UNIVERSITY CURRICULUM COMMITTEE

Minutes

December 11, 2006

 

Professor Toni Marzotto called the meeting of the University Curriculum Committee to order at 3:33 p.m. in the Towson Room (Cook 507) of Cook Library.

1. Professor Toni Marzotto called the Committee’s attention to item #5 on the November 13 minutes in reference to the tracks proposed by Audiology, Speech-Language Pathology & Deaf Studies. Although the UCC approved the proposed changes, upon further examination, both Mr. William Reuling and Mr. Robert Giordani noted that the three proposed tracks only differed by 2 or 3 courses. If tracks are comparable to concentration, then there must be a difference of at least 8 courses or 24 units. That is an MHEC requirement. The Audiology, Speech-Language Pathology & Deaf Studies Department decided to collapse the Pre-Interpreting and Human Resources Tracks together. The new program will now feature two "focus areas" - a) Human Services, and b) Deaf Culture, with an Interpreter Training Track to be submitted in the future. With this explanation, the minutes of the November 13 meeting were accepted as corrected.

2. Professor Jay Herzog, Chair of Theatre Arts, presented proposed changes for Theatre Arts majors’ core classes and additional changes to the Theatre Studies and Acting tracks.

THEA 110, Acting I for Majors, will be dropped as a core requirement for those not in the Acting track. Non-Acting track students would take the new course, THEA 109, Acting I for Design/Production and Theatre Studies. The Acting track will become a pre-screened major: instead of auditioning in the third semester, applicants will now audition as part of the Towson application process. This is similar to the process for Music and Dance majors and would enhance the competitiveness and credibility of the acting program. Acting track students would take THEA 110. Theatre will make sure this change is communicated to students and applicants. Transfers would still be able to audition for the Acting track. The track is a three-year track: Community College students are warned. Also, a second-year audition would be possible; if needed, THEA 109 would count instead of 110. This change would not affect minors. Mr. Robert Giordani volunteered to meet with Theatre Arts to address issues with coding for a screened major.

Theatre Arts also proposes to structure the Theatre Studies track so that it is not merely the default of having students not choose a track in Theatre; now students would be required to choose a track. Currently Theatre Studies consists of 15 units; with the change it would reach 18.  However, not all the units are unique to Theatre Studies. Since this track already existed in name if not in structure, can the Committee grandfather in this track?

How unique must a track be?  Should there be a firm limit of how much overlap is permitted, and should the limit be in terms of absolute credits or percentage of credits? Would it be legitimate to boost the credits in a track by adding core classes, or does that defeat the purpose of the core? MHEC’s definition is mute on these matters. It was suggested that Committee members analyze existing tracks to understand how tracks have been structured in the past and come to a determination on this perennial issue. Professor Margaret Faulkner moved and Professor Jay Zimmerman seconded the motion to discuss this further at our February meeting but to approve the Theatre Arts proposals as presented. The motion carried unanimously.

3. Professor Karen Eskow, Chair of Family Studies and Community Development, presented a proposed change to add FMST 340, FMST 350, FMST 370-379, and FMST 380 as electives. Professor Jay Zimmerman moved and Professor Sandra Tatman seconded the motion to accept the proposal. The motion carried unanimously.

 

4. The UCC meeting adjourned at 4:45p.m.

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

 

 

Shana M. Gass

Secretary, University Curriculum Committee