Academic Affairs Update Monday, April 17, 2017 College Senate Meeting Academic Affairs Update Monday, April 17, 2017

Middle States Standard III.5 At institutions that offer undergraduate education, a general education program, free standing or integrated into academic disciplines, that: offers a sufficient scope to draw students into new areas of intellectual experience, expanding their cultural and global awareness and cultural sensitivity, and preparing them to make well-reasoned judgments outside as well as within their academic field; offers a curriculum designed so that students acquire and demonstrate essential skills including at least oral and written communication, scientific and quantitative reasoning, critical analysis and reasoning, technological competency, and information literacy. Consistent with mission, the general education program also includes the study of values, ethics, and diverse perspectives.

SUNY General Education Requirements If you entered SUNY in Fall 2010 or later, to earn a SUNY bachelor's degree, you must earn 30 credits in at least seven of the following ten subject areas, and demonstrate two competencies. Subject Areas: Basic Communication (required) Mathematics (required) American History Other World Civilizations Foreign Language Social Sciences Humanities The Arts Natural Sciences Western Civilization Competencies: Critical Thinking (required) Information Management (required)

Aligning SUNY with Middle States Middle States Expectations SUNY General Education expanding cultural and global awareness and cultural sensitivity Social Sciences American History Western Civilization Other World Civilizations Foreign Language The Arts Humanities oral and written communication Basic Communications scientific and quantitative reasoning Mathematics Science critical analysis and reasoning Critical Thinking (Reasoning) [infused] technological competency information literacy Information Management [infused] study of values, ethics, and diverse perspectives

SUNY Oneonta General Education Fall 2000 – Spring 2015 (10-10-30 + 12) Effective Fall 2015 (7-10-30) The Arts (AA2) Humanities (AH2) Basic Communication (BC2) Foreign Languages (FL2) American History (HA2) Other World Civilizations (HO2) Western Civilization (HW2) Mathematics (M2) Natural Science (N2) Natural Science Laboratory (NL2) Oral Communication (OS2) Social Sciences (S2) Written Communication (WS2) The Arts (A3) American History (AM3) Basic Communication (BC3) Foreign Languages (FL3) Humanities (H3) Natural Science (NS3) Mathematics (M3) Other World Civilizations (OW3) Social Sciences (SS3) Western Civilization (WC3)

Excerpts from the Middle States Visiting Team Report, March 17 – 20, 2013 The last review of the General Education curriculum was more than ten years ago. The Ad Hoc Committee looking at General Education is focused on three distinct tasks (1) Transfer of Credits; (2) Establishing a standing GEN ED committee; and (3) Proposing some new models for General Education. While requirements are clearly stated, the current GEN ED program acts more like disparate parts vs. an integrative whole. Some faculty expressed skepticism for finding “meaningful” or “actionable” information from General Education assessment activities in a way that would render informed changes to the General Education program.

Excerpts from the Accreditation Consultant Report, March 27, 2014 Research and share what students most need to learn through the general education curriculum in order to lead satisfying and successful lives in the 21st century, then design your curriculum so that it addresses what students most need to learn rather than what faculty want to teach. Develop and implement a process to periodically review and recertify general education courses. Clarify what it means for critical thinking and information management to be “infused throughout the curriculum.” Consider paring back the number of general education courses you offer. The more courses you offer, the more time faculty must spend reviewing and assessing them.

SUNY Comprehensive College General Education Courses (courtesy of Chuck Maples, Gen Ed Committee Co-chair) College General Education Courses 300-400 Level Courses Oneonta 486 54 Geneseo 214   Brockport 168 Cortland 211 Buffalo State 261 Fredonia 302 New Paltz 500 197 Plattsburgh Potsdam 274 Average

General Education Next Steps Define Essential Student Learning Outcomes; Define General Education Student Learning Outcomes; Develop an Assessment Infrastructure for the Essential and General Education Student Learning Outcomes; Define the Course Structures and Courses in the General Education Program; Develop College Graduation Requirements (Courses, Co-curricular Experiences, etc.); Develop Assessment Protocols for the Essential and General Education Student Learning Outcomes.