Grand Rapids Community College
Academic Governing Council
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GRCC currently does not have a process to
determine where a course fits into the General
Education distribution system
GRCC lacks a process to determine if a course
fits into the General Education distribution
The College does not articulate the learner
outcomes it expects students to achieve as a
result of satisfying the General Education
distribution requirements
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Handicaps the College from being
programmatically responsive to students,
faculty, and departments
Changes must be harmonious with the
Michigan Association for College Registrars
and Admissions Officers Agreement
(MACRAO)
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Establish a definition of each distribution area
Define the criteria that will be used in making
decisions about inclusion of courses in the
distribution areas
Articulate expectations for outcomes upon
successful completion of the distribution
areas
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Group I: Humanities
Group II: Social Sciences
Group III: Natural Sciences and Mathematics
*Note: The next 3 slides are copied from Educational Planning Guide for
Associate in Arts Degree with MACRAO
MACROA
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 Architecture (AR) 111
 Art (AT) 105, 106, 270, 271
 Communications (COM) (formerly SC) 131, 135, 227, 228, 232, 235, 236,
240, 241, 250
 English (EN) 233, 235, 237, 242, 246, 247, 248, 249, 250, 251, 252,
261, 262, 270, 271, 272, 275, 278, 281, 282, 284, 291, 293
 Foreign Language (ARA, CHI, FR, GR, SP) 101, 102, 231, 232, 294
 Humanities (HU) 204, 205, 210, 240, 245, 270, 273, 274, 280, 281
 Music (MU) 107, 109, 235, 236, 237
 Philosophy (PL) 201, 202, 205, 206, 207, 209, 212
 Photography (PO) 105
 Sign Language (SL) 150, 155, 171, 172
 Theater (TH) 248
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Anthropology (AN) 201, 205, 210, 280, 285
Criminal Justice (CJ) 110, 111, 140, 235, 236, 237
Economics (EC) 251, 252, 290
Geography (GE) 132, 135, 140, 210, 253, 281
Gerontology (GO) 203, 261, 262, 263
History (HS) 101, 102, 120, 121, 215, 225, 230, 239, 240, 241, 242, 249,
250,251, 260, 276, 281, 290, 295
Political Science (PS) 110, 200, 201, 202, 215, 225, 230, 245, 250
Psychology (PY) 101, 106, 201, 203, 231, 232, 233, 234, 251, 260, 263, 281
Social Science (SS) 120, 293
Sociology (SO) 205, 251, 254, 260, 261, 262, 263, 265, 270, 295
Social Work (SW) 102, 103
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Non-lab courses:
 Astronomy (AS) 102
 Biology (BI) 125, 160, 171, 232
 Business (BA) 150, 254
 Computer (CO) 124, 127, 225,
227
 Electronics (EL) 132
 Mathematics (MA) (except MA
003, 095, 096, 097), 104, 105,
107, 108, 110, 124, 127, 129, 131
133, 134, 138, 210, 211, 215, 245,
255, 257
 Psychology (PY) 281
 Technology (TE) 103, 104
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Lab Courses:
Astronomy (AS) 103, 106, 108
Biology (BI) 101, 103, 104, 117, 121
122, 126, 127, 151, 152, 204, 207,
215
Chemistry (CM) (except CM 100
and 102), 101, 103, 104, 109, 113,
114, 210, 212, 231,229+230,
236+237, 238+239, 241, 252, 282
Geography (GE) 132 (counts as lab
fall 2004 or later)
Geology (GL) 101, 104, 105, 111
Physical Science (PC) 101, 111, 141,
151
Physics (PH) 115, 125, 126, 245,
246
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Technology Skills
Communication Skills
Computation Skills
Critical Thinking and
Problem Solving Skills
 Information
Management Skills
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Interpersonal Skills
Personal Skills
Diversity Skills
(Sustainability and
Community
Engagement Skills
[proposed])
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The General Learner Outcomes are currently
being revised for unity and clarity so that they
express competencies, not merely content.
Additionally, it is likely that the General
Learner Outcomes will evolve to Institutional
Learning Outcomes.
Notably, there will be fewer, but each will be
broad enough to embrace the skills and
competencies expressed in many of the
current GLOs.
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Steve Abid (Co-chair)
Sandy Andrews
Janice Balyeat
Rebecca Brinks
Glenn Gelderloos
Bernie Manker
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Fatima Nieves
Deb Nordman
Diane Patrick
Ric Underhile (Co-chair)
Doug Wabeke
*Additional faculty & staff may be added as needed to serve in a resource capacity.
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Three formal planning meetings that resulted in
a review of how other institutions have
addressed this common problem
The review of a complex rubric that illustrates a
strategy for organizing general education
A kick-off meeting with the original team, many
of whom have now retired
A repopulation of the committee
A new kick-off and working meeting (Oct. 22nd)
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Assistance in helping
faculty make greater
meaning of the
significance of general
education
 Recognition that this
work is separate, but
inseparable from
assessment of student
learning efforts
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Communicate your
ideas to team
members
 Patience
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