THE
FACULTY SENATE
Senate
Document Number 4205S
Date
of Senate Approval
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Statement
of Faculty Senate Action:
Change
Title and Description of BIOL 351
Effective Date:
Fall 2005
1. Add: On pg.
72, title and course description for BIOL 298:
298 Introduction to Research Methods (1-3)
Directed laboratory research, field research or
independent study that introduces students to specialized research techniques
and methodology necessary in the early stages of professional development. Nature of the
course is determined by mutual agreement between student and faculty
mentor. The course is appropriate for
students in their first two years of study and may be repeated for a total of 3
hours of credit. Will not count towards biology elective
requirements. Prerequisite: permission of instructor.
Add: On pg. 74, title and course description
for BIOL 398
398
Research Methods in Biology (1-3)
Directed
laboratory research, field research or independent study that introduces upper
level biology students to specialized techniques and methodologies needed for
undergraduate research or professional development. Nature of the course is determined by mutual
agreement between student and faculty mentor. Will not count
towards biology elective requirements. May be repeated
for a total of 3 hours of credit.
Prerequisites: BIOL 115, 116,
210, 211, and permission of instructor.
Impact:
This change may result in a
slight increase in hours in the major for those students electing to pursue
senior research. Historically, most
students majoring in biology take BIOL 480 (Senior Seminar) rather than BIOL
498 (Undergraduate Research in Biology); these students will not be affected by
this change. As an elective, no additional
hours are obligated for biology majors by this change. Faculty research advisors will have an
increased teaching load depending on the number of students permitted to enroll
in their course.
Rationale:
It is expected that these
courses will involve more biology majors in undergraduate research. Because students can receive credit for independent
research early in their undergraduate careers, more students will be exposed to
research and have close interaction with individual research mentors. Thus, all biology majors will be given an
option early in their undergraduate career to undertake the initial steps of a
research project. This change will
enhance the quality of undergraduate research by giving credit, instruction,
and feedback to students in the early phases of their undergraduate research
projects. Students may continue along
this track by enrolling in BIOL 498 during their senior year or they may opt
instead to enroll in BIOL 480, if they are not interested in continuing their
research. As a result of their
interactions with faculty, it is anticipated that students completing this
course will have better conceived, more successful research projects that will
make them more competitive in applying to graduate schools or funding agencies,
while providing other ancillary benefits as they complete their research. This change will also better document the
effort and progress of students as they pursue research because most
undergraduate research students begin their projects well in advance of the
semester when they actually enroll in BIOL 498.
2. Delete: On pg.
74, title and course description for BIOL 351
Add: On pg. 74, new title and course description
for BIOL 351
351 Field Botany (4)
Field identification of flowering plants of the
Impact:
The proposed change adds a
lecture component to a course that previously consisted of only one lab per
week. One credit hour will be added to the course, allowing it to conform to a
4 credit hour lecture/lab format, which is a norm for Biology and most science
courses. The additional faculty load is
justified by the more thorough exposure students will be given to topics
presented in this course.
Rationale:
The modified format has been
successfully presented as a special topics course (BIOL 374, Plants of the