1. General Education Committee Update
December 7, 2015

2. 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

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

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

5. You may like, you may not, but

6. 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

7. 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.”

8. 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

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

10. 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)

11. 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)

12. 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

13. 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)

14. What might a track look like? Common Courses

16. 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)

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

18. 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)

19. 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.

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

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

22. Thank you