Faculty Senate, Fort Lewis College

17 October 2012

Matter for Action:

Approval of a strategy for achieving compliance with state-mandated general education requirements

MOVED, The Faculty Senate of Fort Lewis College recommends that Fort Lewis College’s general education program be brought into compliance with state law by removing the current EGC course requirement resulting in a 39-cr general education program.

Explanation: In a faculty-wide referendum, the majority (56%) of the faculty who voted indicated that their preference for bringing Fort Lewis College into compliance with the state-mandated 40-credit general education policies was to do so by eliminating the required upper division Education for Global Citizenship component of the general education program.

Faculty Senate, Fort Lewis College

17 October 2012

Matter for Action:

Approval of a reduction in the number of upper division credits required for graduation

MOVED, The Faculty Senate of Fort Lewis College recommends that the current upper division graduation requirement of 45 credits be reduced to 36 credits to reflect the removal of the upper division EGC requirement (8 credits) and to better facilitate timely student graduation rates.

Explanation: The current upper division graduation requirement of 45 credits is predicated partially on the required eight credits of upper division EGC courses, which the faculty has now voted to remove. Leaving the requirement at 45 credits will, as a result, make it more difficult for students to graduate. Changing the requirement to 36 credits is prudent for the following reasons:

  1. It is a number divisible by 4-credits. The current number is not divisible by 4-credits, resulting in students having to take an extra course to meet requirements.
  2. It is a number also divisible by 3-credits. Should the FLC curriculum be reduced from a primarily 4-credit model to a 3-credit model in the future, this particular requirement will not have to be changed again.
  3. This 9-credit reduction facilitates the removal of the upper division EGC requirement recently voted in by the faculty and the faculty senate. This reduction is probably necessary to ensure that students can continue to meet graduation requirements.
  4. Whereas 45 credits is the highest in the state, 36 credits is more in line with other state institutions.