Departments

The President may, after meeting and conferring, designate or redefine various academic departments and programs consistent with the university’s mission and scope of academic activity.Each faculty member shall be member of at least one department/administrative unit. Departments operate through a democratic process and in a manner consistent with university procedures and the provisions as defined in the IFO/MnSCU Agreement, Article 20, Section A. For a current list of departments, refer to the MSUM home page.

Department Chairpersons

Departmental chairpersons are nominated by the department and appointed by the President for a three-year term to provide academic and administrative coordination and to foster an environment which enhances individual and departmental growth and development. Full responsibilities and guidelines for chairperson selection and activities are detailed in the IFO/MnSCU Agreement, Article 20, Sections B-H.

Department Work Plans

The primary purpose of Academic Planning and Reporting is to serve Minnesota State University Moorhead’s need for strategic planning and decision-making. Each department/program at the graduate or undergraduate level shall provide a work plan every year. The plan, including records of department approval, shall be submitted to the appropriate academic Dean and a copy to the Vice President for Academic Affairs. For schedule, forms, timetables and guideline information on Academic Planning and Reporting refer to Academic Affairs.

  [M&C 4/30/94, rev. 9/18/03 memo, rev. 10/2005 memo, revised 2008]  ]

Evening Courses

Each evening course is required to meet at its regularly scheduled times throughout the term. The normal number of meeting times is 16, but under no circumstances may a class meet fewer than 15 times. The class must meet during the "final exams schedule" days.           

Six-Year Program Review

The program's six year review plan is to be developed in conjunction with the Dean. There are three major components of a review:  (1) a self-study, (2) evaluation by an external consultant, and (3)  post-review analysis and planning. Each of these components is described in this guide. For schedule, timetables and guideline information on Academic Program Reviews, refer to Academic Affairs.

Six year program reviews are not mandatory for those programs that are accredited by national program accrediting bodies (e.g., NCATE, AACSB, CSWE, ABET) if such accreditation includes on-campus program review by an external reviewer. It will be mandatory for such programs to submit a copy of their report to the university, through the appropriate Dean to the Vice President for Academic Affairs, together with a report covering any unaddressed aspects of the consultant’s questionnaire normally utilized in six year program reviews. A final determination of the need for the full six-year program review rests with the Vice President for Academic Affairs

Summer Sessions

Within each department all faculty, except the department char, shall have equal access to summer teaching assignments, based on requirements of the curriculum and qualification of the instructor. Equal access shall not override curricular determinations or qualifications of faculty to teach the courses offered. Summer salaries are based on 2.25% of the faculty member's preceding nine months base pay per credit hour, but not less than the minimum adjunct rate for the preceding academic year as set forth in Article 11 of the IFO/MnSCU Agreement.

[IFO/MnSCU Agreement, Article 13]

Workshops

Procedure: Suggestions for curricula may be introduced by either an academic department or program, or a dean, and will be considered in accordance with each university's established procedure for curricular revision. In the case of individual in-service courses, seminars, workshops or similar kinds of learning experiences which are intended to meet the needs of particular professional clientele, the appropriate dean shall, upon designation by the academic vice president, be responsible for authorizing such offerings. The dean shall insure that representative clientele to be served by the course(s) have been consulted.

Criteria for Assigning Credit: Each state university shall apply the following criteria in determining the credit value of any graduate or undergraduate workshop, clinic, educational tour, or other similar educational experience:

• A minimum of eighteen teacher contact hours shall be required for each credit hour offered;

• A maximum of one credit will be approved over one calendar week of class time (five to seven days);

• A maximum of two credits will be approved over two calendar weeks of class time;

• A maximum of one credit may be approved for each three days of class time.

Credit courses extending beyond a two calendar week period of class time will be subject to the same contact hour requirements as courses offered during the regular academic year.

The following practices and policies are to be used at MSUM:

1. Workshops are offered under the rubric of the sponsoring department with the numbers 199, 299, 399, 499, 599, or 699.

2. Workshops offered for both undergraduate and graduate credit (499 and 599 in one offering) need to differentiate assignments and level of achievement required for graduate credit to be awarded. 

3. Workshops are meant to be "self-sustaining," and, in order to work with expenses connected with their offering, may charge fees in addition to standard tuition and fees. The budget is to be set in consultation between the offering department and the responsible administrator. Low enrollment workshops may result in a pro-rating of the instructor's salary.

4. Graduate students may use a maximum of six credits earned in a workshop format in a graduate degree program, subject to approval of the student's advisor, department chair, dean of the college and the graduate director.

5. In the workshop format, more of the content is covered in class sessions and less in outside readings or other assignments than in a regular course because of time constraints. Normally, however, readings and/or projects or papers are part of a workshop's design.

6. Evaluation of student performance in a workshop is to be based both on participation in the classroom and on related outside work.

7. Workshops utilize a variety of teaching methods and formats, sometimes focusing on "hands on" approaches, to insure that active learning occurs in the intensive and compressed class time.

8. Information new to the field, whether theoretical or applied, is often offered in workshops designed to meet continuing professional education needs of clientele groups or other non-traditional audiences. Sound academic judgment should be used in determining what content should be offered and in what format.  

Approved Curriculum Courses in Workshop Format: When a regular university course offering is presented in a compressed time frame, the rule of thumb is: courses that are offered in less than half the normal term or summer session time frame are to be considered as "workshop format." This means they must then conform to the time in class per credit hour rules governing workshops to insure they present the opportunity for equivalent instructional material and assignments to be covered. They continue to use the rubric and number of the departmental course offering, however.

[M&C 5/15/92]

Writing-Intensive

Freshmen:
Incoming freshmen must complete five Writing-Intensive courses (W) at MSUM:

• English 101 (or an approved alternative)
• One Writing-Intensive course in the Dragon Core
• One Writing-Intensive course at the 300 or 400-level designated by the student's major
• Two Writing-Intensive courses at the 200-level or higher, only one of wich may hold the rubric of the student's major.

If a student has multiple majors, the student must fulfill the University Writing-Intensive course requirements as well as the Upper-Level Writing Requirement of each major.

Tranfers:
incoming transfer students must complete two Writing-Intensive (W) courses at MSUM:

• One Writing-Intensive course at the 300 or 400-level designated by the student's major
• One Writing-Intensive course at the 200-level or higher.

If a student has multiple majors, the student must fulfill the University Writing-Intensive course requirements as well as the Upper-Level Writing Requirement of each major.

[APAC 3/7/2006; revised 4/28/2009]

Course Proposal Information: To propose a course for Writing-Intensive (W) course designation, please consult the Writing Matter web site and the Writing-Intensive Proposal Information page. 
 

Upper-Level Writing Requirement

Designation Procedure:
The department is responsible for determining the course(s) required for each major or program within the department. It is responsible for ascertaining that the course selected has Writing-Intensive designation. The department is to report its requirements to the Office of Academic Affairs, and to seek approval through APAC for any changes in major requirements that result.

If the department wishes to continue using a previously designated Upper-Level Writing course to fulfill its Writing-Intensive requirement, it must be sure the course has received Writing-Intensive designation. The department then notifies the Office of Academic Affairs (which will notify APAC) that this course will fulfill its Writing-Intensive requirement. No further action is needed.

1. Or, if the department in the past did not designate a particular course for its Upper-Level Writing Requirement or if the department wishes to change the designated course required, it must now designate a required course for each major or program using one of the following options:
   
   The department decides to use a course already required for the major. It needs to obtain Writing-Intensive designation for the course and notify the Office of Academic Affairs (which will notify APAC) that this course will fulfill its Writing-Intensive requirement.
    
2. The department decides to require a course not currently required in a particular major or program. It must obtain Writing-Intensive designation for the course and bring the resulting programmatic change to APAC for approval.

University Writing Committee Approved 2/9/07
APAC Approved 2/20/07