Academic Senate 1000 E. Victoria  Carson, CA 90747  WH-A420  (310) 243-3312
Second Reading
Academic Senate Resolution
EPC 15-08
Establishment of an Ad Hoc Committee to Review and Propose Revisions to CSUDH General
Education
M/S/P - 5/6/15
RESOLVED: That the ASCSUDH directs that an ad hoc committee be convened to research and
provide guidance regarding CSUDH General Education requirements and to make
specific recommendations emphasizing; a) the potential implementation of GE
Pathways, b) strategies to support the timely completion of specific of specific
GE requirements, c) consideration of double-counting of courses, and d)
development of GE student learning outcomes assessment including an
assessment plan for the General Education Program at CSUDH1; and be it
further,
RESOLVED: That the ad hoc committee consider any changes to GE within the guidelines
provided by Executive Order 1100, relevant sections of the CSUDH Strategic Plan,
the history and aspirations of the University community, and additional survey
data and other information previously obtained by ASCSUDH; and be it further,
RESOLVED: That the committee write a report justifying their recommendations, which includes
minority viewpoints, and a plan to achieve the recommendations; and be it
further,
RESOLVED: The ad hoc committee be comprised of
A) representatives elected by faculty from the following colleges:
1) College of Arts & Humanities
2) College of Business Administration & Public Policy
3) College of Education/LBS
4) College of Natural & Behavioral Sciences
5) College of Health, Human Services, and Nursing
B) representatives from the following committees:
1) Member of the GE Committee
1
This plan must include concrete and measurable learning outcomes for each area of GE as well as the program as
a whole; a complete curriculum map of the General Education Program; clear processes for collecting and
analyzing assessment data, and; a description of the process by which results will be made readily accessible to the
campus community.
2) Executive Senate Representative
3) Faculty Representative from the Student Learning Outcomes Committee
C) and:
1) Two student representatives selected by ASI.
2) a staff member from the University Advising Center, and
3) Dean of Undergraduate Students (non-voting); and be it further,
RESOLVED: That the Ad Hoc Committee convene before September 1, 2015 and present its
preliminary report and recommendations to the ASCSUDH by February 22, 2016,
with the final report and recommendations to the ASCSUDH by March 23, 2016.
Rationale: Since approximately 2008-09, the General Education program at CSUDH has been a
topic of recurrent discussion. For example, CSUDH currently requires 55 Units of GE course
work which exceeds the system average of 50 units and far exceeds many of the CSU individual
campus packages which require only 48 units. In fall 2012, the CSU Chancellor's Office noted
that “504 bachelor's programs and concentrations exceeded the 120 minimum.”2 This led to a
modification to Title 5 that created a 120-unit maximum limit for most baccalaureate programs
in January 2013.3
In efforts to comply with Title 5 many programs reduced the number of units specific to the
major resulting in programs whereby CSUDH students have fewer courses in their chosen
content area major than do students enrolled at other campuses, in similar majors. Additionally,
this reduction in the number of courses specific to a given major, may have reduced program
quality. Although the CO provided an exemption process, the extent to which exemptions to
the Title 5 requirement will best serve students, and the extent to which exemptions are aligned
with best educational practices is unknown.
During this same period, a number of CSU campuses recast their GE packages as GE pathways,
thematically related or linked courses that ideally provide a more coherent educational
experience for students. Additionally, revisions to Executive Order 1100 provide general
frameworks and objectives for CSU campus efforts to examine General Education.
2EVC
Smith Memo to CSU Presidents, Provosts, January 25, 2013.
5 § 40508, “The Bachelor's Degree: Total Units.” “Each campus shall
establish and maintain a monitoring system to ensure that justification is
provided for all program requirements that extend the baccalaureate unit
requirement beyond 120 semester units. As of the fall term of the 2014-15
academic year, no baccalaureate degree programs shall extend the unit
requirement beyond 120 semester units, with the exception of the Bachelor
of Architecture, Bachelor of Music, Bachelor of Fine Arts, and Bachelor of
Landscape Architecture degrees. The Chancellor may authorize exceptions to
system or campus requirements for degree programs. In fulfillment of this
regulation, the Chancellor may require adjustments to program requirements
in order to achieve the 120 semester unit maximum. In fulfillment of this
regulation, the Chancellor after consultation with discipline faculty and
other appropriate individuals may require adjustments to program
requirements in order to achieve the 120-unit maximum.
3Title
In 2014-15 the ASCSUDH established an ad hoc committee to examine restructuring of lower
division General Education, conducted a survey of undergraduate students regarding their
opinions regarding GE—including their interest in a GE pathways approach, and conducted
several General Faculty meetings as open forums focused on General Education at CSUDH. A
logical next step in this process is to empanel an ad hoc committee to make a careful review of
General Education at CSSUDH and to present recommendations as the basis for curriculum
policies implemented by the ASCSUDH.