General Education Committee To Draft Final Report

4-28-97

University Park, Pa. -- After a year of taking a hard look at undergraduate education at Penn State, the University Faculty Senate's Special Committee on General Education is about to shoulder its summer writing assignment: putting its recommendations into a final report that will be submitted to the Faculty Senate in the fall.

Robert Pangborn, chair of the committee and associate dean of undergraduate studies in the College of Engineering, said the committee found that the current undergraduate curriculum serves Penn State students well in many ways. "However, we did find opportunities to make some improvements and better serve our students. I think that we're going to be able to create a proposal that the faculty will support, and that has high potential for successful implementation."

The committee has agreed on many issues, including:
-- the University-wide use of first-year seminars, with built-in flexibility for the different colleges;

-- the integration of key competencies (writing, speaking, quantitative skills, information retrieval, problem-solving, teamwork, intercultural and international competency) into general education courses;

-- a restructured health sciences requirement;

-- more opportunities for placing out of courses;

-- a process for continuous assessment;

-- a refinement of the cultural diversity dimension; and

-- incorporating second languages as a general education option.

Since the end of last year, the committee has been receiving input on a working document that spelled out principles and draft recommendations for Penn State's general education program. Using feedback from faculty, students, and alumni, committee members have made substantial revisions to the basic plan.

The committee's work toward a final report is fairly far along, but committee members continue to encourage and accept input. The committee plans to work through the summer on crafting its final proposal and bring it to the Senate for consideration early in the fall semester.

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Contacts: Alan Janesch (814) 865-7517 (office) axj12@psu.edu
Christy Rambeau (814) 865-7517 (office) cmr7@psu.edu