Uniform gen ed requirements proposed

Nicholas Valenzuela Arizona Daily Wildcat Ann Weekes, chairwoman of the Faculty Senate's Instruction and Curriculum Policy Committee, presents a proposal at yesterday's Senate meeting that would unify general education requirements among colleges.

After almost two hours of debate yesterday, the Senate postponed the final vote on the proposal, pending further clarification.

The proposal's apparent goal is to simplify the current system and standardize requirements.

This would be accomplished by creating two tiers of general education requirements, which would be completed in sequence. Math, composition and foreign language would be considered foundation courses.

"The biggest benefit will be the ease to students," said Ann Weekes, chair of the Senate's Instruction and Curriculum Policy Committee.

The second greatest benefit is that faculty will be able to expect students to have reached a certain level of skill by the time they move on to upper-division courses, she said.

Laura Casper, an archaeology senior who has served for two years on the committee to draft the proposal, said, "It's hard to ask an 18-year-old student to make a decision (about his or her college/major) and stay with it."

Under the current system, if students change from a social science to a business major, for example, the general education requirements they have fulfilled may not be accepted by the new college.

However, Weekes added, "They should not lose general education requirements if they are truly general."

Rhonda Wilson, president of the Associated Students of the University of Arizona and a faculty senator, said she faced this situation herself when she transferred from the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences to the College of Business and Public Adm inistration. She said she must now spend an extra year in school as a result.

"I agree the current system isn't working, and the new proposal is a good concept," she said. "But it needs more work."

The Undergraduate Senate has not taken an official position on the proposal, but Wilson said she expects it to consider the proposal at its next meeting.

Several senators raised concerns over the specific implementation of the proposal.

The College of Engineering and Mines and the College of Fine Arts expressed concern over some of the new requirements.

For example, the Tier One and Tier Two science requirements would add unnecessary requirements to science and engineering majors since those students already have substantial coursework in science.

As a result, an exemption was added to the proposal for those students so they can apply already-required science classes to the general education requirement.

However, no provisions have been included for administering those exceptions, said Sen. Malcolm Zwolinski, professor of watershed management.

"This is an experimental curriculum, and it could be a disaster," said Sen. Marlys Witte, surgery professor.

She suggested conducting a pilot program with 20 percent of an incoming class before approving the proposal for all incoming students.

Sen. James Clarke, political science professor, said the structure is clearer, but he was concerned professors would be asked to restructure classes in a way that would take them out of their specialty.

Weekes assured the Senate that professors would not be asked to teach courses unrelated to their fields.

Between now and March 3, the committees involved in structuring the proposal have been asked to clarify how the program will be started and how to address the variable requirements, such as exemptions, that have been incorporated into the proposal.

The Faculty Senate is considering a proposal to restructure the general education requirements. The new proposal would create the following model:

FOUNDATIONS

• Mathematics:

  • Proficiency in one of three strands of study, depending on student's major.

• Composition:

  • Most students will be required to take two semesters of composition, but there is an option of developing courses within Tier One to replace an independent composition course for well-prepared students. In addition, the proposal seeks to emphasize wri ting more in all classes.
• Foreign Language:
  • Students pursuing a bachelor of arts degree will be required to have a fourth-semester proficiency level. Students pursuing a bachelor of science degree will need a second-semester proficiency level. The second-semester requirement could be met th rough an entrance exam.

• Tier One

  • Traditions and cultures - two courses

  • Individuals and societies - two courses

  • Natural science - two courses

• Tier Two

  • Arts - one course

  • Individuals and societies - one course

  • Humanities - one course

  • Natural science - one course

• One of these classes may be from within the major.

• One course must focus on non-western cultures or on race, gender, class or ethnicity.