AC-98-114 FACULTY OF SCIENCE ACADEMIC COMMITTEE Minutes of the meeting held on Tuesday, March 23, 1999, at 3:00 p.m. in the Arts Council Room (160). PRESENT: Associate Dean Mendelson (Acting Chair), Professors, Brawer, Drury, Franklin, Panangaden, Paquette, Pasztor, Wechsler, Yau; Associate Dean Norris; Ms. H. Waluzyniec; T. Samanta, G. Tsimiklis; J. D'Amico. REGRETS: Dean Shaver; Professors Baines, GrÅtter, Damha, Lapointe, Rasmussen, Silvius; D. Cowan; A. Chaudhry; J. Lefebvre, J. Liao. GUEST: Professor J. Fyles DOCUMENTS: AC-98-104 to AC-98-113 In the absence of Dean Shaver, Associate Dean Mendelson called the meeting to order at 3:05 p.m. (1) MINUTES OF FEBRUARY 23, 1999 AC-98- 104 Prof. Brawer moved, seconded by Prof. Franklin, that the minutes be approved. The motion carried. (2) BUSINESS ARISING FROM THE MINUTES - Minute 602.2, Page 2 SCTP: Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences/Chemistry Courses 195-219, 195-419, 195-619 and 180-219, 180-419, 180-619 702.1 Associate Dean Mendelson reported on the current status of the Faculty's "double-prefix" courses. The courses 180/195-219, -419, -619 had not been approved by APPC, and APPC will ask the Faculty to remove the double- prefix from any previously approved double-prefix courses. Both Dean Shaver and Associate Dean Mendelson were appealing APPC's decision. In the meantime, departments concerned should not take any action. (3) REPORT ON MINOR COURSE CHANGES AC-98-105 (for information) 703.1 A change to the Major Program in Biology and Chemistry for Teachers had been included in the Report on Minor Changes. It was decided that this should be discussed under item #5, Science for Teachers. The issue of how to deal with minor program changes would be discussed at the next Academic Committee Meeting, April 20, 1999. (4) MCGILL SCHOOL OF ENVIRONMENT New Course: 170-400A,B Environmental Research AC-98-106 3 credits 704.1 Points raised (some of these points had previously been raised by the Curriculum Committee of the Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences): - absence of a reading list - outline unfocused - absence of research guidelines - possible overlap with 177-535B - the possibility of exchanging course numbers between this course and 170-401A,B 704.2 The hours per week for the course were more clearly defined by the committee, namely: - Research/Reading = 6 hours - Tutorial = 2 hours - Seminar = 1 hour 704.3 Prof. Yau moved, seconded by Prof. Pasztor, that the course be adopted, provided that the above issues were resolved before bringing the course to Faculty. The motion carried. New Course Tabled to the Next Academic Committee Meeting: 170-401A,B Environmental Thought AC-98-107 3 credits Prof. Pasztor moved, seconded by Prof. Panangaden, that the course be adopted. 704.4 It was pointed out that the course had been approved by the Curriculum Committee of the Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, but with some reservations. Among the points raised by the above committee: - course description was 51 words - course outline unfocused - reading list missing - grading scheme missing 704.5 Concerning 170-401A,B, Associate Dean Mendelson pointed out that the Faculty of Arts Curriculum Committee had asked for consultation from the Department of Philosophy. 704.6 Points raised by the Academic Committee: - number of hours per week did not correspond to the credit weight - topics in course outline unclear - the result of consultation with the Department of Philosophy (as requested by the Faculty of Arts Curriculum Committee) should be viewed, and possibly the Department of Political Science should be consulted. 704.7 After a short discussion, Associate Dean Mendelson suggested that the course be tabled to the next Academic Committee meeting. 704.8 Prof. Paquette further moved, seconded by Prof. Panangaden, that the course be tabled to the next Academic Committee meeting on April 20, 1999, by which time the above concerns may be answered. The motion carried. New Domain Tabled To a Future Academic Committee Meeting: - B.Sc. Major in Environment: Ecological Determinants of Health Domain AC-98-109 Ms. Waluzyniec moved, seconded by Associate Dean Norris, that the domain be adopted. 704.9 It was pointed out that this domain had not been passed by the Curriculum Committee of the Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. Among the reasons for this were that a prerequisite may be added to the course 382-307B, which would complicate the domain; apparently there had not been appropriate consultation with the School of Dietetics and Human Nutrition. Also, some courses listed as alternative options were quite different in material and level. 704.10 The Academic Committee was concerned about a number of specific courses listed in the domain as well as about the levels of courses in the domain. Additionally, the university's course nomenclature had not been followed. 704.11 It was recommended that the domain originator consult directly with departments offering courses listed in the domain. 704.12 Associate Dean Mendelson urged that the domain include a statement requiring a certain number of credits above the 300-level. 704.13 Prof. Pasztor further moved, seconded by Prof. Franklin, that the domain be tabled to a future Academic Committee meeting. The motion carried. 704.14 Members with ideas for an appropriate domain title should inform Prof. Fyles. - B.A. Faculty Program in Environment: Ecological Determinants of Health Domain AC-98-110 (for information) (5) SCIENCE FOR TEACHERS - Major Program in Biology & Geography for Teachers AC-98-111 705.1 In response to a member concerning the rationale for choosing courses to be included in programs, it was suggested that if a given department offered courses that were substantially equivalent to courses already included in a particular program, the department's courses should be considered for inclusion in that program. This would allow for greater flexibility in students' timetables. It was suggested that Prof. Harris, Program Director, Science for Teachers, follow this up. 705.2 Document AC-98-111, Major Program in Biology and Geography for Teachers. The following changes should be made: - First page, under "The new Biology List A becomes": remove "or" after 177-202 - Second page, under "Revised Biology List A": remove 177-274 Ms. Waluzyniec moved, seconded by Prof. Yau, that the program changes be approved. The motion carried. - Major Program in Biology & Mathematics for Teachers AC-98-112 705.3 Document AC-98-112, Major Program in Biology & Mathematics for Teachers. The following changes should be made: - Second Page, under "Revised Biology List A": remove 177-274 Ms. Waluzyniec moved, seconded by Prof. Paquette, that the program be adopted. The motion carried. - Major Program in Biology & Chemistry for Teachers MPC-98-112 (Renumbered AC-98-113) 705.4 Document AC-98-113, Major Program in Biology & Chemistry for Teachers. The following changes should be made: - First page, under "The New Biology List A now has 21 Credits, namely": remove "or" after 177-202. - Second page, under "Revised Biology List A": remove 177-274. Ms. Waluzyniec moved, seconded by Prof. Paquette, that the program changes be approved. The motion carried. (6) LIMITATIONS FOR MSE STUDENTS ON COURSES OUTSIDE ARTS AND SCIENCE AC-98-108 706.1 Associate Dean Mendelson reminded members that the MSE was a tri-faculty school, and certain Faculty of Science regulations should therefore be modified to take account of this. 706.2 Associate Dean Mendelson said that document AC-98-108 really consisted of two proposals. He said that a modification had been made to the first proposal in document AC-98-108. The proposal should read: 706.3 Students in the B.Sc. Major in Environment may take as many courses outside the Faculties of Arts and Science as are necessary to satisfy their program requirements, and to permit them to study at the McGill Campus of their choice. Associate Dean Norris moved, seconded by Prof. Yau, that the above proposal be adopted. The motion carried. The second proposal was: 706.4 Students in the B.Sc. Major in Environment may take as many Mathematics and Statistics courses outside the Faculties of Arts and Science as are necessary to satisfy their program requirements and to permit them to study at the McGill Campus of their choice. Associate Dean Norris moved, seconded by Ms. Waluzyniec, that the above proposal be adopted. The motion carried. (7) GUIDELINES FOR UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH COURSES 707.1 Associate Dean Mendelson said the reason for having circulated the Guidelines For Undergraduate Research Courses from the Departments of Biology and Geography was that he thought they had addressed all the issues very well. He pointed out that if departments wished to revise their submissions, they could do so by April 12, 1999. Guidelines will be considered at the next Academic Committee meeting of April 20, 1999. (8) OTHER BUSINESS There was no other business. The meeting adjourned at 4:45 p.m. josie\academic\acmn1998m.doc