Section: Academics
General Studies Task Force holds town hall meetings Thursday to solicit feedback
Feb 3, 2010

The General Studies Task Force will hold two town hall meetings on Thursday, Feb. 4 to solicit feedback on its draft proposals that will form the basis for a revised General Studies Program. The meetings will be held in TIV 640 at 8:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.

Since its last town hall meetings in November, the task force has developed proposed student learning outcomes for each of its four proposed goals, and will be soliciting feedback on these draft outcomes at the meetings.

“Thursday’s town hall meetings are another opportunity for faculty and staff to read, discuss, debate and provide feedback to the task force so that we can revise the General Studies Program to be one that we can all support,” says School of Letters, Arts and Sciences Dean Joan Laura Foster.

Vote to be held this semester
The General Studies Task Force was charged in September with proposing a revised Metro State’s General Studies Program for a vote by full-time faculty this semester.The vote will precede a visit in the fall by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), the College’s accrediting body, to be focused on general studies. The HLC is requiring Metro State to redesign the General Studies Program with measurable student learning outcomes and greater cohesion.

According to Foster, representatives of both the task force and the Faculty Senate General Studies Committee have been attending departmental meetings to present the proposed goals and student learning outcomes. “The General Studies Committee has discussed the development of the proposed program at many Faculty Senate meetings,” Foster says. “The task force has discussed faculty’s ideas, questions and concerns and has modified the proposed student learning outcomes where appropriate.”

Foster says the task force is also developing Frequently Asked Questions/Frequently Voiced Concerns, to aid in communication.

“In addition to Thursday’s town hall meetings, we encourage faculty to discuss these proposals in your departmental meetings, in Faculty Senate and with members of the Faculty Senate General Studies Committee and the General Studies Task Force,” says Foster.