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Shared Governance at Detroit Mercy: Core Curriculum Committee

Core Curriculum Committee

The MFA Core Curriculum Committee (CCC) is responsible for the ongoing oversight and assessment of UDM's Core Curriculum, as established in the Final Proposal of the Shared Governance Task Force and the MFA Constitution and Bylaws. In addition, the CCC is responsible for tracking developments in core curricula in other educational institutions, and considerations and proposing of any amendments to the core curriculum as per the Shared Governance Final Modification Proposal.

The responsibilities of the CCC include:
1. Monitoring the goals and outcomes for learning in the core courses;
2. Assessing the success of core courses in fulfilling the identified outcomes;
3. Making recommendations to the MFA and the Provost based on findings.

Core Curriculum Committee Structure

The number and composition of faculty members on this committee was determined by the MFA in October of 2012. Representation is as follows:

  • McNichols Campus Faculty
    • CHASS - Writing (English department), one seat
    • CHASS - Communication Studies, one seat
    • CHASS - Counseling/Addiction Studies, Criminal Justice, Economics, Political Science, Psychology, Sociology, Social Work, Human Services, two seats (staggered terms)
    • CHASS - Religious Studies, one seat
    • CHASS - Philosophy, one seat
    • CHASS - History, Performing Arts, Literature, two seats (staggered terms)
    • CES - Engineering, one seat
    • CES - Math, Computer Science, Software Engineering, one seat
    • CES - Biology, Biochemistry, Chemistry, Physics, one seat
    • CHP - one seat
    • CBA - one seat
    • SACD- one seat
    • LIB - one seat
    • one faculty member selected by the MFA from among its members (non-voting)
  • One non-voting representative from Dental Hygiene
  • Two non-voting administrative representatives

Core Curriculum Committee Minutes

Outcomes-Based Core Curriculum, Approved Proposal June, 2016

Core Curriculum Historical Documents

Core Curriculum Committee Roster

  • McNichols Campus Faculty
    • CHASS Writing - Elena Garcia, term expires 8/25 -Chair
    • CHASS Communications Studies - Cynthia Langham, term expires 8/26*
    • CHASS Counseling Addiction Studies, Criminal Justices, Economics, Political Science, Psychology, Sociology, Social Work, Human Services - Erick Barnes, term expires 8/26*
    • CHASS Counseling Addiction Studies, Criminal Justices, Economics, Political Science, Psychology, Sociology, Social Work, Human Services - Nick Davis, term expires 8/25
    • CHASS Religious Studies - Katie Merriman, term expires 8/26* - Secretary
    • CHASS Philosophy - Juan Carlos Flores, term expires 8/25
    • CHASS History, Performing Arts, Literature - Justin Williams, term expires 8/26
    • CHASS History, Performing Arts, Literature - Mary Elizabeth Valesano, term expires 8/25
    • CES Engineering - Mostafa Mehrabi, term expires 8/26
    • CES Math, Computer Science, Software Engineering - Dawn Archey, term expires 8/25*
    • CES Biology, Biochemistry, Chemistry, Physics - Eva Nyutu, term expires 8/25
    • CHP - Traci Stewart, term expires 8/26*
    • CBA - Won Choi, term expires 8/25
    • SACD- Ericka Lindsay, term expires 8/26*
    • LIB - Jill Turner, term expires 8/25
    • MFA Representative (non-voting) -Hsiao-Lan Hu, term expires 8/25
  • Dental Hygiene - Mira Haas, term expires 8/26
  • Administrative Representatives
    • Carolyn Rimle, Assistant Dean for Academics, CES,  term expires 8/26*
    • Karen Lee, Associate Vice President for Academic Administration, term expires 8/25

Invited Participant

Marty Leever, CHASS, term expires 8/26*
Doug MacDonald, CHASS, term expires 8/26

 

Updated January, 2025

*Ineligible for a third term.

Committee and Team Roles and Responsibilities

Core Curriculum Committee Charges

2024-2025 Core Curriculum Committee Charges

  • Revisit the draft proposal for Waiving Core Credits for Transfer Students and Adult Learners (catalog deadline is Feb 1, 2025).
  • Implement the core attribute removal form.
  • Provide needed support to the Core Curriculum Assessment Sub-Committee by serving as a lead faculty facilitator for knowledge areas (B1, B2, C1, C2) and integrating theme(IT3) areas assessed during the 2024-2025 assessment cycle.
  • Review the core course submission template and process with consideration to using Office 365 forms.
  • Evaluate Detroit Mercy’s current core curriculum outcomes. In the evaluation process
    • Determine if the Core Outcomes includes the general education areas required of the Higher Learning Commission (Criterion 3.B) Exercise of Intellectual Inquiry - The institution’s educational programs engage students in collecting, analyzing and communicating information; in practicing modes of intellectual inquiry or creative work; and in developing skills adaptable to changing environments.
    • Determine alignment with Characteristics of Jesuit Higher Education and Characteristics of Mercy Higher Education.
    • Evaluate the number of credit hours for the core curriculum, referencing other Jesuit and/or Mercy peer institutions as models.
    • Explore options for requiring at least one core course with a high-impact experience..
    • Prioritize this charge as a long-term goal that can be implemented in 12 to 16 months.

Core Curriculum Structure and Learning Outcomes

List of Approved Core Courses

Submitting a Course Proposal

All core curriculum course proposals must include the following:

All proposal materials must be submitted to corecurriculum@udmercy.edu.