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Thursday, November 16, 1995 Erie, PA 16563 Vol XLIV, No. 10
Possible
changes
Gen Ed
requirements
Working group makes
recommendations,
changes just being
discussed
by Bryan Harkins
Collegian Staff
During its last meeting, held
October 24, Penn State’s
Faculty Senate held a forensic
session to discuss possible
changes in the general education
requirements.
In April of 1994, a working
group was appointed to examine
the general education curriculm
and identity ways to revise
general education requirements.
The forensic session was held
last month to discuss the
recommendations brought forth
by the working group.
The purpose of a forensic
session is not to take immediate
action on the topic discussed.
Rather, as was the case with the
General Education requirements,
“They just brought it up to talk
about it,” said Mike Chiteman,
head of the Department of
Undergraduate Studies.
According to Dr. John Burke,
associate provost and senior
associate dean, “They were just
airing it out, 1 guess is the best
way to say it.”
“There were two very
interesting issues brought up,”
said Provost and Dean Dr. John
Lilley. “The first is lowering
four year programs to a
minimum of 120 credits and five
year programs to a minimum of
150 credits. The second, is
reducing the number of credits in
the gen ed package.”
Chiteman said, “A
recommendation was put forth to
lower Gen Ed requirements about
ten credits, from 46 to 36.”
These suggestions were
brought forth due to a survey
conducted by the working group.
The working group concluded
that “it is obvious that in the
semester system significantly
larger numbers of students do not
graduate in four years.”
They also stated that “it is
clear that general education has
become part of the credit problem
the University now faces, as it
grew from ten credits to 37 to 43
to 46 in its various iterations.”
In its proposal, the working
group not only recommended that
we lessen the amount of general
education credits, but they also
recommended a specific change in
most general education courses.
The communications section,
which consists of English 15 or
English 30, English 202 and
Speech Communication 100,
would remain the same.
ESACT and Health Education
courses could by decided by
individual colleges, but would
not be considered part of the
General Education courses.
The working group
recommended that each College
choose two to three courses that
count toward General Education,
but not the student’s major.
They also recommended a hand
full of quantification courses.
“We recommend especially the
creation of interdisciplinary
courses in ‘Civilizations’, that is,
core courses to be offered in
American, Western, Asian, and
African Civilizations,” said the
working group.
Lastly, they recommended
“Contemporary Topics” courses
in Natural Sciences and Social
and Behavioral Sciences.
Dean Lilley said, “I thought
they suggested some interesting
new requirements. I thought that
the ‘Contemporary Topics’ and
the ‘Civilization’ courses were
interesting proposals.”
Dean Lilley also said, “I
thought we should go back to the
120 minimum for the four year
program.”
Dr. Burke added, “1 would like
to see more coherence, more
integration in the courses.”
Of the 100 people that were at
the Senate meeting, roughly ten
people spoke on the issue. Most
of those people spoke against the
proposal.
Dr. Burke continued, “I don’t
know what will happen as far as
the vote is concerned.”
According to Dean Lilley, “It
is premature to say what the
Senate will vote.”
It is important to remember
that this meeting was just a
forensic session. As Chiteman
put it, “It was just a beginning
discussion. Don’t start not
taking your gen ed courses.”
HUH? What’s this? Snow already? Mother nature has dumped much
snow on Northwestern Pennsylvania since early Wednesday morning.
Behrend’s students can look forward to more knee-deep snow in the
upcoming months. Today’s Forcast: Snow storms and squalls tapering
to flurries. High in the mid 30s. West winds 10-15 mph. Chance of Snow
is 80%. Tonight: Mostly cloudy, lows in the upper 20s.
Students take stand
against cuts in state
aid for colleges
Petition is available for signature til December 1
by Doreen Foutz
Collegian Staff
“Since 1990, the state appropriation to Penn
State University has fallen 87 million dollars
below the University’s requests. The deficit has
been made up in tuition increases,” said John
Butler, a Behrend Student Government Association
senator.
Butler is heading up the petition at Behrend in
protest of the Pennsylvania legislature’s continued
cuts in funding for public higher education. The
petition is currently in circulation at Behrend.
Posters on campus scream, “Stop the Raid on
Student Aid!” to encourage student involvement in
protesting the cuts.
Pennsylvania ranks 47th in overall funding for
public higher education among the 50 states. The
state government now plans more cuts for public
higher education. These decreases in state funding
lead to increases in tuition. “Pennsylvania has the
second highest tuition rates in the country behind
only Vermont,” said Butler.
Penn State is working in conjunction with the
University of Pittsburgh and Temple University to
achieve a goal of 50,000 signatures on the petition
protesting Pennsylvania cuts. The petition at
Behrend had 346 signatures, as of Wednesday
afternoon. SGA’s goal for Behrend is to have half
the student body sign the petition, about 1,600
signatures.
Penn State, with Pitt and Temple, is planning
a demonstration in Harrisburg. Scheduled for
February, the demonstration will also protest cuts.
"If Penn State students
don’t stick up for
themselves , no one else
is going to help ns."
-John Butler, SGA Senator
The petition is available for signatures til
December 1 and can be signed in the SGA office in
the Reed Building near the mailboxes. “The
signatures will be hand-delivered to Governor
Ridge’s desk in December while he’s working on
the budget,” Butler said.
“If Penn State students don’t stick up for
themselves, no one else is going to help us,” added
Butler.
Photo by Joe Sliler/Photo Edtor