AC-97-8 FACULTY OF SCIENCE ACADEMIC COMMITTEE Minutes of the meeting held on Tuesday, September 23, 1997 at 3:00 p.m. in the Arts Council Room (160). PRESENT: Dean Shaver (Chair), Professors Andrews, Brawer, Drury, MÅller-Wille, Panangaden, Paquette, Pasztor, Wechsler, Yau; Ms. Waluzyniec; J. D'Amico REGRETS: Associate Dean de Takacsy; Professors Baines, Franklin, GrÅtter, Silvius; Associate Dean Norris; Ms. Cowan. VISITOR: Professor J. Ramsay DOCUMENTS: AC-96-104 AC-97-1 to AC-97-7 Dean Shaver called the meeting to order at 3:05 p.m. Dean Shaver announced the new members of the Academic Committee. He said that Prof. J. Ramsay, Department of Psychology, would be discussing Item #5, Arts Minor, on behalf of Associate Dean de Takacsy, who was unable to attend the meeting due to a conflict with another meeting. (1) MINUTES OF MAY 6, 1997 AC-96-104 Prof. Brawer moved, seconded by Prof. Andrews, that the minutes be approved. The motion carried. (2) BUSINESS ARISING FROM THE MINUTES Minute 802.2, Biology Genetics Course AC-97-7 102.1 Dean Shaver said that the Biology Genetics course would be offered in both the A and B terms for 1998-99. He said that this result was an example of cooperation between two faculties, and an attempt to maintain the quality of education. MINUTES 803.1 TO 803.4, EXAMINATION SECURITY (AC-96-95) 102.2 Prof. Pasztor, Director of McGill Summer Studies, said that Summer Studies had taken note of the Harpp report (Review of Exam Security Measures), and had instigated a more secure invigilation system for summer course examinations. She said that summer course final examinations were being handled as seriously as were the Fall and Winter term final examinations. 102.3 Dean Shaver suggested that Prof. Pasztor forward to the Faculty Office a copy of the letter concerning examination invigilation that she had sent to Vice- Principal (Academic) Chan, so that the letter could be circulated to members of the Academic Committee. (3) SCHOOL OF NURSING 576-308 Women's Health AC-97-1 3 credits Change in course description. Prof. Weschlser moved, seconded by Ms. Waluzyniec, that the change be approved. The motion carried. New Course: 576-309 Women's Reproductive Health AC-97-2 3 credits Prof. Paquette moved, seconded by Ms. Waluzyniec, that the course be adopted. The motion carried. (4) PSYCHIATRY New Course (First Year Seminar): 555-199A Mental Illness and the Brain AC-97-3 3 credits 104.1 After a short discussion concerning the possible overlap of Psychiatry 555-199A with some Psychology courses, and a possible lack of consultation between the Departments of Psychology and Psychiatry, Prof. Brawer moved, seconded by Prof. Andrews, that the new course be adopted. The motion carried. (5) ARTS MINORS AC-97-4 105.1 Dean Shaver briefly introduced the proposed new BA degree. Students would take a major concentration (36 credits) and at least one minor concentration (18 credits). This is in contrast to the current BA program of 54 credits for a major and 24 credits for a minor, which is the same as in Science. This program is supposed to take effect in September 1998. 105.2 Prof. Ramsay, on behalf of Associate Dean de Takacsy, introduced document AC-97-4. - Arts minors within the BSc Proposal #1 - All these minors should be retired, effective September 1998. 105.3 Dean Shaver said that he felt it would be premature for the Academic Committee to retire the Arts minors for BSc students before the Faculty of Arts had finalized its arrangements. He said the Academic Committee should await notification from the relevant Arts departments as to their plans for these minors. Proposal #2 - The principle of Minor Concentrations (18 credits with no permissible overlap) in non-Science disciplines should be approved. 105.4 Prof. Panagaden moved, seconded Prof. Muller-Wille, that the principle of Minor Concentrations (18 credits with no permissible overlap) in non-science disciplines should be approved. The motion carried. Proposal #3 - The Faculty of Science should be ready to consider for approval within the BSc any Minor Concentrations that maybe proposed by certain Arts departments. 105.5 Dean Shaver said that this was always true, anyway, and therefore no action was necessary at the moment. 105.6 It was suggested that the Faculty ask Arts departments either to present proposals for new minors, or, alternatively, to maintain the existing 24 credit minors for a period of one year. - Science minors within the BSc Proposal - These minors should be maintained unchanged. 105.7 It was noted that the minors in Environmental Sciences and Pharmacology were not listed in document AC-97-4, page 2, Science minors within the BSc. 105.8 In response to a question concerning the popularity of Science minors among Science students, Dean Shaver said that it was his feeling that these minors were becoming more popular as the trend to interdisciplinary education increases. 105.9 It was suggested that 18-credit minors could possibly increase the number of students taking minors, and also possibly encourage students to take minors in fields more divergent from their majors. 105.10 As there were no strong opinions for maintaining 24 credit minors, Dean Shaver suggested that this issue could be presented at the next Academic Committee meeting on October 21, 1997. He asked members to discuss this issue with their individual departments, and said that absent members should be informed. - Science minors within the BA 105.11 Dean Shaver said that it would be up to the departments to propose new minors, and that the Academic Committee did not have to take any action. (6) BSc (INTERNSHIP PROGRAMS) AC-97-5 106.1 Dean Shaver said that this issue had been raised at the Academic Committee meeting of February 25, 1997. He said the Faculty of Engineering had set up in parallel a BEng degree program and a BEng(Internship) degree program. This was done because the federal government changed the requirements for its internship positions, and now insists that internship be a requirement for graduation. 106.2 In Engineering, a student has the option of registering directly into the Internship program at the time of admission, or can switch into it prior to graduation. This program has been approved by the federal government. Many of the students in the internship program are in the School of Computer Science; the government is also recruiting students in the fields of mathematics and physics. Dean Shaver said that some day the internship program may provide opportunities in biotechnology, pharmaceuticals and the geological sciences. 106.3 Dean Shaver said that the government's new requirements would make Science students ineligible for the internship program, and that the issue has to be very carefully considered. 106.4 Dean Shaver said that this type of education is becoming much more important in the Faculty of Engineering, and is starting to grow in Science as well. He said that it is an important complement to the current academic programs in Science. Dean Shaver said that Science students stand to lose, and that he was concerned. He said that it would be appropriate that the Academic Committee come to terms with the internship process. 106.5 Dean Shaver proposed that representatives from the Departments of Mathematics & Statistics and Physics and the School of Computer Science consult within and among themselves, and bring forward a proposal, making a motion to set up an arrangement parallel to that in Engineering, either for the Faculty or for these departments, at the next Academic Committee meeting. (7) UNIVERSITY I (UNIVERSITY OF MANITOBA) AC-97-6 (for information) (9) OTHER BUSINESS 109.1 Dean Shaver announced that the minutes of both Academic Committee and Faculty of Science meetings were now posted on the WWW (http://www.mcgill.ca/science). A notice will be sent via e-mail to Academic Committee members about this. This will give Academic Committee members more ready access to the minutes. The meeting adjourned at 4:09 p.m.