September 25, 2020

• U of A
• Undergraduate Council
• Meeting Minutes
• September 25, 2020

Zoom meeting: https://uark.zoom.us/j/84410432391?pwd=Y3Rxbnk1dVhOcTMzUWR2WHJDb2JFUT09

MEMBERS PRESENT:
Voting: Kris Allee, Karen Boston, Paul Cronan, Norman D. Dennis, Jr., Will Foster, Jim Gigantino, Ethel Goodstein-Murphree, Jeannie Hulen, Rhett Hutchins, Douglas Karcher, Patricia Koski, Ketevan Mamiseishvili, Jennie Popp, Lona Robertson, Manuel Rossetti, Mary Savin, and Joel B. Thornton

Non-Voting: Amanda Corbell, Suzanne Kenner

MEMBERS ABSENT:
Voting: Kevin Brady

Non-Voting: Alice Griffin, Lisa Kulczak

GUESTS:  Hope Ballentine, Alan Ellstrand, Khrystyna Kuchuk, Sherry Muir, Susan Patton, Mandel Samuels, and Myrlinda Soedjede

Chair Ketevan Mamiseishvili called the meeting to order at 2:31 p.m.

1. The minutes for the August 7, 2020 meeting were approved.
   
   
2. Course Change Proposals:
   All course change proposals were approved without opposition. The approved courses are listed on the CIM Course Report created by CourseLeaf and will be forwarded for consideration as appropriate to the:
   • Faculty Senate, meeting scheduled for October 14, 2020
   • Graduate Council meeting scheduled for October 15, 2020
     
     
3. Old Business: None
   
   
4. New Business:
   The following program change proposals were approved on the CIM Program Report without opposition, except for item 4.f. The program changes will be forwarded for consideration as appropriate to the:
   • Faculty Senate, meeting scheduled for October 14, 2020
   • Graduate Council meeting scheduled for October 15, 2020
     
     
1. Proposed undergraduate program change for the Walton College of Business, Department of Economics - BECA-M - Economic Analytics Minor for Non-Business Students presented by Karen Boston.
   
   Adding an Economics Analytics Minor for Non-Business Majors.
   
   The digital revolution ignited an explosion of data. The availability of data is no longer a constraint to answering important questions. The critical constraint is now the ability to analyze, digest, visualize, and ultimately harness the data to drive decision making in business, science, and society.
   
   The Economic Analytics minor will provide students with a strong background in economic theory and the latest applied tools in big-data econometrics and machine learning methods, optimization, and computing. These “big-data” skills, combined with knowledge of economic modeling, will enable them to identify, assess, and seize the opportunity for data-driven value creation in the private and public sector.
   (4a_beca-m_report_09252020)
   
   
2. Proposed undergraduate program change for the College of Education and Health Professions, Department of Rehabilitation, Human Resources, and Communication Disorders – HRWD-M - Human Resource and Workforce Development Minor presented by Mandel Samuels.
   
   This minor is being offered to provide access to students who are interested in taking HRWD courses and may need classes in HRWD, but do not need a Bachelor's degree in HRWD. Additionally, this is a response to requests by students in majors such as psychology and communications. These students see HRWD as complementing their major area of study.
   
   To respond to students needs and to provide access to our courses and the HRWD program to a larger pool of potential students.
   (4b_hrwd-m_report_09252020)
   
   
3. Proposed undergraduate program change for the College of Engineering, Department of Civil Engineering – CVEGBS - Civil Engineering, Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering presented by Manuel Rossetti.
   
   
   1. Specify allowable elective courses in the arts, humanities, and social sciences so that all requirements related to both the UA General Education Curriculum and the Arkansas State Minimum Core are met.
      
      The University of Arkansas is implementing a new General Education Curriculum beginning with the 2020-21 academic year; this new General Education Curriculum contains a series of learning outcomes, which are satisfied by approved courses (or sequences of courses). The change to the listing(s) of allowable elective courses in the arts, humanities, and social sciences provides each student the ability to meet all General Education learning outcomes - while continuing to satisfy Arkansas State Minimum Core requirements.
      
      
   2. Revise program learning outcomes to reflect those adopted by the program faculty, to comply with external (ABET) accreditation requirements - which underwent major revision for the 2019-20 academic year.
      
      The external accreditation of this program is provided by ABET. Program learning outcomes required in the ABET criteria underwent significant change in 2019. The new CVEG program learning outcomes reflect the revised ABET criteria.
   (4c_cvegbs_report_09252020)
   
   
4. Proposed undergraduate program change for the College of Engineering, Department of Electrical Engineering – ELEGBS - Electrical Engineering, Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering presented by Manuel Rossetti.
   
   Updating general education requirements to comply with University policy.
   (4d_elegbs_report_09252020)
   
   
5. Proposed undergraduate program change for the College of Engineering, Department of Industrial Engineering – INEGBS - Industrial Engineering, Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering presented by Manuel Rossetti.
   
   Remove CSCE 2004.
   Remove ELEG 3903.
   Move INEG 2413 to semester 4.
   Move MEEG 2303 to semester 5.
   Add INEG 2214 (new course) to semester 3.
   Add INEG 2223 (new course) to semester 4.
   Requirements associated with English, social sciences, fine arts, and humanities were adjusted to conform to the university’s new General Education learning outcomes.
   
   Based on stakeholder input from industry and students, the IE faculty decided that an increase emphasis in computing was needed within the degree program. To achieve this, two computing courses (INEG 2214 and INEG 2223) have been created and added to the program. This addition alleviates the need for IE students to take CSCE 2004. ELEG 3903 was removed to make room in the curriculum for an extra computing course and based on input from practicing industrial engineers on their career usage of that material. The movement of classes between semesters is to balance the course load for students.
   (4e_inegbs_report_09252020).
   
   
6. Proposed graduate program change for the Department of Curriculum and Instruction – TELEME – Teaching and Learning, Master of Education.
   
   Proposed new online Master of Education in Teaching and Learning program.
   
   The proposed program seeks to meet the growing need for graduate education for teaching professionals in Arkansas and across the nation. According to the Academic Benchmark & Labor Market Report prepared by the University of Arkansas Global Campus, teaching professions aligned with this degree program (elementary and secondary teachers) show positive job growth at the national, regional (border state), and state level. The report also shows that degree completions at distance offered programs have increased over the last five years (+3%), while completions at non-distance offered programs has decreased considerably (-25%). Yet, out of the 19 cohort schools reviewed for that report, only five (26%) offered an online Master’s degree in Curriculum & Instruction. The proposed program would help meet the growing need for online graduate education provided by institutions similar to the University of Arkansas.
   (4f_teleme_report_09252020, 4f_teleme_newdegree_ltrofintent_09252020, 4f_teleme_newdegree_proposal_09252020, 4f_teleme_newdegree_supportingdocuments_09252020).
   
   Ketevan Mamiseishvili announced that this item would need to be tabled indefinitely. As such, the proposal was rolled back to the submitter.
   
   
7. Proposed graduate program change for the Department of Occupational Therapy – OTDEDP – Occupational Therapy, Doctor of Occupational Therapy presented by Sherry Muir.
   
   Course content development necessitated reduction of OCTH 5422 by one credit and increase of OCTH 5483 by 1 credit to better reflect current practice. This results in no change to overall degree credits.
   
   Added progression, retention, and dismissal policies, and clarified admission requirements.
   
   As the program is developing new courses and working with stakeholders, this change needed to be made to best prepare our students for occupational therapy practice in Arkansas and beyond.
   
   OTD program is integrated, sequential, and progressive. Therefore, these policies are needed to maximize student success in the program and clearly articulate the expectations that may result in probation or dismissal.
   (4g_otdedp_report_09252020).
   
   
8. Proposed graduate program change for the Eleanor Mann School of Nursing – NURSDP- Nursing Practice, Doctor of Nursing Practice presented by Hope Ballentine.
   
   Removal of GRE requirement for admission
   
   All applicants to the program are registered nurses and have passed a standardized licensure test which indicates their ability to critically think and analyze solutions. The program has lost applicants because of the GRE stipulation due to many other programs not requiring it, making the program less competitive. Faculty do not feel that the GRE is a valid indicator of success in this program. Faculty are exploring other potential screening exams and will consider the addition of another screening exam if it is determined that it would add value to the admission process.
   (4h_nursdp_report_09252020).
   
   
9. Proposed graduate program change for the Eleanor Mann School of Nursing – NURSMS - Nursing, Master of Science presented by Hope Ballentine.
   
   Removal of the GRE requirement for admission.
   
   All applicants to the program are registered nurses and have passed a standardized licensure test which indicates their ability to critically think and analyze solutions. The program has lost applicants because of the GRE stipulation due to many other programs not requiring it, making the program less competitive. Faculty do not feel that the GRE is a valid indicator of success in this program. Faculty are exploring other potential screening exams and will consider the addition of another screening exam if it is determined that it would add value to the admission process.
   (4i_nursms_report_09252020).
   
   
10. Proposed graduate program change for the Eleanor Mann School of Nursing – AGACMC - Adult-Gerontology Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Post-Master's Certificate presented by Hope Ballentine.
    
    The EMSON requests a certification program to be in place to offer Master's or Doctorally-prepared Advanced Practice Nurses an opportunity to broaden their scope of practice by certifying as an Adult-Gerontological Acute Care Nurse Practitioner.
    
    These courses are already offered in a web-based format through the DNP program and this certificate would allow for an increased student population (those who are already nurse practitioners) to be able to take the courses and certify as Adult-Gerontological Acute Care Nurse Practitioners (AGACNPs). Many hospitals are requiring nurse practitioners to hold this certification in order to see patients in the inpatient settings, especially acute and intensive care settings.
    (4j_agacmc_report_09252020, 4j_agacpmc_grad_certificate_ltrofnotif_09252020, 4j_agacpmc_grad_certificate_workforcereqform_09252020, 4j_agacpmc_grad_certificate_supportingdoc_09252020).
    
    
11. Proposed graduate program change for the Eleanor Mann School of Nursing – FNPRMC – Family Nurse Practitioner, Post-Master's Certificate presented by Hope Ballentine.
    
    The EMSON requests a certification program to be in place to offer Master's or Doctorally-prepared Advanced Practice Nurses an opportunity to broaden their scope of practice by certifying as a Family Nurse Practitioner.
    
    These courses are already offered through the DNP program and this certificate would allow for an increased student population (those who are already nurse practitioners) to be able to take the courses and certify as Family Nurse Practitioners (FNPs). Many nurse practitioners who have a more narrow scope of practice desire to broaden their scope of practice by becoming certified in this way. There are not currently any schools in Arkansas offering FNP certification through a certificate program. This program would increase student population using resources already in existence without having to create any new courses.
    (4k_fnprmc_report_09252020, 4k_fnppmc_grad_certificate_ltrofnotif_09252020, 4k_fnppmc_grad_certificate_workforcereqform_09252020, 4k_fnppmc_grad_certificate_supportingdoc_09252020).
    
    
5. Additional items/Announcements:
   • Department of Accounting – Title Change – William Dillard Department of Accounting presented by
     (5_department_of_accounting-title_change-ltrofnotif_09252020).
     
     
6. Next Meeting: October 23 (agenda deadline is October 9, 2020). 

Meeting adjourned at 3:07 p.m.