AC-05-10 FACULTY OF SCIENCE ACADEMIC COMMITTEE Minutes of the meeting held on Tuesday, September 27, 2005, at 3:00 p.m. in Arts Council Room, Arts 160. PRESENT: Dean Grant (Chair), Associate Dean Hendren (Vice-Chair), Associate Dean Leighton; Professors Abouheif, Andrews, Baines, Chmura, Drury, Fabry, Mandato, Martin, Panangaden, Shultz, Silvius, Wechsler, Yau; E. Gibb; L. Das, T. Ebanks, M. Lagodich, Y. Lu, J. Pasternak, J. Zhai; J. D’Amico. REGRETS: Professor Cline; Associate Dean Hendershot; J. Gale. DOCUMENTS: AC-04-158 AC-05-2 to AC-05-9 S-05-4 Dean Grant called the meeting to order at 3:03 p.m. (1) ADOPTION OF AGENDA Prof. Andrews moved, seconded by Prof. Shultz, that the Agenda be adopted. The motion carried. (2) MINUTES OF APRIL 19, 2005 AC-04-158 Associate Dean Hendren moved, seconded by Prof. Mandato, that the Minutes be approved. The motion carried. (3) BUSINESS ARISING FROM THE MINUTES There was no business arising from the Minutes. (4) REPORT ON MINOR COURSE CHANGES AC-05-2 (for information) Prof. Mandato answered questions concerning ANAT 321. (5) ANATOMY & CELL BIOLOGY Program Changes: - Faculty Program in Anatomy & Cell Biology AC-05-3 - Major in Anatomy & Cell Biology AC-05-4 - Honours in Anatomy & Cell Biology AC-05-5 105.1 Document AC-05-3, Page 2, should read "Complementary Credits (21 credits)." 105.2 Prof. Mandato said that his Department's programs had changed a number of times over the last several years, and that the Department of Anatomy & Cell Biology would be taking account of these changes in compiling graduating lists. Prof. Mandato moved, seconded by Mr. Pasternak, that the above program changes be approved. The motion carried. (6) BIOLOGY BIOL 416 Genetics of Mammalian Devel. AC-05-6 Change in number from BIOL 516 3 credits 106.2 It was pointed out that the Biology Department already has a similar course for graduate students. Prof. Abouheif moved, seconded by Prof. Andrews, that the change be approved. The motion carried. (7) MATHEMATICS & STATISTICS - Description of the Bioinformatics Option AC-05-7/8 - M.Sc.; Mathematics & Statistics; Bioinformatics Option (New) AC-05-7 - Ph.D.; Mathematics & Statistics; Bioinformatics Option (New) AC-05-8 107.1 Prof. Drury said that the intent of the proposal was to make the Bioinformatics Option, already available in a number of departments, available to students in the Department of Mathematics & Statistics. Prof. Drury moved, seconded by Prof. Panangaden, that the Option be adopted. The motion carried. (8) PSYCHOLOGY Program Retirement: - Faculty Program in Psychology AC-05-9 Prof. Shultz explained the reasons for the retirement of the program. Prof. Shultz moved, seconded by Prof. Mandato, that the program be retired. The motion carried. (9) FRESHMAN INTEREST GROUPS (FIGs) PROPOSAL S-05-4 109.1 Dean Grant said that the Science Undergraduate Society had proposed that the Faculty of Science implement Freshman Interest Groups. Each FIG would be a group of 10-15 freshman students who would meet once every two weeks, and be paired with a professor and a senior undergraduate student. Dean Grant said that a FIG would not be a typical academic Science course, and would not be for credit, but would be more like a 'club,' enabling freshman students to meet one another, professors, senior undergraduates and other members of the University. Various topics would be discussed at each FIG meeting. The idea of FIGs had already been discussed with the heads of Science units, and was being brought to the Academic Committee for information. 109.2 Dean Grant said the Student Affairs Office would be organizing FIGs. There would be five pilot groups to begin with, beginning in January 2006. Dean Grant said that the Faculty of Science would be providing funds to Science and Medicine units to help with costs, and the Faculty of Medicine would provide funds to the four units in Medicine that offer B.Sc. programs. 109.3 Associate Dean Leighton asked that members bring FIGs to the attention of their colleagues. (10) RESEARCH PROJECT COURSES (3 CREDITS) 110.1 Associate Dean Hendren said that currently not all Science students had access to undergraduate research courses. She said she would like to encourage more students to take research courses, including interdisciplinary research courses. The Office of Undergraduate Research in Science would help in posting potential projects on the new web site. 110.2 Associate Dean Hendren said that the heads of units would be approving research projects, and would be responsible for quality control. In fact, the department has final approval. She said that the amount of work should be equivalent to a three-credit course (nine hours per week), and that the prerequisite should be “one term at McGill or permission of instructor.” 110.3 Associate Dean Hendren proposed that the new research courses have the same course number, XXXX 396. All course proposal forms would be identical, and the research courses could be offered in the fall, winter or summer terms. She said she would prepare a proposal in time for the next Academic Committee meeting scheduled on November 1, 2005. 110.4 Associate Dean Hendren said there was currently consideration of a “Dean’s Undergraduate Research List.” In order to be on this list, a student would have to do at least nine credits of research project courses, including a XXXX 396 course outside the student's home unit. The issue of whether Honours students would thus be excluded from the list, would need further consideration. 110.5 In reply to a question, Dean Grant said that resources would be provided to units that offer research project courses. 110.6 In reply to another member’s concern about whether the results would be intended to be publishable, Dean Grant said that the aim of the research courses would be to open up doors to undergraduate students, not necessarily to produce publishable material. 110.7 It was suggested that a general introduction to laboratory and research work be offered to all students at the beginning of project courses. (11) WEBCT 111.1 Associate Dean Hendren said that access to course material under WebCT was restricted to students registered in the course, and thus course outlines and other course material were not accessible to other students, to other members of McGill, or to people outside McGill. Since the Calendar course description was short and therefore limited, detailed information concerning course content was restricted to students already in the course. Associate Dean Hendren said she would definitely like course outlines to be made public, and would like to give instructors the option of making public other course material. She asked for members' opinions. 111.2 After some discussion, there was consensus that course outlines should be available to the public, and that instructors should have the option of making public other course material. 111.3 Associate Dean Hendren was also concerned about a condition the University had imposed, namely, that in order to receive a free laptop for use in teaching, instructors must be using WebCT. She felt that the issue was that the University should be encouraging the general use of technology in teaching, not the use of a particular technology. 111.4 There was some discussion. Members felt that provision of a free laptop should be independent of the use of WebCT. (12) COURSE & PROGRAM PROPOSAL FORMS (http://www.mcgill.ca/sctp/guidelines) 112.1 Associate Dean Hendren pointed out that in order to streamline operations, units should always use the most recent course and program proposal/change forms. Currently, these were the ones issued in 2004. She said that online forms would be implemented in the near future, possibly in January 2006, and that she would like the Faculty of Science to be involved in the pilot project, so as to be in a good position to provide feedback. Associate Dean Hendren moved, seconded by Prof. Andrews, that the Faculty of Science be involved in the pilot project for online forms. The motion carried. (13) OTHER BUSINESS There was no other business. The meeting adjourned at 4:15 p.m. 4 ACMinutesSept27.doc