COLLEGE OF LETTERS & SCIENCES
CURRICULUM COMMITTEE

AGENDA

The Committee will meet THURSDAY, April 2, 2009
at 2:15 PM in White 6C


  1. Approval of the March 5, 2009 Minutes.
  2. Announcements
  3. Election of UCC Representatives to fill the expired terms of Jolly Emrey and Beth Olson
  4. Biological Science
    1. New course BIOLOGY 442 "Environmental Toxicology."  (This course is an introduction to environmental toxicology that focuses on sources, transport, fate, accumulation, and toxicity of contaminants.  Principles of toxicity testing and analysis of effects at different levels of biological organization (molecular to ecosystem) are covered).
    2. New course BIOLOGY 448 "Bioinformatics." ( Bioinformatics is an introduction to computer applications and algorithms currently used in the analysis of biological data, especially genomic and sequence data. The course entails lectures, discussions, readings, and hands-on experience with bioinformatic software).
    3. Change in the Biology-Cell/Physiology BSE. (Changes the submajor from a 34 credit BSE submajor to a 41 credit major to be more in line with recent changes to the BA/BS emphases. We also are reorganizing the layout of the emphasis so as to be more helpful to students).
    4. Change in the Biology-Ecology/Field Biology BSE.  (Changes the submajor from a 34 credit BSE submajor to a 40 credit major to be more in line with recent changes to the BA/BS emphases. We also are reorganizing the layout of the emphasis so as to be more helpful to students).
    5. Change in the Biology Education Minor (BSE). (We are increasing the number of credits to reflect the increase in credit for Biology 141 and 142 from four credits to five credits each. We are also moving the chemistry requirement into the unique requirements and expanding it to a full year of chemistry. This change does effectively require an additional biology elective from students but also allows chemistry majors to now opt for the Biology BSE minor).
    6. New Emphasis "Integrated Science and Business Water Resources Emphasis."  (ISBM students frequently choose water-related topics for their senior projects.  This is understandable, given the water-rich surroundings of UWW, the high number of water technology companies in the region, and the close proximity of world-class water research centers (e.g., Great Lakes WATER Institute and NOAA’s Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory). In the future, water will likely be the most important natural resource and commodity. Those with knowledge and skills in business, science and technology that allow them to address issues related to water quality, quantity, distribution and treatment in an interdisciplinary manner will be well positioned for employment in this growing field).
  5. Geography
    1. Change in the Environmental Studies Minor(The minor is being reduced from 24 to 21 units and the requirements are being updated).
  6. History
    1. New course HISTRY 336 "Empires & Invasions in the Pre-Modern Middle East:  500-1500."  (“Empires & Invasions in the Pre-Modern Middle East” examines the growth and development Middle Eastern civilization from the eve of Islam through the early modern period.  It looks at how the peoples of the Middle East built and sustained one of the richest multi-ethnic empires in the pre-modern world).
  7. Mathematics and Computer Science
    1. New course MATH  352/552 "Infinite Processes for the Elementary Teacher."  (This course is primarily for pre-service elementary and middle school teachers. Students will be introduced to the concepts of calculus, which include infinite processes, limits, and continuity. In addition, derivatives and integrals, and their relationship to area and change will be covered).
    2. New course MATH 370/570 "Problem Solving for the Elementary Teacher."  (This course is primarily for pre-service elementary and middle school teachers. Students will learn a variety of problem solving strategies applicable in elementary and middle school. The applications will cover many different areas of mathematics).
    3. New course COMPSCI 370 "Introduction to Artificial Intelligence."  (This course introduces basic artificial intelligence principles including simple representation schemes, problem solving paradigms, constraint propagation, search strategies, and learning approaches. Knowledge representation, natural language processing, gaming, machine learning and user modeling will be explored. Students should have written moderately complex computer programs in a high level language).
  8. Sociology, Anthropology and Criminal Justice
    1. New course ANTHROPL 305 "Native North America Today: People, Culture and Survival."  (This course will emphasize an anthropological perspective that will stress an understanding of Native life (both through autobiographical portraits and contemporary ethnography) from a local, everyday, and insider perspective. This course is not an exhaustive survey of particular Native groups, but rather an exploration of what it means to be a Native Person and how Native culture is represented through writing (and film) today.  Topics range from contemporary Native identity  politics to current portraits of life on Reserves/Reservations to the integration of Native culture and economies through globalization and global indigenous social movements).
    2. New submajor "Sociology Honors Emphasis (BA/BS)."  (This emphasis is designed for two groups of students: 1) Those seeking the most thorough possible training to prepare themselves for graduate school and a career in research; 2) Those seeking entry to competitive professional programs and wishing to obtain a degree that recognizes their exceptional dedication and ability.  In this major, students have the same course requirement as a BA or BS Sociology degree, plus the requirement to complete a substantial research project with a thesis in their senior year).
    3. Change in the Sociology Major. (Change group requirements by creating a new 5th group of courses. Students must complete 1 course in each of the 5 groups).
    4. Change in the "Sociology - Global Comparative Emphasis.(Update the AR to reflect new courses, renumbered courses, and deleted course.  Also to change the group requirements from 4 to 5 groups in the Sociology part of the major).
    5. Change in "Sociology - Criminal Justice Emphasis. "  (Change group requirements by creating a new 5th group of courses. Students must complete 1 course in each of the 5 groups.  Also remove Psychology 446 to reflect changes in that course).
    6. Change in the Social Studies: Broadfield-Sociology Option I Emphasis to Social Studies: Broadfield -Sociology Emphasis (Modify Social Studies-Broadfield Sociology Emphasis 1 to consolidate Social Studies - Broadfield 1 and Social Studies - Broadfield 2 as recommended by the Social Studies Council. This will change the name of the emphasis to Social Studies: Broadfield Sociology Emphasis. Also change the sociology group requirements to reflect updates in the Sociology curriculum by creating a new 5th group of courses. For the sociology major section, students must complete 1 course in each of 5 groups).
    7. Delete Social Studies: Broadfield-Sociology Option II(This program is being combined with Social Studies: Broadfield-Sociology Option I to become Social Studies: Broadfield-Sociology Emphasis).
    8. Change in the Sociology Minor(Change group requirements by creating a new 5th group of courses. Students must complete 1 course in each of the 5 groups).
  9. Languages & Literatures
    1. New course ENGLISH/RACEETH 202 "Introduction to U.S. Latino/a Literature."  (The course will present students with the diverse U.S. Latino experiences, by introducing them to texts that examine literary works by authors of Latino/Latina backgrounds other than the Chicano, in their historical context and cultural context). 
  10. Informational Items
    1. Change in the Anthropology Minor(Adds ANTHROPL 305 to minor).
    2. Add the course option BIOLOGY 311 to item 3 in the emphasis for the following Biology programs:
      1. Biology - Cell/Physiology Emphasis (BA/BS)
      2. Biology - Pre-Biomedical Professions
    3. Description change and title change for HISTRY 305 FROM Industrial America, 1877-1919 TO From the Guilded Age to the World Stage, 1875-1920. (The new course title and description provide a clearer and more complete guide to the topics of study.  The proposed change in chronological coverage is a minor “clean-up” that clarifies the fact that the late nineteenth century starting point includes the study of more than the Compromise of 1877, and that the end point is the full decade of the 1910s).
    4. Change in the Mathematics Minor: Elementary Education Emphasis.  (Replaces two courses Math 148 and Math 149 from the minor with the two new courses (Math 352 and Math 370) that have been designed specifically for elementary education majors who choose a math minor).
    5. Change in the Integrated Science and Business Major(Adds several Geography courses to the list of courses that satisfy the major).