As part of Cal Poly’s five-year Strategic Plan, administration is revisiting its general education (GE) program and is asking for student input. Although administration is just beginning the process, changes to the curriculum will not take place until the 2020-2021 academic year. (Current students will not be affected.)
One of administration’s goals is allowing credits to transfer more easily for community college students. They also intend to create class clusters so that students can receive GE courses more focused on a specific subject, such as sustainability, rather than taking unrelated classes to fulfill GE requirements.
Another goal stated in the plan is to infuse diversity education throughout GE requirements.
“It’s really time to give the entire curriculum a review,” Associate Vice Provost Bruno Giberti said about the program, which was last updated approximately 20 years ago.
The university is considering requiring a second United States Cultural Pluralism class to reach their diversity education goals, according to psychology professor Gary Laver, who serves on the GE Governance Board. However, Laver said all ideas are still in their very early stages.
Students can take part in reviewing the Cal Poly GE program by submitting a statement of intent, which Associated Students, Inc. (ASI) President and political science junior Jasmin Fashami sent to students via email. Student submissions are due by Friday, Oct. 19.
Some students have already said they think the program can be improved.
“I don’t think it should be required for us to take the arts,” animal science sophomore Kiarah Gomard said. “I think people should take the ethnic studies classes — like, that should be a required thing.”
Student feedback is an opportunity to change Cal Poly for the better, ASI student representative on the GE Governance Board and environmental management and protection senior Mark Borges said.
“It’s a tremendous opportunity to make a difference,” Borges said. “How can we make a GE a memorable, engaging experience that is going to propel students in their majors?”
This article is part of a series highlighting areas of the Cal Poly Strategic Plan. There will be an open forum for students to give input Oct. 25 in Berg Hall (5-105). The Strategic Plan attempts to lay out the goals of Cal Poly’s campus for the next five years. The attempt to remake the GE curriculum is No. 14 on the list of 30 goals.