Several proposals for course revisions and the addition of new courses will be voted on 2 p.m. Thursday at the meeting for the Council on Academic Affairs in room 4440 of Booth Library.

Marita Gronnvoll, the chair for the CAA, said this is the last meeting courses can be approved for the fall 2016 course catalog.

Since the courses from last week will be added to Thursday’s consent agenda, the CAA will have to suspend their bylaws in order to act on the courses, Gronnvoll said.

Gronnvoll said this is the meeting where the different colleges in the university make their final push to add courses to the fall catalog.

Gronnvoll said the courses that will be added to the agenda have been in the works for several weeks, but it takes time before the courses reach the CAA for approval.

Several factors also have an affect on the approval of courses, including the recent snow day and waiting on approval from departments, Gronnvoll said.

“We can handle it,” Gronnvoll said. “We did before.”

Gronnvoll said the members of the CAA had the opportunity to read through all of the courses ahead of time so the meeting will go by quickly.

Included on the agenda are several courses, such as revisions to courses in the Applied Engineering and Technology department, that call for the addition of online programs.

Gronnvoll said she teaches online courses and by having online courses, students, especially nontraditional students who need a degree in order to achieve goals such as a promotion at work, can get what they need done faster.

There is a huge demand for online courses, Gronnvoll said, and members of the CAA want to ensure that professors who teach the courses try to replicate the classroom experience.

Gronnvoll said there is also a communications studies minor that is expected to be added to the catalog this year.

The cultural diversity minor will give students an opportunity to analyze diversity issues and Gronnvoll said the department needs to have this minor.

“It’s very cool,” Gronnvoll said. “This (minor) could be coupled with any major and it is of interest beyond communication studies.”

Gronnvoll said after Thursday’s meeting, the remainder of the year will consist of light meetings.

Gronnvoll said there will always be something new going into the catalog and the CAA works to ensure the best experience for students.

Analicia Haynes can be reached at 581-2812 or [email protected]