MnSCU MnTC Oversight Committee
Meeting Minutes
Present: Jerry Johnson, Linda Lade,
Bill Bieber, Craig Froke,
Debra Japp, Steve Whipple, Ed Schones,
Joan Costello, Scott Wroble, Anne O’Meara,
Larry Oveson, Greg Mulcahy, Jean Evens,
Alex Yard
1.
Welcome and introductions
Craig
Froke welcomed all attendees and introductions
were made. Craig informed the
attendees there is a need for a MnSCU only Oversight Committee that
can address MnSCU issues.
2.
Committee role and responsibilities
Craig
Froke explained the role of the Oversight
Committee is to identify transfer issues and communicate recommendations
to the Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic and Student Affairs. He further explained transfer is an on-going
issue and an advisory group is needed to discuss issues and lead MnSCU
transfer efforts.
Several
comments were made on the scope and authority of the committee.
Then faculty attendees caucused to discuss their involvement
in the committee. Larry Oveson then
informed Craig Froke that the faculty were
interested in serving on the Oversight Committee and would draft a document
outlining their involvement. Larry
Oveson emphasized that faculty are concerned about issues
relating to academic freedom.
3.
Review of transfer legislation
Craig Froke
reviewed the MnTC Review notebooks that were
furnished to the participants. He
summarized the legislative audit report, Minnesota Statutes, North Central
Association General Institutional Requirements, faculty qualifications
information and the MnTC documents. Craig Froke stressed
the transfer legislation in the 2001 Omnibus Bill requires MnTC course transfer. This law also refers to “implementation”
of the MnTC and the attendees raised several
questions regarding the definition of “implementation.”
Craig Froke responded that additional
research is needed to define MnTC “implementation.” Faculty may be needed to assist in determining
this definition.
4. Transfer/collaboration agenda
Craig Froke
reviewed the 2002-2004 transfer/collaboration agenda that resulted from
the Board of Trustees presentation in April 2001. He summarized the
agenda activities: establishing faculty discipline committees, conducting
transfer research, reviewing technical college MnTC
, developing Bachelor of Applied Science degrees, developing on-line
transfer information, implementing CAS and DARS, updating the transfer
web site, enhancing the transfer specialist network, and expanding high
school, and two-year college and university collaboration.
5.
Jerry Johnson and
Bill Bieber provided an overview of the MnTC
review process. They reported
that six of the ten technical colleges have been visited and the remaining
four visits are scheduled. They
also reported that they are preparing for the
Joan Costello inquired
whether or not each campus will be required to accept and follow the
decisions of the work group doing the pilot project?
Craig Froke replied “No,”
the work groups recommend the courses as part of the MnTC
and individual schools must make decisions on how the courses will transfer.
Joan Costello also
inquired if technical college courses are accepted as equivalent to
specific courses within the MnTC , does this expand the general standard of accepting a maximum
of 16 semester credits of technical college courses? Craig Froke replied
“Yes,” general education courses are expected to transfer
as general education and not as electives.
6. Community College, Community/Technical College, University
MnTC implementation review
Linda Lade reported
that she has completed
a preliminary review of MnTC
implementation. She has identified a number of issues that need
resolution: MnTC
Guidelines compliance, minimum required number of MnTC
credits, foreign language placement within the MnTC,
inclusion of major or technical courses in the MnTC,
inclusion of Physical Education/Health courses in the MnTC,
existence of Mathematics and Logic courses without Intermediate Algebra
as a prerequisite, and the meaning of “implementation.”
Several comments
were made about the guidelines and questions were asked whether they
were guidelines or requirements. Craig
Froke responded they are guidelines and not
requirements. However, the guidelines were developed by the
Oversight Committee to provide further clarification on MnTC
implementation. It was noted
that college prep standards are reflected in the guidelines.
Several attendees
questioned campus awareness of the guidelines.
Proposals for revision
of the guidelines were discussed. The
Oversight Committee may need to consider the
No action on changing
guidelines will be made at this time, as the Oversight Committee will
definitely need to seek faculty input, in an organized manner, if changes
to the guidelines are proposed.
7. Faculty discipline committees
Craig Froke
referred to the 2002-2004 transfer/collaboration agenda that provides
for the establishment of faculty discipline committees to address transfer
issues. Craig will draft an agenda to establish faculty
discipline committees in Mathematics, English, Psychology and Sociology.
It was suggested that CTL procedures be used to implement faculty
discipline committees. Also, the CTL has sponsored several discipline
meetings for the current academic year.
8. Other issues
No further specific
issues were identified. However,
the importance of identifying issues at future meetings and prioritizing
them in order of importance was discussed.
9. Set next meeting date and agenda
The next meeting
will be held on
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