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New Course Proposal -CHEM.483-l5 

?

18th November 1976 

Subect,.IfliV

dUa1 

St..y...S.emes,t? 

..............

Date

........ 

?

...... ....... 

.... 

.... 

............

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Action taken by the Senate Committee on Under- 

graduate Studies at its meeting of November 9th, 1976 gives rise 

to the following motion: 

• MOTION 

That Senate approve, and recommend approval by 

the Board of Governors, CHEM.483-15, Individual Study Semester. 

Note Item five on page three has been deleted from the proposal 

and is being reconsidered by the Chemistry Department within the 

context of the larger question concerning the relationship between 

financial remuneration and academic credit. SCUS approved CHEM.483-15 

with the explicit deletion of that item and the request that it be 

reconsidered. A response of the Chemistry Department Chairman to 

that request is attached. 

Members of SCUS were also concerned about the 

requirement that a student submit 

?

a research proposal to the 

Department at least three months prior to the start of the semester 

in which the course will be taken. The Committee was assured that 

the intent was to obtain a preliminary research proposal at that 

time. It was agreed that the word "preliminary" be inserted in 

the Calendar description of the course. 

Daniel R. Birch 

ams

att. 

parnnt:Chemistry 

?

- - - 

Abbreviati.n Code: 

r-ir.

?

Course Number: 483 

?

Credit hours. 

\::O_Lt 

Title of Course: 

Individual Study Semester 

Calendar Description of Course: 

?

Research project under the guidance of a Faculty? 

member who will chair a two-member supervisory committe9. . Stdents wishing to take 

this course must apply for admission by submitting aAresearch proposal to the 

Department at least 1hree months prior to the start.of the semester in which the 

course will be taken. An ISS thesis must be written and must be submitted within 

ten days a,ter 

?

he end of lectures. 

**(continued below) 

Nature of .ours 

?

Undergraduate Research Project 

Prerequisites (or special instructions): 

(1) Completion of 23 semester hours of 

upper division (300/400 courses) Chemistry, with a G.P.A. of at least 30 in these 

courses. (2) Completion of the Mathematics and Physics requirements of the Chemistry 

at'

oarcourse 

amme. ( 

?

ourseaj. 

Perm

i sio 

.

any,

of the 

Drm

h P

ed from the calendar if this ours - 

approved: 

cd

none 

Scheduling

How frequently will the course be offered? 

?

on demand 

Semester in which the course will first be offered? 

?

772

Which of your present, faculty would be available to make the propoed 

of faring

possible? ? 

all Faculty in Chemistry 

3.

Objectives of the Course 

Students completing CHE?I 483-15 

ma y

not

see D.Ryeburn's memo attached 

?

include CHEM 481-5, or any other ISS 

course, as part of the 120 or 132 semester 

hours of their degree program. 

4.

Budgetary 

and

Space Requirements (for information only) 

What

additional resources will 

required 

the following areas: 

1. Calendar 1nforation

Faculty ? 

none 

Staff 

?

•none 

Library ? 

none 

Audio Visual 

?

none 

Space ? 

none 

Equipment ? 

and supplies: Normally available 

Approval

22 sept._76

Dep aefrt-Ctrai

rman ? 

Dean

Chairman, SCUS 

SCUS 73-34b:- 

(When

completing 

this 

form, for instructions see Memorandum SCUS 73-34a. 

Attach 

course outline). 

SiMON FRASER UNIVERSITY

MEMORANDUM ?

Dean...E ... Faculty ... Of ... Science .................. ....... .............. 

Sub ject....Ne.w... c.our.se 

...pr.op.o.sal.,...CHEM...423.-.l.S........ 

...

........ 

From..... ..D. 

?

Ryeburn 

?

............................................................. 

Chairman.,. .Under.gra4.....C.ur.r.i.culum..C.t.tee. 

Date ...... ......October 

?

.197.6.............. 

........................... 

................. 

.

.

The UGCC discussed the proposed Individual Study Sememster (ISS) in Chemistry 

at meetings on 2 3 September and 30 September. The course proposal form, and the 

documents containing details of the course and a rationale were apjroved with 

minor amendments on 30 September. The " ISS Evaluation Form " was also approved, 

but with a more substantial amendment. 

What follows is a revised version of the outline/rationale paper prepared by 

the Department of Chemistry, as amended by the UGCC. 

1. ? 

The justification and the objectives of the ISS option may be sum- 

marized as follows: 

?

.

(a)

To provide an opportunity for academically able students to 

develop and pursue individual, original work in chemistry; 

(b)

To provide a mechanism in the undergraduate program for an 

in-depth study of a problem or project of a creative, research 

character, on an individual basis; 

(c)

To encourage individual initiative and responsibility with 

respect to the s,tudy of chemistry at the advancd levels. 

(d)

To improve the academic quality of our degree programs, in 

recognition of the value of academic maturity and individual 

choice. 

2. ? 

T1-e ISS will be a 15 credit-hour course, labelled Chém 483-15, and 

with the vector description 0-0-15. 

The ISS falls naturally into three main parts, (A) Rsearch Propo- 

sal, (B) Research Investigation, and (C) Research Reporting. 

A. ? 

Research Proposal: 

This part will delineate the problem to be studied, together with 

a survey of relevant literature, and a brief outline 

;

of the re- 

sarch strategy to be followed. 

...2 

-2-- 

B.

Research Investigation: 

This part will consist of the collection of data, using suitable 

experimental methods, and the development of studies, procedures, 

and techniques appropriate to the emerging needs of theproject. 

C.

Research Reporting: 

This part will involve the writing of a thesis, describing the 

original objectives of the project, its ongoing development, the 

experimental approach, the collection, tabulation, reduction and 

analyis of data, and the conclusions to be drawn. The Iwriter 

should give an analysis of the possible limitations of the project, 

and present a brief discussion of alternative approaches to the 

same or related problems. 

3.

?

Since, the benefits to the student of the ISS experience will be a 

function of hisability, initiative, motivation and application, 

and of the quality of the supervision of the project, the following 

•

?

entry/pre-requisite and supervisory requirements are proposed: 

(a)

A student registered in the Chemistry Honors or Majors program; 

(b)

Completion of the Mathematics and Physics requirements in the 

Chemistry core program; 

(c)

Completion of 23 hours of 300/400 level Chemistry courses with 

a GPA of 3.0 in these courses; 

(d)

Selection of a senior supervisor by the student; (see footnote*) 

(e)

Approval of a preliminary project proposal by the Department; 

(see footnote*) 

(f)

Permission of the Department; 

(g)

When entry into the ISS has been approved, the Department in 

consultation with the senior supervisor and the student, will 

appoint an associate member to the supervisory committee. The 

Supervisory Committee will be also responsible for the evalua- 

tion and grading of the ISS. 

•

?

*Footnote: Students intending to pursue the ISS option must select a 

supervisor, and submit the preliminary project proposal, at least three 

months prior to thestart of the semester in which the course will he taken. 

.

.

(h)

Upon commencement of the ISS, the student will prepare a detailed 

Rearch Proposal, to be submitted to the Supervisory Committee 

within two weeks from the commencement of lectures. 

(i)

Toward the end of the Individual Study Semester, the student will 

be expected to present a short seminar describing his/her ISS work. 

Details of the seminar will be publicised within the Department, but 

interested individuals outside the Department may be informally 

invited. 

(j)

A copy of the ISS thesis must be submitted by the student to the 

Supervis9ry Committee within ten days after the end of lectires. One 

copy of the thesis will be filed with the Departmental Office. 

(k)

A completed ISS Evaluation Form will be appended to each ISS 

thesis. 

4. ? 

Students'completing CHEM 483-15 may not take CHEM 481-5 or another 

ISS course as part of the 120 or 132 hours of their degree programme. 

r.

CHEMISTRY 483-15 

?

TNDIVIDUAL ? 

STUDY SEMESTER EVALUATION FORM 

The

Individual 

?

Study Semester is intended to provide a valuable learning 

experience for the student. The research effort may result in publishable 

material, but this must not be seen as the primary aim of the ISS. 

1.

Describe the extent to which the Research Proposal was student or 

supervisor originated. 

2.

Describe the student's initiative in self preparation (theoretical 

knowledge and practical skills) for the chosen research tcpic. 

3.

Describe the student's ability to relate his background knowledge 

to his research problems. 

4.

Describe the advancement of the student, in terms of new theoreti- 

cal principles, new knowledge and new skills, resulting from ISS. 

5.

Describe the aptitude of the student, in terms of motivation, ini- 

tiative and originality. 

6

Describe particular difficulties associated with the project, their 

origin, their effect upon the ISS, and the student's approach to 

such difficulties. 

7.

Grade awarded: 

8.

Signatures: ? 

Senior Supervisor: 

Associate Supervisor: 

Department Chairman 

.

SiMON FRASER UNIVERSITY

MEMORANDUM

........... Dr.....D.....Birch . 

?

.... ....... . ........... ..... .............. 

...

..... ............. . ....... 

.From ..... ? 

.E.J. ? 

Wells ? 

.... .................. 

As.s.o.ciate ... 

Vice..President..Acadeiflic ? 

Chairman, Chemistry. Department..... 

Subject

.....Chem.4.83l5...-....Individual..S.tuLIy. Seaes.te 

?

Date.. 

?

November12, ...19.76 ................... 

Thank you for your note concerning SCUS's actions on our submission 

of this subject. I understand that the new course has been approved and will 

-be submitted to Senate but that SCUS took exception to the restriction concerning 

financial remuneration for this work. 

The matter of 

financial remuneration 18 a much broader one than its 

applications to our 

Individual 

Study Semester, and we would appreciate it if 

discussion on this could be decoupled from approval for 483. Thus, we ask that 

the papers relevant to 483 

be

forwarded now to Senate for approval and that we 

initiate 

a

more general discussion on the 

question of financial remuneration for 

undergraduate work 

toward a degree. I would be grateful if we could impose on 

your time 

to attend the next Chemistry Department meeting (to be 

arranged) so 

that you could 

convey the 

feelings of SCUS on this matter; and in return, hear 

the concerns of individuals in this Department. 

This course of action is agreeable to those members of the Undergraduate 

Studies Committee whom I have been able to contact. 

E.J. Wells 

cc:

Dr.

J. Webster 

Dr. L. Peterson 

EJW:mc 

#L ? -