August 29, 2017-Agenda & Minutes

gcraft

Time: 10:00am
Location: Exploratory Hall, Room 3301
Items to be considered on this agenda are due by 8/15/2017

When available, the meeting minutes will be indicated within bold brackets [ ] and are in draft form until they are approved by the committee.

[Relevant Links: Undergraduate Council Agenda and Minutes/ Graduate Council Agenda and Minutes]

I. Call to Order [10:05 AM]

II. Approval of the May 2017 Meeting Minutes [Approved]

III. Announcements/Discussion

[It was suggested that fall 2017 meetings begin at 9:30am as opposed to 10:00am; the committee was in favor and therefore all subsequent fall 2017 meetings will be held at 9:30am in the same location.

The committee requested that links to the Undergraduate and Graduate Council Meeting Minutes be posted to the COSCC website for easy access (see “Relevant Links” above).]

  1. New COSCC Members* [David Carchedi has been added as the Mathematical Sciences representative. Neuroscience will be appointing a member to the committee. Padmanabhan Seshaiyer is the new associate dean for academic affairs; he will be attending the COSCC meetings going forward.]
  2.  COSCC Chair for Fall 2017 [Chris Parsons was elected to continue serving as COSCC Chair. The committee thanks him for his past and continued service!]
  3. Changes in Biology General Education Courses [Dr. Rockwood made the committee aware that BIOL 104 (previously a 4 credit course), has been separated into BIOL 107 (lecture, 3 credits) and BIOL 106 (lab, 1 credit). As BIOL 104 had a Mason Core designation, the separated courses will also have Mason Core designations. Departments are encouraged to take this new structure into account when looking to revise programs or course prerequisites. To aid in this task, Gregory Craft compiled the following list of courses and programs that reference BIOL 104:
  4. CIM Software Update [J. Bazaz Gettys updated the committee on the new curriculum software’s launch set for September. For any Mason staff/faculty to gain access, information can be found here. As of the September 2017 COSCC meeting, course additions/modifications/deletions will need to be submitted through the CIM system. For the time being, only course submissions will be processed through this system, program submissions can be submitted to J. Bazaz Gettys via the old Program Approval Form and she will insert them into CIM.]
  5. 2018-2019 Catalog Planning [J. Bazaz Gettys advised the committee about some key catalog revision dates.]

IV. Old Business

V. New Business – Undergraduate

New Courses

  • COS 400 Problem Solving and Leadership in STEAM* [Approved with the added indication that this course, could be a good candidate for crosslisting with EVPP or CONS courses, depending upon the topic. Additionally, the ESP chair should provide a signature on the form.]
  • NEUR 101 Introduction to Neuroscience [Tabled]
  • NEUR 406 Zebrafish Neurodevelopment Laboratory [Tabled]

Modified Courses

  • BIOL 106 Introductory Biology II Laboratory [Approved]
  • BIOL 107 Introductory Biology II [Approved]
  • BIOL 484 Eukaryotic Cell Biology [Approved]
  • BIOL 485 Eukaryotic Cell Biology Laboratory [Approved]

Deleted Courses

  • BIOL 104 Introductory Biology II [Approved]

Modified Degrees

VI. New Business – Graduate

New Courses

  • COS 600 Problem Solving and Leadership in STEAM* [Approved with the added indication that this course could be a good candidate for crosslisting with EVPP or CONS courses, depending upon the topic.]

Modified Courses

  • NEUR 701 Neuroscience Laboratory [Approved]

Deleted Courses

  • EVPP 532 Animal Behavior [Item should be retracted per the ESP committee member]
  • EVPP 613 Environmental Geochemistry and Mineralogy [Approved]
  • EVPP 681 Introduction to Bioinformatics [Approved]

Modified Degrees

VII. Adjournment [The topic of the GRE being required for admission into graduate programs arose. Next month, the Office of Academic Affairs will provide an update on which COS programs require the GRE for admission so the discussion can continue. The meeting adjourned at 11:15 AM.]

* Added after agenda announcement