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3 - 03.1

Administrative policy regarding experimental and integrative studies

  1. Statement of purpose. Experimental and integrative studies are administered by the dean and staff of the honors college. Objectives include the following:
    1. To provide a means by which faculty and other qualified members of the university community may develop, offer, and test innovative courses which meet a legitimate intellectual need of students, but which are not regular curricular offerings of the existing academic units.
    2. To provide for the offering of courses on a temporary and topical basis which deal with matters of current social or cultural concern in a manner that gives credence to a variety of perspectives.
    3. To provide occasionally for the offering of courses which support university programs such as the university's freshman orientation.
    4. To encourage interdisciplinary and integrative teaching and learning of a kind not frequently found in the traditional academic units.
    5. To encourage generally a spirit of curricular experimentation, integration, and innovation in course content and pedagogy throughout the university community.
  2. Administration. The dean of the honors college shall approve and administer experimental and integrative studies in accordance with the curricular policies and budgetary resources of the college.
    1. Teachers. All those teaching experimental or integrative courses must have appropriate academic credentials and expertise. Those who are not contractually affiliated with the university must be given part-time temporary faculty status through the normal appointment procedure. Specifically, teachers of experimental and integrative studies courses may be:
      1. Part-time or full-time faculty members currently teaching at the university.
      2. Members of the university staff or administration who by virtue of their position have a special expertise in the pertinent subject area.
      3. Person who have no ongoing contractual status with the university but who possess qualifications to teach a university-level course in the pertinent subject area.
      4. In rare cases, at the discretion of the honors college dean and the EXPR-curriculum committee, a person without appropriate academic credentials, but with strong expertise in a pertinent subject area, may be permitted to co-teach a course on the subject matter at issue in conjunction with a member of the faculty, staff, or administration at the university, provided the latter has the appropriate academic qualifications. The pattern for sharing responsibilities must be included in the course proposal.
    2. Course approval. A completed course proposal form (available from the honors college) must be submitted for approval to the dean of the honors college prior to the course-scheduling process. The proposal requires a syllabus, information similar to that requested on a basic data sheet, and instructor credentials.
    3. Grading. Experimental and integrative studies courses are normally letter graded; however, individual students may elect pass/fail under the guidelines for that option. Because of the nature of the content, some courses such as freshman orientation may be designated as pass/fail only.
    4. Limitations on course offerings. The subject matter for experimental and integrative learning courses shall not duplicate a regular course offering in the university. Typically courses will be offered a maximum of three times and then be evaluated for one of the following:
      1. Retention as an EXPR course essential to the continuation of a university program or to serve recognized intellectual needs, but for which no clear disciplinary home is evident;
      2. Referral to an appropriate academic unit for possible inclusion in its curriculum;
      3. Termination as a course offering.
    5. Experimental and integrative studies curriculum committee. The dean of the honors college shall appoint an experimental and integrative studies curriculum committee, made up of administrative representatives from the undergraduate degree granting colleges and independent schools, to review and make recommendations regarding existing courses as indicated in paragraph (B)(4) of this rule, and regarding proposals submitted as indicated in paragraph (B)(2) of this rule. In certain cases, the dean may request the experimental and integrative studies curriculum committee to solicit the advice of related academic disciplines about the viability of proposals.
Policy Effective Date:
Mar 01, 2015
Policy Prior Effective Dates: 
3/18/1982, 7/8/1986, 7/15/1987, 6/1/2007
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