UWM College of Letters and Science

University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee
College of Letters and Science

L&S Faculty Meeting
Minutes #3
Thursday, November 5, 1998


  1. Call to Order--Associate Dean Thomas O'Bryan, acting for Dean Marshall Goodman who is on University business in India, called the meeting to order at 3:37 p.m. in BUS N140.

    1. Announcements
      David Mulroy will serve as Parliamentarian for the 1998-99 academic year.
    2. Questions and Answers
      Professor David Mulroy asked about the purpose of the Dean's trip to India. Associate Dean O'Bryan responded that he was engaging in discussions with Punjabis concerning future cooperation on behalf of the UW System.

  2. Automatic Consent Business

    1. The minutes of the April 8, 1998 faculty meeting were approved as submitted.
    2. Fac. Doc. No. 476, Resolutions for Retiring Faculty and Academic Staff was approved as submitted.
    3. Annual Reports
      Doc. 477, Annual Report of the Committee on Committees, 1997-98, was approved as submitted.
      Doc. 478, Annual Report of the Course and Curriculum Committee, 1997-98, was approved as submitted.
      Doc. 479, Annual Report of the Graduate Program Committee, 1997-98, was approved as submitted.
      Doc. 480, Annual Report of the Honors Program Committee, 1997-98, was approved as submitted.
      Doc. 481, Annual Report of the Academic Planning Committee, 1997-98, was approved as submitted.
      Doc. 482, Annual Report of the Admission Policy Committee, 1997-98, was approved as submitted.
      Doc. 483, Annual Report of the Academic Standing and Appeals Committee, 1997-98, was approved as submitted.
      Doc. 484, Annual Report of the Affirmative Action Advisory Committee, 1997-98, was approved as submitted.
      Doc. 485, Annual Report of the Off-Campus Programs Committee, 1997-98, was approved as submitted.
      Doc. 486, Annual Report of the Ethnic Studies Program Committee, 1997-98, was approved as submitted.
      Doc. 487, Annual Report of the American Indian Advisory Committee, 1997-98, was approved as submitted.
      Doc. 488, Annual Report of the Faculty Advisory Committee of the Center for Latin America, 1997-98, was approved as submitted.
      Doc. 489, Annual Report of the Coordinating Committee for the Certificate in German Area Studies, 1997-98, was approved as submitted.
      Doc. 490, Annual Report of the Coordinating Committee for the Comparative Study of Religion Program, 1997-98, was approved as submitted.
      Doc. 491, Annual Report of the Coordinating Committee for the Certificate Program in Jewish Studies, 1997-98, was approved as submitted.
      Doc. 492, Annual Report of the Coordinating Committee for the Certificate Program in the Study of the Liberal Arts through Great Books, 1997-98, was approved as submitted.
      Doc. 493, Annual Report of the Peace Studies Certificate Program Steering Committee, 1997-98, was approved as submitted.

    4. Fac. Doc. 494, Recommendation for Consideration of Candidates for Degrees and Honors for December, 1998, was approved as submitted.

  3. Old Business – None

  4. New Business

    1. Fac. Doc. 495, Recommendation of the Committee on Committees and the Academic Planning Committee to Amend the APC Charter, was moved and seconded. There was no discussion, and the motion was approved unanimously.

    2. Fac. Doc. 496, Recommendation of the Committee on Committees and the Honors Program Committee to Amend the HPC Charter, was moved and seconded. C. Horstman presented an updated copy of the amended version of the charter with some typing errors corrected. It was moved, seconded, and approved to accept the corrected version. Professor Jay Beder submitted the following proposed amendment in writing:

      In Section (1) Membership, fifth line, delete following "One" the words "of each of the;" insert just before "appointed" the word "one;" delete the "s" from "members."

      The amendment was moved, seconded, and approved unanimously. The motion as amended was approved unanimously.

    3. Fac. Doc. 497, Recommendation of the Course and Curriculum Committee and the Department of Mass Communication to Change the Department's Name and the Name of the Curricular Area Code to Journalism and Mass Communication, was moved and seconded. There was no discussion, and the motion was approved unanimously.

    4. Fac. Doc. 498, Recommendation of the Center for Jewish Studies and the Course and Curriculum Committee to Establish a Community Program in Jewish Studies, was moved and seconded. There was no discussion, and the motion was approved unanimously.

    5. Fac. Doc. 499, Recommendation of the Course and Curriculum Committee to Clarify the Definition of Advanced Level Courses, was not moved. Several faculty members indicated an interest in speaking to the proposal. Professor Mulroy, the parliamentarian, was consulted to determine if this was acceptable. He stated that a document approved by a faculty committee is considered to be moved and seconded and does not require a motion on the floor of the faculty meeting.

      The floor was opened for discussion. Several faculty members indicated that a junior standing prerequisite for 300-level and above courses would delay students in completing majors in their departments, that some of their 300 level courses had to be taken by sophomores. C. Horstman explained that the Committee needed clarification of what the faculty intended in its requirement that students take 36 credits in "upper-division courses (numbered 300 or above)." Most explanations offered in the past have been circular reasoning: a course is advanced because it has a 300 or above number, and it is given a 300 or above number because it is advanced. The Committee is confronted, at times, with 300 level courses carrying no or a single course prerequisites. Such courses can be taken by freshmen. Lower-division work generally has been defined as that taken by freshmen and sophomores; upper-division by juniors and seniors. The Committee has taken the position that courses with no or few prerequisites should be approved as lower-division; however, it has no guidelines as to the faculty's intent. The introduction of this proposal was an effort to secure a clear definition of "upper-division" courses.

      It was suggested that the proposal be returned to the Course and Curriculum Committee to be reviewed and restructured in view of the objections raised at the meeting. Horstman asked that the faculty provide some feedback to the Committee concerning what it meant by "upper-division." No suggestions were offered. The proposal was defeated.

    6. Fac. Doc. No. 500, Recommendation of the Course and Curriculum Committee to Modify L&S Policies on Granting Credits for the International Baccalaureate Program, was called to the floor. There was no discussion, and the proposal was approved unanimously.

    7. Fac. Doc. No. 501, Recommendation of the Graduate Program Committee to Approve the Implementation Plan for the Master's in Liberal Studies Program, was called to the floor. Following some discussion, the proposal was approved unanimously.

  5. Adjournment

There was no other business before the faculty; the meeting was adjourned at 4:32 p.m.


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