General Education Committee Minutes 11/14/05

 

Members Present: T. Cook, J. Eglin, S. Gaskill, K. Hill, T. Manuel, M. McClintock, D. Pletscher, K. Shanley, C. Winkler

 

Members Excused/ Absent: S. Kalm, G. Smith, R.Welsh

Ex-Officio Present:  L. Carlyon, A. Walker-Andrews

Chair Winkler called the meeting to order at 1:10 PM.

 

The minutes from 11/7/05 were approved.

 

Communications:

 

ASCRC would like to have the information prior to the Thanksgiving break.  It will not be meeting that week, so an email communication of work in progress will be fine. 

Business items – work group updates

 

o                   American Indian Education for all
Kate Shanley drafted a proposal that would allow Native American Studies to service a three credit course requirement.  It would be part of a larger plan to implement a Native American Studies master program. This would provide graduate students to run discussion groups of large NAS 100 sections or other courses.   The Provost has asked for a budget for the proposed plan.  She also shared her department’s strategic plan goals with the committee.

 

o       To teach all students about “the distinct and unique cultural heritage of American Indians”;

o       To support the balanced growth of Native American Studies Department as a field of study as well as to support the service aspects of the department’s mission;

o       To assure student engagement in learning about Native American cultures through pedagogically sound practices, appropriate courses, and assessment of learning outcomes;

o       To promote a greater understanding of the multicultural history of Montana and to encourage a greater sense of citizenship in our students.

 

                 [NOTE: Follow-up email communications explored the goals below.]

 

·        To teach all students about “the distinct and unique cultural heritage of American Indians”;

·        To assure student engagement in learning about Native American cultures through pedagogically sound practices, appropriate courses, and assessment of learning outcomes;

·        To promote a greater understanding of the multicultural history of Montana;

·        To encourage a broader area of respect for and appreciation of cultural diversity while developing an enhanced sense of citizenship in our students.

 

It was asked whether anything new was known in terms of the requirement.  There has yet to be an infusion of money or mandate by the Regents as to how the requirement should be met.

Some members of the committee agreed that American Indians contribute to a significant portion of Montana’s culture and therefore UM should adopt a course requirement.  It was questioned whether this would have an impact on students from out of state. General education should be something general for all students across the country and not specific to the state.    

The committee voted on whether the course requirement for “American Indian Education for All” should be included in all models forwarded (5 in favor, 1 opposed, and 3 abstentions).

o                   Montana Cultural Model

                                                            cr

Mathematics                             3                                                

Writing                                     6         

Humanities/ Fine Arts    3                                                 

Expressive arts                          3                                                 

Citizenship                                3

History                                    3                                                  

Social Sciences                         3                                                 

Health Science                          3                                                  

Natural Science                       3                                                 

NAS                                        3

NOTES:

One of the above must have Global/International content

                        Either the Natural Science or Health Science Course must include a lab.

 

 

There was concern that Humanities and Fine Arts do not appropriately join with a slash.  The traditional approach to general education does not include expressive arts.  Some prefer that students take courses with more academic rigor than creative activity such as dance.   It was also commented that reducing the natural science requirement to one course is not preferred.  Also Health Science seems to overlap with Social Science and some Natural Science.

Language is still needed for the citizenship perspective.  It was hoped that John Eglin would draft something. 

The committee was reminded that there does not have to be agreement in the models.  The most important aspect of any overhaul of the program is the process that will require a shift in campus culture and how the courses will be policed.  The focus should be on knowledge and learning as apposed to credentials and credits. Departments should be assuming the responsibility and courses should be developed specifically for general education to develop an appreciation of the particular discipline in students.  The best teachers should be teaching these courses.

 

Chair Winkler is not comfortable in sending the models forward.  It was suggested that the flow chart be presented with a blank section for core courses.  The committee could think about the core courses that have consensus and offer the others for further consideration by ASCRC.

 

Committee members should review the Process & guidelines for General Education implementation and the advantages and disadvantages document for the next meeting.

 

The meeting was adjourned.