Chemistry

Central Regional Meeting
February 1, 2003 (revised)

E-Mail List: whfink@ucdavis.edu, dabma@ccsf.cc.ca.us, hls@cchem.berkeley.edu,
dburns@sierracollege.edu,caldwez@scc.losrios.edu, ncardoza@sierracollege.edu,huangl@scc.losrios.edu, nussl@scc.losrios.edu, cstessman@chem.csustan.edu, WrenTo@butte.edu, hodappd@crc.losrios.edu,
ropers@ scc.losrios.edu, jpostma@csuchico.edu, reitzn@arc.losrios.edu, ryan@siskiyous.edu, rodenbj@flc.losrios.edu, royr@arc.losrios.edu, HillJamesC@csus.edu, tony-sartori@redwoods.edu, hongt@arc.losrios.edu, casalek@arc.losrios.edu

This was the largest Regional Meeting for the Chemistry group and had participants from the Community Colleges, the CSUs and the UCs. Although many of the participants were familiar with IMPAC, a number were not. Consequently the purpose of IMPAC was briefly discussed.

The notes from the October 26 2002 meeting were distributed and many of the same topics were discussed. The idea of using the ACS study guides and exams to indicate the level of the Chemistry courses was generally agreed upon. For the Chem A sequence a sentence such as "The American Chemical Society (ACS) General Chemistry Guide and the General Chemistry examinations provide detailed information on possible topics and the appropriate level of this course," should be added to the CAN Descriptors. What should be included about "error propagation?" There was general agreement that a discussion of significant figures was sufficient.

The difficulty of providing CAN descriptors for the Organic Chemistry sequence was discussed at length. Among the problems are the following: Nominal level of the course in some colleges both semesters of O-Chem are Lower Division, in some they are Upper Division and in some the first semester is Lower Division, the second Upper Division. Just what is required was discussed, particularly with respect to the laboratory. Do we need to define a specific list of topics? What is to be done when certain of the teaching institutions do not have a given piece of laboratory equipment available? Is it sufficient to discuss the use of an instrument without having "hands-on" experience? Is there a criterion of competence that can be used whether or not the course is Upper or Lower Division? What is really required so that a student can continue taking courses at the next level?

A number of the participants agreed to try and write something and send it to hls for distribution and discussion.

Chemistry courses for Nursing programs This group agreed that the second semester of the general-organic biochemistry sequence defined by the ACS exam - GOB (general organic-biochem) was the appropriate course and the appropriate level for the chemistry preparation required by nursing programs. The first semester of this sequence could be skipped if the student has a sufficient background from High School [as originally proposed by James Postma (CSU-Chico) at the 2002 Northern regional meeting last year, and agreed to at the 2002 statewide meeting]. This background could be tested using the "advanced" ACS high school exam or the California Chemistry Diagnostic Test- also available from the ACS. Another possibility is to have a student who wishes to go directly into the second semester of the GOB course take the ACS GOB exam and pass with a certain agreed upon percentage. In this exam the first section (questions #1-61) are questions that relate to the first semester, while the remainder of the booklet includes the organic and biochem sections.

In an informal discussion, Shaaron Vogel, the Lead Faculty for the Nursing Program, Herb Strauss, and Tony Wren agreed to proceed by providing a copy of the ACS examination to Shaaron as the best indication of what the chemistry faculty thinks appropriate. (Both Tony and Shaaron are at Butte College)

A joint meeting between the Chemistry, Biology and other groups discussed a science alternative to IGETC. It has been generally agreed than satisfying IGETC leaves a student unprepared to start Upper Division work in the Sciences or Engineering. The science alternative will still not satisfy all majors and a student who knows what he/she wants to major in and which institution he/she wants to transfer to should try and meet the specific requirements of that institution. However, many people think that the science alternative will be a big help in bring alternatives to both the students and the counselors in the Community Colleges. The possibility of an IGETC equivalent was brought to a sample Community College CHEM 1B class, agreed on the need for such a list.