Provost’s Advisory Committee on Undergraduate Programs
October 15, 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), Mary Besterfield-Sacre (SSOE), Nicole Cecchini (SEPC), Luke Condra (GSPIA), Dawn Drahnak (UPJ), Nicola Foote (Frederick Honors College), 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), Camren Price (UPB/UPT – Student), Michelle Sobolak (SOE), Belkys Torres (OTP), Tessa Twyman (UPJ – Student), Kelly Wagner (DenMed), Ada Youk (SPH)
Members Absent
Betty Braxter (SON), Lorraine Denman (Dietrich – Humanities), Martha Koehler (UPG), Matthew Miscio (UPG – Student), Denise Schiff (Pharm), Liann Tsoukas (Dietrich – Social Sciences), Don Ulin (UPB/UPT),
Substitutes
Susan Miller (SON)
Guests
Ali Lewandowski (SHRS)
Announcements/Discussion Points/Updates
September 24 Minutes review/approval – Dr. Garrison – noted that he was not included in the list of new members – corrected on approved minutes
Update on AY 2023-24 Proposals – Chair Adam Lee gave an overview of the status of all proposals that were reviewed by PACUP in the 2023-24 year (list below)
Academic Planning Proposals
School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences: establish an undergraduate minor in Communication Science
The proposed undergraduate minor requires 15 credits in Communication Science and Disorders courses and will provide students a broad overview of aspects of the typical communication process and various disorders. The program aims to prepare students to consider various career paths in health-related fields. The minor will be available to undergraduate degree-seeking students on the Pittsburgh campus and will provide students in other disciplines exposure to the basic science of human communication through coursework that has historically been offered only to students within the Communication Science major. Combining these foundational courses with a variety of different majors will allow new skillsets to infiltrate the field of Communication Science and Disorders.
Dr. Ali Lewandowski, Director of the Undergraduate Communication Science Program in the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, attended to give a brief overview of the proposal and answer questions from PACUP (via Zoom).
In response to PACUP feedback, minor clarifications and updates have been requested from SHRS.
PACUP was supportive.
PACUP Review – 2023-2024 Academic Year
PACUP October 17, 2023
College of Business Administration: modify undergraduate certificate in Leadership and Ethics
Swanson School of Engineering: establish an undergraduate certificate in Cybersecurity in Emerging Engineering Systems
PACUP November 28, 2023
School of Nursing: modify Baccalaureate Program in Nursing Guaranteed Admissions
The posthumous degree “process and procedure” revision was reviewed by PACUP for approval as a Provost-area academic policy/procedure – the updated Posthumous Degrees Guidelines can be found on the Office of the Provost Policy & Guidelines website under Guidelines and Processes
Registrar Grading Regulation Policy revisions were explained by Jonathan Helm – the updated University Grading Office of the Provost Academic Regulation can be found on the Office of the Provost Policy & Guidelines website under Academic Regulations
PACUP December 19, 2023
At the December 19th meeting the following reports were presented:
- Academic Probation/Suspension – Belkys Torres
- Advanced Standing Credits – Deborah Good
- Academic Program Structure and Dual Degrees/Majors – Degree Structure – Adam Lee/Erica Owen
PACUP January 16, 2024
At the January 16th meeting the following report was presented:
- Academic Program Structure and Dual Degrees/Majors – Credential Pathways – Adam Lee
PACUP February 27, 2024
Readmission of student service members to the University of Pittsburgh – this was information provided to PACUP to note that information had been updated in all University Catalogs to meet Federal requirements. Not an approval item.
Kenneth P. Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences: establish an undergraduate certificate in Applied Data Analytics
PACUP March 19, 2024
University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown: establish a major in Environmental Science leading to the Bachelor of Science degree with three areas of concentration within that major – Environmental Professional, Soils Science, and Surface Water Resources
College of Business Administration: modify the major in Human Resource Management leading to the Bachelor of Science in Business Administration
PACUP April 16, 2024
School of Education: establish a major in Combined Applied Studies in Education (CASE) leading to the Bachelor of Science degree
Graduate School of Public and International Affairs: establish an undergraduate minor in Global Policy
PACUP May 21, 2024
Kenneth P. Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences: establish a major in Arabic leading to the Bachelor of Arts degree
University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown: modify the requirements for and rename the major in Energy and Earth Resources leading to the Bachelor of Science degree (EER – BS) as Geology – BS. The modifications include splitting one of two existing tracks (Energy) within the EER – BS into two Areas of Concentration (Professional Geology ARCO and Petroleum Geology ARCO) within the Geology – BS
Graduate School of Public and International Affairs: establish a major in Public Policy leading to the Bachelor of Arts degree
University of Pittsburgh at Bradford and School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences: establish a major in Emergency Medicine leading to the Bachelor of Science degree