December 5, 2017-Agenda & Minutes

Time: 9:30 am
Location: Exploratory Hall, Room 3301
Items to be considered on this agenda are due by 11/21/2017

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 Meeting Minutes/ Graduate Council Meeting Minutes

I. Call to Order [9:35 AM]

II. Approval of the November 2017 Meeting Minutes  [Approved. Jennifer mentioned that CONS 540 was approved by both BIOL and ESP. CONS 597 was approved by BIOL, but is still under review by ESP. The COSCC’s only suggestion regarding the updated syllabus was to use the graduate grading scale as opposed to the undergraduate grading scale.]

III. Announcements/Discussion

• Spring 2018 Meeting Schedule [The meeting dates were changed to Mondays at 10AM. The linked schedule has been updated to reflect the changes.]
• Termination from the Major Implementation: Chemistry BA and BS
• [Jennifer requested that all departments notify her of any courses that will be hosted off-site of any of Mason’s campuses.]
• [Guidance on calculating contact hours in the classroom per credit hour can be found here.]

IV. Old Business

[CHEM 313, 314, 315, 318 were approved via email vote on 11/17]

V. New Business – Undergraduate

New Courses

• BIOL 177: Ecological Applications* [Approved]
• GGS 210: Introduction to Spatial Computing [Approved]
• GGS 400: Colloquium in Geoinformation Science [Approved]
• GGS 485: Capstone Course in Geoinformation Science [Approved]

Modified Courses

• BIOL 106: Introductory Biology II Laboratory [Approved]
• GGS 357:  Structures in Urban Governance and Planning [Approved]
• PHYS 265: Advanced University Physics Laboratory II [Approved]
• PHYS 311: Instrumentation [Approved]
• PHYS 312: Waves and Optics [Approved]
• PHYS 465: Planetary Atmospheres and Ionospheres [Approved]

New Programs

• Minor in Leadership and Professional Development in STEM  [Approved. A friendly amendment was suggested by the committee to add in “at least one of the following” under the “Writing and Communication” section. Jennifer noted that approval for the use of COS internship courses were still being collected from department chairs; any departments that do not wish to have their internship courses participate in this minor will be removed.]

Modified Programs

• Geography, B.A.* [Approved]
• Geography, B.S.: GGS core course change * and modified outside requirements* [Approved]

VI. New Business – Graduate

VII. Adjournment [10:25 AM]

*= agenda item was added after the announcement