agreed that the definitions should include the following points: critical thinking, effective written and oral presentation, intentional learners (training students to be lifelong learners), morals/values/ethics, cultural diversity, appreciation of fine arts, being able to distinguish fact from opinion, being responsible citizens, learning about scientific methodology and history of discovery, and gaining a global perspective.

9. Committee members are asked to submit their ideas on general education definitions to Catherine Rigsby by email at rigsbyc@mail.ecu.edu, preferably by Friday, 10/25. Rigsby will email a first draft incorporating committee members' suggestions by Nov. 11. The committee will continue email discussion of this draft until its November meeting. The committee will finalize the general education definitions in its November meeting for presentation to the Faculty Senate in its December meeting.

10. Rigsby moved that the focus groups to be organized by Joe Gershtenson (see 4 above) be scheduled after the committee decides on the definition of general education. Motion passed.

11. Meeting adjouned at 4:50 p.m.

Respectfully Submitted,

M. S. Ravi.