General Education Committee Minutes, 2/29/12
Members present: E. Adams, S. Caro, J. DeBoer, D. Klapmeier, J. Luckowski, J. Rabinovitch, A.
Sillars, D. Sloan, E. Uchimoto, N. White
Ex-Officio Members Present: E. Johnson
Guest: S. Bradford
The minutes from 2/15/12 were approved.
Business Items:

An additional Global Leadership Course was proposed for the Indigenous and Global
perspective. It was sent to members electronically. It was approved for the one-time-only
designation. Members commented that it seems like a very ambitious course for a 100 level.
Again it would require follow-up if considered for a permanent course.

The forms have been posted for the rolling review of Ethics, Expressive Arts, and Social
Science. Professor Luckowski, Sillars, and DeBoer agreed to chair the subcommittees.
Professor White agreed to serve on the Social Science Subcommittee as well. The
subcommittee chairs will find other members that teach a course in the specific group to
participate in the review. Dates for consent agenda presentation were established: Ethics 3/28, Social Science- 4/11, and Expressive Arts -4/25. There will not be a meeting on
March 14th.

Committee members made their final arguments regarding the symbolic system issue.
Professor Sillars suggests the motion could be improved with a statement that clarifies that
the administration must fund any increase costs so as not to strain the existing College of
Arts and Science budget. He requests the committee re-examine the fairness issue in terms
of transfer students if the motion is approved. Students within the MUS system can elect to
use the MUS core (30 credits) if completed 20 or more credits. In the past there were
graduation exceptions for transfer students. Student member Klapmeier indicated that many
ASUM senators shared his concerns. However, he misunderstood the intent of the motion
and did not realize the test out option would still apply. The current language in the general
education framework states:
Group III: Modern and Classical Languages or Symbolic Systems
A two semester language sequence is the default option (test out provisions apply).
Students may substitute a symbolic system sequence required by their major and
approved by ASCRC.
The motion will limit the departments eligible for exceptions to extended majors (requiring
48 credits or more). Many of the programs (under 48 credits) that have exceptions using
statistics will still require the course for their majors. Professor Luckowski urged members
to vote against the motion. The revisions to general education were carefully developed
with broad campus input and represent an accepted compromise. The committee should
respect that departments have their students’ best interest in mind. The motion will create a
program that is difficult to administer. She suggested the Committee instead lobby
departments to require foreign language. Professor White commented that if the University
is truly oriented toward global learning, as the Global Leadership Initiative suggests, then it
should not de-emphasize language skills. According to Professor Rabinovitch language
courses need students. The Committee should nudge the administration to provide the
financial support for the modest change to the requirement. Professor Bradford sees
language as an essential part of a liberal education that improves students’ communication
skills.
The motion below was approved with 6 in favor, 2 opposed, and one abstention.
Effective autumn semester of 2014, undergraduates must fulfill the general education
modern and classical language requirement unless enrolled in a program of study
requiring more than 48 credits leading to a first baccalaureate degree. Credits for the
program of study include all requirements for the primary major including options
and designated pre-requisite courses, excluding general education courses unless
required by the major.
The motion will now go to ASCRC for consideration, and then to the Faculty Senate.
The meeting was adjourned at 5:03 PM.