About the General Education Restructure Task Force
In response to calls that general education at East Tennessee State University should be reviewed and revised as needed, Provost Kimberly D. McCorkle convened a Task Force in Fall 2022. The task force spent approximately 15 months engaging in review, proposing a redesign to general education (to be called Compass), soliciting feedback from faculty and other university constituents, and reviewing feedback and modifying the proposal as warranted.
On January 26, 2024, the task force presented its final recommendation report to the Provost and President. The task force recommends revising general education at ETSU and includes vision and purpose statements for general education, a move away from a distribution (or “checklist”) approach to a competency approach, integration of high-impact practices, inclusion of a critical thinking course, and increased student choice.
Why This Matters
ETSU is committed to improving the quality of life for the people of our region and beyond and does so by preparing our students for life, careers, and citizenship. The imperative for a redesign of general education is evident, driven by the pivotal role it plays in a student's academic journey.
As the Task Force noted in their final report, “One-third of a student’s credit hours are used to satisfy general education requirements. Thus, improving the relevance, coherence, and value of general education will have a significant and positive impact on students’ overall college experience.”
They continued, “Through judicious redesign, general education at ETSU can help convince potential students that ETSU should be their university of choice, improve the educational experience of all students, and empower students to succeed professionally and thrive on their journey of lifelong learning.”
Guiding Principles
The following principles guided the work of the Task Force:
- do what is best for student learning;
- provide students with greater flexibility and choice; and
- maintain appropriate academic rigor in the general education program to meet student needs for the 21st century.
Timeline and Next Steps
Fall 2022: General Education Redesign Task Force convened
Spring 2023: Task Force decides to adopt a competency-based approach
March 2023: Draft of statement of Task Force’s general vision statement is shared with campus; public comment invited
Spring and Summer 2023: Task Force meets every week
April 14, 2023: Task Force holds a Town Hall meeting to discuss work done to date
Spring 2023: Task Force solicits public comments on Learning Outcomes
Summer 2023: Task Force hones the competencies and learning objectives for general education that were presented at the spring Town Hall and put out for public comment. The Task Force reviewed dozens of models of General Education curricula and engaged in a thorough process of curriculum design as a group.
Fall 2023: Task force begins sharing the draft curriculum proposal with stakeholders across campus to gather additional feedback
December 8, 2023: Task Force holds Town Hall meeting to provide updated proposal and recommendations
December 11, 2023 - January 8, 2024: An online forum for public comments is open
January 26, 2024: President and Provost receive final report of the Task Force.
February 2, 2024: final report shared with campus
Week of February 5, 2024:
- President and Provost to review the proposed model and prepare draft plan for review by campus governance boards
February 8, 2024: Plan to be presented to Academic Council
February 12, 2024: Plan to be presented to University Council
Week of February 16, 2024: Draft plan to be presented to the ETSU Board of Trustees for approval
Fall 2024: General Education Plan to be implemented
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Past Updates
December 2023 Update
The task force held a Town Hall on December 8th. A slightly modified version of the slide deck from that event can be found here. A recording of the meeting can be found here. The task force welcomes all feedback.
Please note that the final slides in the presentation list the proposed learning outcomes for the new categories and subcategories. Very similar lists of learning outcomes were shared with campus in the spring, and then revised in light of comments. At that stage, we were not aligning particular outcomes with particular categories. We would therefore welcome feedback concerning the suitability of the learning outcomes for the new categories.
The requests for comments page will remain open until January 8th. The task force will submit its final report by the end of January.
August 2023 Update
After reviewing current best practices in General Education redesign and examining exemplar models from other universities, the Task Force determined that identifying a common purpose and set of outcomes for General Education was essential for creating a cohesive General Education curriculum.
The Task Force sought input from faculty, staff, and students in the process of creating clear statements concerning first the purpose of General Education, and then the competencies and learning outcomes that General Education should instill. The General Education Task Force appreciates all the feedback it received. The Task Force reviewed each comment, reflected on them carefully, discussed them during meetings, and made changes to those guiding principles where appropriate.
With competencies and learning outcomes in hand, during Summer 2023 the Task Force reviewed dozens of General Education curricula from among peer institutions as well as from several institutions that have received national attention for the quality of their general education programming. This research provided a platform for each member of the Task Force to devise their own General Education curriculum for ETSU, which would reflect the strengths of our institution as well as incorporate best practices.
From these multiple proposals, the Task Force identified common themes, discussed perceived strengths, and gradually honed in on a proposal for General Education at ETSU of which they hoped everyone would feel proud. During late Summer they began sharing the proposal with offices across campus, from whom they received encouragement and support. The slides from that presentation are now available.
The biggest priority for the Task Force for the upcoming weeks is to solicit more comments and feedback from across the ETSU community. They will be reaching out to departments, colleges, and other stakeholders so they can share with them the details of the proposal. They are keen to hear all ideas concerning unintended consequences, overlooked opportunities, or potential obstacles to success. Simultaneously, the Task Force is in the process of creating several subcommittees to continue developing key aspects of the proposal.
To share feedback about the General Education Redesign, please contact Dr. Sharon McGee or Dr. David Harker.