ECE Curriculum Committee Meeting Minutes for September 17, 2007

1. The Chair welcomed the 2007-2008 Curriculum Committee and briefly reviewed our major responsibilities, activities, and ongoing projects.
2. The ECE 498 by Michael Oelze was discussed and approved.
3. The ECE 498 proposal by Greg Timp was discussed; more information from the bioengineering area committee and from Bruce Wheeler was desired; the Chair was instructed to request this information before further consideration.
4. The ECE 498 proposal by Joe Lyding was discussed. The Committee desired a more explicit statement of the prerequisite knowledge expected, an explicit justification of the four hours of credit for a three-lecture-hour-per-week class for undergraduates, more information on what's different from Joe's previous 498 course, and area committee signatures. Further discussion was deferred pending reception of this information.
5. The Committee noted that we generally have questions regarding the relationship with existing courses or previous ECE x98s. Inclusion of the "Course Justification" section from the permanent course proposal form into the ECE x98 course proposal form would be very helpful. The Chair was instructed to request this.
6. The ECE 416 course proposal was reviewed. A more explicit syllabus about the lab assignments and time requirements (which apparently justify the total of four credit hours) should be included; further discussion was deferred pending this inclusion. A decision on approval of offering this course under a temporary ECE 498 rubric pending College-level approval of ECE 416 was deferred until after the ECE 416 decision is made.
7. Steve Bishop discussed the format of next week's ABET visit and encouraged faculty to remain available in case the ABET evaluators desire to meet with them.
8. The Committee adjourned at 11:54 AM.