THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT ASHEVILLE
                                               FACULTY SENATE 

Senate Document Number    0195F
Date of Senate Approval   9/14/95


Statement of Faculty Senate Action:


                             APC Document Number 1: Oral Competency Requirement

Effective Date: Fall 1996


Delete:          In Catalog 1995-96, on page 49, the second full 
                 paragraph under Electives, which reads:

                 Each degree candidate is required to complete a senior
                 demonstration of competency offered in the major field
                 and determined by his or her department.  Departments may
                 also require other work.  Some departments require their
                 majors to present a senior thesis.

Add:                              In place of the deleted paragraph:

                 Each degree candidate is required to complete a senior
                 demonstration of competency offered in the major field
                 and determined by his or her department.  In addition
                 each degree candidate is required to demonstrate oral
                 competency as determined by his or her department. 
                 Departments may also require other work.  Some
                 departments require their majors to present a senior
                 thesis.
                                          
Impact Statement:

                 In consequence of this proposal each major department
                 will have to clarify its expectations with regard to oral
                 performance; clarification should include performance
                 enhancement and performance assessment.  That little more
                 than clarification will be required is strongly suggested
                 by a survey done by Institutional Research indicating
                 that each major department has at least two required
                 courses in which oral performance is "essential" or "very
                 important".  
                 
                 Although the precise impact of this proposal will depend
                 upon the approach adopted by each major, it is thought
                 that most major departments will choose to develop their
                 existing faculty.  Toward this end two activities are
                 currently underway: (1) the Management Department is
                 running a Teaching Circle on public speaking competency
                 and (2) the Dean of Faculty Development is planning
                 workshops to help faculty develop their abilities with
                 respect to teaching and assessing oral competency. 

                 Since this proposal is viewed as a refinement of existing
                 practice across the University, no supporting memoranda
                 were sought.  For the same reason, the proposed change is
                 unlikely to affect staffing or future course offerings.
                                          
Rationale:

                 This proposal will encourage each major department to
                 become more intentional about its expectations with
                 regard to oral performance and thus enhance the oral
                 performances of our students.