September 26, 2016-Agenda & Minutes

Vicki Hough

Time: 9:30am
Location: Exploratory Hall, Room 3301
Items to be considered on this agenda are due by 9/12/2016

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

I. Call to Order [9:35 AM]

II. Approval of the  August 2016 Meeting Minutes  [Approved]

III. Announcements/Discussion

  • An update from the Registrar’s Office regarding a course’s “Banner Title”: “… in Patriot Web the Fall 2016 sections now display the long title and course descriptions (previously listed only in the catalog). We anticipate that we will be able to let you add long titles for specific topic sections starting Spring 2017. More details will be available later.” [Registrar’s Office is now using the full Course title in Patriot Web, as abbreviated Banner title.]
  • An update regarding the upcoming CourseLeaf software: Later this semester, Jen will receive training on new software that will replace the current Course Approval Form. She will then coordinate the best way to train those who will be using it in each department.
    • In 2017, the software will also be introduced as a replacement for the Program Approval Form; updates will be shared when available. [Jennifer will soon be receiving Courseleaf training and will subsequently train anyone that would like to learn (details forthcoming). Among other things, Courselea course entries will replace the current Course Approval form.]
  • Updated Course Approval Form [Registrar updated the course approval form but has not enforced using it since Courseleaf is coming. Please continue to use the form linked on the COSCC website.]

IV. Old Business 

New Physics Courses

Physics and Astronomy intended to bring two course proposals to the COSCC this month: PHYS 164 and PHYS 264. PHYS 164’s similarity to the previously tabled item PHYS 150 (March 2016), was noted so instead of being voted on at this meeting, the Physics, Computational and Data Sciences, and the Mathematics departments must come to an agreement on course content before the courses are voted on by the COSCC. If consensus is not reached by the departments, the courses may come back to the COSCC for discussion in a debate format.

V. New Business – Undergraduate

[Jennifer introduced Gregory Craft, the college’s new Academic Affairs Coordinator. Gregory will be facilitating the COSCC in addition to other academic affairs-related duties.]

New Courses

  • PHYS 465 Planetary Atmospheres and Ionospheres [Approved]

Modified Courses

  • ASTR 103 Astronomy [Approved- pending Mason Core Committee approval]
  • CDS 491 Internship [Approved]
  • GGS 411 Advanced Digital Cartography [Approved]
  • MATH 108 Introductory Calculus with Business Applications [Approved]

VI. New Business – Graduate

Modified Courses

  • EVPP 637 Human Dimensions of Global Change [Approved]
  • MATH 998 PhD Thesis Proposal [Approved]
  • MATH 999 PhD Thesis Research [Approved]

Deleted Courses

  • PSCI 701 Frontiers of Physical Sciences [Approved all PSCI 700 courses were part of degree that no longer exists at COS]
  • PSCI 702 Research Methods [Approved]
  • PSCI 703 Frontiers of Physical Sciences [Approved]
  • PSCI 998 Dissertation Proposal [Approved]
  • PSCI 999 Doctoral Dissertation [Approved]

VII. Adjournment [10:00 AM]