Gen. Ed. requirements revamped
Adam Rogers MANAGING EDITOR
Issue date: 2/4/10 Section: News
The first meeting of 2010 for the Academic Senate at Youngstown State University resulted in the passing of three motions actively changing policy on general education intensive requirements, the full refund withdrawal period and the credit requirements for students pursuing multiple majors.
With the passing of a motion by the Senate's General Education Committee, the intensive requirements of writing, speaking and critical thinking have been removed from the general education program effective immediately. In addition, intensive designations will now be removed from courses.
Dr. Julia Gergits, chair of the GEC, proposed the motion and said after 10 years of existence, the intensive requirements haven't been working and needed to be reformed.
"It's a substantial change to the model," she said. "The majority of the problems plaguing have been intensives."
According to the motion, only about 68 percent of YSU graduates complete all of their general education requirements, with the intensives being cited as the primary reason for students failing to entirely complete the general education category.
Gergits mentioned that some departments on campus were not fulfilling the students' needs of intensive courses, leaving many looking outside of their department for intensive designated courses.
Dr. Matt O'Mansky, assistant professor of Anthropology agreed with Gergits and said he often finds students from other departments taking his intensive courses and that they shouldn't have to look elsewhere to meet the requirements.
"This should already be happening within [their own department]," he said.
Gergits explained that the learning objectives of the intensive courses are not being removed completely, but instead departments will be responsible for assuring that writing, speaking and critical thinking are sufficiently covered in each major's already required coursework.
"We want the departments to take ownership and engage in this seriously," she said.
With the passing of a motion by the Senate's General Education Committee, the intensive requirements of writing, speaking and critical thinking have been removed from the general education program effective immediately. In addition, intensive designations will now be removed from courses.
Dr. Julia Gergits, chair of the GEC, proposed the motion and said after 10 years of existence, the intensive requirements haven't been working and needed to be reformed.
"It's a substantial change to the model," she said. "The majority of the problems plaguing have been intensives."
According to the motion, only about 68 percent of YSU graduates complete all of their general education requirements, with the intensives being cited as the primary reason for students failing to entirely complete the general education category.
Gergits mentioned that some departments on campus were not fulfilling the students' needs of intensive courses, leaving many looking outside of their department for intensive designated courses.
Dr. Matt O'Mansky, assistant professor of Anthropology agreed with Gergits and said he often finds students from other departments taking his intensive courses and that they shouldn't have to look elsewhere to meet the requirements.
"This should already be happening within [their own department]," he said.
Gergits explained that the learning objectives of the intensive courses are not being removed completely, but instead departments will be responsible for assuring that writing, speaking and critical thinking are sufficiently covered in each major's already required coursework.
"We want the departments to take ownership and engage in this seriously," she said.
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