Summary of Open Session with Dr. Jerry Gaff
October 8, 2003

1. Introduction of Dr. Jerry Gaff - Dr. Debra Lynch introduced Jerry Gaff and provided background information on him. Approximately 10 people attended the session.

2. Overview - Dr. Gaff

• Dr. Gaff discussed the following topics:
  • Newer, richer and more productive concept of general education compared old concepts relative to general education to new concepts
  • Changes in the relationship between professional education and general education accreditation agencies agree that the two components need to be integrated
  • Curriculum trends provided a handout listing curriculum trends that are taking place in a large number of colleges and universities. Some of the trends include emphasis on fundamental skills, higher standards and more requirements, tighter curriculum structure, emphasis on the freshman year, integration of knowledge with an emphasis on learning communities, and assistance to faculty for course development.
  • Provided an example of how general education reform at one university had a positive effect on the institution

3. Question and Answer Session

• Questions relative to general education issues included:
  • Relative to the need for faculty development, is it a problem if 50% of our general education faculty are temporary faculty?
    • Yes it is somewhat of a problem but there is a large number of faculty not in permanent positions who make great contributions.
  • How do you know if a change to a program is going to work?
    • There are no guarantees that a change is going to work but there are certain things that can be done such as phasing in the change, identifying faculty on campus with expertise in areas such as diversity and freshman seminar who might be willing to work on course development and providing funding for the development, and funding of pilot projects that would slowly build confidence.
  • A recent study indicated that less than half of high school graduates are prepared for college level work. Given the fact that we are situated between two urban areas, how much attention should be given to this fact in trying to redesign our general education program?
    • The university could possibly work with schools on bridging programs but it is more important to concentrate on what to do with our students enrolled at the university who are not achieving the basic fundamental skills.
  • How do you speak to accreditation issues while trying to do a general education reform?
    • Interdisciplinary courses can be developed that allows the general education program and the major program to work together.
  • How do you weave in general education requirements to students who have transferred here and have taken possible general education courses elsewhere?
    • This can be handled by spreading general education over the four years and apportioning it. Courses that are interdisciplinary can be subdivided in ways that students can transfer them to more traditional disciplines.
  • What would you do to convince faculty that they are not giving up anything with a new program?
    • Avoid discussion about specific credit hours until you get much more clarity and agreement about the purpose of general education. The question about credit hours will be easier to handle once this has been done. Then give everyone the chance to develop courses such as diversity courses and writing intensive courses.
  • How do you know if a certain course already in existence or a new course being developed would qualify as a writing intensive course?
    • By using standards in place for a course such as a writing intensive course and by having faculty with expertise in writing intensive courses review the course. The course would then need approval by a committee working on general education.
  • How do you free up faculty in a major to teach a general education course when faculty members are already over-prescribed?
    • By creative thinking in reorganizing, rethinking and combining courses.