CHAPTER 7 ACADEMIC PROGRAMS AND CURRICULUM
SECTION 6: UWSP GENERAL EDUCATION PROGRAM OVERVIEW
(To see who has authority to approve changes to this section, please see the Approval of Changes page).
Mission Statement
The General Education Program (GEP) provides the framework of a liberal education, equipping students with the knowledge and skills to facilitate intellectual and personal growth, pursue their advanced studies, and improve the world in which they live.
At UW-Stevens Point (UWSP), we believe that a liberal education is essential to living in today’s global society. We also believe that global citizenship must begin at home with individuals learning to see the world from perspectives other than their own. Some of these perspectives are cultural and develop from the study of other languages, ethnicities, and beliefs. Some perspectives come from honing new intellectual skills, by learning math and science, for example, or cultivating an understanding of the past and an appreciation of the arts and literature. And some perspectives are the products of unique experiences such as getting involved in a community or studying abroad.
Ultimately, the more students are encouraged to step outside their familiar habits and beliefs, the more they gain the wisdom to see connections between themselves and the world around them, the generosity to empathize with the differences they encounter, and the willingness to place their newfound abilities in the service of a larger community. In this way, a liberal education at UWSP prepares students to be responsible global citizens.
GEP Learning Outcomes
The GEP seeks to develop these qualities of global citizenship in four distinct ways. After completing the general education curriculum, students will:
• Demonstrate critical thinking, quantitative, and communication skills necessary to succeed in a rapidly changing global society.
• Demonstrate broad knowledge of the physical, social, and cultural worlds as well as the methods by which this knowledge is produced.
• Recognize that responsible global citizenship involves personal accountability, social equity, and environmental sustainability.
Model & Relationship to Degree Types
The GEP applies to all Baccalaureate degree types. See the Degree Types section of the Catalog.
Procedure for Waivers and Substitutions for GEP Requirements
A request for a waiver of substitution for a GEP requirement should begin during a meeting of the student with his/her advisor. Such a request should not be regarded as routine but made in response to a specific situation faced by the individual student-typically, as a remedy when fulfilling the requirement through ordinary means would delay the student’s imminent graduation. A statement explaining why the student and advisor believe the waiver/substitution is justified must be part of the request.
The Authorization to Adjust GEP Requirements eform is generated by a student's advisor, and then submitted to the Associate Dean of University College for consideration.
In a doubtful case, the Associate Dean will contact the Dean, Chair, advisor, and/or instructor of the course before deciding to approve or deny the request.
The completed eform will then be submitted to the Office of the Registrar and a copy sent to the chair or head of t he department or equivalent unit of the student's major.
Notes:
• Waivers or substitutions under the 2014 to 2020 GEP requirements that are embedded in the major (Capstone and Communication in the Major requirements) are handled like any other exception for major requirements (typically, authorized by the department chair).
• Students under the pre-2014 general degree requirements (GDRs) should use the “Authorization to Adjust General Degree Requirements” form, which does not require Director of General Education approval.
• Transfer courses that have not been identified as equivalent to a specific UWSP course will be evaluated for GEP credit by the transfer credit admissions advisor in consultation with the Associate Dean of General Education and Honors.
Course Criteria
GENERAL CRITERIA
1. These criteria apply to the Foundational Skills and Dispositions, Human Cultures and the Sciences, Social and Environmental Responsibility levels of the GEP.
2. All courses to be considered for the GEP must be proposed by an academic department or functional equivalent.
3. All courses to be considered for the GEP must be approved by the General Education Committee through the submission of a course proposal. The proposal will typically include:
a. Basic course information, including course number, title, credits, and catalog description.
b. A representative course syllabus, including learning outcomes aligned with those of the GEP.
c. A narrative describing how student learning will be assessed.
4. All courses must address the approved learning outcomes in the category in which they are taught.
5. All courses will be taught by an instructor with teaching, research, or professional expertise in an appropriate area of study in order to satisfy the relevant learning outcomes in each category.
Criteria for instructor qualifications for teaching courses in the Quantitative Literacy category: A master’s degree, or 18 graduate credits, in one or more disciplines that feature mathematical applications or statistical analysis. Such disciplines include, but are not limited to, Mathematics, Statistics, Social Sciences, Life Sciences, and Physical Sciences.
Criteria for instructor qualifications for teaching courses in the Environmental Responsibility, United States Diversity, Global Awareness, and Wellness categories:
• Instructor holds a terminal degree or a master’s degree in a discipline or field appropriate to the GEP category of the course
or
• Instructor has completed some combination of 18 hours of graduate coursework, comprehensive examination work, and/or graduate thesis work on topic(s) relevant to the GEP category of the course
• Faculty seeking to teach in a General Education category for which they have not been previously approved must have their graduate school transcripts reviewed by the Associate Dean of General Education and Honors in order to determine if they are qualified as per the requirements of the Higher Learning Commission. The process is as follows:
o If the faculty member is determined to be qualified to teach in the requested category, the faculty member will submit the completed GEP Course Application to the General Education Committee chair.
o If the Associate Dean of General Education and Honors determines that the faculty member is not qualified to teach in the requested category, that faculty member can request a second review by the Associate Vice Chancellor for Teaching, Learning, and Strategic Planning, who will make a final determination as to whether the faculty member is qualified to teach in the General Education category in question.
6. No course in the Foundational Skills and Dispositions may satisfy more than one general education requirement. Courses in the Human Cultures and the Sciences category may be paired with one of the following categories: Global Awareness, U.S. Diversity, or Environmental Responsibility.
7. Courses that exceed the GEP credit requirements satisfy the requirement.
FOUNDATIONAL SKILLS AND DISPOSITIONS
Written Communication
1. The Written Communication outcomes will be satisfied by English 101: Freshman English and English 202: Sophomore English.
2. English 150: Advanced Freshman English may be substituted for English 101/202, with the appropriate placement.
3. English 101 should be taken during the student’s freshman year.
4. English 202 should be taken during the student’s sophomore year and will have a prerequisite of English 101.
5. Written Communication courses should have sufficiently small enrollments so that students will receive appropriate individual feedback.
Critical Thinking
1. Courses designated with the Critical Thinking GEP designation serve all students regardless of major; such courses should not presume academic or disciplinary preparation. Ordinarily, Critical Thinking courses, as with any General Education course, should not require prerequisites. Departments must provide a rationale when proposing General Education courses with prerequisites
2. All faculty and staff teaching Critical Thinking General Education courses must complete the Critical Thinking training overseen by the Director of UWSP’s Critical Thinking Center.
Quantitative Literacy
1. All Quantitative Literacy courses will have a prerequisite of Math 90 or higher.
Wellness
1. Wellness is a one-credit requirement that may be satisfied by a one-, two-, or three-credit course.
HUMAN CULTURES AND THE SCIENCES
1. All courses in Human Cultures and the Sciences should be designed to serve all students regardless of major; such courses do not presume academic or disciplinary preparation. Ordinarily, courses in Human Cultures and the Sciences will not have prerequisites beyond Foundational Skills and Dispositions. Departments must provide a rationale when proposing General Education courses with prerequisites.
2. A single course may not be designated for more than one Human Cultures and the Sciences category.
SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSIBILITY
1. Courses offered in this area can fulfill one other requirement in the General Education curriculum at the same time, but only in Human Cultures and the Sciences.
2. A single course may not be designated for more than one Social and Environmental Responsibility category.
GENERAL EDUCATION ASSESSMENT
The GEP Assessment Cycle
Assessment of student learning within the General Education Program (GEP) curriculum takes place on a six-year cycle. The first five years of the cycle are focused on courses in the three categories of the GEP. Based on these results, the sixth year of the Assessment Cycle is devoted to a comprehensive review of the General Education Program and Assessment Plan.
Year 1:
• Foundational Skills and Dispositions (Written Communication, Quantitative Literacy, Critical Thinking, and Wellness)
Year 2:
• Human Cultures and the Sciences I (Social Sciences, and Natural Sciences)
Year 3:
• Human Cultures and the Sciences II (Arts, Humanities, Historical Perspectives)
Year 4:
• Social and Environmental Responsibility (Environmental Responsibility, U.S. Diversity, Global Awareness)
Year 5:
• Double-Category courses
Year 6:
• Comprehensive Review of General Education Program and Assessment Plan
In addition, during each of the first five years of the GEP Assessment Cycle, information is gathered related to the three overarching General Education Program Outcomes:
1. Demonstrate critical thinking, quantitative and communication skill necessary to succeed in a rapidly changing global society.
2. Demonstrate broad knowledge of the physical, social, and cultural worlds as well as the methods by which this knowledge is produced.
3. Recognize that responsible global citizenship involves personal accountability, social equity, and environmental sustainability.
Role of the GEC in General Education Assessment
Oversight of assessment of the General Education Program is the responsibility of the General Education Committee (GEC) which will:
1. recommend policies and procedures for the General Education assessment to the Common Council;
2. facilitate the process by which General Education assessment data is gathered, evaluated, and communicated;
3. make recommendations to Common Council regarding improvements to the General Educational Program;
4. support instructional development and curricular improvements;
5. review and update the General Education assessment process regularly.
Role of Departments and Faculty in General Education Assessment
Departments are responsible for developing a plan to assess all courses bearing the GEP designation at least once during the cycle year corresponding to the GEP Level. The GEC and the Assessment Subcommittee (AS) are available to provide input on such a plan specifying in which semester and which section(s) will be assessed. The departments are granted latitude to determine a sufficient representative sample of sections in multi-section courses to adequately capture student achievement of the GEP learning outcomes.
Faculty members teaching designated General Education courses will be required to prepare a course portfolio containing the following components:
1. Course syllabus with a schedule of course assignments.
2. Explanation of alignment of the course learning outcomes (LOs) to each GEP Category LO.
3. Brief description of course learning activities targeting each GEP Category LO.
4. Description of assignment(s) used to assess each GEP Category LO.
5. Numeric assessment results, capturing student performance as exceeding, meeting, partially meeting, or not meeting expectations, and the number of students assessed for each GEP Category LO.
6. Interpretations of assessment results (analysis, summary, and the use of results) for each GEP Category LO. The explanation of the use of assessment results is vital for the closing of the assessment loop.
7. Samples of student work for featured LO(s) representing at least two distinct levels of performance such as exceeding, meeting, partially meeting, or not meeting expectations. For single-category GEP courses, one featured LO is required. For double-category GEP courses, two featured LOs are required (one for each category).
The General Education Assessment Process
The annual process of evaluating student learning within the General Education curriculum will have the following steps:
1. The General Education Committee will establish General Education Program peer assessment workgroups (GEP PAW) for each area of the curriculum being assessed during that year to review course portfolios. Each GEP PAW will include faculty selected by Colleges/Schools, members of the GEC, and the Assessment Coordinator.
2. Each academic year, the Assessment Coordinator with the Associate Dean of General Education and Honors will identify the number of PAW members needed based on the quantity of anticipated portfolios.
3. In the Spring semester, the Associate Dean of General Education and Honors will generate a report of each College/School’s combined student credit hours in all General Education courses. Those data will be used to determine the amount of representation from each College/School on the PAWS.
4. Prior to the Fall semester, College Deans will be required to submit the names of faculty who will take part in the GEP assessment process for that year.
5. Instructional academic staff are not required to participate in portfolio assessment.
6. Selected faculty will serve two consecutive semesters unless there are mitigating circumstances.
7. Instructors teaching courses in areas under review in the fall semester will prepare and submit course portfolios to the Assessment Coordinator by February 1. Instructors teaching courses in areas under review in the spring semester will prepare and submit course portfolios to the Assessment Coordinator by June 1, or the termination of the Spring contract period.
8. Each peer assessment workgroup will review course portfolios provided by the Assessment Coordinator and provide anonymous feedback to instructors using an established rubric.
9. The Assessment Coordinator will collaborate with the PAWs to aggregate findings from the course portfolios and prepare a report for the GEC by May 1. No information identifying instructors, students or specific courses shall be included in the report.
10. At the beginning of the next academic year, the GEC will report to the Common Council on its assessment of student learning, including any recommendations to improve the curriculum. The report must be submitted to the Common Council by November 1. This report will be shared with the Provost, the Deans, and the department/unit chairs. In addition, it will be posted online to be available to the campus community and others.
The Use of Assessment Results
Assessment results are intended for two purposes: 1) to provide feedback to individual instructors to assist in their efforts to improve student learning within their courses; and 2) to make judgments about the effectiveness of the GEP and to inform recommendations for its improvement. To achieve these aims, assessment results will be shared in the following manner:
1. Each instructor submitting a course portfolio will receive individual feedback from the assessment group, including an evaluation of the assessment method utilized in the course and recommendations for the improvement of student learning. This evaluation will include the rubric used by the Peer Assessment Workgroup (PAW) in forming its opinions.
2. Working in concert with the assessment group, the Assessment Coordinator will compile reports on student learning for the GEC, removing references to specific courses and instructors. The GEC’s final report will contain:
a. A summary of student attainment of the learning outcomes in the relevant General Education areas.
b. Recommendations based on these assessment results for the improvement of the General Education curriculum. These recommendations may include proposals for further action research projects related to particular courses, GEP categories, GE Program Outcomes, or specific groups of students.
3. The GEC will report annually to the Common Council sharing its evaluation and recommendations with the Provost, the Deans, and the department chairs or equivalent. The report will also be posted online to be available to the campus community and others.
4. In conjunction with the Associate Dean of General Education and Honors and the Assessment Coordinator, the GEC will work with various units on campus in order to provide professional development opportunities for faculty and staff. In this manner, the GEC will help to “close the loop” by allowing assessment of student learning lead to curricular and pedagogical improvements. Such professional development opportunities might include:
a. Workshops on effective assessment of student learning in the General Education curriculum.
b. Instructional development necessitated by Common Council-approved changes to the curriculum or learning outcomes.
c. Action research projects intended to provide further information on student learning within the curriculum.
Procedure in the event that, as a result of reviewing course portfolios, a course fails to meet the GEP category learning outcomes:
Step 1:
Instructor(s) and their department chair(s) or equivalent will be notified by the Assessment Coordinator that the course and/or the portfolio must be revised.
Step 2:
The instructor and/or department will revise the course/portfolio in consultation with CITL.
Step 3:
The course will be reevaluated by the Assessment Coordinator in the following academic year.
In the absence of satisfactory revisions after Step 3:
• The Associate Dean of General Education and Honors, the Associate Vice Chancellor for Teaching, Learning, and Strategic Planning, in consultation with the Chair of the GEC, will notify the department/unit that the GEP designation will be removed from the course prior to the next catalog publication.
• The department/unit has the option to re-apply for the GEP designation.
Removal of a Course from the General Education Program
Voluntary removal of a GEP designation
A GEP designation may be removed voluntarily by a department/academic unit due to curricular changes, personnel changes, or other priorities. The department/academic unit will submit a memorandum to the GEC Chair requesting that the GEP designation be removed from the course. This will be brought as an action item to the General Education Committee.
Removal of a GEP designation by the GEC
Under Article 12 of the Constitution, the General Education Committee has the authority to remove GEP designations from courses. A designation may be removed if:
1. A course fails to meet the GEP category learning outcomes during portfolio assessment. See previous section (In the absence of satisfactory revisions after Step 3).
2. The course has not been taught in 5 years. Prior to requesting that the GEC vote on the removal of the course, the Associate Dean of General Education and Honors will confirm with the department there are no plans to offer the course in the next academic year.
3. The instructor(s) teaching the course does (do) not have the relevant HLC-required credits to teach in that GEP category and another HLC qualified instructor cannot be identified.
The General Education Committee gives authority to the Associate Dean of General Education and Honors to apply the Governance-Approved Faculty Qualification documents and remove a course’s General Education designation if the instructor(s) teaching the course does (do) not have the relevant required credentials to teach in that GEP category. The Associate Dean of General Education will notify the Chair of the General Education Committee, the Associate Vice Chancellor for Teaching, Learning and Strategic Planning, as well as the relevant faculty member and the department chair of this decision. Appeals may be brought to the Associate Vice Chancellor for Teaching, Learning and Strategic Planning.