AC-03-65 FACULTY OF SCIENCE ACADEMIC COMMITTEE Minutes of the meeting held on Tuesday, October 21, 2003, at 3:00 p.m. in the Arts Council Room, Arts 160. PRESENT: Dean Shaver (Chair), Associate Dean Mendelson (Vice- Chair), Professors Arkani-Hamed, Baines, Baker, Kakkar, Kemme, Lechowicz (in the absence of Prof. Kramer), Meredith, Silvius, Schmidt, Wechsler, Yau; Associate Dean Hendershot; M. El Ouali; J. Caplin, R. Harron, R. Kozak, E. Lewis, A. Malone, S. Sen, J. Vorstenbosch; E. Gibb; J. D'Amico. REGRETS: Professors Bennett and Cline DOCUMENTS: AC-03-15 AC-03-18 to AC-03-64 Dean Shaver called the meeting to order at 3:03 p.m. (1) ADOPTION OF AGENDA - Item #11, McGill School of Environment, ENVR 509 and ENVR 542, to be considered at a future Academic Committee meeting. Prof. Yau moved, seconded by Prof. Kakkar, that the amended Agenda be approved. The motion carried. (2) MINUTES OF SEPTEMBER 23, 2003 AC-03- 18 202.1 Associate Dean Mendelson said he would like the Minutes of September 23 to record his thanks to Josie D'Amico and Jennifer Marleau for the valuable work they had done in putting together the B.A.Sc. Major Concentrations in the Faculty of Science. Ms. Capling moved, seconded by Prof. Kakkar, that the amended Minutes be approved. The motion carried. (3) BUSINESS ARISING FROM THE MINUTES There was no business arising from the Minutes. (4) MINOR COURSE CHANGES AND OTHER AC-03-19 (for information) 204.1 Associate Dean Mendelson explained that there were two types of changes in the Minor Course Changes and Other Report. He said that besides the usual minor course changes, there were other course changes offered by the Department of Mathematics and Statistics for Engineering and for Management students. (5) COMPUTER SCIENCE COMP 462 Computational Biology Methods AC-03- 20 3 credits Changes: number, prerequisite 205.1 A restriction should be added to Item # 24 to read: Not open to students who are taking or have taken COMP 562. Prof. Kemme moved, seconded by Prof. Schmidt, that the changes be approved. The motion carried. New Course: COMP 563 Molecular Evolution Theory AC-03- 21 3 credits New Course: COMP 564 Computational Gene Regulation AC-03- 22 3 credits 205.2 After some discussion concerning possible overlap with other courses, and the lack of biological prerequisites, Associate Dean Mendelson said that consultation should take place with Professors J. Vogel, K. Morgan and G. Bell, prior to the course proposals being submitted to the Faculty of Science meeting on November 11, 2003. 205.3 It was pointed out that for COMP 564, the percentages under Evaluation did not add up. 205.4 Associate Dean Mendelson said that if the descriptions of the courses were to become Course Outlines for students, the `academic integrity' statement should be included. Prof. Kemme moved, seconded by Prof. Schmidt, that the above courses be adopted subject to the above modifications. The motion carried. Program Changes: - Minor in Computational Molecular Biology AC-03- 24 Prof. Kemme moved, seconded by Prof. Schmidt, that the program changes be approved. The motion carried. - Minor in Computer Science AC-03- 23 - Major in Computer Science AC-03- 25 - Joint Major in Mathematics & Computer Science AC-03-26 - Honours in Computer Science AC-03- 27 - Joint Honours in Mathematics & Computer Science AC-03- 28 Prof. Kemme moved, seconded by Prof. Schmidt, that the above program changes be approved. The motion carried. (6) PHYSICS - Joint Major in Physics & Computer Science AC-03- 29 Prof. Kemme moved, seconded by Prof. Arkani-Hamed, that the program changes be approved. The motion carried. (7) ATMOSPHERIC & OCEANIC SCIENCES, EARTH & PLANETARY SCIENCES, GEOGRAPHY New Course: ATOC/EPSC/GEOG 104 The Earth System AC-03- 30/31/32 3 credits 207.1 In response to Ms. Gibb, Dean Shaver said it was not a new policy to exclude mandatory attachment of "Required Text and/or Preliminary Reading List." He asked that members continue to attach these. Prof. Yau moved, seconded by Prof. Meredith, that the course be adopted. The motion carried. 207.2 Dean Shaver said that members had just approved the first triple-prefix course, but that dual-prefix courses had been approved in the past. (8) CONCURRENT BSC/BED PROGRAM - SCIENCE FOR TEACHERS (OVERVIEW) AC-03-15 - Major in Mathematics AC-03- 33 Prof. Schmidt moved, seconded by Prof. Arkani-Hamed, that the program be adopted. The motion carried. Major Concentrations: - Biology with Chemistry for Teachers AC-03- 34 - Chemistry with Biology for Teachers AC-03- 35 - Chemistry with Physics for Teachers AC-03- 36 - Physics with Chemistry for Teachers AC-03- 37 - Biology with Physics for Teachers AC-03-38 - Physics with Biology for Teachers AC-03-39 208.1 Associate Dean Mendelson suggested to change the nomenclature in Item #7 for all the above proposals to B.Sc. Major Concentration in ... with a Minor in ... 208.2 Associate Dean Mendelson pointed out that for the B.Sc./B.Ed. there was no 'fallback' option should a student decide not to complete the B.Ed. component. He suggested that the Major Concentrations be approved with the understanding that departments would ensure that they had at least one Faculty program such that all students in the B.Sc./B.Ed. would be able to relatively easily obtain a B.Sc. if they decided not to pursue the B.Ed. Prof. Yau moved, seconded by Prof. Lechowicz, that the above B.Sc. Major Concentrations be adopted. The motion carried. (9) BIOLOGY - Overview AC-03- 40 New Course: BIOL 215 Intro to Ecology and Evolution AC-03- 41 3 credits 209.1 The restrictions, item #17, should read "Not open to students ...or BIOL 305... Prof. Lechowicz moved, seconded by Prof. Baines, that the course be adopted. The motion carried. BIOL 305 Animal Diversity AC-03- 42 3 credits Changes: title, prerequisite, description Prof. Lechowicz moved, seconded by Prof. Baines, that the changes be approved. The motion carried. BIOL 308 Ecological Dynamics AC-03-43 3 credits Changes: number [from BIOL 208], title, prerequisite, restriction, description Prof. Lechowicz moved, seconded by Prof. Baines, that the changes be approved. The motion carried. New Course: BIOL 435 Natural Selection AC-03- 44 3 credits Prof. Lechowicz moved, seconded by Prof. Arkani-Hamed, that the course be adopted. The motion carried. New Course: BIOL 569 Developmental Evolution AC-03- 45 3 credits Prof. Lechowicz moved, seconded by Prof. Baines, that the course be adopted. The motion carried. New Course: BIOL 571 Experimental Evolution & Ecology AC-03- 46 3 credits Prof. Lechowicz moved, seconded by Mr. Sen, that the course be adopted. The motion carried. Secretary's Note: The title of this course is too long. New Course: BIOL 534 Theoretical Ecology AC-03-47 3 credits Prof. Lechowicz moved, seconded by Prof. Baines, that the course be adopted. The motion carried. New Course: BIOL 329 East African Ecology AC-03- 48 3 credits Prof. Lechowicz moved, seconded by Associate Dean Hendershot, that the course be adopted. The motion carried. BIOL 518 Advanced Topics in Cell Biology AC-03- 49 3 credits Changes: title, prerequisite, description 209.2 It was suggested that the Biology Department examine the question of whether the number of this course should be changed, since there seemed to be a major change in course content. Prof. Lechowicz moved, seconded by Prof. Baines, that the changes be approved. The motion carried. Secretary's Note: The title of this course is too long. Program Changes: - Major in Biology AC-03-50 - Honours in Biology AC-03- 51 - Faculty Program in Biology AC-03- 52 - Faculty Program in Biology & Mathematics AC-03- 53 - Minor in Biology AC-03-54 - BASc Major Concentration in Biology: Organismal Option AC-03- 55 Cell/Molecular Option AC-03- 56 209.3 Prof. Lechowicz tabled consultation reports. Prof. Lechowicz moved, seconded by Prof. Arkani-Hamed, that the above program changes be approved. The motion carried. - Minor in Science for Arts (For Information) (Documents Available Upon Request) (10) ATMOSPHERIC & OCEANIC SCIENCES New Course: ATOC 412 Atmospheric Dynamics AC-03- 57 3 credits Prof. Yau moved, seconded by Mr. Harron, that the course be adopted. The motion carried. Program Changes: - Minor in Atmospheric Science AC-03- 58 - Major in Atmospheric Science AC-03- 59 - Honours in Atmospheric Science AC-03- 60 - Joint Major in Atmospheric Science & Physics AC-03-61 - McGill-UQAM Joint Ph.D. Meterology AC-03- 62 210.1 Associate Dean Mendelson suggested the removal of the first sentence in item #6.11, Rationale, document AC-03- 62. Prof. Yau moved, seconded by Mr. Harron, that the program changes be approved. The motion carried. (11) McGILL SCHOOL OF ENVIRONMENT THE FOLLOWING TWO COURSES WERE POSTPONED UNTIL THE NEXT MEETING. New Course: ENVR 509 Global Environmental Politics AC-03- 63 3 credits New Course: ENVR 542 Computers, Society and Nature AC-03- 64 3 credits (12) OTHER BUSINESS 212.1 In response to a member who asked when a list would be prepared describing "best Faculty practices" for the administration of course evaluations, Dean Shaver said that this was an important issue which was in the process of being addressed. 212.2 Dean Shaver mentioned that he hoped he and Associate Dean Mendelson would be able to report later in the year on the results of a survey that had been sent to departments, concerning undergraduate research opportunities. The meeting adjourned at 4:00 p.m.