MINUTES – Educational Policies Committee Meeting

April 3, 2007

Members Present: Mara Adams, Pat Connelly, Ragene Gwin, Keri Manning, Bill McAleer, Lori Rodrigues-Fisher, Arun Pillutla, Brad Thiessen, Deanna Stoube, Jim Van Speybroeck

Guests: Linda Brown, Rick Dienesch, Dick Hanzelka, Maggie Woods

Meeting Time: 3:20 – 4:38

Keri Manning called the meeting to order at 3:20

Item 1 – Approval of Minutes:

• Minutes from March 29, 2007 meeting were unavailable. Review delayed until April 10.
• Motion to accept minutes from February 27, 2007 by J. Van Speybroeck.
• Accepted as amended by J. Van Speybroeck.
• Seconded by M. Adams.
• Minutes approved.

Item 2 – FEDS Request for Course Approval: ECON/FIN 316 – Real Estate Economics and Finance

• Motion to accept proposal was made by P. Connelly.
• Seconded by J. Van Speybroeck.
• Discussion:
• Linda Brown provided a course overview. This course will address government regulations and legal aspects and will join a group of four other courses already cross listed.
• Dean Dienesch said this area does have both financial and economic ramifications and that curriculum regarding real estate has great potential for development in both the personal and commercial aspects.
• B. Thiessen asked for a description of course project. A simulation project was described.
• Motion carried.

Item 3 – EDUC Request for Course Approval: EDUC 338 – Content Literacy Exploration (Art, Music, Physical Education, Math)

• Motion to accept proposal was made by J. Van Speybroeck
• Seconded by D. Stoube
• Discussion:
• Dick Hanzelka provided a historical and content overview for the proposal. This course is developed as response to requests made by the Iowa Department of Education following an accreditation visit to meet requirements for content / literacy / reading in all curricular areas. This will be an exploratory experience in a one credit format to be held each semester. This is a 300 level course for education students in art, music, physical education and math. These students will have completed or be co-registered in their major teaching methods course at time of enrollment depending on home department expectations. The requirement will apply to those students entering in the Fall of 2007.
• J. Van Speybroeck asked about cross listing the course within the departments. P. Connelly said if that occurs the course then becomes eligible as part of Five Year Review for the four departments. The course will be housed by EDUC. Committee requested that EDUC determine if the four affected departments desire a cross listing.
• B. Thiessen recommended removal of ‘taught each semester as an overload’ and ‘yearly coordination stipend of one semester hour’ descriptions in Four Point Outline. D. Hanzelka agreed.
• B. McAleer asked for clarification regarding catalog description. It is located on 3^rd page of proposal on syllabus.
• D. Stoube noted this course does not duplicate EDUC 336 and that this course is exploratory. The one credit aspect led to discussion regarding potential expansion over time based on outcomes.
• K. Manning asked if having four disciplines together was a concern. D. Hanzelka replied that the diversity should enhance outcomes.
• Motion carried dependent upon inquiry to departments listed above regarding cross listing.

Item 4 – EDUC Request for Course Approval: EDUC 606 – Writing for Teachers

• Motion to accept proposal was made by M. Adams
• Seconded by D. Stoube
• Discussion:
• Maggie Woods presented a historical and content overview for the proposed course. This course is developed to support the Masters in Teaching Program, and to specifically support progress toward National Board Certification for the students in the program.
• P. Connelly asked about the outcome of the program. Those completing the program earn a Master of Education in teaching.
• B. Thiessen asked for background information regarding rubric content and criteria listed in the proposal. M. Woods responded that the rubrics are based on the national materials using Level 4 criteria.
• Motion carried.

Item 5 – EDUC Request for Course Approval: EDUC 608 – Advanced Content for English/Language Arts Teachers

• Motion to accept proposal was made by J. Van Speybroeck
• Seconded by M. Adams
• Discussion:
• Maggie Woods presented a historical and content overview for the proposed course. The course will be offered Summer 2007 with a goal to provide ‘useable, practical’ strategies and outcomes. She explained that content may change and, therefore, course descriptions may change. The content of the Summer 2007 course was determined by the summer instructor.
• Comments from the Committee focused on the potential for this course to be a ‘Topics’ course and that a more generic version of the syllabus be developed to decrease need for multiple visits to EPC.
• P. Connelly said communication between English Department and Education needed to be enhanced; some English instructors might be very interested in developing supportive topics under a general topics syllabus
• B. Thiessen recommended approval of proposal as written but that department return with a generic syllabus.
• Motion carried.

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Next Meeting: Next scheduled meeting is April 10. On agenda at this time are proposals East-West Studies and Classical Studies.

Adjournment:

A motion to adjourn was made by A. Pillutla.

Seconded by P. Connelly.

Motion carried. Meeting adjourned at 4:38 pm.

Minutes taken/submitted by

Ragene Gwin