AAS working group presents findings

WTCS faculty will have an enhanced voice in matters related to curriculum and educational standards under a proposal presented to the WTCS State Board by the Board’s working group on the Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree.

While details have yet to be developed, the working group agreed at its March 14 meeting on the need for a system-wide committee made up of faculty and other primary stakeholders charged with reviewing and making recommendations on current and future curricular issues.

The structure of the committee and the issues within the parameters of the new body will be discussed at an upcoming meeting. The working group did offer several examples of issues that could fall within the parameters of the new committee. For instance, the committee could be charged with recommending a mechanism to be used by districts or programs seeking to add to the current list of 36 system-wide general education courses. Currently, no specific process or criteria exist.

The proposal - advanced by Lonnie Benning and Michael Rosen, the two faculty representatives to the working group - was developed in response to lack of broad and representative faculty participation in initiatives such as the restructuring of the AAS degree and the ongoing development of statewide curricula.

“Processes to solicit faculty input are breaking down,” Benning told the working group. “The issue of faculty involvement in decisions related to the curriculum is the elephant in the room- it needs to be addressed.”

Rosen told the committee, “We can avoid many concerns up front by institutionalizing faculty members' voice in these decisions.”

The proposal to establish the new committee is part of a series of findings the working group will forward to the WTCS State Board for its consideration. In addition to the recommendation concerning the statewide committee, the working group will:

  • Recommend raising the proposed AAS degree credit maximum from 68 to 70. The recommendation should allow many programs to add the necessary general education credits while still maintaining the appropriate number of occupational and technical courses.

  • Recommend a process whereby programs can petition to exceed the 70-credit maximum.

  • Proceed with the development of a Q & A meant to answer questions faculty members may have on the specifics of the AAS degree.

The findings were presented to the WTCS State Board at its meeting on March 30.