General Education Council
Summary of 2002-2003
September 15, 2003

PROGRAM REVIEW
The Council engaged in a year long discussion of reviewing the general education program. We examined and evaluated General Education programs at peer institutions, particularly in light of the new General Education Teaching Standards for Kansas Educators. Much discussion centered around the following issues: developing a common program for all majors, collapsing some of the general education categories, reducing the number of hours required, developing a prescriptive program versus more open choices, adding 300 level courses as alternatives, and distinguishing between core general education requirements and degree specific general education requirements. We also reviewed the Goals and Guidelines of the General Education Program.

OFFICIAL CHANGES IN GENERAL EDUCATION PROGRAM
The Dean and Vice President officially changed “Graduation Requirements” to “General Education Requirements—Life Skills.”

The Dean and Vice President approved to revise General Education Goal #5 to read as follows: “Develop a commitment to scholarship, intellectual curiosity, lifelong learning and the life skills necessary to function as healthy and effective citizens.”

The Council recommended and the Dean and Vice President approved to revise Guideline # 3 to read as follows: “All general education courses, beyond basic skills, are surveys in nature, introduce students to the knowledge of the discipline involved, and assist students in achieving the goals of the general education program. Upper division courses used as approved alternatives in fulfilling General Education requirements need not be surveys in nature.”

The Council recommended and the Dean and Vice President approved to accept BC 103 and BC 104 as substitutes for the EC 101 General Education Requirement.

GRADUATING SENIOR SURVEY
The Graduating Senior Survey will now be administered by the Assessment Office with input from the General Education Council. The Council offered recommendations to update the survey. The Council also recommended and the Dean and Vice President approved of adding the student’s ID number to future surveys, effective at the May 3, 2003 SWARM.

ADVANCED COURSES AS GENERAL EDUCATION ALTERNATIVES
Department Chairs attended a meeting to discuss the possibility of offering appropriate
300 level courses as alternatives to meet the general education requirements. Later,
Chairs were invited to submit proposals for advanced courses to meet general education
requirements. The goal is to stimulate students and faculty with more interesting and challenging courses and to encourage departments to offer interdisciplinary courses. The Council has yet to determine criteria students must meet before they are eligible for enrolling in 300 level courses. Council approved TA 315: Survey of Dramatic Literature as an upper level alternative for meeting the TA 125 requirement in the Fine Arts category and tabled making a decision on the proposals for TA 390 and TA 391.

TRAVEL STUDY ABROAD COURSES
Council approved that study abroad courses at the collegiate level meet the Multicultural Intensive Course requirement in the General Education Program. In the future, the Council hopes to expand on the use of travel experience for study abroad as an option for meeting some of the other goals of general education.

HIGHER LEARNING COMMISSION ACCREDITATION REVIEW
The Council reviewed the “Policy Framework for the Proposed Criteria for Accreditation” and discussed whether or not we have assessments (“patterns of evidence”) in place to evaluate the criteria. Evidence mentioned included the Senior Survey, CAMP and PAST test results, portfolios of student work, capstone and exit exam requirements, and the Teacher Work Samples (for BE students). A sub-committee was formed to write a report addressing the concerns resulting from the 1999 assessment of the general education program. The Council agreed to meet with faculty in their respective schools/colleges to encourage them to include the goals of general education in their course syllabi and to discuss with their students how the course meets those goals. Council members will also ask Chairs for copies of general education syllabi.

ROTATION SCHEDULE FOR OFFERING EVENING GENERAL EDUCATION
COURSES
The Council reaffirmed its commitment to rotate evening offerings of general education courses on a regular basis.

EXEMPTIONS, WAIVERS OR SUBSTITUTIONS
Between August 1, 2002 and August 1, 2003, the Director handled 122 student general education matters. Each situation was evaluated in terms of whether or not a substitution, waiver or exemption was in the best interest of the student and whether or not the decision maintained the integrity of the goals and requirements of the general education program. Seventy substitutions were approved, three exemptions were approved, sixteen waivers were approved, five requests were denied, and twenty-eight evaluations of second Bachelor’s degree seeking students’ general education requirements were logged.

Respectfully submitted,


Gerrit W. Bleeker
Interim Director of General Education

Last Updated April 17, 2007