General Education Committee Minutes 3/7/05

Members Present: J. Eglin, K. Hill, S. Kalm, T. Manuel, S. Miller, D. Pletscher, G. Smith, R. Welsh

Members Absent/Excused: S. Greymorning, L. Carlyon

Ex-Officio Present:  A. Walker-Andrews

Chair Eglin called the meeting to order at 3:08 PM.

The minutes from 2/28/05 were approved.

Communication:

§ The draft Board of Regents General Education Transfer Policy was disseminated to committee members. The section relating to block transfer is of concern because it dictates that transfer students will have met all lower division general education requirements, when most additional UM requirements are lower division not upper division. Within the current general education program, this would exclude transfer students from taking a second writing course, an ethics course, and either the symbolic systems or foreign language requirement. It is unclear whether students would have the choice between the MUS core and the institutions general education program.

It was suggested that the faculty need to take a stance on this before the policy goes before the Board of Regents. Chair Eglin will talk with the Provost.

§ There is still pressure coming from the President for a second composition course. He spoke to the issue again at the annual meeting with the Music department. The President indicated that there should be a mechanism for students to test out of ENEX 101. It was questioned whether the committee would be looking at the issue. ASCRC has had numerous discussions and is drafting a writing deliberations document to go before the Senate this week as an informational item. Chair Eglin has another meeting with the Faculty Senate/ASCRC Chair, as well as the Provost on Wednesday to discuss the issue.

Old Business:

§ The committee made additional revisions to the draft preamble. Consideration of the language pertaining to each of the competencies and perspectives will be postponed until the committee decides on whether there should be changes in the program structure. There should first be language to address the MUS core and then the unique UM requirements.

§ The committee should consider the MUS criteria and possible transition models for the next meeting, bearing in mind the focus should be on how to best serve the students.

The meeting was adjourned.