General Education Committee Update December 7, 2015

Faculty Approved Learning Outcomes Communication Critical Thinking Ethical Thinking and Action Global Learning Knowledge of Human Cultures Knowledge of Natural and Physical World Personal and Social Well-Being

Committee focus since then… Develop a curricular approach for these outcomes Lots of great input from many of you. Thank you!

What are your questions/ thoughts? Sound okay? DOA Somewhere in between Nonbinding straw poll—yay/nay

You may like, you may not, but

And we are… Linda DeBarthe Margo Frizzell Steve Glazer Gary Heisserer Linda Howell Joyce Lighthill Adam Martin Chad McDole Isaac Pressnell Mary Shawgo With the help of many

Five Theme-Based Tracks Consistent with Liberating Arts Preamble, each track would focus on a “Big Picture” theme. “It is designed for students and faculty to engage the “Big Questions” and far-reaching Issues—contemporary and enduring— in science and society, cultures and values, global interdependence, the changing economy, and human dignity and freedom.”

Five Theme-Based Tracks Each track could include: Some courses common to all tracks Some courses common to some but not all tracks Some courses unique to individual track

Five Theme-Based Tracks Topics (not titles): Equality Sustainability* Global Citizenship Peace Innovation

Current General Education Proposed New Curriculum 45 is the new 45 Current General Education Proposed New Curriculum 42 credits + 3 credits for INTD1100 = 45 credits 45 credits (one course modifies and replaces existing INTD1100)

Five Theme-Based Tracks Five courses common to all tracks Discourses 1, 2, 3 (replacing Rhetoric, Speech, and Adv. Comp) and meeting Communication Learning Outcome New orientation course in fall for freshman (course also would cover learning outcome 7 “Personal and Social Well-Being”) Critical Thinking and Introduction to Themes course would introduce critical thinking and would introduce themes to students (would replace INTD1100)

Critical Thinking Faculty survey: No area with greater gap between what is emphasized and what faculty believe should be emphasized Critical Thinking and Thinking about Themes freshman year 2 Courses in every track with a “CT” designation Must meet certain criteria One upper and one lower division The two “CT” courses may not come from the same division or school

New or existing course work addressing remaining learning outcomes Ethical Thinking and Action Global Learning Knowledge of Human Cultures (arts, social sciences, humanities, histories) Knowledge of Natural and Physical World (math, science)

What might a track look like? Common Courses

Other thoughts Committee encouraged by board and administration to limit the total number of courses that count toward general education (perhaps 50) New package should respond to board criticism that current package is “flabby, unfocused, and non mission-driven) New package must be fiscally responsible New package must recognize needs of specific groups (e.g. transfer students)

Start with one track as prototype Sustainability Interpret as broadly as possible Human, Social, Economic, Environmental e.g. “the endurance of systems and processes”

Timeline for Approval Jan 18 General Education Committee reviews curricular proposals from academic units for the sustainability track. Proposals would include: Course Title (and number if current course) Course Description Course Level: Upper or Lower Division Rationale (overt engagement with the theme) Course cap (max. should be 35, except for “CT” courses which should be 20) (Provide rationale if different)

Timeline for Approval By Jan. 25—GEC approves Sustainability Track of Liberating Arts Curriculum (LAC) Jan. 26—Deans Council approves Feb. 1—Faculty approves Feb 2—Executive Council reviews Submitted to board in February for approval on 2/6 2/7 If Board approves, we build remaining curriculum.

Timeline for Implementation Discourses (Fall 2016) Everything Else (Fall 2017)

What are your thoughts/questions? Sound okay? DOA Somewhere in between Nonbinding straw poll—yay/nay

Thank you