THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT ASHEVILLE FACULTY SENATE Senate Document Number 4796S Date of Senate Approval 3/28/96 Statement of Faculty Senate Action: APC Document 44: Catalog Changes in Economics Effective Date: Fall 1996 Add: In Catalog 1995-96, on page 104, under Program in Economics, at the end of entry III. Other departmental requirements, the following: Oral competency is part of ECON 490. Add: In Catalog 1995-96, on page 105, under Program in Monetary Economics and Finance, at the end of entry III. Other departmental requirements, the following: Oral competency is part of ECON 490. Add: In Catalog 1995-96, on page 105, under Program in Political Economy, at the end of entry III. Other departmental requirements, the following: Oral competency is part of ECON 490; students taking POLS 490 demonstrate oral competency in POLS 460. Replace: In Catalog 1995-96, on page 105, under Program in Political Economy, the entire entry I. Required courses in the major, by the following: I. Required courses in the major - 39-41 hours, including: ECON 200, 201, 215, 310, 341, 365; POLS 220, 347, 350, 351, 359, and one course from 321, 323, or 326; ECON 490 or POLS 460 and 490. Impact: This addition will add virtually nothing to the historical offering of ECON 490 other than a formal recognition in the course syllabus about the role of oral presentations in the determination of the student's final grade in ECON 490. Oral presentations have been a part of the expected expertise and performance of graduating seniors enrolled in ECON 490 for over 20 years. This addition catalog formally articulates that reality. Note: Syllabi in ECON 490 will include the following statement: Three oral presentations will constitute 25% of your final grade. The oral competency requirement of the department is met by a C or better average in these oral presentations. Rationale: This addition is in response to a formal recommendation from SACS after UNCA's most recent self-study and reaccreditation visit. All economics graduates must take ECON 490 and ECON 490 is a research seminar in which students must make formal oral presentations about their research. Therefore, this is the most appropriate point in the curriculum to determine student competency as a result of completion of degree requirements for a major in economics.