B.C. COLLEGES & UNIVERSITIES EARTH SCIENCE
ARTICULATION COMMITTEE
MINUTES OF MEETING
MAY 11, 2002
PRESENT: Lesley Anderton Selkirk College
Dileep Athaide Capilano College
Mary Lou Bevier University of British Columbia
Gary Clohan College of the Rockies (also attended Geog. Meeting)
Robbie Dunlop Simon Fraser University
Tark Hamilton Camosun College
Stephen T. Johnston University of Victoria
Ken Klein University College of the Cariboo
John Martin Kwantlen University College
Maggie McColl Malaspina University-College
Erin O'Brien Northwest Community College
Barb Shaw Northwest Community College
Ken Shaw Northwest Community College (GeogMeeting)
Mark Smith Langara College (Chair of Meeting)
Dave Waddington Douglas College
Des Wilson Douglas College (Administrative Liason)
Jennifer Orum B.C. CAT
1.0 ADOPTION OF AGENDA
The meeting was called to order at 8:45 by M. S. (Chair). The agenda was approved with the following revisions: move 7.0 Transfer Grid discussion to after coffee break and 6.0 Institution Reports (R. D. (SFU); add to 9.0 New Business b) GeoSciEd ( M.L. B. (UBC)), and e) Flexible Pre Major D. W. (Admin Liason).
2.0 INTRODUCTIONS
Round table introductions. Regrets: Chris Barnes, University of Victoria; John Greenough, Okanagan University College. No high school representative.
M. M. (MALA) agreed to be recording secretary .
3.0 APPROVAL OF MINUTES 2001
Approved by M.L.B. (UBC), seconded by S. J. (UVIC).
4.0 MATTERS ARISING FROM MINUTES
None.
5.0 CHAIR'S REPORT Mark Smith (LAN)
a. Articulation Chairs Meeting
i) Implications of private post secondary institutions.
Private institutions are a fact of life, need for articulation between private and public institutions and quality assurance.
ii) BC Post Secondary Transfer System - see detailed report available on website, M.S. will distribute paper copies.
Some identified areas for improvement were: more flexible requirements, student mobility, transfer between private and public institutions, inter provincial transfers
b. Changes at UBC EOS meetings
It was suggested at Articulation 2001 that someone from the committee attend university meetings about program changes. M. S. attended meetings at UBC and reports a very good precedent was set for cooperation and communication. This is a useful, good procedure to follow and UBC was very helpful and accommodating. Three memos summarizing the discussions were circulated by email to the articulation committee members during the year.
On request, M.L.B. distributed additional paper copies of the UBC grid and course changes.
S.J. (UVIC) noted this process was for revision of the 1 st and 2 nd year courses only. M.L. B. advised that a new committee will be formed for the 3 rd and 4 th year courses, which will have specific pre-requisites. M. S. volunteered to sit on that committee.
6.0 INSTITUTION REPRESENTATIVES REPORTS
The suggestion was made to distribute paper copies of institutional reports only. T.H. (CAM) expressed desire to hear briefly from each representative in addition to the circulated written reports.
a. Langara Mark Smith
No significant changes. Continue to offer two first year courses: Intro Geology and Historical Geology. Both courses remain popular with students and enrollment for all sections has been filled. The second year geography course, which articulates as UBC 330, has been successfully run now for three years and continues to draw a full compliment of students. While the Learning Outcomes are established, details of course subject material for this relatively new course remains under development.
b. Douglas Dave Waddington written report distributed
2 nd year enrollments are dropping, seeking ideas for retention.
Environmental Science team-taught with Biology. Michael Wilson, the coordinator, is investing possible program transfer with UBC.
c. Selkirk Lesley Anderton see written report distributed
Excellent enrollment in first year, 2 nd year enrollments lowest ever.
New funds for Selkirk GeoSpatial Research Centre, Donna Delparte
College severely impacted by cuts, not driven by educational planning but by budget/ finances targeting low enrollments.
Concern expressed about cuts to interior colleges and enhancements to lower mainland.
Flagship aviation program at risk, political science gone, biology layoffs, retiring faculty not replaced.
d. Camosun Tark Hamilton no written report
Geology is in Chemistry department and is dominated by them.
2nd year was cut with no discussion.
Geology courses offered in rotation. Very long waitlists for first year.
10 faculty layoffs. Chemistry lost 5 courses.
D.W. What number is considered marginal for low enrollment?
J.M. Kwantlen is about 12-15
M.L.B. UBC is 15.
L.A. Selkirk is 15 20 for first year, 2 nd year is flexible
B.S. Northwest : 5 15 based on opportunities for course, 5-10 for 2 nd year if required to complete program
T.H. Camosun has made mainly service cuts. Only half the labs offered.
Query about placing lab exercises on-line.
M.L.B. at UBC biology and chemistry reduced the number of their labs.
D.A. where budgets were not cut, increased production is expected
Warning about online material, assumption no instructor is then required.
Business Admin, participated in province-wide online offerings and subsequently experienced significant cuts.
e. Northwest (Terrace) Erin O'Brien
Provincial expectation 50% increase in production. Next year is ok. Big changes expected the following year.
Very low enrollment in 2 nd year science.
f. Northwest (Prince Rupert) Barb Shaw
NWCC has 2 geology courses on the books, still never offered.
Provincial expectation for 30% FTE increase. Very cohesive administration and faculty.
Geography courses 150/160. 3 oceanography courses.
Applied degree opportunities. 1 year on site training.
g. Kwantlen John Martin see written report
Langley campus cut.
Geology/Geography taught in combination. 13 sections first year.
Three courses Geog 1120, Geog 2320 and Geol 1210, students can get credit for all three.
one section of historical offered at one campus in high demand.
h. UVIC Stephen Johnston see written report
Barnes no longer director of SEOS, search for replacement is underway now, no acceptable in- house candidates.
New building is cancelled.
Two new Ocean faculty hired, Dr. John Dover and Dr. Jay Cullen.
Tuition increases of 30% each year over 3 years, will be well over 100% increase.
L.A. BCCAT query EOS 100, EOS 101 no longer exists?
D.A. UVIC rejected physical geography as a lab science.
Cross listing of Geology / Geography course issue.
Recommends tabling UVIC issues to agenda item discussion
Eileen Van der Flier-Keller's memo read aloud, comment in bold: UVIC will only give credit for two courses that transfer to any of EOS 110, 120 or GEOG 110 or 120.
M.S. expect statement on issue from chair of geography committee.
i. UBC Mary Lou Bevier see written report
M.L. distributed coloured handouts describing programs in Geological Sciences, Atmospheric Sciences, Geophysics, Geological Engineering and Oceanography.
I a. New majors program in Earth and Ocean Sciences.
I b. First year enrollments for hazards course doubled to over 1,000 students.
I c. New summer course for teachers, evaluated on curriculum preparation.
I d. New course Dinosaur Earth EOSC 116 (3 credits), jumping off point- the Mesozoic, lab science credit, team-taught, outline in handout. Credit for lab separated out as EOSC 117(1 credit), EOSC 116 + 117 = 3 + 1= 4 credits. Half the labs are on web.
I e. changes to honours program distributed by M.S. will be voted on in fall, will likely take effect Sept 2003.
II e. oilpatch recruits in September, advise students to have their resumes ready then.
II f. invitation to institutions to add links to Mining Association of B.C.
III 2 nd year enrollments down, lowest number (40) M.L.B. has seen in field school.
j. Malaspina Maggie McColl see written report
No cuts to geology, continuing to expand. Enrollments always at maximum.
Science area considering going to 4 credits for lab science courses to help defray costs.
Waiting to hear outcome of discussion re: Geology/Geography credits. Our students transfer to all three universities, we want to serve and not disadvantage any of them. Our attempt is not to overlap content with Geography courses. Geography at Malaspina is within the Social Science area, a different administrative unit and budget.
k. UCC Ken Klein see written report
10 alternating courses offered, no changes, no more people, no cuts to science.
UCC heading to 3 semester system.
Comment on onerous, unnecessary? requirement of calculus, optical mineralogy and crystallography.
Expressed interest in agenda item on geology/geography, drastic changes are required, at present there is too much overlap.
M.S. query re: text for 425.
K.K. DNAG series is used for notes, very intensive course, follows UBC outline for EOS 332, Mortensen.
T.H. quick response to rant on mineralogy - three minerals selected and taught, including optics, very successfully done.
coffeebreak
l. Capilano Dileep Althaide see written report
experience with allowing no geology prerequisite for historical geology not successful
comment on cuts around the system, summer offerings to increase campus utitlity to 20%
involved in discussions regarding public/private partnerships, private for profit offerings and degree granting and curriculum franchise abroad.
m. COTR Gary Clohan see written report
physical geology exists at COTR for transfer to UVIC education program
Ecuador CIDA project, 10 interns from region
International Education push, Applied Degrees
Successful mountain activity skills program in Fernie
Area has been particularly hard hit with loss of Kimberly Mine, hospital, court, softwood lumber - in survival mode.
n. SFU Robbie Dunlop see written report
new lecturer - Kevin Cameron from Brandon
first year numbers solid, new course for teachers
two sessional positions for fall see Website
Dinosaur lab course: successful, lots of fun.
11:15 completed institutional reports
7.0 TRANSFER GRID
Robbie Dunlop (R.D.) circulated a paper copy for institutional revisions. She noted the paper copy is now obsolete and has been replaced with a web site to be available through BCCAT.
R.D. reported on the Transfer Innovation Project completed with Michael Wilson for Professional Geoscience in B.C. Online information was prepared course by course based on 4 major receiving institutions and is correct for 2002. APEGBC web connection is yet to be approved, it is pending as they are in the process of changing their requirements.
R.D. demonstrated online example of transfer of SFU course with links to BCCAT transfer guide.
Jennifer Orum expressed pleasure with site. Spoke to the issue of ongoing maintenance. Funding was to establish the site, not available for maitenance of the site. She asked the Articulation committee for input on how to address maitenance. There may be models from other committees forthcoming, perhaps form a subcommittee that would gather revisions and update site annually.
M.S. is the site pending approval by APEG?
M.L.B. APEGBC - new name for environmental, geotechnics
M.S. what is the best way to reach the high schools? Where is the high school rep?
J.O. funding for high school liason has been cut by CCTT. Results in the problem of how to continue that link. Suggested possibilities were: a parallel committee with a high school specialist? Send a member of this committee to high school meetings? To cut costs, invite a local teacher from the area of the articulation meeting.
Very unhappy with the cut. The high school rep was found to be an excellent link and liason.
M.S. asked each institution to review the grid. Request made to add revisions to paper copy and those will be moved onto the website.
8.0 FIRST YEAR GEOLOGY/GEOGRAPHY ISSUE
M.S. expressed concern and opened discussion about Geology/Geography overlap in first year, and pairing problems resulting from changes at universities. Our business is to address articulation problems. Not just a UVIC problem, issue is larger.
S.J. unaware of issue, nothing to offer. Changes at UVIC have been made.
D.A. read EOS 120 and EOS 110 course descriptions.
B.S. clarify overlap in content, geog-weather, physical geog, historical geol.
DW create extra place for 1xx as applied to major? What is required for APEG 2 nd and 3 rd year?
GC UVIC EOS 110=GEOG 110, same course, weather/climate.
RD APEGBC doesn't care about 1 st year courses.
MS registrar problem is created for giving credit for courses.
MB prerequisites for 2xx are determined at department level, go to advisor in department.
DA waive prerequisites, UVIC no longer separates credits, should give unassigned credit with no duplicate transfer.
MS circulated email from Tim Oke, Chair, Geography Articulation Committee.
DA Kwantlen courses are quite different with some overlap. Not good luck in Historical with students without the prerequisite. Push for unassigned credit.
KK meet with Geography to discuss how to solve the problem. There is too much overlap with physical geography and physical geology. Should be no duplication, geog/geol take same course in fall, all should know the basics of mapping, stats, spatial distribution, lats and longs. Earth System I internal processes, rocks, minerals plate tectonics and Earth System II- external processes, geomorpholgy. 2 nd year Geotime, Earth System III atmosphere, climate.
Very large numbers in mapping course, 300-400.
TH how does this affect teachers?
DW undercurrent of tight coexistence is Earth Science will disappear. 7 sxns of geology, 75% Arts students.
TH pressure for high school prerequisites in chemistry and physics will result in reduced enrollment
CG there are standard textbooks for both disciplines, geomorphology is the overlap
MS fundamental issue is: can they coexist?
LA I teach both, attempt to reduce overlap
TH find 4 introductory streams, 80% equivalent
DA curriculum may appear to overlap, what about depth of coverage? Example Geol 12 outline. To do a good job of either well, do it separately
Kwantlen has a tradition of melded courses, hoping to satisfy both. Take care not to overlap, keep them separate.
Adjourn for lunch until 12:35
MS Consensus? Do we have a resolution or message to take forward to the joint meeting?
Polls universities for what credits they currently accept.
BS Is coexistence possible? Biology example, don't up the ante for small institutions.
DA recognize uniqueness, retain option, students need flexibility, colleges cannot be clones of any one receiving institution. If both geol and geog are offered, continue.
DW If they are both offered, are they duplicates? Ensure they are different courses.
MW Would learning objectives for both courses clarify this?
DW Implications of merge and crosslisting, with reduction of resources, demand is sufficient , too few students in each.
JO Establish aims. Encouraged application for project like flexible pre major, similar to a project on 1 st year English that was funded.
9.0 NEW BUSINESS
a) Field Trip Etiquette
M.L.B. Three issues have arisen, especially on the Lower Mainland and in South Coastal areas where many institutions and students use the same sites.
1)Recent hammer scars have defaced two very popular locations, Caulfield and Ruckle Park. These are parks and are protected areas.
2) Standards of behaviour at commercial establishments. Groups that are asked not to return can spoil accommodation possibilities for other institutions.
3) Provincial Parks have regulatory authority over large groups. Groups over 15 must have a park- use permit and file paperwork with BC Parks. Code of Ethics must be enforced without exception. No littering, no speeding, no hammers in any park without prior permission for specific collecting.
S.J. UVIC used Strathcona Park Lodge, some alcohol use.
T.H. mineral and fossil sites and outcrops of interest should be left so others can view it.
D.A. encourage groups to be responsible for collective behaviour. Students can help manage peer behaviour.
Is a waiver form required for those under 19? As an indication of due diligence. Read safety regulations. Students are not allowed to drive.
b) GeoSciEd IV
M.L.B. announced that GeoSciEd IV was in Calgary August 10-14, 2003. Drumheller Trip included in registration. Outreach Opportunities with Aboriginal Communities
D.A. attended the first GeoSciEd with D.W. (admin) in South Hampton. He and Carlo attended the 2 nd GeoSciEd in Hawaii in 1996 and presented the B.C. Earth Science Articulation groups model, the 3 rd GeoSciEd was in Australia. The 4 th GeoSciEd in Calgary in the opportunity to use an international meeting to stimulate national interest in Earth Science.
c) High School Rep
M.S. we need a high school representative at our meetings. Could this be achieved with a regional stand in?
D.W. (admin) cost of field trip participation could be absorbed by all institutions
d) B.C.C.A.T.
J.O. reminder about available B.C.C.A.T. products: Oline guide, and new this summer a small transfer guide and Transfer Tips, and the Articulation Handbook.
There are 71 committees in B.C., most articulated province in Canada and top in North America.
e) Flexible Pre-Major
D.W. (admin) circulated copies of grid prepared. Commented system seems to be getting worse.
Challenge is to put together two years so students could then transfer anywhere. A range of backgrounds is required. Associate Degree in Geoscience?
f) Next Year's Meeting and Field Trip
M.M. offered to host the Earth Science Articulation Meeting at Malaspina in Nanaimo. Malaspina is hosting the 5 th B.C. Paleontological Symposium May 2-5 2003.
The articulation meeting could be scheduled directly following the Paleo Symposium (May 6,7).
Suggestions for field trips were: Gabriola, Saltspring, Puntledge River, although water at that time of year is too high for collecting, or Tofino, completing the terranes cross-section started in 1996.
10.0 ADJOURNMENT
J. M. motion to adjourn. M.S. 2 nd motion.
Meeting was adjourned at 1:30. Directly followed by Joint Meeting with Geography Articulation Committee.