Members Present: J. Eglin, S. Gaskill, K. Hill, T. Manuel, M. McClintock, D. Pletscher, G. Smith, R.Welsh, C. Winkler
Members Excused/
Absent: S. Kalm, K. Shanley
Ex-Officio Present: L. Carlyon, A.
Walker-Andrews
Chair Winkler called the meeting to order at
The committee briefly discussed the shared email comments,
specifically the comment from Rob Welsh, the committee’s single student member.
He suggests the committee focus on the foundations and consider the core with
perhaps additional writing. Then the
departments can require other courses beyond the core where it perceives a
need. In reality students think of
general education as what they have to get out of the way before they get on
with the real reason they are at college.
There could be more focus on extra curricular activities that work to
get students engaged in the political process as alternative to a citizen
requirement. There are also existing
courses designed to provide campus survival skills. Without an influx of
funding the committee needs to be clear about its mission and start to refine
its task and take items to the Senate for wider faculty input. The committee agrees that it is time to work
on the models.
Universities have longed struggled between professional education or the
training concept and a liberal education or that which is the right of every
citizen of a free republic. General
education should be discussed in a way that encompasses students’ entire
education so that it is brought to the forefront in such a way to be central rather
than courses checked off a worksheet. Of
course practical matters such as credits, structure, and transferability must
be considered. The committee may think
of a new name for general education that is more holistic.
A diagram of an all encompassing way to think of general education was developed.
Any of the models will have to meld with the MUS core. However the MUS core would require some refinement in terms of a cohesive definition. One approach would be to think of the UM program as the mantel of the core with the other integrated areas addressed by the majors. Departments should think about the competency level needed in the major and guide students appropriately. Any changes to the program could be implemented in a step approach where by modules are introduced when funding and courses, interactive web conferences, or seminars are available
Another possibility is to cut the perspectives from 6 to
4. Not all of the current general
education courses will fit into the revised model. This model eliminates expressive arts and
compresses social science, historical and cultural studies and ethics. It was suggested that there should be some
type of non-verbal communication included as a competency. The committee will
need to get input on this model from the member representing the
|
Competencies |
|
|
Writing (two composition courses) |
6 |
|
Foreign Language |
3-5 |
|
Math |
3 |
|
Technology |
0-3 |
|
Perspectives |
|
|
Human and Cultural Heritage |
3-6 |
|
Arts and Letters |
3-6 |
|
Citizenship |
|
|
Scientific Literacy |
6 |
|
Requirements within perspective or other Diversity
(western/non-western) |
|
|
|
30-35 |
The meeting was adjourned.