The University of Texas at Arlington

Undergraduate Assembly

Minutes

 

The Undergraduate Assembly met in regular session on Tuesday, September 21, 2004, at 2:15 p.m. in the UC Rio Grande B.  President James Spaniolo presided.

 

Attendance.

 

Member

Present

Excused

Absent

Alternate

James Spaniolo

ü

 

 

 

Dana Dunn

ü

 

 

 

Michael Moore

ü

 

 

 

Amy Ables

 

 

ü

 

Cheryl Anderson

 

ü

 

 

Susan Beckham

ü

 

 

 

Karen Bullis

ü

 

 

 

Bill Carroll

 

 

ü

 

Jinny Choi

ü

 

 

 

Tom Christie

ü

 

 

 

Theresa Daniel

 

 

ü

 

William Dillon

 

 

ü

 

James Epperson

ü

 

 

 

Donald Gatzke

ü

 

 

 

Michael George

ü

 

 

 

Jeanne Gerlach

ü

 

 

 

Karen Given

 

 

ü

 

Deborah Green

 

ü

 

 

Susan Grove

 

 

ü

 

Todd Hamilton

 

 

ü

 

Andy Hansz

ü

 

 

 

D. L. Hawkins

 

 

ü

 

Jay Henry

ü

 

 

 

Santos Hernandez

ü

 

 

 

Dan Himarios

ü

 

 

 

Karen Johannesson

ü

 

 

 

Lon Johnston

 

 

ü

 

Peter Lehmann

 

 

ü

 

Carl Lovely

ü

 

 

 

Dennis Marynick

ü

 

 

 

Don McConnell

ü

 

 

 

Robert McMahon

 

ü

 

Victoria Farrar-Myers

Jim Munch

 

 

ü

 

Paul Paulus

ü

 

 

 

Lynn Peterson

ü

 

 

 

Karl Petruso

ü

 

 

 

Elizabeth Poster

 

 

ü

Susan Edgren

Syed R. Qasim

ü

 

 

 

Steve Quevedo

ü

 

 

 

Peggy Quinn

ü

 

 

 

Dennis Reinhartz

ü

 

 

 

Lana Rings

ü

 

 

 

Gerald Saxon

ü

 

 

 

Richie Stuart

 

 

ü

 

Saibun Tjuatja

ü

 

 

 

Casey Townsend

 

 

ü

 

Patricia Turpin

ü

 

 

 

Mike Ward

ü

 

 

 

Alison White

ü

 

 

 

Debra Woody

 

 

ü

 

Beth Wright

 

 

ü

 

Kai Yeung

ü

 

 

 

Lara Zwarun

ü

 

 

 

 

Introduction of New Members:  President Spaniolo introduced and welcomed new members present.

 

Approval of Minutes:  The minutes of the regular meeting on April 13, 2004, were approved as published.

 

Election of Parliamentarian:  Michael Moore was unanimously reelected as Parliamentarian.

 

Report of the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee:  Committee Chair Kimberly Van Noort presented the following proposal. 

 

CURRICULAR PROCESS PROPOSAL

UNDERGRADUATE CURRICULUM COMMITTEE

 

In order to streamline the curricular change process, the UCC proposes the following:

 

All curricular change, both in courses and in degree programs, move through the undergraduate curricular process.  Changes and proposals originate in the appropriate departments and follow the approval process from the department/program to the college/school committee and ultimately to the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee whose voting members include one representative from each College or School.  Historically, all approved changes are then forwarded to the Undergraduate Assembly for consideration and vote by that body.  Given that some changes are quite insignificant, the following process is proposed whereby only major changes will be forwarded to the Undergraduate Assembly after UCC consideration and minor changes will stand on their approval by the UCC.  A report of the UCC final approvals will be forwarded to the UG Assembly.  The following chart delineates the proposed paths of typical changes:

 

UCC approval terminal

UG approval terminal

Courses

Courses

New courses for existing degree programs

New courses for new degree programs

Course deletions

 

Minor changes to include:  typographical errors, grading scale, prerequisites, minor course description change, title/short title, fees, type of instruction

Major changes to include:  level, credit hours, major description change, other changes the UCC deems significant

 

 

Catalog Text

Catalog Text

Minor changes:  typographical errors, changes to reflect course additions/deletions, incidental program information.

New Programs – to include majors and minors

 

Substantive changes to existing programs

 

Deletions of programs

 

Degree requirement changes

 

Academic policy changes (may originate with the Academic Standards Committee or the Office of the Registrar via the UCC)

 

All changes approved during a given AY will take effect the Fall semester of the subsequent year.  Thus, any changes approved during the 2004-2005 year will take effect Fall 2005.  Rare exception may be granted for changes required for accreditation purposes.  The online catalog will be updated once a year, during the month of July, for the subsequent AY.  The curricular process is overseen by the Office of the Provost and the Office of the Registrar.  Each department, program, College and School is expected to proof the online catalog on a regular basis. 

 

A concern was raised about relegating to a committee the power to add or delete courses to existing programs.  The fear was that faculty positions might be lost as a result of deleting courses.  Discussion followed.

 

The proposal was approved with two opposing votes and one abstention.

 

PROPOSED BY-LAW CHANGE

 

President Spaniolo introduced the By-Law Change by explaining that he felt it would be more appropriate for the Provost, as the chief academic officer, to preside at the Undergraduate Assembly since the body deals with academic concerns.

 

Proposed Change:

 

Section I (A).  Officers of the Undergraduate Assembly shall be as designated in Section 3-501 of the Handbook of Operating Procedures.  The President The Provost of the University shall preside and a Secretary shall be elected from the members or ex-officio members for a two-year term.

 

Note:  This change strikes the words “The President” from Section I A and replaces them with “The Provost.”  A corresponding change would also be made to the HOP, Section3-501B.

 

Action Required:

 

The By-law change shall be placed on the agenda of any regular or special meeting of the Undergraduate Assembly, but shall not be acted on until the next meeting of the Assembly.  Two-thirds of the members present and voting must approve the change in order for it to take effect.

 

This was the notification.  Voting will take place at the next regular meeting.

 

Adjournment:  The meeting adjourned at 2:48 p.m.

 

Michael K. Moore

Secretary