Minutes of the Academic Program and Policy Committee

30 November 2007

Present: Faculty members Bailey, Gagnon, Goddard, Klitgaard, Olson (chair),

Siamundele; student members Blassingame, Laury, Pizarro-Lopez; Librarian

Godbout; Registrar Leybold-Taylor; Associate Dean Speaker; Dean Miller-Bernal

The meeting called to order at 8:35am.

1. Approval of Minutes of 16 November 2007.

Minutes were approved after some discussion of what is meant by “Wells College

courses” in the report on the Costa Rica off-campus study program. It was

suggested the phrase be placed in quotation marks.

2. Student report on course evaluation form.

Those students polled who had used both old and new evaluation forms, felt

that the new form was clearer and more thorough, with more opportunity to

think about the questions and make detailed comments in addition to checking

the boxes. There were no student complaints registered against the new form.

It is important that all faculty using the new course evaluation distribute

the correct final version of the form, since a number of drafts have now been

circulated. The correct version is available at the registrar’s office and on

the registrar’s website.

3. Student report on proposed off-campus study program for sophomores.

Student questions and concerns included:

--Would the program absolutely be restricted to sophomore students?

--Are first-semester sophomores prepared to study abroad?

--Why is the program proposed for fall semester?

--Would the program be open to students from other colleges?

The committee also discussed the possibility of future programs in Anglophone

Africa and the French Caribbean. Faculty in the sciences anticipate that their

second year students, with heavy major requirements, will be unable to go

abroad in their sophomore year.

4. Middle States representative.

Dr. Michael Kiphart will visit on Tuesday, December 4. He will meet with the

college cabinet, the Middle States steering committee, and members of the

Wells College board of trustees. Faculty will have access to Dr. Kiphart at

morning coffee, students, at afternoon tea. Associate Dean Speaker and faculty

member Jackie Schnurr will visit Collegiate Cabinet on December 3 to provide

an update on the Middle States accreditation process.

5. Library report.

The committee received Librarian Godbout’s report. Ms. Godbout confirmed the

library’s intention to purchase books that are required reading for courses.

Unfortunately, the library cannot afford to purchase course textbooks. For

journal articles, the policy will remain as it has been: the journal issue or

a photocopy should be placed on reserve for students. General library book

purchase criteria remain:

--relevance to curriculum and support for student research

--cost

The library reports significant increase in activity in the electronic

resource room. Laptop computers are now available to be checked out when

library staff are on duty. The committee discussed the need for increased

security in the library.

The meeting was adjourned at 9:27am.

Next meeting: Spring semester 2008.

There will be no meeting on Friday, December 7.

Respectfully submitted,

Jeanne Goddard

Secretary pro tem