One week from today, the University Academic Senate from Grand Valley State University will submit a final proposal for changes to the general education program at Grand Valley State University.

In its current draft, the proposal includes four broad changes and focuses on three components: Foundations, Cultures and Issues.

GVSU faculty and staff can submit written feedback on the proposal online or via email until the proposal is submitted to the Executive Committee on Monday. Comments can be posted to the GE discusion board at www.gvsu.edu/gened or emailed to [email protected].

Issues, which would focus on integration within broader categories, would replace the current Themes requirement, which was reduced to two courses last semester. The six proposed Issue categories are information, innovation and technology; globalization; health; human rights; identity and sustainability. The committee aims to have the first half of the 60 issue courses approved by Aug. 1, 2012, with the rest approved by Aug. 1, 2013, and the first 30 courses being taught by Fall 2013.

The proposal also includes adding three new skill goals — quantitative literacy, collaboration and problem solving — to the existing six. It would also change how those goals are distributed throughout the GE program to better accommodate the larger number.

The final revision would change the program’s third and final Knowledge Goal, “the tradition of humane inquiry,” which does not currently connect to other goals in the GE program. The new goal would connect the Issues courses to the Foundations and Cultures courses.

The proposed timetable would begin developing new courses in the Spring semester, with all changes fully implemented by 2016.

The full proposal can be read online at www.gvsu.edu/gened.

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