| Description change | Prerequisite change | Undergraduate |
| From: | ||
|---|---|---|
| Course Prefix & Number | Descriptive Title | Credits/Hours |
| BI 315 | Cell Biology | 4 - 0 |
| To: | ||
| Course Prefix & Number | Descriptive Title | Credits/Hours |
| BI 315 | Cell Biology | 4 - 0 |
|
Abbreviation for Class Schedule(20 spaces) CELL BIOLOGY |
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Current Course Description: An introduction to cell structure and function required for the biology major. Examines the architecture and basic organelle activity in the intact cell and the major techniques currently employed to study cells. Three lectures and one three-hour lab each week. Prerequisites: BI 213 and CH 223 offered winter term. |
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New Course Description: An introduction to cell structure and function required for the biology major. Examines the architecture and basic organelle activity in the intact cell and the major techniques currently employed to study cells. Three hours of lecture and one three-hour lab each week. Prerequisites: BI314, BI213, CH221 offered winter term. |
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Justification for changing the course (e.g. alignment with other institutions, program revision, etc.): Facing serious annual enrollment challenges in BI315, the Biology Department reassessed its second year core (which includes Biology 314-5-6, Introductory Genetics, Cell Biology, and Evolution) with an emphasis on ensuring students are more adequately prepared during their first year at WOU for entry into the second year series. At the same time, we just submitted a course change proposal to develop a new BI211 trailer course with more flexible prerequisites for BI213. Given a new and concerted effort to screen and advise at-risk students into more basic coursework during their first year (emphasizing chemistry and math), and also to provide them with more flexible options for catching up if they take the BI211 trailer, we are changing the BI315 prerequisites to include BI314 (Introductory Genetics), BI213, and CH221. This will allow a student who has taken BI211 (winter/freshman), BI213 (spring/freshman), BI314 (fall/sophomore), and begun 200-level chemistry (CH221 as freshman or fall/sophomore) to take BI315 on time as sophomores. Indeed, Biology Majors need to show they can start or complete CH221 by their second year in our program. This proposed prerequisite change aligns with comparable Cell Biology courses at several OUS institutions, including OSU, EOU, UO, and SOU. This course description change involves no new FTE or space requests. |
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Students/Program affected: Biology Majors all emphases Biology Teacher Education degree NOTE: the Biology minor does NOT require cell biology, but students can select it as an option. |
| Step | Approver | Decision | Timestamp |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 - Department | Sarah Boomer | Approved | October 17 2010 |
| 2 - Division | Steve Taylor | Approved | October 20 2010 |
| 3 - Division Curriculum | Laurie Burton | Approved | November 04 2010 |
| 5 - Curriculum Committee | Robert Monge | Approved | December 08 2010 |
| 6 - Faculty Senate | Gavin Keulks | Approved | February 08 2011 |
| 7 - Dean | Stephen Scheck | Approved | February 13 2011 |
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Comments: editing comment: suggest switching preq course to numeric ranking, i.e.,
from the currently proposed "Prerequisites: BI314, BI213, CH221" to BI 212, BI 314, CH 221 |
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| 8 - Provost | Kent Neely | Approved | February 14 2011 |