2.C.1-3
General Education, a Major Revision
One of the required adjustments for the college in preparing for baccalaureate
degrees was a revision in the general education program. General education needed
to support both the traditional associate degrees (AA, AS, AAS) and the new
baccalaureate degrees (BA, BAS). The revision was completed and has resulted
in much stronger courses and programs across the curriculum, and has been a
catalyst for new perspectives on teaching for many of the faculty.
History of the revision. Prior to revising the general education
program, there was a tired, old “core curriculum” of lower-division
course work for associate degrees. It was a list of various discipline categories,
within which each department put in every course they could to make it “count”
(Exhibit 2.15). Many courses on the “list” had not been taught for
years. With support from the administration, the faculty formed an ad hoc General
Education Committee (GEC) in 1998 to evaluate the old program and recommend
changes. The original GEC was composed of 12 faculty members representing all
of the disciplines; this was almost a third of the entire faculty at the time.
The focus of the old general education program had been very
discipline-specific, and with no stated objectives. The first accomplishment
of the GEC was to draft a set of college-wide general education objectives.
These came under the headings of Communications, Critical Thinking, Personal
and Cultural Awareness, Technology, and Personal Wellness. (See GBC General
Catalog 2002-2003, page 48, for further definition of general education objectives.)
The former program was evaluated in light of these objectives. It was revealed
that many of the objectives were being met in specific courses, but some were
not being met, and some could be missed by students depending on their personal
course selection.
Dr. John Hinni, a nationally recognized authority on general
education, was brought to GBC to meet with the faculty and discuss general education
goals and methods of meeting them. Dr. Hinni is a strong proponent of the “infusion”
method: include all general education objectives in all general education courses
across the disciplines, at least to some degree. After debate, it was decided
by the faculty that this method could have benefits to students, but would require
significant curriculum revision. This approach was adopted by the faculty, and
is now referred to as being our “integrative” general education
program. The new program requirements are shown on p.49 of the General Catalog.
The New Program
Lower division. As part of the new lower-division general education program
for AA and AS degrees, disciplines may now have no more than two courses within
any general education category (e.g., psychology and sociology may not list
more than two courses each within the “social sciences” area). Those
courses that disciplines wish to have apply to general education must go through
an application process and be approved by the GEC and Faculty Senate. Courses
are submitted for approval by the departments with consideration for student
transfer implications. The application process for each class includes a syllabus
with written substantiation that all general education objectives are being
met, and the degree to which they are incorporated into the course (Exhibit
2.16, general education syllabus analysis form). All lower-division general
education courses must also include at least one significant written or oral
presentation. A result from the new program is that GBC now offers fewer individual
courses covering general education requirements, but they now have criteria
for ensuring a higher quality. This has the benefit for a small college of funneling
more students through fewer courses, increasing both the quality and efficiency
of teaching. In the future, all general education courses will be subject to
a review process on a three year rotating basis.
There was not significant revision of the general education
requirements for the AAS degrees. There was some repackaging of how courses
were put into the general education matrix. A significant impact was reaffirmation
of the level of composition and math that must be maintained for these degrees.
In the years previous to the revision, there had been some slipping of the rigor
of math required, and a lack of enforcement of the prerequisites for both math
and English. An additional benefit is that courses accepted for AA and AS degrees
may also be used in AAS degrees, and those will reflect the new integrative
objectives. The Associate of General Studies degree has been de-emphasized in
the new program.
Upper division. In revising the general education program, the
GBC faculty decided that general education should not stop at the end of the
second year. Also, faculty were preparing for the likelihood of students from
diverse educational backgrounds transferring into GBC, and wanted a means of
assuring their exposure to GBC’s educational objectives. In addition to
the lower-division requirements, a GBC bachelor degree includes a speech course
(though it is a lower-division course), a senior level departmental capstone,
and a selection of upper-division integrative seminars. The seminars are within
the areas of mathematics, science, social science, and humanities. These courses
integrate the same general education objectives as do lower-division courses,
but also provide integration within the disciplines they cover. All upper-division
general education courses require at least two significant written or oral presentations.
BAS requirements. The design of the Bachelor of Applied Science called for a
serious reconsideration of the general education requirements. This was a contentious
issue among some faculty. A major problem is that AAS degrees have minimal general
education requirements in favor of courses emphasizing job skills. GBC was under
a Board of Regents mandate that the BAS could not be a packaging of two associate
degrees together (i.e., just adding lower-division general education to a lower-division
AAS degree). To address this problem, upper-division composition (ENG 333),
computation (AMS 310), and ethics (ECON 311) general education courses were
designed for the BAS program. These courses are required to incorporate the
spectrum of general education objectives, and include a greater communications
component than lower-division courses. The program also requires all four Integrative
Seminars be taken, but with the upper-division composition and computation courses
(ENG 333 and AMS 310) as prerequisites. The BAS has essentially become an “inverted”
program, with major-specific courses taken in the lower division, and more general
education in the upper division. A significant difference is that much of the
general education in the upper division is coming through the integrative seminars,
which are delivered with a higher level of expectation than the lower-division
general education requirements.
Assessment. As mentioned in the previous section, planning for the long-term
assessment of the general education program is underway. A successful assessment
program will be an excellent and necessary complement to the work that has gone
into the general ed revision. A full implementation of the electronic portfolio
for general education will be a major achievement.
The process of drastically revising the general education program was successful,
and was completed in only 18 months — “warp speed” for such
a sweeping reform. There are two main reasons for the speed at which this occurred.
First, if GBC wanted the first bachelor degree program to begin on the target
date, the general education format had to be in place. Second, the integrative
format of the program was easily accepted at GBC because of the small number
and close association of all the faculty at this institution. Since many instructors
already were teaching within more than one discipline, it was relatively easy
to be able to make required cross-curriculum connections. Departmental territorial
boundaries at GBC are not as fortified as at many colleges.
Although it is still early to fully assess the results of the changes, obvious
positive impacts have resulted from the new general education program. Faculty
have been forced to re-evaluate their course-work and how they present it. It
has sometimes been painful as they have had to acquire new ways of thinking
and new material for courses. The syllabi for general education courses have
been changed. Faculty generally agree that students respond with more enthusiasm
to the integrative format of the courses. Students can now generally find something
that they can relate to in every class, not just the ones in their area of interest.
The interconnections provide continuity through the entire general education
program.
The integrative general education format at GBC has been so well received by
faculty and students as to become almost a theme at the college. Many faculty
are incorporating broader perspectives into courses outside of those on the
general education “list,” feeling that they are adding more relevance
to the courses for the students. The newest bachelor degree (BA in Integrative
and Professional Studies) has adopted the term “integrative” into
its title, reflecting the early success of the integrative approach to teaching.
2.C.4
Transfer and acceptance of credit. As stated in the catalog, students who would
like to have credits from other accredited institutions transferred to GBC must
have an official transcript sent directly to the Admissions and Records Office.
Credit is then evaluated for equivalency by the Admissions and Records Office
and by the appropriate faculty. If the course to be transferred has been transferred
previously for other students, it is automatically transferred to GBC. However,
if the course is new to the transfer process, faculty is consulted; course descriptions
and syllabi are reviewed by the Faculty Senate Academic Standards Committee
before the course is formally transferred.
The transfer of upper-division credit is evaluated once a student is formally
accepted into a baccalaureate degree program. The lead faculty for the programs
review and approve the courses for transfer. Frequently the issue of upper-division
course transfer is reviewed and discussed in the respective baccalaureate degree
committees.
Great Basin College has transfer agreements with the University of Nevada, Reno,
and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. The Transfer Agreement publication
(Exhibit 2.17) is a very useful tool for counselors advising students who plan
to continue their education at one of the two universities in Nevada. The “major-to-major”
agreements were published in 1995-96, and since then transfer advising has become
much easier and, most important, students are much less likely to lose time,
money, and patience by taking the wrong courses.
See Exhibit 2.18 for a sample transcript and a sample “Report on Acquiring
a Degree” (RAD).
2.C.5
Academic Advising.
A variety of approaches are used at GBC to encourage students to seek and use
academic advisement and career counseling.
A full-time professional career counselor is on staff to provide individual
career counseling services and transfer assistance for the Elko campus, with
a half-time academic adviser available on both the Ely and Winnemucca campuses.
Exhibit 2.19 is a report on the advising activities of the Elko counselor. The
director of the Career Center provides considerable academic advising as well,
particularly for students receiving funds through GBC’s Student Financial
Services.
Each department has identified faculty advisors (Exhibit 2.20). Upon applying
to GBC, students are sent a welcoming letter with the name of their adviser,
urging them to contact the adviser. Advisers are assigned based on the student’s
declared major; if they have not declared a major, an attempt is made to assign
a faculty member who may “fit” with the types of courses the student
is taking. Or the student is directed to GBC counselors, who can help the student
decide on a course of study. Faculty are not always aware of who their advisees
are, and rely on the student to make the contact. (See Exhibit 2.21 for sample
counseler’s advisement form.)
Each semester, before classes begin, one full day is set aside for “arena”
advising. Students are encouraged to meet with a faculty adviser and then register
for courses. Students who participate in the orientation course are required
to meet with their faculty adviser as a part of the course. In the GBC catalog,
in the class schedule, and in an admission letter, students are informed of
the importance of contacting an adviser prior to registration and provided with
instructions as to how to determine who their advisor is, if the student is
uncertain. A student can always change advisers if he or she changes their educational
goal or if for any other reason, the student decides there is someone else he
or she would prefer.
GBC has career counseling services and a state-of-the-art Career Center. The
computerized career center is a six-computer facility that also houses a career
materials library. Students may, at no cost, use the Career Center to explore
the Choices CT program, a comprehensive career exploration program, or use the
Nevada Career Information System (NCIS) to search Nevada-specific data. For
a small fee, students may also take either the Myers Briggs Type Indicator or
Strong Interest Inventory. In addition, they may use the Internet to search
for jobs, use software programs to compose a resume, draft a cover letter, or
research academic institutions.
Academic advising works well for baccalaureate degree students, nursing students,
and technical arts students. It does not work as well for students with undeclared
majors or for those who simply don’t take the initiative to seek advisement.
In recent years, registration by telephone and now by Internet further complicate
the problem of advising in an open enrollment institution.
2.C.6 Developmental and remedial work. In keeping with an important aspect of
the GBC mission—to give individual attention to students and to help them
develop critical thinking, problem-solving, communication, analytical, and self-directed
learning skills—both the English Department and the Mathematics Department
have expanded and improved developmental courses. A student is referred to these
classes based on the results of the Accuplacer(r) placement test, which includes
a writing sample. This placement testing is required of all students before
enrollment in English and mathematics courses, although placement may also be
made by ACT and SAT scores. The English Department offers Basic Writing and
Effective Writing (English 093 and 095, respectively) as prerequisites to Composition
I or Technical Writing I. The Mathematics Department also offers a sequence
of courses designed to remediate underprepared students. Coursework in these
developmental areas may involve two semesters of study for a GBC student, but
the developmental student is not prohibited from study in other content areas.
(See General Catalog 2002-2003, pp. 13, 16-17, on developmental course placement
policy and procedures.)
Distinctions between degree and non-degree information are clearly stated in
the Catalog (p. 93) through the use of “B, C, and Z” indicators
after course numbers. Courses are distinguished in the same manner in the class
schedules each semester.
For many years, tutoring services for writing and mathematics were funded through
federal and state grants. Four years ago, the College took over the funding
and significantly expanded the services to students. The Writing Center, located
in McMullen Hall, gained a full-time faculty as its director, and she has facilitated
a wide range of improvements: increasing the number of available class sections,
expanding the physical space, mentoring adjunct faculty, improving the consistency
of developmental content across the wide service area, and providing a strong
cohort of tutors. The online student has access to online tutorial service.
The technology of the Writing Center has also been significantly improved as
it houses about 20 computers in a setting where tutors are available on a regular
schedule, well into evening hours. Tutoring across the curriculum is a challenge,
but the focus of strong writing skills allows students in all content areas
to obtain feedback on any writing project.
Similarly, the Mathematics Department in Elko now has a separate, dedicated
lab—the Mathematics Resource Center in Lundberg Hall—supervised
by a veteran math faculty member with a cadre of experienced tutors. It is open
to students 35-40 hours a week. Most of the students served are enrolled in
developmental courses, including students who are taking an online developmental
math course and using the computers in the lab for their work. The lab is now
open to science students as well; tutors have worked with physics and astronomy
students. The participation for the past five semesters is given in the table
below. The large increase in participation in Spring 2002 occurred when the
tutors moved into their current room after being located in various sites around
campus, none dedicated specifically to math/science tutoring.
