Implementing a New General Education Framework

The General Education Task Force recommends Fall Quarter 2000 as the effective date for implementing a revised General Education program. This would provide sufficient time to resolve the many issues that must be addressed prior to implementation without unnecessarily delaying the transition.

The General Education Task Force recommends that the Faculty Senate charge an ad hoc General Education Implementation Committee with overseeing all as aspects of the transition. The voting membership of this Implementation Committee should mirror that of the University Undergraduate Curriculum and Academic Policy Committee. In addition, the Associate Provost for Academic Affairs, the Chair of UUCAP, the Director of the University Division, and the Coordinator of the Writing Across the Curriculum Program s hould serve as non-voting, ex-officio members.

While the General Education Implementation Committee should coordinate its work with UUCAP, the Implementation Committee should have complete responsibility for overseeing both the curricular and the administrative aspects of the transition. However, the Faculty Senate should retain final authority over the implementation process. The Implementation Committee should be asked to submit all major decisions concerning curriculum and policy to the Faculty Senate for ratification.

The General Education Task Force has identified the following list of issues that it believes must be addressed in conjunction with the transition to a four-hour General Education program.

1. Academic Issues
1. Identify learning outcomes for each area of the General Education program and criteria for assessing them.
2. Redesign the primary GE courses to reflect:
1. relevant learning outcomes.
2. emphasis on internationalism or American diversity where applicable.

 

 

3. Develop criteria and a process for approving courses proposed:
1. as alternatives to primary courses in various areas.
2. to satisfy college component.

 

 

4. Work with WAC Coordinator and WAC Oversight Committee to preserve the GE component of WAC program.
5. Review the guidelines for evaluating the GE credits of transfer students.
6. Adopt transition policies setting out GE requirements for continuing students who have partially completed the present General Education Program.
7. Revise college and departmental program requirements to reflect changes in GE program.

 

 

2. Administrative Issues
1. Adopt a scheduling matrix for four-hour courses.
2. Develop new master schedules that reflect the change in the General Education Program.
3. Develop a plan for informing the University community about the upcoming changes in General Education.
4. Coordinate changes in General Education with publication of the University Catalog.

 

 

The General Education Task Force recommends that the following benchmarks be adopted to ensure that the transition proceeds in a timely manner.

1. June 1, 1998 - December 30, 1998
1. Implementation Committee coordinates identification of the specific student learning outcomes that the General education program seeks to develop.
2. Implementation Committee coordinates development of criteria for courses satisfying the college component or serving as alternatives to the primary GE courses.
3. Implementation Committee begins consideration of administrative issues.

 

 

2. January 1, 1999 - March 30, 1999
1. Departments and programs revises primary GE courses to reflect relevant learning outcomes and emphasis on internationalism or American diversity where applicable.
2. Colleges identify courses that will be proposed to satisfy the college component.
3. Implementation Committee completes planning for resolution of administrative issues.

 

 

3. April 1, 1999 - May 30, 1999
1. Implementation Committee reviews syllabi for revised General Education courses.
2. Implementation Committee reviews syllabi of courses proposed to satisfy college component.
3. Departments and programs identify courses to serve as alternatives to primary GE courses and submit them to the Implementation Committee for review.
4. Implementation Committee finalizes recommendations for revising GE program and forwards them to Faculty Senate in time for consideration at Spring 1999 University Faculty Meeting.

 

 

4. September 1999 - June 2000
1. Implementation Committee coordinates development of plan for assessing General Education program.
2. Implementation Committee reviews further proposals for alternative GE courses or courses for inclusion in college component and forwards them to the Faculty Senate.
3. Implementation Committee formulates proposals for a General Education oversight mechanism.
4. Implementation Committee completes its charge by forwarding recommendations to the Faculty Senate for assessing the GE program and instituting a GE oversight mechanism in time for consideration at Spring 2000 University Faculty Meeting.

 

 

5. September 1999 - March 30, 2000


Colleges and departments revise program requirements to reflect changes in GE program and submit revisions to UUCAP for approval.