News Category: ‘2018’

Time: 10:00 am
Location: Research Hall, Room 162
Items to be considered on this agenda are due by 11/26/2018

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 Meeting Minutes/ Graduate Council Meeting Minutes

I. Call to Order [10:05 AM]

II. Approval of the November 19, 2018 Meeting Minutes [Approved]

III. Announcements/Discussion

• Spring 2019 Meeting Schedule [Mondays at 10am worked for everyone’s schedule]

IV. Old Business

New Courses- Undergraduate

• EVPP 433: Natural Science for Educators [Approved but will need to update that it’s a 4 credit course]
• GGS 317: Geography of China [Approved]

Modified Courses- Undergraduate

• BIOL 493: Honors Research in Biology [Approved]
• BIOL 495: Directed Studies in Biology [Approved]
• BIOL 497: Special Problems in Biology [Approved]

Deleted Courses:

• BIOL 328: Recitation for Fundamentals of Ecology and Evolution [Approved]
  • COS Impacted Courses: BIOL 308
• BIOL 406: Microbial Physiology and Metabolism [Approved]

V. New Business – Undergraduate

Modified Courses

• CDS 421: Introduction to Computational Fluid Dynamics [Approved, but friendly suggestion to remove “Introduction” from the title as it is a higher level course. Title will be “Computational Data Science”]
• CDS 461: Molecular Dynamics and Monte Carlo Simulations [Approved]
• EVPP 490: Special Topics in Environmental Science and Policy [Approved]
• GGS 379: Remote Sensing [Approved]
• GGS 412: Air Photography Interpretation [Approved]

Deleted Courses

• FRSC 440: Advanced Forensic Chemistry [Approved]

Modified Programs

• Biology, BA [Approved]
• Biology, BS [Approved]
• Environmental Science, BS [Approved]
• Geography, BA [Approved]
• Geography, BS [Approved]

VI. New Business – Graduate

Modified Courses

• CSI 780: Principles of Modeling and Simulation in Science [Approved]
• CSI 782: Statistical Mechanics for Modeling and Simulation [Approved]
• CSI 786: Molecular Dynamics Modeling [Approved]

Modified Programs

• Accelerated Master’s: Biology, BS/Biology, MS [Approved]
• Bioinformatics Management, MS [Approved]
• Bioinformatics Management, PSM [Approved]
• Geoinformatics and Geospatial Intelligence, MS [Approved]
• Geospatial Intelligence Graduate Certificate [Approved]
• Personalized Medicine Graduate Certificate [Approved]

VII. Adjournment [11:12 AM]

Time: 10:00 am
Location: Exploratory Hall, Room 3301
Items to be considered on this agenda are due by 11/5/2018

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 Meeting Minutes/ Graduate Council Meeting Minutes

I. Call to Order [10: 05 AM]

II. Approval of the October 22, 2018 Meeting Minutes [Approved]

III. Announcements/Discussion

Requested Modification to the College of Science Excluded Courses Policy  [Approved with one abstention]

IV. Old Business

Modified Courses- Undergraduate

• NEUR 327: Cellular, Neurophysiological, and Pharmacological Neuroscience [Approved]

Modified Courses- Graduate

• GEOL 792: Seminar in Earth Systems Science, Geology, & Earth Science [Approved. A larger discussion surrounding the grading of seminar courses will be continued at a later meeting.]

V. New Business – Undergraduate

New Courses

• BIOL 101: Biology Freshman Seminar [Approved]
• BIOL 300: BioDiversity [Approved]
• BIOL 427: Disease Ecology and Conservation [Approved pending adding equivalency to EVPP 427.]
• EVPP 108: Ecosphere – Introduction to Environmental Science I-Lecture [Approved]
• EVPP 109: Ecosphere-Introduction to Environmental Science 1-Lab [Approved pending “1” to “I”.]
• EVPP 433: Natural Science for Educators [Tabled pending further department discussion.]
• FRSC 101: Principles of Forensic Science [Approved]
• GGS 317: Geography of China [Tabled per the department’s request.]
• MATH 175: Mathematics of Cryptography: An Introduction [Approved]

Modified Courses

• BIOL 107: Intro Biology II Lecture [Approved]
• BIOL 125: Human Anatomy and Physiology [Approved]
• BIOL 246: Introductory Microbiology [Approved]
• BIOL 323: Lab for Developmental Biology [Approved]
• BIOL 382: Introduction to Virology [Approved]
• BIOL 401: Phage Discovery [Approved]
• BIOL 402: Applied and Industrial Microbiology [Approved]
• BIOL 404: Medical Microbiology [Approved]
• BIOL 417: Selected Topics in Molecular and Cellular Biology [Approved]
• BIOL 420: Vaccines [Approved]
• BIOL 493: Honors Research in Biology [Tabled due to timing and subsequent loss of quorum.]
• BIOL 495: Directed Studies in Biology [Tabled due to timing and subsequent loss of quorum.]
• BIOL 497: Special Problems in Biology [Tabled due to timing and subsequent loss of quorum.]
• CHEM 464: General Biochemistry II [Approved pending modification of max repeat credits, if deemed necessary by J. Gettys.]
• CHEM 465: Biochemistry Lab [Approved pending modification of max repeat credits, if deemed necessary by J. Gettys.]

Deleted Courses:

• BIOL 328: Recitation for Fundamentals of Ecology and Evolution [Tabled due to timing and subsequent loss of quorum.]
  • COS Impacted Courses: BIOL 308
• BIOL 406: Microbial Physiology and Metabolism [Tabled due to timing and subsequent loss of quorum.]

Modified Programs

• Computational and Data Sciences, BS [Approved]
• Earth Science, BS [Approved]
• Mathematics, BS [Approved, pending modification to the Justification section]
• Medical Laboratory Science, BS [Approved]
• Neuroscience, BS [Approved pending the addition of wording that elective courses need to be different than the core classes.]
• Neuroscience Minor [Approved]
• Renewable Energy Interdisciplinary Minor [Approved]

VI. New Business – Graduate

New Courses

• BIOL 527: Disease Ecology and Conservation [Approved pending adding equivalency to EVPP527.]

New Programs

• Accelerated Master’s: Neuroscience, BS/Biology, MS [Approved pending changes if needed to keep the GPA in line with current Biology, MS requirements.]

Modified Programs

• Actuarial Sciences Graduate Certificate [Approved]

VII. Adjournment [11: 44 AM]

Time: 10:00 am
Location: Exploratory Hall, Room 3301
Items to be considered on this agenda are due by 9/10/2018

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 Meeting Minutes/ Graduate Council Meeting Minutes

I. Call to Order [10:02AM]

II. Approval of the August 27, 2018 Meeting Minutes [Approved]

III. Announcements/Discussion

• Continued Discussion: Providing Demand for New Curricular Offerings [Dr. Hakami reopened the discussion about adding new guidelines in program proposals that highlight reasons for the new program. Jennifer spoke with other colleges about their guidelines and found that all colleges have varying requirements to provide supporting rational for new program proposals. The committee voted and approved a measure to draft guidelines for submitting a rationale/assessment of need in program proposals. The guidelines will be discussed and voted on at a future meeting before being implemented. The results of today’s vote will be emailed to all committee members immediately following the meeting so any members not in attendance can voice any discontent (if needed). The email was sent on 9/24/2018 and as of 10/3/2018, no dissension has been voiced.]
• New Committee Member Introductions [The committee welcomed Drs. Blaisten (CDS), Zhao (PHYS/ASTR), and van der Ham (ESP). The committee thanks these departments’ previous committee members, Renz, Mishin, and Parsons (respectively).]

IV. Old Business

New Courses- Undergraduate

• ASTR 124: Introduction to Observational Astronomy [Approved. The committee suggested that the department considers working toward adding a Mason Core designation to course.]
• ASTR 420: Exoplanets [Approved]
• PHYS 170: Introductory and Modern Physics for Scientists and Engineers I [Tabled due to concerns about overlap with the PHYS 160/260 sequence.]
• PHYS 270: Introductory and Modern Physics for Scientists and Engineers II [Tabled due to concerns about overlap with the PHYS 160/260 sequence.]

Modified Courses- Undergraduate

• ASTR 402: RS: Methods of Observational Astronomy [Approved]

New Courses- Graduate

• ASTR 620: Exoplanets [Approved pending an update to the syllabus’ grading scale.]

New Programs

• Accelerated Master’s: Mechanical Engineering, BS/Computational Science, MS [Approved]

Modified Programs

• Astronomy Minor [Approved pending corrected total credit calculation to 19-22.]

V. New Business – Undergraduate

Modified Courses

• NEUR 327: Cellular, Neurophysiological, and Pharmacological Neuroscience [Tabled- representative absent.]

VI. New Business – Graduate

Modified Courses

• BIOS 716: Methods in Evolutionary Biology [Approved]
• GEOL 792: Seminar in Earth Systems Science, Geology & Earth Science [Tabled- representative absent.]

VII. Adjournment [11:36AM]

Time: 10:00 am
Location: Exploratory Hall, Room 3301
Items to be considered on this agenda are due by 8/13/2018

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 Meeting Minutes/ Graduate Council Meeting Minutes

I. Call to Order [10:07AM]

II. Approval of the April 30, 2018 Meeting Minutes [Approved]

III. Announcements/Discussion

• COS Faculty Meeting Update

[Dr. Klinger updated the committee on the COSCC’s annual report that he presented to the COS Faculty committee last semester. The faculty commented on previous Mason Core proposals being unsuccessful. J. Gettys noted that a few lessons were learned during this exercise. Most notably, in the future, departments will solely be responsible for creating their Mason Core submissions while Academic Affairs is happy to lend assistance as needed.]

• Cross-Unit Curricular Items Discussion 

[The committee decided that cross unit items will be placed in the “Announcements” section of the agenda. While they won’t need to be voted on, their presence on the agenda will serve to inform the COSCC about upcoming curricular items that aren’t initiated by the College of Science, but that involve the College of Science.]

• Providing Demand for New Curricular Offerings

[The committee discussed requiring a section on projected student demand in the case of new minors, certificates and concentrations. The intent of incorporating this section is to  lead to more successful additions to the COS curriculum, but some COSCC members felt it would create an unnecessary hurdle. The committee will revisit this item next month after gathering more information.]

IV. Old Business

New Courses

• ASTR 620: Exoplanets [Tabled pending department representation]

New Programs

• Accelerated Master’s: Mechanical Engineering, BS/Computational Science, MS [Tabled pending department representation]

July 2018 Email Vote

• CLIM 511 : Atmospheric Dynamics [Approved]
• CLIM 610: Introduction to the Physical Climate System [Approved]
• CLIM 614: Land-Climate Interactions [Approved]
• CLIM 670: Earth System Modeling [Approved]
• CLIM 680: Climate Data [Approved]

Deactivated Courses [Approved]

• CLIM 710: Introduction to Physical Climate System
  • COS Programs Affected: Climate Dynamics, PhD and Earth Systems Science, MS
  • COS Courses Affected: CLIM 754, CLIM 712, CLIM 753 and GGS 854.
• CLIM 714: Land-Climate Interactions
  • COS Programs Affected: Climate Dynamics, PhD and Earth Systems Science, MS

V. New Business – Undergraduate

New Courses

• ASTR 124: Introduction to Observational Astronomy [Tabled pending department representation]
• ASTR 420: Exoplanets [Tabled pending department representation]
• PHYS 170: Introductory and Modern Physics for Scientists and Engineers I [Tabled pending department representation]
• PHYS 270: Introductory and Modern Physics for Scientists and Engineers II [Tabled pending department representation]

Modified Courses

• ASTR 402: RS: Methods of Observational Astronomy [Tabled pending department representation]
• EVPP 423: Beekeeping and Sustainability [Approved, pending insertion of a justification and correcting the number of course credits to 4.]

Modified Programs

• Astronomy Minor [Tabled pending department representation]

VI. New Business – Graduate

Modified Courses

• BMED 601: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology [Approved]

VII. Adjournment [11:10AM]

Time: 10:00 am
Location: Exploratory Hall, Room 3301
Items to be considered on this agenda are due by 4/16/2018

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 Meeting Minutes/ Graduate Council Meeting Minutes

I. Call to Order [10:00am]

II. Approval of the April 16, 2018 Meeting Minutes [Approved]

III. Announcements/Discussion

• Fall 2018 COSCC Chair [Dr. Hakami was voted chair for the fall 2018 semester.]
• Fall 2018 Meeting Schedule [The committee will meet at 10:00am on Mondays; the meeting schedule and deadlines will be distributed as soon as they are available.]
• COS Faculty Meeting End of Year Report and Speaker Selection [Dr. Klinger agreed to present this report at the COS Faculty Meeting.]

IV. Old Business

New Courses

• COS 402: Special Topics in Science [Approved]
• COS 602: Special Topics in Science [Approved]

V. New Business – Undergraduate

VI. New Business – Graduate

New Courses

• ASTR 620: Exoplanets [Tabled by the Physics and Astronomy Department.]
• CSI 590: Quantitative Foundations for Computational Sciences [Approved pending VSE being added to the CIM approval trail.]

New Programs

• Accelerated Master’s: Mechanical Engineering, BS/Computational Science, MS [Tabled pending discussions between the Mechanical Engineering, Physics and Astronomy, and Computational and Data Science Departments.]
• Climate Science, MS [Approved pending any Math or GGS course suggestions.]

Modified Programs

• Biosciences, PhD Cell & Molecular Biology and Microbiology & Infectious Diseases concentration [Approved]
• Personalized Medicine, GC [Approved]
• Bioinformatics Management, MS [Approved]

VII. Adjournment [11:20am]

Time: 10:00 am
Location: Exploratory Hall, Room 3301
Items to be considered on this agenda are due by 4/2/2018

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 Meeting Minutes/ Graduate Council Meeting Minutes

I. Call to Order 

II. Approval of the March 2018 Meeting Minutes [Approved]

III. Announcements/Discussion

• COSCC Quorum Clarification and Voting

[It was discussed and approved that at the beginning of each semester, the committee would vote on which programs would be counted toward a voting quorum.]

IV. Old Business

New Courses

• PHYS 391: Special Topics in Physics [Approved. This course meets a different need than PHYS 390]

V. New Business – Undergraduate

New Courses

• COS 402: Special Topics in Science [Tabled- pending further review of how this class would fit into students’ degree programs and concerns of possible overlap with the departments.]

Modified Courses

• CDS 230: Modeling and Simulation I* [Approved]
• MATH 203: Linear Algebra* [Approved]
• MATH 453: Advanced Mathematical Statistics* [Approved with the original title in place.]
• MATH 493: Topics in Applicable Mathematics* [Approved]

Modified Programs

• Biology, B.A. [Approved]
• Biology, B.S. [Approved]
• Environmental Science, B.S. [Approved]

VI. New Business – Graduate

New Courses

• COS 602: Special Topics in Science [Tabled per COS 402 discussion above.]
• MATH 553: Advanced Mathematical Statistics in Actuarial Sciences* [Approved]

VII. Adjournment [10:37 AM]

Time: 10:00 am
Location: Exploratory Hall, Room 3301
Items to be considered on this agenda are due by 3/5/2018

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 Meeting Minutes/ Graduate Council Meeting Minutes

I. Call to Order [10:05 AM]

II. Approval of the February 2018 Meeting Minutes [Approved]

III. Announcements/Discussion

• Gauging Interest in a New COSCC Voting Process

[The committee discussed alternatives to the voting process in order to more efficiently vote and select proposals for discussion. The committee noted that offering a virtual meeting optionsuch as Skype could potentially help with members that are unable to attend any given meeting. Additionally, members are asked to either submit email votes or send a representative in their place if they cannot attend any given meeting.

At the next meeting, we will discuss the possibility of basing a quorum off of the number of departments in the college represented on the COSCC, as opposed to the number of departments and programs represented on the COSCC.]

• Programs and Courses Impacted by Deactivation

[Going forward, COSCC agendas will note any COS programs or courses that will be impacted by the associated course or program deactivation. Jennifer mentioned that while courses listed as electives will automatically be removed from catalog entries, required courses for degrees or any courses that had significant impact on programs will  need a program modification. While we will just focus on COS impacts, the entry in the CIM system will note all impacts across the university.]

IV. Old Business

New Courses

• EVPP 572 – Tools and Techniques for International Development [Approved]

Deactivated Courses [Approved]

• BIOL 313 :Human Genetics for the Social Sciences
• EVPP 380: Wetlands of the World
  • COS Programs Impacted: Environmental Science, BS
• EVPP 468: Vertebrate Natural History
  • COS Programs Impacted: Paleontology Minor, Earth Science, BS
  • COS Courses Impacted: BIOL 468
• GEOL 206: Topics in Geology I
• GEOL 405: Adv. Seminar in Earth/Environmental Science
• GEOL 406: Seminar in Earth/Environmental Science
  • COS Programs Impacted: Earth Science, BS
• GGS 455: Environmental Impact Assessment
  • COS Programs Impacted: Geography, BA, Geography Minor, Sustainability Studies Minor, Atmospheric Sciences, BS

V. New Business – Undergraduate

New Courses

• PHYS 391: Special Topics in Physics [Tabled pending further review: is this needed considering the existence of PHYS 390?]

Modified Courses

• ASTR 302: Foundations of Cosmological Thought [Approved]
• ASTR 401: Computer Simulation in Astronomy [Approved]
• BIOL 309: Introduction to Oceanography [Approved]
• BIOL 350: Freshwater Ecosystems [Approved but requested to add EVPP 301 as a recommended perequisite]
• BIOL 355: Ecological Engineering and Ecosystem Restoration [Approved but requested to add EVPP 301 as a recommended perquisite]
• BIOL 402: Applied and Industrial Microbiology [Approved]
• BIOL 403: Techniques in Applied and Industrial Microbiology [Approved]
• MLAB 300: Science Writing [Approved; related program modifications forthcoming.]
• PHYS 301: Analytical Methods of Physics [Approved]
• PHYS 346: Quarks to Strings [Approved]
• PHYS 410: Computational Physics Capstone I [Approved in addition to removing any equivalencies between PHYS 410 and PHYS 510.]

Deactivated Courses

• CHEM 333: Physical Chemistry for the Life Sciences I [Approved]
  • COS Programs Impacted: Neuroscience, BS
• CHEM 334: Physical Chemistry for the Life Sciences II [Approved]
• PHYS 101: Light and Sound in Our World [Approved]
• PHYS 102: Sports Physics [Approved]
• PHYS 121: Uses of Physics [Approved]

New Programs

• Urban Informatics Minor [Approved]

VI. New Business – Graduate

VII. Adjournment [11:04 AM]

Time: 10:00 am
Location: Exploratory Hall, Room 3301
Items to be considered on this agenda are due by 2/5/2018

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 Meeting Minutes/ Graduate Council Meeting Minutes

I. Call to Order 

II. Approval of the January 2018 Meeting Minutes

III. Announcements/Discussion

Meeting was cancelled and votes were cast in email.

IV. Old Business

V. New Business – Undergraduate

Modified Courses

• CHEM 211– General Chemistry I [Approved]
• CHEM 212– General Chemistry II [Approved]
• CHEM 213– General Chemistry Laboratory I [Approved]
• CHEM 214– General Chemistry Laboratory II [Approved]
• GEOL 401– Structural Geology [Approved]
• GEOL 404– Geological Field Techniques [Approved]
• PHYS 331– Fundamentals of Renewable Energy [Approved]

VI. New Business – Graduate

VII. Adjournment 

Time: 10:00 am
Location: Exploratory Hall, Room 3301
Items to be considered on this agenda are due by 1/8/2018

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 Meeting Minutes/ Graduate Council Meeting Minutes

I. Call to Order [10:05 AM]

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

III. Announcements/Discussion

IV. Old Business

V. New Business – Undergraduate

New Courses

• CDS 492: Capstone Course in Data Science* [Approved]
• GGS 379: Remote Sensing* [Approved]

Modified Courses

• CDS 290: Topics in Computational and Data Sciences* [Approved]

Modified Degrees

• BS in Biology* [Approved]
• BS Environmental Science: new Wildlife Concentration [Approved]
• BS Geography* [Approved]
• Minor in Geographic Information Systems* [Approved]

VI. New Business – Graduate

New Courses

• EVPP 545: Principles of Environmental Toxicology* [Approved]
• EVPP 572: Tools and Techniques for International Development [Tabled, the committee recommended that Padhu work with the submitter to ensure that there was not overlap with the recent project related courses in the COS.]

Modified Courses

• CSI 899: Colloquium in Computational Sciences and Data Informatics* [Approved, the Committee recommended that the course name was changed to “Colloquium in Computational and Data Sciences.]

VII. Adjournment [10:40 AM]

*= agenda item was added after the announcement