Minutes

Social Change and Development Meeting of 12 May, 2005 2:30 p.m. MAC B 315      Approved 9/16/05

Present:   Austin, Everingham, Galt, Kaye, Kersten, Lockard, Nielsen, Walter (Chair), Smith (Scribe)

Celebrations: 

Austin noted receipt of his letter of promotion to Associate Professor with tenure from the Chancellor.  After hearty and sincere congratulations all around note was made that it is good to have all  faculty within the unit tenured. 

Nielsen received a National Endowment for the Humanities Summer Research Stipend.  She also noted that our Fulbright Scholar had been identified; she will be Ibtesam al - Atiyat from Amman, Jordan who will contribute to Women's Studies offerings during 2005 - 6. 

Kersten presented  "The Wagner Act: Labor's Magna Charta at 70," invited keynote lecture, at the Wisconsin Labor History Society's Annual Meeting, May 7, 2005, Janesville, WI..  
He will deliver "Reconsidering the FDR Years," Invited Lectures, Hayes Presidential Center, May 14, 2005, Toledo, Ohio.

Smith noted that the Town of Nasewaupee 2025 Comprehensive Plan he worked on from 1997 to 2003, recently received the Wisconsin Chapter of the American Planning Association's award as the best Planning Document for Communities with populations under 5000.   He also noted, quietly, that the subsequent plan to implement the plan, submitted to the voters in a citizen mobilized referendum in November 2004, and failed two to one.  Smith also contributed, in the early developmental phases, to the Ashwaubenon Pedestrian District Master Plan which won a comparable award in the Urban Design Category.

I.   Kersten proposed we use some overhead to support National History Day which is now run by Deb Anderson.  It is a long-continuing activity that has temporarily lost funding.  The proposal is to provide $3000 on and absolutely one-year basis to support promotion of the event.  There will be no impact on the unit's S & E budget.  National History day is comparable to a science fair but for history students.  The proposal was approved unanimously subject to the one-year, March 2006, limitation and the condition that SCD be widely identified as a sponsor.

II. Assessment discussion related to Core courses.

A. The Program, especially the Core, in general

• Many students come into the program with weak preparation or motivation or both. 
• Library skills are weak and students are not aware of scholarly skills and tools. Perhaps we need other skill packages than the current language, statistics and foundations of social research.  An example would be public speaking for the growing number of students aspiring to work in the ministry.
• A broad discussion of pre-requisites followed.  Adequacy of English 105, Expository Writing as a prerequisite was questioned.  There was general sentiment for expanding the list of prerequisites for core courses.  Humanities courses were mentioned as candidates.
• The prerequisites discussion shifted toward consideration of other ways of enhancing desired practices, like expecting more writing and scholarly research, within the SCD student community, but, work load and expectations of faculty outside of areas of expertise issues were raised in response.
• Making Social Theory an Introductory SCD course was suggested.

B.  360, Models and Social Change  

• Reading and writing skills are serious problems
• The current use of classic works from Weber, Durkheim, Marx, Veblen ... is a clear stumbling block for students
• Tony voiced concern that the 30+ year-old design of 360, as is presented after many modest revisions in the current version of Models and the Study of Social Change aka the Green Monster, is dated and can use more through revision and collective rethinking to facilitate transition to the next generation. 

C. Tentative proposals: 

• Expand skills sets / expectations
• make it bureaucratically easier for students to meet program requirements

III.  Considerations for the future. 

• It was noted that current numbers of major and minors are healthy and that faculty transition is certain if not fully imminent.  It will be important to consider making the case for replacements in relation to the program in any restatement of the curriculum.
• Engaging SCD alumni more fully in the unit and perhaps using some of the overhead account to support such expanded interaction was suggested.
• There was general agreement that a sustained conversation about how the SCD Major and Minor look and about what core language to use in speaking of it was in order.  But it was also noted that we have had similar conversations in May for several years but that from September to May it is difficult to find time and energy to sustain such conversations.

IV.  A very hearty THANK YOU was resounding and unanimously offered to Lynn for her four long years of service as chair in this stint and total of 7 overall.  Applause!! Applause!! Applause!!

Meeting adjoined 4:43 p.m.