November 17, 2023

UNDERGRADUATE COUNCIL
MINUTES
November 17, 2023
2:30 p.m.
Upchurch Conference Room, BELL 3162

MEMBERS PRESENT: 
Voting:  Alan Ellstrand, Matthew Ganio, Ethel Goodstein-Murphree, Kevin Hall, Lona Robertson, Manuel Rossetti, Chris Liner, Adriana Gonzalez, Megan Hull, and Samantha Robinson

Non-Voting: Amanda Corbell, Lisa Kulczak, and Suzanne Kenner 

MEMBERS ABSENT: 
Voting: Casey Harris, Rhett Hutchins, Garry McDonald, Rodney Thomas II, and Laurie Apple
 
Non-Voting:  Gina Daugherty, Suzanne Kucharczyk, and Tiffany Murphy

GUESTS:  Hope Ballentine, Craig Schmitt, Sarah Bemis, and Ellen R. Urton

Chair Alan Ellstrand called the meeting to order at 2:30 p.m.

1. The minutes for the October 27, 2023, 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 to the Faculty Senate, meeting scheduled for December 6, 2023.

3. Old Business:  

None

4.  New Business:  

The following program change proposals were approved on the CIM Program Report.  The program change proposals will be forwarded for consideration to the Faculty Senate, meeting scheduled for December 6, 2023.

 

a. Proposed undergraduate program change for the Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences, Department of African and African American Studies – AAST Dependent Major – African and African American Studies Dependent Major presented by Chris Liner.

i. Added multiple new courses that have been cross-listed in the last few years but were never added to the major.
ii. Added multiple new courses that are in the process of being created or cross-listed this year.
iii. Removed retired courses that were not deleted from the major at the time of retirement.

Creates a more accurate list for use by students and advisors. Increases available course offerings (4a_aast_dependent_major_report_11172023). 

 

b. Proposed undergraduate program change for the Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences, School of Art – AREDBFA – Art Education, Bachelor of Fine Arts presented by Chris Liner.

i. Adding information about application process.
This information was left off when the ARTBFA-ARED plancode was converted to the AREDBFA plancode.

ii. Stipulated in the program requirements how the Fulbright College Writing Requirement is satisfied.
This is the current policy, so now it's more transparent for students. It also reduces paperwork since the degree audit will be able to recognize it (4b_aredbfa_report_11172023).

 

c. Proposed undergraduate program change for the College of Education and Health Professions, Department of Health, Human Performance and Recreation – RESMBS – Recreation and Sport Management, Bachelor of Science presented by Craig Schmitt.

Added new courses and updated existing courses. Removed concentrations and now have one degree plan.

Updated curriculum to meet demands of industry changes (4c_resmbs_report_11172023, 4c_resm_proposed_curriculum_course_descriptions_11172023, 4c_resmbs_program_changes_outline_11172023, 4c_resm_proposed_curriculum_table_11172023, 4c_resmbs_curriculum_revision_ltr_of_notification_rev_bot_11172023). 

 

d. Proposed undergraduate program change for the College of Education and Health Professions, Department of Health, Human Performance and Recreation – RESMBS-READ – Recreation and Sport Management: Recreation Administration Concentration presented by Craig Schmitt.

Updating the curriculum to meet demands of industry changes (4d_resmbs-read_report_11172023). 

 

e. Proposed undergraduate program change for the College of Education and Health Professions, Department of Health, Human Performance and Recreation – RESMBS-SPAD – Recreation and Sport Management: Sports Administration Concentration presented by Craig Schmitt.

Updating the curriculum to meet demands of industry changes (4e_resmbs-spad_report_11172023). 

 

f. Proposed undergraduate program change for the College of Education and Health Professions, Eleanor Mann School of Nursing – NURSBS-LNBN – Nursing: LPN to BSN Option presented by Hope Ballentine.

i. All courses in the program of study have changed and include new courses that are based on thoughtfully designed curriculum revisions for Competency-Based Education in the BSN program (as required by the accrediting body).
ii. The format of competency-based learning used will still have students meeting the federal definition of seat time required for credit-hours earned, thus being in line with APS 1200.40.
iii. Progression has been updated to be more consistent across the BSN options and to ensure clarity of expectations.

Changes are reflective of new requirements by the accrediting body (2021 Essentials- AACN), a new model and test plan for licensure preparation (NCSBN, 2023) and aimed at ensuring graduates are practice ready. UARK and COEHP admin have worked with NURS faculty to ensure these changes are in keeping with University policies and goals (4f_nursbs-lnbn_report_11172023, 4f_nursbs_curriculum_revision_ltr_of_notification_rev_bot_11172023).

 

g. Proposed undergraduate program change for the College of Education and Health Professions, Eleanor Mann School of Nursing – NURSBS-PLRN – Nursing: Pre-Licensure BSN Option presented by Hope Ballentine.

i. All courses in the program of study have changed and include new courses that are based on thoughtfully designed curriculum revisions for Competency-Based Education in the BSN program (as required by the accrediting body, AACN). Some changes were made to pre-requisites to allow a larger variety of options for students that will still prepare them for Nursing or to eliminate courses that were not meeting the needs of students so that profession-specific content (i.e. medication math) can be covered in program.
ii. Progression has been updated to be more consistent across the BSN options and to ensure clarity of expectations.
iii. Program outcomes were updated as part of the new curriculum changes.

Changes are reflective of new requirements by the accrediting body (New Essentials for Nursing Practice, AACN, 2021) and to better ensure applicants admitted to the program will be successful in program, in pursuit of licensure (New NCLEX test plan, NCSBN, 2023), and in the workplace. UARK and COEHP admin have worked with NURS faculty to ensure these changes are in keeping with University policies and goals (4g_nursbs-plrn_report_11172023, 4g_nursbs_curriculum_revision_ltr_of_notification_rev_bot_11172023).

 

h. Proposed undergraduate program change for the College of Education and Health Professions, Eleanor Mann School of Nursing – NURSBS-RNBN – Nursing: RN to BSN Option presented by Hope Ballentine.

i. All courses in the program of study have changed and include new courses that are based on thoughtfully designed curriculum revisions for Competency-Based Education in the BSN program.
ii. Progression has been updated to be more consistent across the BSN options and to account for RNBN students now being required to complete clinical experiences.

Changes are reflective of new requirements by the accrediting body (2021 Essentials- AACN) and aimed at ensuring graduates are practice ready. UARK and COEHP admin have worked with NURS faculty to ensure these changes are in keeping with University policies and goals (4h_nursbs-rnbn_report_11172023, 4h_nursbs_curriculum_revision_ltr_of_notification_rev_bot_11172023).

 

i. Proposed undergraduate program change for the College of Education and Health Professions, Eleanor Mann School of Nursing – PLNBN – Nursing (Pre-LNBN) presented by Hope Ballentine.

Changes made to admissions and course requirements based on major curriculum revisions for Competency-Based Education in the BSN program.

Changes are reflective of new requirements by the accrediting body and to better ensure applicants admitted to the program will be successful in program and in pursuit of licensure. UARK and COEHP admin have worked with NURS faculty to ensure these changes are in keeping with University policies and goals (4i_plnbn_report_11172023, 4i_nursbs_curriculum_revision_ltr_of_notification_rev_bot_11172023).

 

j. Proposed undergraduate program change for the College of Education and Health Professions, Eleanor Mann School of Nursing – PNURS – Nursing (Pre-Nursing/Health) presented by Hope Ballentine.

i. Changes made to admissions and course requirements based on major curriculum revisions for Competency-Based Education in the BSN program.

Changes are reflective of new requirements by the accrediting body and to ensure equity among applicants in this competitive program. UARK and COEHP admin have worked with NURS faculty to ensure these changes are in keeping with University policies and goals.

ii. changed program name to "P-NURS/Health".

This signifies to students that our advising practice is "parallel planning" such that pre-nursing students that do not get into a nursing major have other possibilities for degree completion (i.e., our other health-related degrees) (4j_pnurs_report_11172023, 4j_nursbs_curriculum_revision_ltr_of_notification_rev_bot_11172023).

5. Additional Items/Announcements:

a. Annual Course Review—Amanda Corbell, Registrar’s Office

i. Courses with No Enrollment in 6 or More Years will be made inactive, effective Fall 2024 (5a_undergraduate_courses_no_enrollment_in_6_plus_years_fall_2023_11172023).  Please refer to Academic Policy 1622.11, which governs course review

ii. Courses Inactive 3 or More Years will be deleted, effective Fall 2024 (5b_undergraduate_courses_inactive_3_plus_years_fall_2023_11172023).  Please refer to Academic Policy 1622.11, which governs course review.

 

b. Discussion on the Council’s interpretation of two questions on the program proposal form in CourseLeaf—Lisa Kulczak

i.   “Is  this program interdisciplinary”? 

Does this apply only to programs shared between colleges or also to programs within one college?  What determines when/if a program is interdisciplinary? 
Currently, if users select “Yes” to this question, the deans’ offices of the named colleges are included in the approval workflow.

             The Council voiced concern that there is no campus definition of “interdisciplinary” and that the guidelines around previous                                     interpretations of the term are not codified in written policy.  The chair will follow up with Vice Provost Jim Gigantino.
       
ii. “Does this proposal impact courses from other colleges?”

When should users select “Yes” to this question?  The current understanding has been to only select this if the change being proposed is to add or remove a course(s) to program requirements.  Moving a course that belongs to another college from one semester/year to another in the 8-semester plan has NOT been considered a change that requires a “Yes” response.  Currently, if users select “Yes” to this question, the deans’ offices of the named colleges are included in the approval workflow.

The Council may want to revisit the scenarios under which users are instructed to select an affirmative response to this question.

 Next Meeting: December 15, 2023 (agenda deadline is December 1, 2023).

Meeting adjourned at 3:11 p.m.