UNDERGRADUATE COUNCIL MEETING March 3, 2005 Knight Library, Rowe Conference Room
Present: Deborah Baumgold, Colleen Bell, Herb Chereck, Paul Engelking, Hilary Gerdes, Emily Gilkey, Peter Gilkey, Amalia Gladhart, Dave Hubin, Tyler Neely, Julie Newton, Steven Pologe, Ron Severson, Karen Sprague, Mark Thoma, Laura Vandenburgh
Absent: Deborah Exton, Shelly Kerr, Anne Laskaya, and Kathy Roberts
Announcements: The chair announced that, because March 17 falls in exam week, the next scheduled meeting of the UGC will be cancelled unless an issue of critical importance arises. Colleen Bell also announced that the library will be open 24/7 during “Dead Week.” University IDs will be required to enter the library during hours outside the normal schedule of operation during this time.
Updates: Education Technology Committee Dave Hubin reported on his informal discussion with Deborah Carver regarding where the ETC stands with its reorganization. Last year's ETC report recommended the inclusion of more teaching faculty on the committee. This recommendation appears to have been carried out.
Agenda: Grade Inflation Mark Thoma presented a preliminary statistical report on grade inflation at UO. He had worked with Jim Blick in the Registrar’s office to obtain the data and he described the sampling criteria he used in this preliminary analysis. The initial preliminary analysis of the data indicates that UO is not out of line when compared with national statistics.
Council members expressed gratitude to Mark for the time and effort spent collecting the statistical data for the preliminary report. The UGC asked Mark to expand the report to look at additional factors that may impact grade distributions at UO. Mark agreed to continue his research. Several fundamental questions were raised by UGC while studying the preliminary analysis:
Student Evaluations Dave Hubin presented questions regarding student evaluations on behalf of the Associated Students Presidents’ Advisory Council. Student representatives had been invited and had indicated that they would come to today’s council meeting, but they did not attend. Currently, all student evaluation forms have four questions in common, and the quantitative ratings on these questions are posted on the UO website: 1. In comparison with other UO courses of this size and level, how do you evaluate this course? 2. In comparison with other UO courses of this size and level, how do you evaluate this instructor? 3. In comparison with other UO courses of this size and level, do you believe that the class time was well-organized and efficiently used throughout the course? (This question was first asked beginning Fall 1999) 4. In comparison with other UO courses of this size and level, how available was your instructor outside of class time? (This question was first asked beginning Fall 1999)
Dave proposed that the UGC consider the question of teaching evaluations: · Do evaluations assist students in making informed decisions regarding class selection? · Should there be a fifth evaluative question: To what degree did your experience in the class conform to your expectations, based on posted course descriptions? The UGC agreed the issue warranted further discussion. Proposal for New Majors for German Languages and Literatures: The chair distributed a proposal from the CAS Curriculum Committee for new majors in German Languages and Literatures to UGC members. The proposal will be reviewed and discussed at the next UGC meeting.
Next UGC meeting scheduled for Wednesday, 11:30 am, March 30, 2005 at Johnson Hall Conference Room. 
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