Dear Professor Jordan,
>
> I am the Chair of the Consumer Studies Department Undergraduate Studies
> Committee this year. Hye-Shin Kim, our representative on the CHEP
> committee, forwarded me your comments/questions regarding revisions of
> the Fashion Merchandising and Apparel Design Majors, specifically
> regarding CNST 215/CHEM 102. I understand from Jim Morrison, the CNST
> representative on your committee, that you are meeting Tuesday
> afternoon. I hope my comments will be received in time to add to your
> agenda. If your committee can review them tomorrow, I would be happy to
> attend your meeting to provide additional information (or to attend your
> next meeting as needed).
>
> Much of the following information was included in the Justification of
> course revisions for CNST 215, but only a brief statement was included
> with the summary of changes to the curriculum. I am not certain how much
> more the Committee would like included on the Academic Program Approval
> rationale and summary, or if any changes to that document would require
> new signatures and approval by previous committees. Could you please
> contact me tomorrow at 831-8709. I am in class from 9-12, but will be in
> my office all afternoon.
>
> CNST 215 Fundamentals of Textiles I focuses on the performance
> characteristics of textile fibers through an understanding of the
> chemical, fine fiber, and physical structures. This is an existing
> course that has been required for both Apparel Design and Fashion
> Merchandising Majors for years. (Currently, the structure and
> performance characteristics of textile yarns are also discussed in CNST
> 215. Discussion of yarns will be moved to CNST 220 Fundamentals of
> Textiles II in revisions submitted Dec. 2004.)
>
> We have proposed a content change to CNST 215, change in pre-requisite
> for this course (from CHEM 102 to CHEM 101), and dropping of CHEM 102 as
> a requirement for the two majors.
>
> The proposed change to CNST 215 is necessary to include the organic
> chemistry concepts needed to assist our students in understanding the
> properties and behaviors of textile fibers. CNST 215 proposed changes
> include an intensive exploration of the organic chemical concepts
> related to textile fibers and the development of synthetic textile
> polymers and will permit a more rigorous treatment of the basic chemical
> concepts that manifest fiber properties and related processes (dyeing,
> finishing, refurbishing).
>
> The reason behind these changes is this; for several years, the faculty
> who teach CNST 215 have requested the CHEM faculty who teach CHEM 102
> enhance the emphasis of the concepts desired to prepare our students for
> CNST 215. However, the broader need for the CHEM 102 course to prepare
> students for diverse majors has precluded the focus on a strong
> introduction to the organic chemistry which our students need to
> understand the properties and behaviors of textile fibers. The proposed
> changes provide time for a more intensive exposure to the
> appropriate/specific chemistry content needed by our students.
>
> The inclusion of this material, with content specifically appropriate
> for the two majors, outweighs the loss of CHEM 102/lab, because the
> generic approach to non-science majors chemistry was not meeting the
> needs of our students.
>
> By dropping CHEM 102, Apparel Design and Fashion Merchandising students
> will have one less laboratory science course. Many majors require only
> one science with a laboratory component, so we do not see this as
> problematic. Additionally, we consider our two textiles courses, CNST
> 215 and 220, as textile science courses. Further, we require Math and a
> number of social science courses across the University (psyc, soci,
> econ, hist/group b elective, etc.).
>
> We are not requiring a full course in Organic Chemistry for two reasons:
> 1)    A course in organic chemistry would again be general, not specific
> to textile chemistry, so we would still need to include a chemistry
> review, specific to our field, for students taking CNST 215.
> 2)    Two courses in Inorganic Chemistry (CHEM 101 & 102) are required
> before students may take Organic Chemistry at UD (this would be a total
> of 12 hours of chemistry). Within our field, this depth of chemistry
> would only be necessary for a student majoring in a textile science
> program (which we do not offer). Further, this would add an additional 8
> hours to the proposed curricula and would give one major (apparel
> design) 124 required credits with no electives.
>
> To answer your additional question regarding the loss of credits:
> The proposed curriculum changes reduce the number of restricted elective
> or required course credits by two (2 credit hours) for Fashion
> Merchandising and reduces them by one (1 credit hour) for Apparel
> Design; the total required credits to graduate remains the same at 120
> credit hours.
>
> Sincerely,
>
> Belinda T. Orzada