Science and Engineering Subcommittee

MINUTES

March 25, 2008

WPH 603
3:00-4:00

I.		VITERBI SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING
																		Req. by Yannis Yortsos
Department of Civil Engineering
A.  Add a new course:
	CE 611 Stochastic Modeling and Simulation	(3)					Eff. Fall 2008
Stochastic methods for modeling and simulating physical, chemical and biological processes. Topics include: Stochastic partial differential equations, Monte Carlo simulations, moment equation methods, stochastic expansions. Open only to graduate students.	  Cross-listed as PTE-611, CHE-611.

•	DISCUSSED, referred to Hans Bozler for final decision.  There was agreement that the syllabus could be fleshed out; it is not clear what homework is required, for example, and what is required for the final project, worth 25 % of the grade.  The course objectives should make it clear why students should take this course rather than others in other schools and departments which are similar in some regards.

B.	Add a new course:												Eff. Fall 2008

	ITP 470x  Information Technology Practicum (1, 2, 3, 4, max 8)
Independent technology project related to specific topics under the direction of a faculty member. Recommended preparation:  Appropriate 300-level course work to topic of study.  Not For Grad Credit in Engineering.

•	APPROVED (5 in favor, 1 opposed).  As a non-degree granting department without tenure-track faculty, ITP cannot offer a 490.  Nitin Kale, representative from ITP, attended the meeting to answer questions.  Faculty in ITP have different specialties, and students will work with a specific faculty member to create new technology.   If the proposed course is approved, ITP expects to revise the minors and ‘specializations’ offered by the department to use this as a possible ‘capstone’ course.  
•	The target audience for this course is students who are taking an ITP minor (which engineering majors cannot do) or  taking ITP courses as electives or as an unofficial “specialization.”  Typical majors are Business, Economics, Fine Arts, and Cinematic Arts..  
•	The subcommittee discussed whether the 1-unit option should be permitted, based on concern about whether it is possible to accomplish a worthwhile project in only 3 hours per week.  The contract that is part of proposal is designed to clarify what the project will consist of for a set number of units, so expectations are agreed upon in advance.   There was concern that faculty may not want to spend the time necessary to direct a 1-unit project.  Faculty directing projects are not tenure-track and have 20% of their profile directed to “service,” which includes directing courses such as this one.  The subcommittee decided to allow a 1-unit option, but noted that this might not be enough for a capstone course in a minor.  
•	The subcommittee requests that a revised syllabus be provided that clarifies the grading criteria, making it clear what outcomes are required for an A.  It should state what must be submitted on the date of the scheduled final exam, as per university policy.  The final presentation in week 15 would be an opportunity for all the students taking the course with different faculty to present their presentations to one another and to all  the ITP faculty directing the projects .  This could be an opportunity for all the faculty to provide feedback about all student projects, which could help to ensure consistent grading standards across the faculty.

REPORT OF ACTIONS BY SUBCOMMITTEE CHAIRS, AND CHAIRS PLUS ONE REVIEWER (PROGRAMS):

II.  VITERBI SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING	Engineering
New	Course	Eff. 	Summer 2008
PTE-466	Petroleum Geology (3)
Introductory topics of physical and historical geology will be focused on the components that relate to the formation of oil and gas accumulations.
>	Approved
Course will be taught on campus and offered to off-campus students via DEN.

III.  LEONARD DAVIS SCHOOL OF GERONTOLOGY
Reinstate	Course	Eff. 	Fall 2008
GERO-423	Psychological Development through Autobiography (4)
Revise and reinstate

New (4 units): Introduction to autobiography as a source of individual psychological development, with 
emphasis on integration of cognitive, emotional, and decision processes. 

Previous: (2 units)  Same description.
>	Approved
 Reinstate and revise to 4 units instead of 2.  Course was dropped in Feb 03.

IV.  COLLEGE OF LETTERS ARTS & SCIENCES	Chemistry
New	Course	Eff. 	Fall 2008
CHEM-548	Computer Simulations of Chemical and Biological Systems (4)
Key aspects of the rapidly growing field of computer simulation of molecular systems in general and biological molecules in particular. Recommended Preparation	Undergraduate course in physical chemistry or equivalent.
>	Approved

V.   KECK SCHOOL OF MEDICINE	Health Promotion and Disease 
Terminate	Course	Eff. 	Fall 2009
HP-443	Health Communication Strategies and Evaluation (4)
Examination of how communication affects health behavior; role of doctor-patient contacts, social groups, community health campaigns, images in media, and advanced communication technologies.
>	Approved
Course will become a cross-list of new course COMM-443, which will be effective Fall 2009 (approved on SSS report).  HP 443 is used in the Minor in Health Communication, where HP 443 will be replaced by COMM 443. (Course termination was approved by SSS subcommittee chair, as it was associated with the creation of COMM 443.  In effect, the prefix of the course will be changed Fall 2009.)

Members present					Members absent					Guests

Hans Bozler (co-chair)				Elinor Accampo						Nitin Kale (ITP)
Suzanne Edmands					Mihran Agbabian						
Frances M. Fitzgerald (support staff)	Antoine Bechara
David Huang							Elizabeth Garrett (ex-officio)
Ted Lee								David Glasgow (ex-officio)
Chi Mak								Albert Lai	
Alice Parker (co-chair)				Julena Lind (ex-officio)
Edwenna Werner (ex-officio, for 		Melissa Mansfield
Dean Servis)							Kenneth Servis (ex-officio)
Suya You