Letter from the Committee Chair

GREETINGS FROM THE CHAIR

Revise General Education?! ?!  The phrase evokes responses too numerous to list.  Ranging from doubt, anger and resistance to enthusiasm, excitement and hope, my reactions run the gamut and may differ little from yours. These thoughts and feelings are almost as great today as they were in early summer, when “revise gen ed” appeared among the many ideas percolating through the SWOT analysis of the Academic Priorities Work Group (AWPG). On that morning in June, with no vision of myself as leader of the faculty group assuming responsibility for this charge, I nonetheless began to visualize both the possibilities and the hurdles associated with envisioning and implementing such curricular changes. Both an optimist and a pragmatist, I experienced something of blurred vision when trying to focus on this opportunity!

Now, with a team of faculty members and students (several of whom served on the AWPG) on board, we seek your involvement as we begin this daunting endeavor. With student learning always the focal point, the Task Force asks that you begin considering what might be done to improve our general education program.

In the coming weeks the Task Force will be creating opportunities to talk with you, to hear your questions and concerns, and to gather your initial thoughts about the process. In the meantime, feel free to send any more immediate thoughts to me or to anyone on the committee. We look forward to working with you.

Sincerely,

Etta Madden Professor of English & Chair, Task Force on General Education