Saint Mary's College General Education

The Committee was welcomed to a meeting of the Student Academic Council. The following is a summary of that meeting.

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The Committee began by asking the students what they thought the goals of the College’s general education requirement were. Student responses were as follows:

1. The general education courses make one well rounded.
2. They provide a taste of areas that you would not have taken on your own.
3. They generate interest in an eventual major.
4. They allow connections to be seen between disciplines, which is a good skill for after college.
5. The different courses help you know your own major better.

Students were then asked about the particular requirements that Saint Mary’s has. Some wondered why we require only one semester of math. Others suggested that we require some study in geography (which elementary education teachers have to know). Some asked for courses in financial literacy (or doing one’s taxes) that take one beyond college. Some asked about 300-level introductory classes or 1-credit classes (perhaps in finance, diversity, etc.). One student who had transferred into Saint Mary’s said she had more freedom in what to count for general education in her previous institution and that she wanted to take more challenging courses as a junior or senior. There should be an option to count higher-level classes for general education. Many students commented on problems scheduling all of their classes. One asked for something to prepare for the GRE. Many commented on the role advising plays in working out a successful general education program. Diversity across campus in the general education program was considered a strong value. General education also needs to be better articulated for transfer students.

What about the prospect of general education courses that could count for one’s major? It was noted in response that this might be hard to do with a double major.
The students were next asked how they’d respond to whether change really was needed in the general education program? The program as it is is regarded as beneficial, but small changes can make it better. Women’s Studies should perhaps be a general education requirement, but it wasn’t clear what (if anything) should be deleted from the current requirements in exchange.

What about a first-year seminar? One student said that was a great idea and would be a helpful transition to college. Another suggested combining a first-year seminar with a W course. Tandem courses were also seen as a strength.

What about an interdisciplinary minor? Students also generally saw that as a good idea. They allowed a kind of ‘tandem across time.’ Such a set-up would make it easier to make connections across one’s courses. Others wondered how students would select their particular interdisciplinary minor and what would happen if students switched majors (and subsequently switched interdisciplinary minors). Also, if students had to take a number of their courses around one subject, there was a concern that they would lose a strength of general education as it exists right now.

What about service learning or an intercultural requirement? Diversity dialogues or race circles was held up as a model for doing this. The LGBQ course should also count as a diversity requirement. Perhaps study abroad could count as a general education component. Some students voiced support for a service requirement, especially if it were not in one’s major discipline.

A member of the committee then asked what in the students’ general education helped them mature academically? One student responded that working in terms signaled academic maturity. You’re saying that I can’t do something all by myself, but that I know where to go for resources. Other students said that the major is where one gets social and intellectual maturity because you have to learn to depend on each other. Also, having upperclasswomen in classes helps intellectual maturity.

Another member of the committee asked when students began to value their general education classes? There was a variety of responses to this, but many put this point rather early in their college careers. Others spoke about how their perceptions about general education changed when they saw those classes applying to their major, or when they noticed how well rounded they were becoming.

Did the students know how Saint Mary’s in our written statements about general education described the rationale for it? No one did. There was a sense, though, that it was important for the student herself to take ownership of what she got out of general education rather than conform to someone else’s expectation of what she was supposed to get out of it.

Finally, the committee asked if the students had any questions for us. Some asked about more tandems and emphasized the importance of going through that experience as a group. Another student turned the question back to the committee and asked what we wanted to see changed about general education. Some responses:

1. If the rationale for general education is better articulated, it would make advising better.
2. Service learning, life-skills, diversity component.
3. General education should be exciting. The more ‘tandemy’ things, the better. General education should provide life resources and should allow students to learn how to find joy in life.
4. General education should allow for flexibility and variety in one’s courses.