Provost’s Advisory Committee on Undergraduate Programs
January 21, 2025, 3:00 – 4:30 p.m., 817 Cathedral of Learning
Minutes
Members Attending
Mercy Akanmu (Pittsburgh Campus – SGB – Student), Betty Braxter (SON), Mary Besterfield-Sacre (SSOE), Nicole Cecchini (SEPC), Lorraine Denman (Dietrich – Humanities), Dawn Drahnak (UPJ), William Garrison (SCI), Deborah Good (CBA), Adriana Helbig (Dietrich School – CGS), Jonathan Helm (Office of the University Registrar), Paula Janikowski (OTP – Staff), Toya Jones (SSW), Kathy Kelly (SHRS), Adam Lee (OTP – Chair), Michelle Sobolak (SOE), Belkys Torres (OTP), Tessa Twyman (UPJ – Student), Liann Tsoukas (Dietrich – Social Sciences), Don Ulin (UPB/UPT), Kelly Wagner (DenMed), Ada Youk (SPH)
Members Absent
Brian Batell (Dietrich – Natural Sciences), Luke Condra (GSPIA), Nicola Foote (Frederick Honors College), Martha Koehler (UPG) Matthew Miscio (UPG – Student), Camren Price (UPB/UPT – Student), Denise Schiff (Pharm),
Substitutes
David Hornyak (for Nicola Foote – Frederick Honors College), Erica Owen (for Luke Condra (GSPIA)
Guests
Andrew Lotz, Department of Political Science – Teaching Professor/Academic Advisor/Director of Undergraduate Studies and Dietrich Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Studies attended the meeting to give a brief overview of the proposal to terminate the major in Political Science leading to the Bachelor of Science degree and to answer questions from PACUP.
Announcements/Discussion Points/Updates
December 17, 2024, Minutes Review/Approval
Update on PACUP Actions from Academic Year (2024-2025) Adam Lee noted that the proposal from the May 21, 2024 meeting from Pitt-Bradford and SHRS to establish a major in Emergency Medicine leading to the Bachelor of Science degree to be offered in a hybrid format at Pitt-Bradford was approved by Provost McCarthy. The program will have a Fall 2025 roll out.
Academic Planning Proposal Review
Kenneth P. Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences: terminate the major in Political Science leading to the Bachelor of Science degree
Andrew Lotz noted:
- The major in Political Science leading to the Bachelor of Science degree was originally launched over 10 years ago from a professor in the department who is no longer in the department – George Kraus.
- The Political Science – BS has only been awarded to two students.
- No students are currently enrolled in the program.
- The courses that are part of the PS - BS are not included in other instruction within the department (and are no longer offered).
- The Frederick Honors College offers the BPhil program that provides similar opportunities to engage in research and provides a lot of funding sources and people who can serve on the committee for students.
- Several years ago, the department of Political Science collaborated with the School of Computing and Information to build the Computational Social Science major – using courses in Political Science and leading to the Bachelor of Science degree. At that time, the department voted on terminating the PS-BS and approved the action, however, the paperwork was not submitted to do so. Now, Andrew is doing the housekeeping to have to major terminated.
- The standard in PS is a Bachelor of Arts degree and the department does still offer a PS-BA. Otherwise, if a student requests a BS, they are either offered the CSS-BS or directed to the FHC for a PS-BPhil.
PACUP was supportive.
Academic Policy Review
Academic Probation/Suspension/Dismissal (Now Academic Standing)
- Current Policy
- New version of policy included in email to PACUP
Revisions made in response to four areas of concern from last PACUP discussion
- Alignment of timelines with accreditation requirements
- Expedited timelines for students in exceptional circumstances
- Self-contained glossary of (new) terminology and the progression through the levels of academic standing
- Clarifications regarding Academic Program Change and its relationship to Academic Leave
Discussion
- Clarification of Academic Dismissal appeals process: Appeal to OTP occurs after the path within the school/campus has been exhausted
- Detailed discussion of terminology; ultimately no changes were suggested
- Differentiation of policy and procedure with respect to Academic Improvement Plans
- Clarification of grammatical issues that could cloud interpretation