The University Academic Senate at Grand Valley State University approved changes to the general education program last month after more than three years of input gathering and deliberations.

The program, which was adopted on Jan. 27, replaces the current program’s theme requirement with broader issues courses and introduces new skill requirements into the program. The first changes to general education will be seen in Fall 2013, with all changes implemented by 2016.

“The GE program has both knowledge goals and skills goals, and together they embody what GVSU feels identifies someone as well-educated, or generally educated,” Robert Gilles, General Education Committee chair, told the Lanthorn in December. “… These proposed curricular goals are our way of saying to all GVSU students that they need to become very reflective and active people in order to shape the world over the next 30 or 40 years.”

Recent changes to the general education curriculum include the elimination of the Writing 305 junior-level writing requirement and the reduction of the Theme requirement from nine credits to six.

To read the general education proposal in full, visit www.gvsu.edu/gened.