April 19, 2024

UNDERGRADUATE COUNCIL
MINUTES
April 19, 2024
2:30 p.m.
Upchurch Conference Room, BELL 3162

MEMBERS PRESENT: 
Voting:  Alan Ellstrand, Chris Liner, Casey Harris, Matt Ganio, Kevin Hall, Manuel Rossetti, Megan Hull, Lona Robertson, Garry McDonald, and Laurie Apple

Non-Voting: Gina Daugherty, Lisa Kulczak, and Suzanne Kenner 

MEMBERS ABSENT: 
Voting: Adriana Gonzalez, Ethel Goodstein, Rodney Thomas II, Rhett Hutchins, and Samantha Robinson
 
Non-Voting:  Tiffany Murphy, Suzanne Kucharczyk, and Amanda Corbell

GUESTS:  Lindsey Aloia and Ellen Urton

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

1. The minutes for the March 15, 2024, 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 May 1, 2024.

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 May 1, 2024.

a. Proposed undergraduate program change for the Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food, and Life Sciences, Department of Human Environmental Sciences – FNAHBS – Food, Nutrition and Health, Bachelor of Science in Human Environmental Science presented by Lona Robertson.

Changing HDFS 2413 or 1403 to HDFS 2493, deleting NUTR 4101L - class was inactivated, changing FNAH major core from 33 to 32 hours, changing electives from 42 to 43. Revise semester plan to match revisions.

NUTR 4101L was inactivated due to inadequate enrolment, requiring adjustment to hours; social science requirements changed to be those recognized as university core (4a_fnahbs_report_04192024, 4a_23-24_fnahbs-sdcp_tracked_changes_04192024, 4a_23-4_fnahbs_final_checksheet_04192024).

 

b. Proposed undergraduate program change for the Graduate School and International Education, Department of Graduate Dean – Intl UGRD Admission Policy – International Students Undergraduate Admissions Policy presented by Lindsey Aloia. 

Added the Duolingo English Test as an accepted method of showing English proficiency.

After benchmarking with the other SEC schools, it was determined that in order to stay competitive in the international market, we needed to accept the Duolingo English test as an indicator of English proficiency. The English Language Committee. has approved this proposed change (4b_intl_ugrd_admission_policy_report_04192024).

 

5. Additional Items

a. Chair of the Undergraduate Council – Election of Chair-Elect

Nominations were accepted from the floor for Chair-Elect; Matt Ganio offered to take on that role and, with no other nominations put forth, was duly elected to serve as Chair-Elect for the 2024-2025 year.  Matt will assume the position of Chair in 2025-2026.

 

b. Special Remote Vote on Course Changes

Chair Ellstrand reminded the Council of the remote vote for last-minute course changes prior to the course pause going into effect due to Workday implementation. On May1, a list of course proposals that have made it to Undergraduate Council will be distributed to the voting members via email.  Council members are asked to respond by May 6, in order to forward the approved course list to Faculty Senate on May 7.

 

Next Meeting: August 23, 2024 (agenda deadline is August 9, 2024).

Meeting adjourned at 2:45 p.m.