Provost’s Advisory Committee on Undergraduate Programs
November 19, 2024, 3:00 – 4:30 p.m., 817 Cathedral of Learning
Minutes
Members Attending
Mercy Akanmu (Pittsburgh Campus – SGB – Student), Brian Batell (Dietrich – Natural Sciences), Betty Braxter (SON), Mary Besterfield-Sacre (SSOE), Nicole Cecchini (SEPC), Luke Condra (GSPIA), 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), Kathy Kelly (SHRS), Adam Lee (OTP – Chair), Matthew Miscio (UPG – Student), Camren Price (UPB/UPT – Student), Denise Schiff (Pharm), Belkys Torres (OTP), Tessa Twyman (UPJ – Student), Liann Tsoukas (Dietrich – Social Sciences), Don Ulin (UPB/UPT), Kelly Wagner (DenMed), Ada Youk (SPH)
Members Absent
Nicola Foote (Frederick Honors College), Toya Jones (SSW), Martha Koehler (UPG), Michelle Sobolak (SOE)
Substitutes
David Hornyak for Nicola Foote (Frederick Honors College)
Guests
Dr. Jeffrey Johnson (Pitt-Bradford, Vice President and Dean of Academic Affairs), Dr. Drew Flanagan (Pitt-Bradford, Director of the History/Political Science Program)
Announcements/Discussion Points/Updates
October 15, 2024, Minutes Review/Approval
Update on PACUP Actions from Current Academic Year (2024-2025) – Adam Lee noted that the proposal from the September 24th meeting to establish a major in Korean leading to a Bachelor of Arts degree was approved by Provost McCarthy.
Academic Planning Proposals
University of Pittsburgh at Bradford: modify the major in History-Political Science leading to the Bachelor of Arts degree
The modifications include increasing the number of credits for the major from 48 to 54 credits. The changes aim to clarify expectations for students, provide better preparation for upper-division courses and capstone projects, and to globalize the history curriculum in line with student career interests and trends in the historical discipline toward more a focus on global, transnational, and transcultural history. Students currently enrolled in the major will have the option to continue under the existing requirements or switch over to the new requirements. New students will be enrolled under the new requirements. Course offerings will continue to satisfy the needs of students under both sets of requirements.
Dr. Jeffrey Johnson (Pitt-Bradford, Vice President and Dean of Academic Affairs), and Dr. Drew Flanagan (Pitt-Bradford, Director of the History/Political Science Program) attended the meeting via Zoom to give a brief overview of the proposal and answer any questions from PACUP.
Pitt-Bradford was pointed towards the Assessing Student Learning Outcomes Website and asked to provide an updated Student Learning Outcomes Matrix.
PACUP was supportive.
Academic Policy Review
G Grades
- Current policy
- Proposed new policy draft was shared with PACUP via email.
Adam noted the following:
- formerly this was the G grade deadline policy which as a policy it said when a G grade expires.
- as a university we have a G grade and an I grade for leaves (which is not the norm for our peers).
Major changes to the policy:
- One type of incomplete grade – “I”
- It will operate like how our current G grade operates
- when the incomplete grade is registered, the grade earned to date also is registered - some already do this – SCI, Swanson
- If the work is not completed, the grade does not lapse to an NG, it lapses to whatever the grade earned to date that was entered.
- Instructors and students agree on a contract for the work that needs to be completed and a deadline (not to extend past a year, but can be earlier)
Open discussion by all present at PACUP.
Academic Probation/Suspension/Dismissal
- Current policy
- Proposed new policy draft was shared with PACUP via email.
Overview of changes from previous policy:
- shift in terminology to more supportive language
- on the procedure side (not included here) – more attuned letters
- using changes in academic standing for positive chances for intervention instead of punitive measures for poor performance
- focus on stating up front institutional commitment to student success
- putting a focus in on when we need to notify students
- adding the need for academic improvement plans (some schools already practice this informally but is not required by current policy)
Input received so far is falling into three different categories:
- policy level issues – things that will cause trouble for implementation – lack of clarity around the policy itself
- questions about supporting procedure – how we would operationalize this?
- Editorial fixes – sentences do not make sense
Open discussion by all present at PACUP.
Course Repeat
- Current policy
- Proposed new policy draft was shared with PACUP via email.
This policy was tabled until the December 17th PACUP meeting due to time restraints.