Task Force, Information Technology in the Undergraduate Curriculum
Minutes, November 27, 2000
Prepared by Barbara Wildemuth

Attending:  Deb Aikat, Bill Balthrop, Rich Beckman, Jeff Cannon, Bert Dempsey, Doug Kelly, Marian Moore, Greg Newby, Al Segars, Bill Smith, Deborah Walters, Steve Weiss, Barbara Wildemuth (chair)

Bill Smith, acting on behalf of Provost Edwards, began by presenting the charge to the task force.  It consists of two parts.  First, the task force is charged with taking a high level look at the university’s need for undergraduate education in information technology.  Second, the task force is charged with providing advice to incoming Provost Shelton concerning how to proceed with the proposal for a BS in Information Science, put forward by the School of Information and Library Science.

The task force then began to plan the work it needs to accomplish.  Prior to Provost Shelton’s arrival on February 1, the task force should provide him with an interim report.  It should include specific advice on the SILS proposal for a BSIS.  In addition, it should outline the general questions the task force will pursue concerning information technology education for undergraduates at UNC-CH.

The task force received a brief summary of the SILS proposal for the BS in Information Science (the full proposal will be made available via a Web site to be developed by Wildemuth).  Task force members were asked to review it in detail, with particular attention to the areas in which the proposal is related to the currently-available courses at UNC-CH.  Opportunities for increased efficiencies (possibly involving the offering of BSIS courses in departments/schools outside SILS) will be discussed at our next meeting.

Beginning in February, the task force will address more general questions about information technology education for undergraduates.  These efforts should be coordinated with the College of Arts & Sciences’ ongoing study of the General College curriculum.  In addition, the relevant recommendations raised in the most recent accreditation study should be considered in our deliberations.

The next meeting of the task force will be schedule in the first or second week of December.