Academic Senate
Santa Barbara Division

General Education Workgroup
Minutes of the Meeting of May 23, 2003

Members Present: H. Marcuse (Co-Chair, GE Workgroup; Chair cu (Co-Chair, GE Workgroup; Chair, Committee on Undergraduate Academic Programs and Policy), C. Michel (Co-Chair, GE Workgroup; Vice Chair, Undergraduate Council), D. Montello (L&S Executive Committee), H. Marcuse [who else was present?]

Others Present: D. Blake (Analyst, Undergraduate Council)

Claudine Michel reported on a meeting with L&S Executive Committee Chair Steve Weatherford. He felt that implementation of the proposed formal criteria might be premature in light of plans to revise curricular elements of the GE Program. There was discussion of the timing of the implementation of the criteria. Given that next year's General Catalog is already in press and is a binding contract, information therein must, of course, be adhered to during the implementation process.

The Committee on Undergraduate Academic Programs and Policy has discussed the line of authority for applying the criteria and will be consulting with the Committee on Rules, Jurisdiction and Elections in the near future.

New data is available as to the impact on enrollments that will result from implementation of the criteria.

There was discussion of the need for a petition process. All members present were in agreement that we should have one, but only a portion of the workgroup was in attendance.

We will meet with the divisional deans in the Fall to discuss proposed curricular changes to the GE Program. At next Friday's meeting the workgroup will finalize Co-Chair Harold Marcuse's summary to be sent to deans and departments for review over the summer.

There was discussion of the course data for the proposed interdisciplinary studies requirement. It was agreed that the data is still misleading. We have still not arrived at an appropriate definition. We need one that can to some degree be used as an enticement for faculty and departments to develop appropriate courses carrot. At a previous meeting, it was decided that once we have a definition, we can do a better study. It is now thought that by performing a detailed study, the definition will evolve. All workgroup members were encouraged to study the courses we currently offer to observe connections between core areas.

There was considerable discussion of timing issues involved with implementation of the criteria and the process for proposing the new GE Program.

Attest: Claudine Michel and Claudine Michel and Harold Marcuse