General Education Committee Minutes, 4/16/14
Members present: S. Caro, M Cracolice, A. Dresselhaus, J. Randall, K. Reiser, T. Shearer, T.
Squires, E. Uchimoto, N. White
Ex-officio Members present: B. Howard, N. Hinman
Members Absent/ Excused: L. Calderon, K. Huthaily
The minutes from 4/9/14 were amended and approved.
Communication Items:
Business items:
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The Committee considered and approved the late form ARTZ 191A (103) Art for Nonmajors. The Art department was very late in completing the e-Curr form after several
reminders so ASCRC decided not to approve the course and suggested it be offered
experimentally. The course is an effort to boost the Art department’s enrollment. It is
likely that students will be interested in this type of course.
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The courses listed below were approved to renew for the Literary & Artistic Studies
group and Indigenous & Global Groups. Several courses are still pending follow-up
responses. Four of 400 level Indigenous and Global Courses were not approved for
renewal. There is a wide range of interpretation regarding what is required in terms of a
rationale for upper-division. The Committee may think about establishing clear
guidelines for acceptable reasons for upper-division general education courses. The form
should at least show that the instructor has put some effort into making the case. The
Committee should have clear rules before it can deny general education status.

Assessment and possible solutions to the issues with the current general education
framework are becoming increasingly related. It seems that for ease of assessment the
general education program may need to be restructured.
The Committee adopted the Essential Learning Outcomes (appended) as a tool for
assessment at the recommendation of Associate Provost Walker-Andrews. It did express
concern that the outcomes seemed more appropriate to assess graduates than first or
second year students. The essential Learning Outcomes were mapped to the General
Education Preamble and then further to the General Education Groups. In order to
actually use the essential Learning rubrics it would be necessary to revise the general
education criteria and learning outcomes to be parallel with the Essential Learning
Outcomes language. The Committee does not agree that UM’s General Education
Program should be guided by this national standard. The Essential Learning Outcomes
could be used as a resource, but not the guiding document.
Chair White asked members to consider whether the essential learning outcomes
articulate with the MUS Core. The Committee is not interested in micro assessment. It
takes too much time and does not serve the students. Montana’s University system is
more driven by transferability.
Members should take a closer look at Easter Oregon’s Assessment Program, which
received kudos from the NWCCU to determine whether this type of program could
articulate with the MUS core. Would a modified approach help UM with the assessment
dilemma?
Interim Associate Provost Hinman indicates that the next accreditation report must show
evidence of General Education Assessment in terms of measurable outputs (what students
have learned) not just inputs. The Committee is working to generate the story of how
assessment is progressing. It has identified where the deficiencies exist and is working
towards next steps. It will continue to meet on a weekly basis until the end of the
semester.
The meeting was adjourned at 5:35
Literary and Artistic Studies Courses Renewed
LSH
327L
Gender and Sexuality in English Fiction
CHIN
313L
Classical Chinese Poetry in Translation
CHIN
314L
Traditional Chinese Literature
Indigenous and Global Courses Renewed
ANTY
ANTY
101
241
ANTY
ANTY
330
351
Anthropology and the Human Experience
Central Asian Cultures and Civilizations: Peoples and
Environments
Cultures and Peoples of the World
Archaeology of North America
ANTY
ANTY
COMX
352
354
204
Archaeology of Montana
Mesoamerican Prehistory
International and Development Communication
DANC
ECNS
HSTR
HSTR
JPNS
LING
MUSI
NASX
NASX
360
217
230
231
150
375
207
105
201
World Dance
Economic Development
Colonial Latin America
Modern Latin America
Japanese Culture and Civilization
Endangered Languages
World Music
Introduction to Native American Studies
Indian Culture as Expressed Through Language
NASX
NASX
JPNS
LING
MUSI
NASX
NASX
210
231
150
375
207
105
201
Native American Sports and Games
Indigenous Worldview Perspectives
Japanese Culture and Civilization
Endangered Languages
World Music
Introduction to Native American Studies
Indian Culture as Expressed Through Language
NASX
NASX
210
231
Native American Sports and Games
Indigenous Worldview Perspectives
Indigenous and Global Courses NOT Renewed
ANTY
NASX
NASX
NASX
465
464
465
466
Arch of the SW United States
History of American Indian Affairs to 1776
History of Indian Affairs in the 19th Century
History of Indian Affairs from 1890
Essential Learning Outcomes
Intellectual and Practical Skills
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Inquiry and analysis
Critical thinking
Creative thinking
Written communication
Oral communication
Reading
Quantitative literacy
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Information literacy
Teamwork
Problem solving
Personal and Social Responsibility
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Civic knowledge and engagement—local and global
Intercultural knowledge and competence
Ethical reasoning
Foundations and skills for lifelong learning
Integrative and Applied Learning
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Integrative and applied learning