CAA considers art, history changes

Luis Martinez, Administration Editor

In a brief meeting Thursday, the Council on Academic Affairs reviewed executive action requests including changes to the art and history curriculum.

Chris Mitchell, the interim associate dean of the College of Arts and Humanities, requested changes in both titles and descriptions to be made to nine art courses and requested the termination of ART 3113.

According to the memo, the reasoning behind the requests is to better inform students about the courses.

Mitchell also requested a minor change to HIS 2500: Historical Research and Writing. In the memo, Mitchell said he wanted a recently approved course, HIS 1101: Introduction to Historical Studies, to be added as a prerequisite to HIS 2500.

Marita Gronnvoll, the chair of CAA, said the council members addressed both of the items previously.

Blair Lord, the provost and vice president for academic affairs, asked in a different memo for two tenured or tenured-tracked faculty members who were willing to serve on the achievement and Contribution Awards Selection Committee.

The purpose of the committee is to select faculty members who showcased outstanding achievements, their contributions in areas such as teaching and performance of primary duties and their research and creative activates.

The CAA also approved moving 11 items to its next meeting’s agenda. These items included a new history course, a new course and option in the art department and a revision to the School of Business graduation requirements.

Council members also briefly discussed some revisions to the current course proposal forms; however, the conversation was put off until their next meeting.

Gronnvoll also brought up CAA participation in the Faculty Senate amending their constitution to allow them to bring resolutions.

“From my perspective, as frustrating as the meeting was, at least they built in some safeguards into the amendment so that there will be kind of a mandatory pause, which I felt was missing,” Gronnvoll said.  “There will be no putting forth a proposal one day and voting on it the next.”

Gronnvoll also said the proposed changes have to be voted on by the faculty sometime in April.

 

Luis Martinez can be reached at 581-2812 or at [email protected].