RULES OF PROCEDURE OF THE UNIVERSITY CURRICULUM
COMMITTEE
AND THE LIBERAL STUDIES MONITORING COMMITTEE
SLIPPERY ROCK UNIVERSITY
2002-2003 ACADEMIC YEAR
Procedure of the University
Curriculum Committee
Flow
Chart for Curricular Changes
Policy Statement for Selected
Topics/Experimental Courses
Policy for Undergraduate Practical
Application Courses
Policy for Graduate Practical
Application Courses
Procedure of the Liberal Studies
Monitoring Committee
Curricular Request Forms
Cover/Signature Sheet
Request
for: Liberal Studies Approval: Existing Course
Request for Deletion of: Course; Program; Degree; Liberal Studies Designation
Request for: Designation of
a Sequence or Group of Courses by Advisement or Interdisciplinary Program
outside Existing Departments
Request
for: Revision of Program, Major, Minor, Degree or Certification
Request for: Alteration of
Course Content
Request for: Approval of an
Academic Credit Workshop
Request to Award Documents
of Academic Achievement
Guidelines
for Awarding Documents/Academic Achievement
Request
for Offering Existing Courses Through Distributed Education
Budget
Data Sheet for Academic Credit Workshop
APPENDIX (i) Course Outline vs. Course Syllabus
APPENDIX i(a) & i(b) Course Outline and Course Syllabus
APPENDIX (ii) Procedure for
Requesting a New Degree Major, Minor, Concentration,
The university curriculum approval body shall be known as
the University Curriculum Committee
The Committee shall provide a mechanism for the systematic review,
evaluation, and change of the curriculum at the University level, in compliance
with the collective bargaining agreement between the University/Commonwealth
and the Faculty/APSCUF.
ARTICLE
III – FUNCTIONS
The University Curriculum Committee shall act upon
curriculum matters involving:
a.
changes in title, numbering, course content, and
prerequisites for a course.
b.
the designation of a sequence or group of courses as a minor
or a program
within the existing department (s)
(whether by advisement or requirement).
c.
the addition or deletion of a course in the offerings of a
department.
d.
the adoption of any policy regarding the acceptability or
requirement of courses
outside of a department for the
completion of a program within a department.
e.
changes in requirements for a minor, a major, a degree, or a
certification.
f.
development of new programs and/or degrees.
g.
curricular issues of a general nature.
h.
Any course taught through distance education, even if it is
an existing course. (Distance Education
courses will go from the Department Curriculum Committee and Department Chair
directly to the UCC. This process must
be completed in 30 days.
ARTICLE IV – MEMBERSHIP
The Committee shall be composed of fifteen (15)
members, nine of whom will be faculty elected for two-year terms
through a bargaining unit election:
One (1) member from each of the six (6) academic
schools/colleges who will attend his/her School Committee meetings as
a voting member at large (but shall not serve as Chairperson of said
School/College Committee);
Two (2) members of the faculty at-large;
One (1) member from ALA – Academic Services, Library,
Administrative Faculty.
One (1) Graduate
Council designee;
The
President of APSCUF or designee;
The Vice
President for Academic Affairs or designee
(ex-officio/non-voting);
Two (2)
undergraduate students;
One (1) graduate
student.
ARTICLE V – ELECTION AND TERMS OF OFFICE
FACULTY
The total faculty complement will be nine (9). The two at-large faculty members will be
elected in even-numbered years. The
remaining seven (7) members will be elected as follows: Three (3) in even
numbered years and four (4) in odd numbered years.
STUDENTS
Two undergraduate students selected by the Student
Government Association and one graduate student appointed by the Graduate
Council will serve a one (1) year term as long as they maintain satisfactory
academic standing.
ARTICLE VI – OFFICERS ELECTIONS
The officers shall be a Chairperson, Secretary and
Parliamentarian. The Chairperson must
be an elected faculty member of the UCC with at least one-year of experience on
the committee. The Chairperson will be
elected by majority vote of the UCC at its first meeting following the
bargaining unit elections. If an
experienced person willing to serve cannot be found, the Chairperson shall be
the at-large member receiving the highest number of votes at the bargaining
unit election; the Secretary and Parliamentarian shall be elected by the UCC
annually.
ARTICLE VII – DUTIES OF OFFICERS
The Chairperson shall:
1. call and
announce meetings;
2. prepare the
agenda;
3. conduct
meetings;
4. distribute
agenda, minutes of meetings and relevant curricular materials;
5. forward
curricular change proposals and recommendations to the President;
6. prepare and distribute
a semester summary of UCC actions;
7. forward official records of all
curriculum proposal, including the copy of the original signed proposal, and
the response from the President, minutes of UCC meetings, and semester
summaries to the APSCUF office.
The Secretary shall:
1. record
minutes of all regular and special meetings;
2. duplicate
required numbers of copies of minutes of all regular and special meetings.
The Parliamentarian shall:
1. oversee the
conduct of meetings in accordance with Robert’s Rules of Order,
Newly Revised.
ARTICLE
VIII – MEETINGS AND ATTENDANCE
The committee shall meet twice monthly throughout the
academic year at a time convenient to its members. Special meetings may be called by the Chairperson as deemed
necessary.
All meetings are open.
Announcement of regular and special meetings shall be made
in the Green Sheet and/or other publications.
A quorum shall consist of one half the voting membership as
indicated in Article IV plus one member.
Regular failure to attend meetings shall result in the seat
being declared vacant; missing two consecutive meetings without due cause shall
be grounds for replacement. When
necessary, normal bargaining unit election processes will be followed to secure
replacement.
ARTICLE IX
– VOTING
All members shall have a voice and a vote.
Members may send a designate with voting privileges with the
following stipulations:
1. the
replacement is for a maximum of one semester
2. the replacement must be endorsed by the
School/College CC or the APSCUF Executive Committee for At-Large members
3. the
appropriate body should notify the UCC of its action
Approval of proposals shall require a majority vote of
members present; the Secretary will call the roll for all proposals concerning
Liberal Studies approval.
ARTICLE X – CURRICULAR CHANGES
Both undergraduate and graduate curricular changes originate
in departments. Courses and/or programs
originating outside the departments should be sent to the affected departments
before they are submitted to the UCC.
If necessary, the UCC will refer the changes to other curricular bodies.
The following University-Wide Outcomes for Student Learning
and Development were created by the university community as guidelines for
programs and courses. To the degree
possible, requests for new courses and new programs, as well as for changes in
course content and programs, should reflect consideration of these outcomes,
especially in their stated ability-based goals for students.
SRU's
University-Wide Outcomes for Student Learning and Development
1. Communication
Communicate effectively in speech
and in writing, using appropriate information sources, presentation formats,
and technologies.
2. Critical
Thinking and Problem Solving
Locate, analyze, synthesize, and
evaluate information and ideas from multiple perspectives--mathematical,
scientific, and humanistic. Apply this information literacy to contemporary
challenges.
3. Values and
Ethics
Demonstrate an understanding of how
the values of personal integrity, cooperative action, and respect for diversity
influence one's own behavior and the individual and group behavior of others.
4. Social
Awareness and Civic Responsibility
Use knowledge of evolving human
institutions and of diverse cultural and historical perspectives to interact
effectively in a variety of social and political contexts.
5. Global
Interdependence
Act with an understanding of the
cultural, socio-economic, and biological interdependence of planetary life.
6. Personal
Development
Demonstrate intellectual
curiosity, as well as a commitment to wellness, and to emotional and spiritual
growth.
7. Aesthetic
Perception and Ability
Appreciate artistic expression and
demonstrate an understanding of the creative process, finding vital and
original ways to express feelings and insights in one's work.
8. Professional
Proficiency
Apply knowledge and skills to meet
professional competencies within a specific discipline.
WORKSHOP
APPROVAL:
Workshops
proposed for credit shall be considered by a subcommittee of the UCC made
up of the six (6) School/College members, the Graduate Council representative,
and the Chairperson of the UCC who shall chair the committee.
All workshops to be considered for advertisement in the Summer School
Bulletin must reach the UCC via the approval process in time to be placed
on the agenda by the second meeting of the spring semester. Please note that the approval process
requires signatures from the department chairperson, the department curriculum
committee, the School/College curriculum committee AND THE APPROPRIATE DEAN
before it is sent to the UCC (Graduate workshops must be reviewed by the
Graduate Council before submission to the UCC).
STEP 1
Chairpersons of Department Curriculum Committee are required
to forward proposed changes originating in and which have been approved by a
majority vote of the regular full-time faculty in their departments, a
justification of the proposal, and the Chairperson’s recommendation to the appropriate
Dean (s) (including the Graduate Council Chairperson for courses at the 500
level and above) or his/her designee and to the Chairperson of the
School/College Curriculum Committee within Seven (7) working days of
departmental action. The Dean or his/her
designee will retain a copy of the proposal and forward his/her independent
recommendation to the Chairperson of the University Curriculum Committee if it
seems necessary or advisable to do so. If the curricular change may have impact on
teacher certification or education programs, then the department must ask
the certification officer or his or her designee to review the proposal.
STEP 2
Six (6) School/College Curriculum Committees (CISBA, CED, HFA.
HHS, NSM, SBS) representative of each Department in each School/College shall
be elected and chaired by a member elected by said Committee. The UCC representative from each
school/college shall also serve as an at–large member of the appropriate school/college
committee but shall not serve as chair.
Each School/College Committee will elect a chair who will forward all
curricular actions, recommendations and minutes to the appropriate Dean and a
Secretary who will be responsible for record keeping.
STEP 3
Each School/College Curriculum Committee will receive and
review proposed curricular changes originating in departments of their
respective Schools.
STEP 4
All items involving the graduate curriculum must be reviewed
by the Graduate Council before consideration by the UCC. DO NOT SEND GRADUATE
CURRICULAR REQUESTS TO THE UCC BEFORE OBTAINING GRADUATE COUNCIL APPROVAL.
STEP 5
The School/College Curriculum Committee Chairperson or, in
the case of graduate courses, the Graduate Council Chairperson shall send the
original, signed, proposed curricular changes to the Secretary of APSCUF (who
will then forward the original copies to the Chairperson of the University
Curriculum Committee) and a copy of the same to the appropriate Dean within
fifteen (15) working days of receipt of the proposal. If the School/College Curriculum Committee returns a proposal to
the department from which it came for reworking, an additional five (5) working
days will be permitted for submission to the University Curriculum Committee.
1. Twenty-two
(22) copies of the signed proposal, including the original signed
proposal, shall be forwarded to
the Secretary of APSCUF who will then forward the original copies to the
Chairperson of the UCC. Proposals must
contain the signatures and recommendations of the Department Chairperson, the
Chairperson of the Department Curriculum Committee, the Chairperson of the
School/College Curriculum Committee, the Chairperson of the Liberal Studies
Committee if the course is seeking LS approval, the Graduate Council
Chairperson if the course is at the graduate level, and the Teacher
Certification Officer, if applicable.
2. One copy of the School/College
Curriculum Committee minutes should be attached to the original, signed
proposal.
3. Curricular proposals
are to be submitted on appropriate forms.
Forms in the
back of this document can be
copied as need by a department, or the department can make a computer copy of
the form and then fill in the appropriate information. All request forms must be completed as
specified. Incomplete will be returned
to the sponsoring department and action tabled until proper completion.
4. New course requests must include a
detailed course outline, not a detailed course syllabus (see Appendix (ia.ib)
for clarification about the difference between a course outline and course
syllabus.
5. All curricular proposals submitted by
the School/College Curriculum Committee shall be accompanied by a cover memo
containing a listing of items for UCC consideration.
6. All
curriculum matters shall be placed on the UCC agenda with the exception of
courses with a 90
designation. If only a single
experimental course (190, 290, 390, or 590) will be offered by a department in
any given semester, it shall be forwarded to the UCC for information only. Additional experimental courses from that
department for the same semester must proceed through the normal new course
approval process.
7. Items shall
not be placed on the UCC agenda unless received at least (7)
working days prior to the scheduled
meeting. Upon receipt of the
appropriate materials and five (5) working days prior to deliberation of the
UCC, the Chairperson of the UCC shall distribute copies of the agenda, minutes
of the previous meeting, and curricular materials pertinent to the agenda to
the members of the UCC, the Chairperson of School/College Curriculum
Committees, the Vice President for Academic Affairs, Deans and Associate Deans,
and Academic Records. When new course,
new programs or major program revisions are requested, the sponsoring
department must have a representative present at the respective UCC meeting to
answer any possible questions.
8. Revisions in the structure of the
Liberal Studies Program shall be submitted to the faculty for approval in a
referendum.
STEP 6
The Chairperson of the University Curriculum Committee must
forward the proposed curricular materials along with the Committee’s
recommendation, with dissenting opinion included, to the President, or his/her designee
within twenty (20) working days of receipt of the UCC.
STEP 7
The President of the University must inform APSCUF and all
appropriate parties of final action within ten (10) working days of receipt of
the recommendation of the UCC.
Final approval of curricular changes shall be the action of
the President of the University or his/her designee, and such action shall take
effect upon notification in written form to APSCUF. There will be simultaneous notification of such action to the
Academic Records Office, the Editor of the University Catalog, and appropriate
Deans.
·
Upon receipt of the notice of administrative action, the
secretary in the Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs shall
forward a copy of the action to the Chairperson of the School/College
Curriculum Committee and to the Chairperson of the Department originating the
proposal. Administrative action shall
be recorded in the minutes of the UCC.
·
Changes may not be entered in the University Catalog,
advertised by the School/College or entered on academic schedules prior to
final action.
ARTICLE XI
– AMENDMENTS
The Rules of Procedure may be amended by a majority vote of
APSCUF.
Nothing in these procedures is intended to preclude the
active participation of school administration in the curricular process of
their respective schools.
CURRICULUM APPROVAL PROCESS FOR NON-LIBERAL STUDIES
ITEMS
SEE INFORMATION AND/OR FLOW CHART
CURRICULUM APPROVAL PROCESS FOR LIBERAL STUDIES ITEMS
SEE FLOW CHART FOR NON-LIBERAL STUDIES ITEMS---FOLLOW THE
SAME STEPS BUT ALSO OBTAIN THE APPROVAL OF THE LIBERAL STUDIES MONITORING
COMMITTEE BEFORE BRINGING THE MATERIALS TO THE UNIVERSITY CURRICULUM COMMITTEE
(see LSMC Procedures).
DEFINITION
A minor is a set of courses which meets specified guidelines
and is designed to allow a sub-major concentration in an academic discipline or
in a specific area within a discipline.
Unlike an “area of concentration,” the minor is recorded on the
student’s final official permanent academic record.
Ordinarily, a minor is a subset of some major. But, 1) a minor may concentrate on an area
which involves two or more academic disciplines, each of which is related to
the minor, (for example, no major in journalism exists at Slippery Rock
University, but the departments of English and Communication have designed a
minor in journalism which includes required and elective courses from each of
the related disciplines,) or 2) a minor may be a concentration of related courses
for which no major exists. (For
example, Women’s Studies.) In these
cases, a specific department or group of departments from which most of the
required courses are selected shall elect to be the fostering department (s).
All guidelines shall then apply via the foster department (s).
1. Authorization to grant a minor shall be
obtained through the regular curriculum change procedures. (see
"Procedures for requesting a new degree, major, minor, concentration,
certificate" Appendix ii.
2. No course shall be counted in a minor
unless such course counts toward the major in that area. If two or more departments concertedly offer
a minor, then “major in that area” shall be interpreted as the union of the
major courses from involved departments.
3. The minimum hours for a minor shall be
no less than fifty percent of the minimum number of hours required for a
particular major, excluding courses required for professional certification,
and the minimum QPA shall be 2.00.
However, for those majors requiring more than 48 hours, the minimum
hours for a minor shall be no less than 24.
If two or more departments concertedly offer a minor, then the above
guidelines shall be applied to the minimum number of hours offered by the
departments involved.
4. Prerequisites for courses included in
the minor, but taught by departments other than the minor department (s), shall
not be part of the hours counted under the 50% minimum rule.
5. A student cannot major and minor in the
same discipline/academic area, but may minor in a specialization offered by
his/her major department. (example:
sociology major/criminology minor) A minimum of two courses in the minor must
be upper division (numbered 300 or above).
For each individual student these two upper division courses and at
least one other course in the selected minor area must be outside his/her major
area requirements or electives counted toward his/her major.
(This item pertains to any student selecting an approved
minor, but particularly to a student selecting a minor either in his/her major
department or in a department offering courses counting toward his/her major.)
6. The verification for meeting the
requirements for a minor shall be the same as for a major (Academic Record’s
evaluation plus departmental check and approval and once verified, the minor
shall appear on the student’s permanent academic record.)
7. The official
recording of a minor with the Academic Records Office may be made at the:
a. completion of all requirements for the
minor, or
b. time of application for graduation with
completion of requirements for the minor anticipated before graduation
c. (any) time prior to the completion of
the minor in which case the department representative must confirm completion
at the time of graduation or the notation will be removed NOTE: Until the official recording of a minor in
the Academic Records Office, the departmental records will suffice.
NOTE: All workshops
to be considered for advertisement in the Summer School Bulletin must reach the
UCC via the approval process in time to be placed on the agenda of the second
meeting of the spring semester. The
approval process requires signatures from the department chairperson, the
department curriculum committee, the School/College curriculum committee and
the appropriate Dean BEFORE it is sent to the UCC.
DEFINITION
A workshop is a program which is usually of short duration,
narrow in scope, often non-traditional in content and format, and on a timely
topic.
A workshop may be offered for any number of credit
hours. At least fifteen hours of
instruction must be offered for each semester hour of academic credit. It should be noted that this is a minimum
standard. In some circumstances, for
example in the case of workshops which are essentially activity or skill
oriented, more than fifteen hours of instruction may be required to justify one
semester hour of credit. Time should be
provided for study, research, writing, etc. when these activities are stated to
be part of the workshop.
To be approved for an academic credit, a workshop proposal
should:
1. Have part seven of the application
filled out in detail, offering a description of the academic nature of the
workshop, its objectives/competencies, the evaluation procedures to be used,
the course activities and student requirements, an outline of the content, and
a bibliography of sources available for the student.
2. Offer opportunities for students to
demonstrate achievement in one or more of the following: test taking, performance activities, writing
one or more papers in the area being studied, and giving oral
presentations. For graduate credit,
students must demonstrate the ability to do either primary or secondary
research.
3. Meet for no longer than 6 hours per
day, except when some institution or facility is used that has regular hours
which must be adhered to.
4. Demonstrate that it proposes to do
something that cannot be accomplished within the regular curriculum of the
University.
In addition to the usual curricular criteria, there are some
special considerations which should be part of the evaluation of proposal for
workshops:
5. Are the objectives of the workshop and
the activities designed to meet those objectives realistic and appropriate when
viewed in light of the proposed format and time of instruction?
6. Is the
amount of academic credit requested justified by the proposed instructional
time?
NUMBERING
All workshops should be designated by the use of one of six
numbers, 195, 295, 395, 495, 595, 695.
The 195, 295 designation should be used for workshops which
are of general interest and which require no specific background. Workshops designed to accommodate high
school students should use this number.
The 395, 495 designation should be used for undergraduate
level courses. Such offerings may
require some previous background.
The 595, 695 designation should be used for graduate level
courses, open also to junior, senior, and post-baccalaureate students. A single standard of performance and
evaluation will be applied to all students.
GRADING
All undergraduate workshops (195, 295, 395, and 495) are
graded on a pass-no credit basis.
Exceptions to this policy can be approved by the Dean of the sponsoring
college. All graduate workshops (595,
695) are graded on a traditional A, B, C, D, F scale.
POLICY FOR SELECTED TOPICS AND
EXPERIMENTAL COURSES
SELECTED TOPICS
1. That the numbers “198, 298, 398, 498,
598, 698” be used across the campus to designate each department’s “Selected Topics”
course (s).
2. A Selected
Topics course is a normal, departmental offering which is directly related
to the discipline, but because of its specialized nature, may not be able to be
offered on a yearly basis by the department.
3. Every department has a 198, 298, 398,
498, 598, 698 Selected Topics designation.
To classify a course under the Selected Topics designation, a new course request for each topic must be
submitted through the normal curricular process.. Once approved, that topic may be offered whenever the department
wishes.
4. Selected
Topics courses should not exceed 20% of the regular department offerings.
Addition to or deletion from the
list of Selected Topics course in each department must proceed through the
regular curricular approval mechanisms.
“EXPERIMENTAL” COURSES
1. The numbers
190, 290, 390, and 590, 690 are reserved for Experimental courses
exclusively.
2. To receive
the designation, “Experimental,” a course must be:
a.) a unique and specifically focused course
within the general purview of a department which intends to offer it on a “one
time only “ basis and not as a permanent part of the department’s curriculum…OR
b.) “Experimental” in the sense that a
department wants, in fact, to experiment with a course to see if it will “make
it,” if corrections need to be made in mid-flight, and if the eventual product
is worthy of incorporating into the regular departmental curriculum with or
without Liberal Studies status.
3. If a single experimental course of
either definition is not intended to carry Liberal Studies credit, notice of
its scheduling need come to the UCC for information and the course may be
advertised.
4. If a department believes that an
experimental course it is proposing does meet Liberal Studies criteria, the department
should follow normal curricular mechanisms for approval and not publish its
offering until such a time as official approval is received.
5. Since an experimental course is
conceived as a “trial-balloon” with or without Liberal Studies prospects,
departments should consider the time span between experimenting with the course
initially and getting it established as a normal offering.
Though easy to implement initially, departments should be
aware that the normal curricular approval process will not begin until after an
evaluation of the completed experimental course has been undertaken by the
department offering it. Given both the
Curricular Approval and University Publication processes, it is certain that three
semesters will be required after completion of the experimental course to get
it regularly established, if everything runs smoothly.
(Approved 4/5/82)
6. International Experimental Courses
The following statement has been approved by APSCUF
(4/25/95) for International courses only:
An international “experimental” course may carry as many as
five designations, 190/290/390/590/690, and may function as an enrichment
course under the Cultural Diversity—Global Perspective block of the Liberal
Studies program for any student who takes the course, regardless of major.
Proposals requesting multiple designations must proceed through the normal
curricular approval process, and the instructor must provide in writing his/her
rationale for the numbering system.
Also, assignments and expectations must be outlined in writing. There should be different expectations for students in each of the three levels,
i.e., 190, 390, or 590. Undergraduates
would receive credit for either 190 or 390.
Graduates would receive credit for 590.
In rare cases, and with appropriate admissions and approvals, talented
high school students may also be enrolled in such courses.
POLICY
FOR UNDERGRADUATE PRACTICAL APPLICATION COURSES
NOTE: This policy
does not apply to the introductory 1-3 credit hour courses.
I. Introduction
The following policy serves as the
basis for the development and implementation of all 3-12 credit hour
undergraduate courses involving practical application, with the exception of
student teaching. Included are practicum,
internship, professional integration, cooperative education, field experience,
and other similar labels used to describe programs that meet this policy. This policy requires minimum standards that
may be increased by participating departments or schools.
II. Goals
A. To expand students’ knowledge and to
enhance their learning of the theories of academic disciplines and programs of
study through appropriate career-related experiences.
B. To provide an opportunity to assist
students in the acquisition and application of skills related to a discipline
or program of study.
C. To provided the knowledge or experience
necessary for obtaining certification or licensing.
III. Administrative
Organization
A. Applications
1. Each department or school will
determine appropriate application procedures for practical application courses
and will determine a method of dissemination and implementation of those
procedures.
2. Application for participation should be
made by an announced date during the semester prior to registration for the course,
including summer.
3. Recommendations, resumes, vitae,
transcripts, advisor approvals, and all other necessary data will be submitted
to the coordinator of the practical application course.
B. Eligibility
and Selection
1. A minimum overall quality point average
of at least 2.0 and at least 2.0 in the major (and programs where applicable)
are required for approval for placement.
Higher standards and/or other academic requirements may be specified by
the agency, department, or program. The
same requirements apply for the semester before the internship.
2. Each department or program should
establish a minimum number of credit hours for the course. Courses will be available from 3-12 credit
hours, as requested through the curricular process.
3. Department representatives will select
students in a manner consistent with this policy and with the course guidelines
which have been approved through the normal curricular process. Any student whose application for an
internship is not approved by his/her department should be informed of the
reasons for which the application was denied.
4. All assignments will be agreed to in
writing by the agency and the department representative prior to the actual
placement of the student.
IV. Academic
Procedures
A. Requirements
1. Attendance at scheduled seminars or
instructor-approved alternatives as may be required.
2. Student maintenance and submission of a
daily journal or equivalent, i.e., lesson plans, which must be reviewed
periodically by the department representative during the course of the
experience.
3. Final project (s), if required,
submitted in accordance with the course syllabus.
3. Agency supervisors’ evaluations will be
a requirement for the completion of the course and may be a factor in the
determination of the final grade.
B. Responsibility
of the Instructor
Prior to
the course:
1. Provide an initial orientation for each
student which includes providing the student with a course syllabus or handbook
that clearly delineates goals, objectives, and requirements of the course to
insure that all related assignments and activities are conducted in a
professional manner.
2. Assist in the preparation of a contract
and/or handbook which will provide the necessary descriptions of the responsibilities
of the student, the agency, and the University.
3. Provide the student and agency a
written agreement and/or handbook of the requirements, assignments, and
expectations of the practical application of the course.
4. Familiarize the agency and the students
with the necessary guidelines and mutual expectations.
During the
course:
1. Maintain contact with the agency
supervisor to monitor the student’s progress:
a. After the initial adjustment period.
b. During the mid-term period.
c. During the exit period.
2. Maintain contact with the student to
monitor his/her progress and to ensure the viability of the learning
experience.
a. After the initial adjustment period.
b. During the mid-term period.
c. Prior to or during the evaluative or exit
period.
3. Arrange with the student and the agency
supervisor for on-site visits, where visitations are practical.
4. Make judgements regarding the
advisability of the continuation of the experience.
Following
the course:
1. Provide a debriefing opportunity which
allows the student to critique the experience.
2. Submit the necessary grade/evaluation
reports.
3. Provide an opportunity for the student
to evaluate the experience and the course instructor.
4. Evaluate the daily journal or
equivalent, i.e., lesson plans, final project (s), agency supervisor’s
evaluation, and other materials submitted in light of the goals in the
syllabus.
5. Evaluate the agency’s potential for
continued placement of students.
C. Responsibilities
of Agency Supervisors
1. To orient the student to the agency and
to establish a schedule of work and/or learning experiences.
2. To present the students to the agency
members as a prospective professional who is still in the learning experience.
3. To be willing to adjust assignments to
allow for a wider range of application opportunities during the course.
4. To meet with the student to discuss
progress, schedule, and areas of individual concern.
5. To notify the student’s course
instructor of any problems that are related to the work experience.
6. To submit to the course instructor an
evaluation of the progress of the student.
This may require the utilization of a form provided by the University.
D. Student
Responsibilities
As a minimum, all students will be
responsible for the following:
1. Completing application materials during
the semester prior to beginning the assignment.
2. Contacting the placement agency before
the course begins (interview or telephone or letter or some combination of
these).
3. Becoming familiar with the departmental
course guidelines (the syllabus).
4. Adhering to appropriate registration
procedures for the course and section.
5. Maintaining a professional demeanor
during the course.
6. Maintaining contact with the course instructor
as prescribed by departmental guidelines.
7. Meeting the academic requirements
prescribed by the department and the course instructor.
E. Credit Hour
Determination
1. Practical application courses may be
offered for 1-12 credit hours.
2. No student may use more than a total of
15 hours of practical application credit toward the 128 hours required for the
baccalaureate degree.
3.
Practical application courses should be treated like any
other course offering. Compensation and
faculty assignment should be made in accordance with the collective bargaining
agreement.
4. When the enrollment in a particular
practical application course reaches the point that further enrollment would
create an obligation on the university to make an overload payment to the Instructor,
all further enrollment must be approved by the department and/or the
appropriate Dean. The intention is not
to close the course but to assure the optimum utilization of faculty resources.
5. As a minimum standard, 40 clock hours
in the course assignment per semester are required per credit hour. The departments or programs may set higher
standards.
6. Students should enroll for the number
of practical application course credits which is commensurate with the number
of agency clock hours for which the student has contracted. For example, if the student has contracted
with the agency to work 480 hours or more, he/she should register for 12 course
credits. Likewise, if the student has
contracted to work 240 hours, he/she should register for 6 course credits.
F. Course
Number
1. Course number 450 will be used across
the University for practical application courses.
V. Financial
Consideration
A. Payment of Intern
NO financial assistance for the
payment of students is provided by the University. Agencies may provide remuneration to the intern, but this is not
required.
B. Student
Liability and Insurance
Students should be advised that
while on assignments they are not covered by any professional liability
insurance provided by the University.
However, all students must present evidence that they possess the
appropriate liability insurance.
VI. Policy
Expectation
A. Programs
in existence prior to passage may continue.
B. Any request to be excluded from
specific minimum standards of this policy must proceed through the regular
curricular approval process.
POLICY FOR GRADUATE PRACTICAL
APPLICATION COURSES
I. Introduction
The following policy serves as the
basis for the development and implementation of all 3-9 credit hour graduate courses
involving practical applications. This
policy requires minimum standards that may be increased by participating
departments or schools.
II. Goals
1. To expand students’ knowledge and to
enhance their learning of the theories of academic disciplines and programs of
study through appropriate career-related experiences.
2. To provide an opportunity to assist
students in the acquisition and application of skills related to a discipline
or program of study.
3. To provided the knowledge or experience
necessary for obtaining certification or licensing.
III. Administrative
Organization
1. Applications
a. Each department or school will
determine appropriate application procedures for practical application courses
and will determine a method of dissemination and implementation of those
procedures.
b. Applications will be in written form.
c. Application for participation should be
made by an announced date during the semester prior to registration for the
course, including summer.
d. Recommendations, resumes, vitae,
transcripts, advisor approvals, and all other necessary data will be submitted
to the coordinator of the practical application
course.
e. Registration in the course does not
guarantee placement.
2. Eligibility
and Selection
a.