The Gatepost Editorial: What happened at the GenEd drawing board?

By The Gatepost Editorial Board

Last April, The Gatepost Editorial Board published “Proposed GenEd model uninspiring” in response to efforts made by the General Education Advisory Board (GEAB) to update the University’s General Education model.

By the end of the academic year, the proposed model had been withdrawn from the University Curriculum Committee (UCC) with the expectation that concerns would be heard by GEAB and revisions would be submitted. 

The Gatepost Editorial Board was pleased that the model was not approved and hoped to see a revision reflecting the values of the University, while offering robust general education to future students. 

A year later, a model that is essentially the same was resubmitted to UCC and unanimously approved earlier this April. 

After all of the open forums, committee meetings, community input, and a UCC that could not come to an agreement on the model, what prompted GEAB to submit a model so similar? 

While some recommendations from GEAB were beneficial to students, such as the removal of a laboratory requirement, which was done to allow students the freedom to explore the University’s course offerings, there is clearly something still missing from the GenEd remodel: flair. 

The exploratory model is inherently uninspiring and dull, and does not reflect the vibrancy of a liberal arts education at Framingham State. 

The idea that somehow telling students to “pick two” from each college on top of taking a RAMS 101, math, writing, and a foreign language course remains uninspiring. 

A way to combat this is to provide clear and engaging descriptions of the learning objectives in each area to effectively outline what skills students should be honing.

With all the freedom in the new model, it will be significantly more difficult for students to find classes that target skills more in line with their major studies, and subsequently, advisors will then be tasked with ensuring students are not overwhelmed by their choices. 

Students should feel empowered to take control of their education and make choices that will benefit their future. However, when seemingly countless options are laid out in front of them, it can easily fuel anxiety when selecting courses. The overabundance of choices may lead to requirements slipping through the cracks, and students may fall behind if graduation requirements go unnoticed or unchecked. 

While student autonomy and expression will always be at the forefront of what FSU should value, particularly in general education, GEAB failed to submit a model that reflects other values that are part of the Framingham State footprint. 

In earlier iterations of the model, educational “overlays” were included and reflected important areas of study in the areas of diversity, civic engagement, and technology. 

Each of these subject areas should have been a cornerstone of general education in this new model. 

They have now been separated from the model and must make their own way through governance to be included as University requirements. 

Framingham State is currently on its way to becoming a Hispanic-serving institution. We also have a rich population of BIPOC students who make up our student body. These voices, these stories, this history should be celebrated and recognized as a vital part of Framingham State’s identity and an integral part of GenEd. 

A diversity requirement should have been, without a doubt, included in the exploratory model, particularly to send students out into the world with an understanding and appreciation of different cultures.

College is also a time to develop your own opinions and explore the world outside of your childhood bubble. In the early stages of an FSU education - a time when most students will complete their GenEd requirements, requiring students to take a course in civic engagement would pop that bubble, furthering their free thinking in the way a college education should. 

It is particularly vital for students, especially those who are new to voting and the processes of government, to understand the importance of using their voices and developing wide-emcopassing viewpoints as well as learning how to live as civically engaged, ethical citizens. 

Framingham State is situated near some of the most influential companies in the world - companies that specialize in software development, e-commerce, and bioengineering, among other fields. 

Requiring students to take a course structured around technology could have ignited a passion for business, development, and cybersecurity - a passion that could have been further nurtured by the Colleges of STEM and Business. 

The world as we know it has greatly expanded as technology has advanced. Students now have the opportunity to explore a digital world and further their education more deeply than they ever could before. However, being exposed to this environment in an educational setting would have further advanced independent thinking and students' desire to explore and think critically. 

Each College offers a unique set of courses that will challenge students' intellect and foster a deep sense of desire for further exploration and learning. However, the answer to the question, “How do we give students freedom in GenEd?” was not, “Pick 6 courses from 3 colleges.”  

However, the University community now finds itself in the position to accept that this is the model that will be adopted in the near future. 

What is important now is for faculty members to review the model and make the necessary changes to how they advise students. Ensure your advisees remain on track for graduation. Make sure they are not overwhelmed by the amount of choice they have. Encourage them to review their DegreeWorks each semester. 

We are urging faculty to determine how to effectively include these three areas in their course offerings.