UCC votes to table GenEd proposal discussions

Sophia Harris / THE GATEPOST

By Emma Lyons Editorial Staff By Sophia Oppedisano Editorial Staff The University Curriculum Committee (UCC) voted to table the conversation about the proposed General Education (GenEd) model indefinitely at a meeting on April 25. UCC member Aline Davis, a biology professor, motioned to table the model after UCC member and English Professor Kristen Abbott Bennett referenced the “lengthy” agenda and backlog UCC is still looking to complete. Davis officially motioned to “postpone this matter indefinitely” because, she said, “It’s not going to get done.” Bennett seconded the motion. UCC Chair Michael Greenstein clarified this motion stipulates that all conversation will halt until UCC decides to pick it up again at a later date. At this time, the GenEd model will be sent back for review by the General Education Advisory Board (GEAB), Greenstein said. The motion passed 10-6. Prior to this motion, UCC revisited the conversation regarding keeping World Languages in the core requirements for the proposed GenEd model. World Languages Department Chair Emilce Alejandra Cordeiro and Spanish Professor Inés Vañó García said they felt “attacked” by the motion Vice President of Enrollment Management Iris Godes had made at a previous UCC meeting to remove World Languages from the core requirements. Cordeiro said she was “confused” by Godes’ motion because members of the administration had approached her at Accepted Students Day and voiced their support for language learning at the University. Godes maintained she believes world languages are positive for maintaining diversity but they harm enrollment. After further discussion, Davis elected to call the question, which is a non-debatable motion to stop the conversation on World Languages and immediately vote on the matter. The vote to call the question passed unanimously. Greenstein then asked the committee to “combine” this question with “the motion that was made last meeting that the core requirements be able to be met by courses from any department, provided the course meets the learning objectives,” he said. The committee voted on removing World Languages from the core. The motion failed 7-9. The committee then voted on allowing core requirements to be met by courses from any department. The motion passed 9-7. Greenstein moved to the next discussion regarding the wording of the requirement within the proposed GenEd model stating, “The general education distribution areas must be taken outside the student’s primary field of study.” He said his interpretation was that courses required for a student to complete their major don’t count as general education. He said this is a “problematic statement” because departments, such as Education, have required courses for students to take as GenEds. After discussion, Bennett motioned to keep the current language in GEAB’s proposal. Chemistry and Food Science Professor Vinay Mannam seconded the motion. The motion passed 13-2. Greenstein then moved on to revisit previous discussion from other meetings regarding the diversity requirements within the model. He listed issues that had come up in subcommittee meetings such as intellectual and linguistic diversity not being reflected in the current requirements, difficulties with determining subgoals of the requirements, the accessibility of the learning objectives, and thoughts that the diversity requirement should be allowed to be completed through major courses. Lynne clarified the log already reflected this requirement can be completed through courses in students’ majors. Davis added she would like for additional overlays of the model to maintain the parameters of the diversity overlay. “So, if through completion of the major stays for this one, it’s available for all of them [overlays], if we ever have any.” Greenstein called for a motion to change the language about diversity requirements in the proposed model. No motion was made.