Ad Hoc Task Force
- 1. A Progress Report Lots of work done; lots more to do!
- 2. At Dean Wallace’s request, an ad hoc committee of members of the CLA Faculty Council was formed to explore the “viability and basic structure” for a generalist BA in the Liberal Arts. • Is there a demand for such a degree? • What has been done at other universities? • Do we want such a degree?
- 3. Students earning this degree must receive an education focused on the core of a liberal arts education (e.g., critical thinking, oral/written communication, diverse perspectives). The degree would have to make use of existing courses (for the most part). The degree would need to have a common set of “experiences” (e.g., capstones courses, internships).
- 4. Increase degree completion options for students who have 90+ units and are doing poorly in their current majors (often STEM or business areas). Note: We do this already to some extent; many students switching from non-CLA majors find homes in Human Development and American Studies. Help bolster enrollment in CLA, especially in departments that need additional enrollment. Allow students to declare a major and then explore the options (i.e., either declare an existing CLA major or stay in the multidisciplinary program).
- 5. The committee has only begun to examine the possible demand for this degree. Anecdotal evidence suggests that approximately 30 students each semester reach 90+ units, are doing poorly in their current majors (often STEM or business majors) and are required to find another major (the “policy wall”). We do not actually know what happens to these students or why they select a major for which they are not particularly suited (an important area for research!). There may well be unknown demand (students with fewer than 90 units who are planning to change majors). Some of these students end up in a CLA major anyway. We need more data.
- 6. Menu approach: Course groupings à la BALA (the CCPE liberal arts degree completion program). Common Core + Tracks/Pathways. Use existing majors, develop new options (would be at department discretion). Make no changes in CLA majors (make early advising the focus).
- 7. Students are required to take a certain number of courses in various categories. For example . . . I. Advanced Oral and Written Communication II. Global Citizenship III. Cultures, Values, and Beliefs IV. Capstone V. Internship Sample programs: CSU Northridge, University of Missouri
- 8. Students take a common core and then specialize in tracks/pathways. Community Governance and Advocacy COMMON CORE COURSES: Advanced writing Advanced oral communication Health and Society Capstone Internship Human Capital and Society Sample programs: Michigan State (examples of tracks above are taken from theirs); Univ. of Texas El Paso
- 9. This degree could allow the development of new areas of emphases that are not covered in existing programs. Could this degree make CLA an academic oasis? Or a dumping ground? We do not know enough about student interest/demand. This degree could draw students from existing CLA degrees, which might “redistribute the wealth”--or exacerbate current problems. What additional resources are needed and from where would they come? Can we do the same thing within our current majors? How do we ensure academic integrity and degree value?
- 10. We do not as of yet have enough information to provide recommendations other than . . . More data are needed, and the data recently received need to be analyzed. Student focus groups would be a great idea.
- 11. SUNY – Stony Brook University http://sb.cc.stonybrook.edu/bulletin/current/academicprograms/mtd/ University of Texas El Paso http://academics.utep.edu/Default.aspx?tabid=54704 sample of pathways University of Central Florida http://is.ucf.edu/docs/general%20track.pdf University of Missouri http://specialdegrees.missouri.edu/ sample of menu approach Chico State University http://catalog.csuchico.edu/viewer/11/SPMJ.html University of Wisconsin Madison, College of Letters and Science Individual Major http://pubs.wisc.edu/ug/ls_individual.htm CSUDH Special Major http://www.csudh.edu/catalog/2009-2011/SpecialMajor.htm University of Colorado Boulder – Humanities Major or Open Option in Arts and Sciences http://www.colorado.edu/ArtsSciences/prospective/guides/generic/1112/humn.html sample of menu approach CSU Northridge General Studies http://www.csun.edu/~hflst005/general_studies.html menu approach Michigan State http://www.reg.msu.edu/AcademicPrograms/Text.asp?Section=129#s7927 Pathways