AGSC Academic Committees

Academic Committee Member Listings

AGSC Approved: 9/04/03

AGSC Academic Committees are divided into two groups: 1) General Studies Academic Committees (GSACs), and 2) Professional Academic Committees (PACs).

General Studies Academic Committees (GSACs)

The twenty-one General Studies Academic Committees (GSACs) are as follows:

GSACs

Anthropology Area/Ethnic Studies Art and Art History Biological Science Chemistry Communication Studies English & Literature Economics Foreign Language Geography Geology and Earth Science History Interdisciplinary/Honors/Innovative Mathematics Music and Music History Philosophy and Religious Studies Physics, Physical Science, Astronomy Political Science Psychology Sociology Theatre and Dance

Composition and Terms of Appointment of GSACs

Each GSAC consists of a representative from each baccalaureate institution with a major program in the discipline appointed by the chief academic officer and an equal number of representatives from the non-baccalaureate institutions appointed by the Alabama Department of Postsecondary Education.

All GSAC members must be qualified to teach in the particular discipline as defined by SACS standards and must be actively teaching in the discipline.

The AGSC will set no limit on the length of terms of GSAC members, for this will be determined by the baccalaureate institution, the Department of Postsecondary Education, or the professional organization.

Each GSAC will elect a chair and a vice-chair, one of whom must be from a baccalaureate institution and the other from a non-baccalaureate institution. Officers will serve two-year terms, and the vice-chair will succeed the chair in that office.

Recommendations of the GSAC require a two-thirds majority vote, and members may vote by written proxy or by representative. In all matters regarding discipline templates, only representatives in the discipline from baccalaureate institutions will vote.

Roles and Responsibilities of GSACs (last updated 10/6/11)

The General Studies Academic Committees will be responsible for the following:

1. On-going review and recommendation for approval or disapproval of new courses from two-year and four-year institutions. NOTE: (In evaluating a course, a Committee is not to mandate a specific model, but to determine that the course is within the general parameters that the Committee has established and that it is broad enough in scope to meet the general studies designation.)
2. On-going review of revised courses proposed by institutions as general studies courses in the discipline.
3. Review previously approved courses under the following conditions...
• when there is a significant change in the contet of a course.
• when the institution wishes a course to be considered for approval for a different AREA.
• (or) when AGSC deems it appropriate to review a course.
4. Annual review of the established discipline specific guidelines for their discipline.
5. Bi-annual review of the discipline templates and development of new discipline templates, as necessary (Note: Only representatives in the discipline from baccalaureate institutions will vote on issues pertaining to templates).
6. Continuing dialogue with the faculty in their discipline, campus curriculum committee(s), departments, and discipline organizations at their respective institution.
7. Communicate with state professional organizations in the discipline where one exists.
8. Provide an annual report to the Executive Director of the AGSC/STARS recapping activities and decisions of the committee for that academic year (Must be submitted annually by June 1).
9. Other tasks as may be assigned by the AGSC.

In addition to the established responsibilities listed above, the AGSC would also encourage the academic committees to:

• Study, discuss, and keep in touch with the changes in the field of study.
• Sponsor periodic professional developmental activities for faculty in the field.
• Create and maintain a communications network that provides for sharing and collaboration among faculty at different institutions.
• Investigate and share information on research and good practices in the field.

Procedures and Meetings

For each of the roles and responsibilities listed above, the STARS Office will initiate and monitor the procedure/process to see that these objectives are met. In most cases, STARS will send out requests to the chairs and the committee members in an electronic format. Chairs are strongly encouraged to use e-mail to facilitate action by committee members.

GSAC's are not required to hold face-to-face meetings in order to take action on proposals and templates. Chairs and committee members can use e-mail, telephone, faxes, or other electronic means to conduct their work.

Chairs of committees should maintain records of actions taken during the year so that they can provide an annual report to the Executive Director of the AGSC/STARS.

Pre-Professional Academic Committees (PACs)

The twelve Pre-Professional Academic Committees (PACs) are as follows:

PACs

Allied Health Business Computer Science Criminal Justice Education Engineering Human Sciences/Home Economics Mass Communication Nursing Social Work Speech Pathology Technology

Composition and Terms of Appointment of PACs

Each PAC consists of a representative of each baccalaureate institution that offers a program in the discipline appointed by the chief academic officer and two non-voting representatives from non-baccalaureate institutions appointed by the Alabama Department of Postsecondary Education.

All voting PAC members must be qualified to teach in the particular discipline as defined by SACS standards and must be actively working in the discipline.

The AGSC will set no limit on the length of terms of PAC members, for this will be determined by the baccalaureate institution, the Department of Postsecondary Education, or the professional organization.

Each PAC will elect from the baccalaureate members a chair and a vice-chair, who will serve two-year terms. The vice-chair will succeed the chair in that office. (The current Pre-Professional Committee chair will serve the first term as chair of the corresponding PAC.)

Recommendations of the PAC will require two-thirds majority vote, and members may vote by proxy or by representative. The two non-baccalaureate representatives serve as non-voting members.

Roles and Responsibilities of PACs

The Pre-Professional Academic Committees will be responsible for the following:

1. Annual review of the discipline templates, including consideration of specific proposals from institutions offering the program, and development of new templates, as necessary.
2. Continuing dialogue with the faculty in their discipline, campus curriculum committee(s), and discipline organizations at their respective department/institution.
3. Communicate with state professional organizations in the discipline where one exists.
4. Provide an annual report to the Executive Director of the AGSC/STARS recapping activities and decisions of the committee for that academic year (Must be submitted annually by June 1).
5. Other tasks as may be assigned by the AGSC.

In addition to the established responsibilities listed above, the AGSC would also encourage the academic committees to:

• Study, discuss, and keep in touch with the changes in the field of study.
• Sponsor periodic professional developmental activities for faculty in the field.
• Create and maintain a communications network that provides for sharing and collaboration among faculty at different institutions.
• Investigate and share information on research and good practices in the field.

Procedures and Meetings

For each of the roles and responsibilities listed above, the STARS Office will initiate and monitor the procedure/process to see that these objectives are met. In most cases, STARS will send out requests to the chairs and the committee members in an electronic format. Chairs are strongly encouraged to use e-mail to facilitate action by committee members.

PAC's are not required to hold face-to-face meetings in order to take action on proposals and templates. Chairs and committee members can use e-mail, telephone, faxes, or other electronic means to conduct their work.

Chairs of committees should maintain records of actions taken during the year so that they can provide an annual report to the Executive Director of the AGSC/STARS.