General Education Committee Meeting Minutes
11/12/17
12:30-1:28

Attendees: George Dehner, chair (GD), Amy Drassen Ham (ADH), Shirlene Small (SS), Kamran Rokhsaz (KR), Rebecca Nordyke (BN), Steve Oare (AS-D) - reporter, Sally Fiscus Registrar’s Office (SF), Chris Broberg (CB), Gina Crabtree Registrar’s Office (GC), Rick Muma, VP,

I. GD agreed to serve as chair for the meeting
II. Approval of Minutes from 11/13 meeting- GD

- Motion to approve – KR; second CB
- Vote unanimous

III. Curriculum Change Forms- GD

- CESP 334-Requested as a Further Studies course
- revised CCF was reviewed
- GD acknowledged guidelines & comments from CoE assoc. dean
- CCF was changed to Further Studies course
- Motion to accept CB, seconded by KR
** ACCEPTED as Further Studies Course

IV. Review of draft message to all academic department chairs regarding their reviewing syllabi for all Gen Ed courses being taught during Spring 2018 to make sure the courses still fulfill Gen Ed goals.

- GC explained the registrar’s office is pruning courses that have not been active for 5 years (3 yrs for “letter” courses)
- RM recommended that GC present this to deans meeting
- GD reviewed the desire to have chairs examine gen ed course syllabi content to determine if courses still meet gen ed criteria.

o Because some courses are no longer taught by the faculty who developed them, it may be wise to make sure the courses are still within gen ed expectations

- GD suggested a memo as a friendly reminder to chairs to evaluate the course content and to determine whether or not a course should be deleted or made inactive
- Discussion occurred in regard to the timing of notices for defining courses as inactive and reviewing syllabi of active courses. It was determined that the request for reviewing syllabi should be sent after action has been taken in regard to determining course activity.
- GD suggested we table the discussion for edits of the document and re-address it in our January meeting.

V. Draft a message to the Faculty Senate Executive Committee recommending that a review of the entire General Education Program begin soon

- GD initiated discussion using a short statement he composed (attached). He listed the KBOR requirement of 120 credits and the request of the college of engineering as primary drivers in the issue
- KR suggested we put the document up for vote online
- KR explained the impact of the current gen ed program on engineering and stated that the goals of gen ed are addressed in many of the courses within the college of engineering
- RM suggests we discuss student freedom of choice for courses because many colleges require specific gen ed courses for their major
- GD suggested that we draft a statement that asks faculty senate to address the gen ed question on the whole rather than address its problems piece meal.
- Discussion of possible edits to the draft submitted by GD

o RM suggested the addition of the request from the college of fine arts to be included in the list of reasons for the review
o ADH suggested that the request be made within the initial statement followed by the reasons for the request.

- GD asked for general consensus regarding the committee’s desire to draft a document to send to the faculty senate
- GD – we will attempt to work on the document online with the intent to submit to the faculty senate by Friday December 1.

VI. Meeting adjourned 1:28.


Draft statement for Gen Ed Committee Recommendations for General Education Program Review

In light of the recent request by the Kansas Board of Regents to cap degree programs at a total of 120 credit hours and requests from the School of Engineering to examine credit hour requirements rather than total course standards, the General Education Committee recommends that the issue of revising the General Education Program be placed before the full faculty. While the goals of General Education have not been called into question, the best method to achieve those goals while balancing the demand of the major bear a revisiting by the body of the faculty. Accordingly, the General Education committee requests the faculty Senate to examine the necessity to revise, maintain, or replace the General Education Program as currently practiced.

Goals of the General Education Program:

- To enable you to live a rich, meaningful life by developing:

o an informed appreciation of the arts, humanities, and natural and social sciences;
o an ability to intelligently follow and participate in current events;
o a sensitive and tutored appreciation of diverse cultures and ways of living.

- Outcomes of the General Education Program:

o Have acquired knowledge in the arts, humanities, and natural and social sciences
o Think critically and independently
o Write and speak effectively
o Employ analytical reasoning and problem solving techniques