UNDERGRADUATE COUNCIL MEETING October 18, 2007 Johnson Hall Conference Room
Present: Gavin Bruce, Herb Chereck, Dave Hubin, Elizabeth Jarvis, Anne Laskaya, Dean Livelybrooks, Alexandra Marcus, Lyllye Parker, Steven Pologe, Karen McLaughlin, Ron Severson, Karen Sprague, Bill Rossi, Elizabeth Reis, and Jim Imamura.
Absent: Andrew Bonamici, Hilary Gerdes, Andrew Leavitt, Arkady Vaintrob, Kate Wagle, Malcolm Wilson, Alan Kimball, and Paul Engelking.
Minutes: The Chair opened the meeting with a call to comment on the minutes of the October 4th meeting. The motion was made to accept the minutes from the October 4th, 2007 meeting.
Moved: Anne Laskaya Seconded: Lyllye Parker The motion to accept the minutes passed unanimously.
Agenda
Multicultural course review The Chair addressed the Council briefly, reminding them that the Undergraduate Council functions as an advisory body, not an executive body. Nevertheless, the recommendations of the Council carry weight within other university committees.
Council members made observations on how the multicultural review was proceeding: · One purpose of the review is to respond to justified student complaints that the rationale for designating some courses, but not others, as meeting the multicultural requirement is not evident; · Teachers of multicultural courses should clearly show the connection of the course to the criteria for the multicultural category in which the course is offered; · Course expectations and learning goals should be clearly conveyed in course syllabi; · Syllabi should include effective course descriptions.
It will be important that the Council’s recommendations be clearly communicated to the Committee on Courses for decision and action. It is unfortunate that that Committee’s representative on the Council (Paul Engelking) cannot participate in the Council’s discussions this fall because of a scheduled conflict.
The Council will conclude its review of the final four courses at its next meeting.
Before the meeting adjourned, the Chair announced two additional items for the Council’s consideration:
Dave Hubin distributed a questionnaire and requested that members respond with their ideas and thoughts (via email). He was seeking input of information and ideas for the development of a report on assessment that would eventually be given at a Provosts’ Council meeting.
Herb Chereck distributed copies of two proposals from the Office of the Registrar in response to an internal OUS Audit on grading. The Council will vote on the two proposals at the next meeting.
The meeting was adjourned. The next UGC meeting is scheduled for Thursday, November 1, 2007, 11:00am at Johnson Hall Conference Room. 
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