Educational Policies and Planning Committee

Meeting Minutes

February 11, 2011

I. Call to order: Scott Gordon, EPPC Chair, called the meeting to order at 1:05 p.m. on January 14, 2011 in Rawl Annex 142. The following persons were present:

Regular Members: Susan Bashinski, Scott Gordon, James Holloway, Janice Lewis, Ed Stellwag

Ex-Officio Members: Linner Griffin, George Kasperek, Brenda Killingsworth, David Seigel, Marianna Walker

Excused: Deedee Glascoff, John Kenney

Absent: Blaise Williams

Guests: Lori Lee

II. The minutes of the January 14, 2011 meeting were approved as submitted. Chair Gordon noted that the Unfinished Business agenda item would be delayed until after New Business. He also noted that the B.A. in Religious Studies was approved by Faculty Senate on an expedited basis; other items from last month’s EPPC meeting will be considered at the next Senate meeting.

III. New Business

a. Dr. Marianna Walker, Chair of the Faculty: Briefing on Chancellor Ballard’s charge to the EPPC concerning criteria for program evaluation and prioritization

Professors Gordon, Stellwag, and Walker will meet with the Chancellor and Provost next week to discuss the EPPC’s charge and timeline for developing initial criteria for program evaluation and prioritization. The EPPC will have a called meeting on Friday, February 18, at 1:00 p.m. in Rawl Annex 142 to review the charge and determine the process whereby the criteria will be developed. Professor Walker emphasized the importance of broad faculty involvement through elected committees, beginning with the EPPC, in this process. Professor Killingsworth shared her research of how other universities have developed criteria for academic program prioritization. Additional materials will be distributed to EPPC members next week for their review prior to Friday’s meeting. Professor Walker also stressed that the new EPPC charge will not supersede the existing program discontinuation process.

b. Request to Rename the MA in Education in Special Education Licensure Certification in Mental Retardation

Professor Alana M. Zambone presented a request from the Department of Curriculum and Instruction to rename the Master of Arts in Education in Special Education licensure certification in Mental Retardation to Master of Arts in Education in Special Education licensure certification in Intellectual Disabilities. By statute, the new term is now used in all federal health, education, and labor policies, as well as by the NC Department of Public Instruction. A motion was made, seconded and passed to approve the request, with Bashinski abstaining.

c. Request to Establish a Health Information Technologies Concentration in the Bachelor of Industrial Technology Degree

Professor David Batts presented a request from the Department of Technology Systems to establish a Health Information Technologies concentration in the Bachelor of Industrial Technology degree. The concentration will be available online as well as on campus. The department provided documentation of industry demand for graduates in this field. A motion was made, seconded and unanimously passed to approve the request.

d. Request to Discontinue the Pathology Assistant Certificate Program

Professor Kasperek presented a request from the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine to discontinue the Pathology Assistant Certificate program. No students have been in the program for several years. A motion was made, seconded and passed to approve the request, with Kasperek abstaining.

e. Request to discontinue the Bachelor of Arts in Studio Art Degree

Professor Michael Drought presented a request from the School of Art and Design to discontinue the Bachelor of Arts in Studio Art degree. Demand for the degree has fallen, as most students are in B.F.A. degree programs. A Bachelor of Arts in Art History degree is also available to these students. A motion was made, seconded and passed to approve the request.

f. Scheduling of special March EPPC meeting

The EPPC will need to meet in March to act on three unit academic program reviews. Subcommittees for each of the reviews will be formed at the February 18 meeting. The reviews will be distributed via Sharepoint. Professor Bashinski, who won’t be able to attend the Feb. 18 meeting, indicated her willingness to work on the Department of Mathematics academic program review.

IV. Unfinished Business

a. Faculty Manual Revisions Relating to Program Discontinuation (Reconciliation of Part V. Section III. with Appendix D)

Following discussion of alternative wording, a motion was made, seconded and unanimously passed to add the following language to Part V. Section III., at the end of C.2:

“In cases of financial exigency or the initiation of a discontinuation, curtailment, or elimination of a teaching, research, or public service program, the provisions of the ECU Faculty Manual, Appendix D will apply.”

Lori Lee offered to add this language to the latest draft of Part V. Section III and prepare a clean version to be presented to Faculty Senate for approval.

V. Announcements

The Chancellor rescinded his rejection of Faculty Senate Resolution #10-62, Request to change the name of the Bachelor of Science degree in Health Education and Promotion to Bachelor of Science in Public Health, noting an editorial change to the name. The degree will be the Bachelor of Science in Public Health Studies.

VI. Adjournment

There being no further business, Chair Gordon adjourned the meeting at 2:55 p.m.

The next EPPC meeting will be on Friday, February 18, 2011, at 1:00 p.m. in Rawl Annex 142.

Minutes submitted by Janice S. Lewis