General Education Committee
Annual Report 2005-06
Committee members were Chris Chiappari (IGS), Karl J. Fink (HUM), Terry Fitzgerald (SSF) replaced by Xun Pomponio at mid-year, Kathy Granquist (Registrar-ex officio), Erica Jaasted (Student-appointed), Ishanaa Rambachan (Student-elected), Sherry Saterstrom (FA), Kathy Shea (NSM), Solveig Zempel (Associate Dean, IGS-ex officio).
The principal activity of the committee was to approve GE attributes for new and existing courses. In the previous year (2004-05) the committee approved proposals for 53 courses, eight of them with two GE credits. In 2005-06 thirty courses were approved for GE credit, nine of them with two GE credits. Nine course proposals for GE credit were deferred for more information and subsequently approved.
The 2005-06 schedule began with a presentation by Jo Beld on assessment initiatives and a review of plans for developing an instrument for curricular learning outcomes. At mid-year in a second initiative, the chair of GEC met with the chairs of CEPC, IDOCS, and RPC to constitute the work of the Curriculum Coordinating Committee (CCC) to streamline procedures for reviewing the curriculum. Both initiatives will be on the agenda for 2006-07.
In a third initiative the GEC met with CEPC at mid-year to review shared and separate procedures for reviewing the curriculum. Several issues were discussed with focus on how to implement recent “substantial” changes to the GE curriculum, including SPM (formerly PHA) and AQR (formerly MAR). Changes for BTS-T, NST, and MCS were also discussed. CEPC charged GEC to develop a procedure for the re-certification of all GE credits across the curriculum, beginning with those that have changed most substantially.
During the spring term the re-certification process began with a letter to all departments explaining the procedure. Re-certification began with BTS-T credits offered by the Religion Department. The re-certification documents included a summary letter of the GE attributes with statements on syllabus variations as well as attached sample syllabi. SPM credits offered in the Dance and Physical Education Departments were also re-certified. The chairs of these two departments also presented summary statements on the various GE attributes along with sample syllabi. GEC approval for BTS-T and SPM was recorded by the Registrar’s Office. The Mathematics Department plans to submit re-certification documents in the fall, 2006. Recertification of all courses with GE attributes is scheduled for completion by June of 2007.
Karl J. Fink, Chair GEC
Professor of German
