GE Report: Conclusion, Recommendations, and Timeline
It is high time that the Seaver Faculty address the First Year Seminar, diversity, the high unit demand of the GE program, and the lack of flexibility and choice. These changes should honor the attributes and learning outcomes described in this report. We recommend that we revise the current GE program in the following ways:
- address in a meaningful way the quantity of units;
- introduce more opportunity for student choice;
- address relevant questions of diversity;
- strongly consider creating a general education system that is more integrative;
- closely align GE PLOs with the Seaver student profile and develop a system for regular assessment;
- and create a program for faculty to develop innovative courses that will enhance our general education program.
In order to do this, we propose the following process:
| Dec. 1, 2020-Feb. 28, 2021 | Reflect and study with Seaver Faculty Association (SFA) |
| Mar. 1, 2021-Apr. 1, 2021 | Suggest and brainstorm solutions with SFA |
| Summer 2021 | GERC develops separate models for consideration |
| Fall 2021 | Collect and evaluate feedback from SFA on different models. |
| End of Fall 2021 | GERC proposes a motion for SFA ratification |
| Spring/Fall 2022 | Prepare curriculum, including documents for SAC/UAC |
| Fall 2023 | Implementation of new curriculum for incoming class |
To help ensure transparency and to gain important insight about student needs and experiences, we will include student representation on the GE committee.
The General Education Review Committee believes that a revision of the General Education
program is an opportunity to refocus the Seaver education on the needs of our students
and the values of our institution. The committee understands that faculty are concerned
GE program changes may lead to staffing changes, but we envision that within a revised
program we will be able to offer smaller, high impact courses that more closely align
with faculty interests . Adding flexibility will integrate more academic programs
into the GE program and increase the demand for course sections taught by our existing
faculty. Students may also be empowered to take responsibility for their own education
and become lifelong learners by pursuing their own interests. Although there may be
fewer required units in the GE program, when students are exposed to the liberal arts
in smaller courses with passionate faculty, they will consider taking additional courses
in that discipline and this will bolster the enrollments in our academic programs.
Revisions to the program will also prepare our students to be servant leaders in our
increasingly diverse nation and engage in a global economy. Finally, the process of
debating revisions to the GE program will require that we rearticulate the value of
a uniquely Christian liberal arts education offered at Seaver College.