GE Reform Steering Committee

1
GE Reform Steering Committee

• Welcome

2
GE Sub-Committee History

• 2000/2001 Survey of Students and Faculty
  regarding GE
• 2001/2002 Mandate from UCC for GE Subcommittee to
  explore the possibilities of GE Reform
• 2002 GE Subcommittee reported on variations in
  GE found within the CSU system as well as at a
  few other colleges and universities. Laid out six
  models of GE found at these other schools.

3
GE Sub-Committee History

• 2003 February and April all-university meetings
  attended by 130 faculty/staff/students/administrat
  ors where they explored GE at HSU and possible GE
  options. Extensive considerations of the
  strengths and weaknesses of HSUs current system
  (last modified in the 1980s), and consideration
  of different models. Interest among participants
  focused on three general models Breadth, Themes,
  and Core Curriculum.

4
GE Sub-Committee History

• 2003 Summer. Group continued considering
  desirable features of a GE program. Out of this
  work came a focus on Writing Across the
  Curriculum.
• 2003-2004 GE Subcommittee focused extensively on
  issues of Writing Across the Curriculum. Hosted
  WAC Workshop, Spring of 2004.
• 2004 Summer. Student study/proposal in summer
  philosophy course.

5
GE Sub-Committee History

• Development of the Writing Across the Curriculum
  (WAC) program (began F04)
• 2004, Fall, worked with Provost Vrem to Fund two
  pilot Capstone GE courses.
• 2004, Fall, asked administration to study
  alternative ways to allocate resources to remove
  perceived financial threats and incentives to
  departments and colleges implicit in the
  restructuring of General Education.

6
GE Sub-Committee History

• Ongoing review of assessment of signature GE
  programs at other schools and their impact on
  recruitment and retention.
• 2005, include General Education questions on
  Noel-Levitz survey
• 2005, create a larger General Education Steering
  Committee that will begin meeting on February 4,
  2005.

7
Any Questions?
8
Visual Overview of GE Reform Options
Define Area A as Basic Needs - Put Math in Area
A Require students to complete Basic Subjects in
first 4 semesters. Solution Senate Resolution
passed 11/30/04
More Writing in GE majors Solution Writing
Across the Curriculum Program started in Fall 2004
Basic Skills
Allow calculus to count for GE
And
And
2-semester Core seminar on Human Experiences
taken 1st year at HSU. Reading, discussion,
writing. Options (1 course from each) 1) Area A
(critical think Oral) 2) Area A (critical
think) Area C 3) Area A (critical think) Area
D 4) Area C Area D
Lower Division
GE designated courses that are integrative like
Freshman, Sophomore, or Transfer integration
course
All 100 200 level courses count as GE (unless
specified as majors only)
Subdivisions in each area take 3, each from
different subdivisions
And/or
And/or
And/or
Upper Division
3-course theme on a topic. Option 1 Medium
collaboration 1 course from each area B,C,D.
Professors meet to determine where courses
intersect and where they can reference material
from other classes. Could include joint projects.
3-course theme on a topic. Option 3 High
collaboration Professors from 3 areas B,C,D
team teach an interdisciplinary course.
Integrative paper requirement graded by all 3
profs. 1 semester or 1 year - All 9 units in
one semester. - 4 units in Fall 5 units in
Spring (Paper due in Spring)
3-course theme on a topic. Option 2 Low
collaboration 2-3 courses in each area B,C,D.
Students ultimately responsible for making
connections between related classes.
And/or
And/or
Require an integrative capstone course that
focuses on social and environmental
responsibility, and uses basic skills, service
learning, and group work Pilot Program in
Progress F05
Senior Capstone
All themes could require an integrative capstone
course that may also fulfill area E
And/or
9
Small Group Work

• How do you personally perceive GE?
• How do you think your constituency views GE?
• What would like GE to do that you dont think
  its doing currently to meet educational goals?

10
Future Process

• Subcommittee will send out notes of this meeting
  with some discussion questions
• Steering Committee discusses issues questions
  with constituencies
• Steering Committee meets in 1 month to report
  back on input and develop potential models

11
Future Process

• Steering Committee discusses potential models
  with constituencies
• Steering Committee meets 1 month later to report
  back, address threats, hone down to 2-3 models
• Host all-university meeting to discuss chosen
  models

12
Thank You

• Please fill out the evaluation form before you
  leave