Summary of Meeting
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
April 22, 2003

1. Introduction - Dr. Linda Goldberg

  • Dr. Linda Goldberg began the meeting by welcoming members of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences to the meeting. Committee members were then introduced.
  • Dr. Goldberg indicated that the meeting would be taped in order to provide feedback to the committee.
  • Dr. Goldberg encouraged faculty members to check the committee’s web site periodically for the latest developments in the general education review.
  • Dr. Goldberg outlined the process for the review of general education. She indicated that the committee will work on the goals and model over the summer with both the goals and model being presented in the fall. She further indicated that the effective date for the new general education model will be Fall 2004.

2. General Education Mission Statement - Dr. Debra Lynch

  • Dr. Lynch distributed copies of the Mission Statement for General Education at Kutztown University. She read the mission statement and and the floor was opened for discussion.
  • Comments relative to the mission statement were as follows:
    • Reference to general education should be at the beginning of the first sentence rather than at the end of the sentence.
    • Suggested adding the phrase "underlying the acquisition and evolution of knowledge" to emphasize the dynamic nature.
    • "carefully selected set of questions" needs to be defined. Will this lead to thousands of individual general education experiences rather than a common experience?
    • "body of knowledge" needs to be defined.
    • "dilemma" should be added to mission statement.
    • The end of the first sentence should be changed to "develop the competencies that constitute General Education."
    • The words "learning" and "education" should be switched in the third sentence of the mission statement.
    • The mission statement should contain more reference to skills rather than philosophy.
    • The mission statement should reflect the concept of academic excellence.
    • It was noted that the committee may need to change the mission statement as the process moves forward.

3. Discussion of General Education issues

  • Dr. Goldberg and Dr. Lynch answered questions relative to various general education issues.
  • Comments/questions relative to general education issues included:
    • Is there an overriding philosophical or overriding pragmatic reason for changing general education?
    • What is wrong with the present general education program?
    • What happens if the faculty does not approve the proposed model?
    • If the new model is accepted, at what point will the courses be plugged into the program and who will make the decision as to which courses fit into the program?
    • Will there be outcomes assessment in relation to expectations of the new general education program?
    • Where will transfer credits fit into the new model and who will decide where those transfer credits will fit?
    • The committee should consider an interdisciplinary course in the beginning rather than a capstone course at the end.
    • Rather than reinventing the wheel, why not just keep the old goals as they are?
    • It was noted that the previous process was never completed in that the rationale and goals were completed but it died after that.
    • The old goals are too restrictive.
    • It was noted that liberal education means that the students are free to choose. It was further noted that there is funding to be had from NSF and others.