General Education Planning and Oversight Task Force

Reports and Resources

Reports

2014-2015

  • 042815 Revisions to General Education Curriculum
  • 012715 Revision to Goal Statement and Learning Objectives for General Education
  • 012715 Institutional Support and Resources for General Education

2013-2015

  • 102114 A Progress Report to the University Faculty Senate
  • 031814 A Progress Report to the University Faculty Senate
  • 102213 A Progress Report to the University Faculty Senate

Resources

Subcommittees

Assessment

Co-Chairs: Betty Harper; Norah Shultz

Charge
The Assessment Subcommittee will propose vehicles to assess student mastery of the Learning Objectives for General Education at Penn State. Specific responsibilities of the subcommittee will be to:

  • Propose specific Learning Objectives and identify feasible and meaningful instruments for the assessment of those objectives.
  • Benchmark against best practices across the CIC and AAU.
  • Develop a five-year plan for assessment of student learning.
  • Determine measures of student learning at all Penn State campuses that will function under the new structures developed by the GETF.
  • Outline realistic investments that will enable meaningful assessment.

Budget

Co-Chairs: Christopher Long; Rachel Smith

Charge
The Budget Subcommittee is responsible for evaluating the impact of the proposed General Education revisions on University, College, and Campus budgets to determine if revisions are both financially feasible and how they affect individual units and sub-units. Specific responsibilities of the Budget Subcommittee will be to:

    • Estimate the budgetary impact of specific GETF reform proposals by developing models and budget scenarios, and regularly report the results of these models and scenarios to ensure that decisions are fiscally responsible.
    • Conduct focus groups with a variety of unit and sub-unit administrators and financial officers to determine if the assumptions used in the models are correct and the model outputs are realistic.
    • Evaluate the cost of reforms across Colleges and Campuses to determine if any unit, including World Campus, is disproportionately affected in a negative way by the GETF reforms.
    • Suggest budget models that will address both the academic quality and cost-effectiveness of General Education at Penn State.

Communications and Transparency

Co-Chairs: Robb Frederick; Cynthia Lightfoot; Keith Shapiro

Charge
The Communication and Transparency Subcommittee will be responsible for engaging and educating university stakeholders and the wider public about General Education at Penn State and the general education reforms undertaken by the GETF and the Faculty Senate. The subcommittee will develop a communication strategy of engagement and education designed not simply to disseminate information about the general education curriculum, but also to educate stakeholders and the public about the value, importance and unique character of General Education at Penn State. To accomplish this strategy of engagement and education, the subcommittee will:

    • Facilitate discussions and town hall meetings with various stakeholders within the University, including students, faculty, advisors, administrators, and trustees at University Park, the Commonwealth Campuses, and the World Campus to solicit feedback about the general education revisions.
    • Coordinate with the GETF and its subcommittees to ensure reforms are responsive to the ideas and feedback from the wider university community.
    • Develop a coherent strategy of engagement and education for those outside the immediate university community with an interest in or influence over General Education at Penn State, including state and local politicians, alums, local and national press, and parents.
    • Create a General Education training program for faculty, advisors, and others who work directly with students and prospective students.
    • Ensure that incoming students have a clear understanding of the importance and value of General Education at Penn State.
    • Create a living and engaging web presence for General Education at Penn State that will serve as an ongoing space of dialogue, discussion, and engagement about academic and practical issues associated with General Education.
    • Develop a long-term social media strategy focused on General Education at Penn State designed to cultivate a robust and thoughtful community capable of advocating for the central importance of general education at Penn State.

Faculty and Staff

Co-Chairs: Nichola Gutgold, Patricia Koch, Jane Sutton

Charge
The Faculty and Staff Subcommittee will examine and report to the GETF on aspects of General Education curriculum revision that pertain to faculty and staff with instructional responsibilities, and especially to the feasibility of establishing a General Education Faculty. Specific responsibilities for the Faculty and Staff Subcommittee are to:

    • Define what a General Education Faculty is, determine the goals and objectives of such a faculty, justify the reasons for establishing this faculty, and provide examples of the value added to student outcomes and to the institution by this faculty.
    • Examine the advantages and disadvantages of a formal institutional structure for undergraduate education, including administrative responsibility for General Education Faculty and impacts on home unit administration, as well as the need for a physical home for General Education administration, meeting space, support staff, and other infrastructure.
    • Evaluate the degree of curricular autonomy and oversight that might be granted to General Education Faculty in formulating and managing the General Education curriculum.
    • Determine the criteria for eligibility in a General Education Faculty and the responsibilities of individual faculty members to a General Education Faculty and to their home units.
    • Appraise the impact of membership in a General Education Faculty on promotion, tenure, and salaries, and recommend changes to HR-23 Promotion and Tenure Procedures and Regulations and to associated administrative guidelines that would support and protect General Education Faculty members.
    • Examine potential differential impacts on University Park, Commonwealth Campus, and World Campus faculty resulting from General Education reform, focusing especially on workload, promotion and tenure, hiring, mentoring, and evaluating fixed-term and temporary faculty, and other impacts the Subcommittee may identify.
    • Explore opportunities to enhance the intercultural competence of General Education Faculty, thereby fostering a diverse and inclusive environment in General Education, and enabling the University to be more effective in recruiting and retaining students from underrepresented groups.

Logistics and Implementation

Co-Chairs: Martha Aynardi, Paula Milone-Nuzzo, Richard Robinett

Charge
The Logistics and Implementation Subcommittee will focus on making the implementation of the revised General Education plan as smooth as possible. To accomplish this goal, the responsibilities of the subcommittee are to:

    • Identify the key constituent groups that will be partners in implementing any General Education revisions, and are most likely to be affected by any changes. Groups include but are not limited to the:
      • University Registrar
      • LionPATH team
      • DUS and academic advisers
      • University admissions
      • New Student Orientation
      • University Faculty Senate Committee on Curricular Affairs
      • Leadership from each UP college and each Commonwealth Campus
      • University libraries
    • Develop and carry out a process to work directly with all key constituent groups to identify likely implementation challenges, options, and opportunities.
    • Recommend actions to eliminate, decrease, or avoid challenges, to select the most efficient, effective, and cost-effective options, and to take advantage of opportunities presented by General Education revision.

Student Opportunities and Constraints

Co-Chairs: Patrick Tanner; Ann Taylor

Charge
The Student Opportunities and Constraints Subcommittee will identify opportunities and constraints for students presented by a revised General Education curriculum. Specific responsibilities of the subcommittee will be to:

    • Determine potential opportunities and challenges produced by General Education revision for students as recognized by advisors, and suggest possible strategies for addressing these opportunities and challenges.
    • Conduct a series of focus groups to elicit student perceptions of opportunities and challenges on the new General Education framework, including but not limited to the following student populations:
      • University Park and Commonwealth Campus students
      • Residential and non-residential students
      • World Campus students
      • Adult learners
      • Transfer students
      • International students
    • Create a master list of opportunities and challenges as recognized by advisors and perceived by students, and create a set of recommendations to address these challenges and take advantage of these opportunities.

Themes and Explorations

Co-Chairs: Robin Bower; Rob Crane; Caroline Eckhardt

Charge
The Themes and Explorations Subcommittee will develop the foundations of the themes and explorations components of General Education to the GETF and, should these components become part of a revised General Education, will establish the criteria for implementation. Specific responsibilities for the Themes and Explorations Subcommittee are to:

    • Define what a General Education theme is, determine the goals and objectives of general education themes, justify the reasons for including themes in Penn State General Education, and provide examples of potential themes.
    • Appraise the potential impact of themes on existing General Education courses, on majors, on minors, on Commonwealth campuses, on transfers between campuses, and on the Registrar’s Office and LionPATH.
    • Ascertain ways to assess the impact of themes on student outcomes.
    • Determine the criteria and process for establishing and implementing themes.

Membership

FirstLastEmailCampusSubcommittee
MarthaAynardimwa1@psu.eduBKLogistics
RobinBowerrmb29@psu.eduBRThemes
MarkBrennanmab187@psu.eduUPFaculty
RobCranerqc3@psu.eduUPThemes
CareyEckhardte82@psu.eduUPThemes
RobbFrederickrgf10@psu.eduBDCommunications
TanyaFurmantfl3@psu.eduUPAssessment
NicholaGutgolddgn2@psu.eduUPFaculty
BettyHarperbjh17@psu.eduUPAssessment
TerryHarrisonhbx@psu.eduUPBudget
JimKastingjfk4@psu.eduUPBudget
PatriciaKochp3k@psu.eduUPFaculty
AndrewLauasl1@psu.eduUPLogistics
CynthiaLightfootcgl3@psu.eduBWCommunications
MarieLindhorstmjl119@psu.eduUPLogistics
ChrisLongcpl2@psu.eduUPBudget, Communications
PaulaMilone-Nuzzopxm36@psu.eduUPLogistics
AldoMoralesawm2@psu.eduHBGAssessment
RichardRobinettrq9@psu.eduUPLogistics
CarlosRodriguezcar5514@psu.eduUPAssessment
JanetSchulenbergjks142@psu.eduUP
KeithShapirokds3@psu.eduUPCommunications, Logistics
NorahShultznus19@psu.eduABAssessment
RachelSmithrem4@psu.eduUPBudget
MaggieSlatterymjs436@psu.eduUP
JaneSuttonjss@psu.eduYKFaculty
PatrickTannerpat126@psu.eduYKStudent
AnnTayloratb3@psu.eduUPStudent
PeggyVan Meterpnv1@psu.eduUPAssessment
SuzanneWeinsteinswd107@psu.eduUPAssessment
Mary BethWilliamsmew17@psu.eduUPBudget
KenWomackkaw16@psu.eduAAAssessment
CareenYarnalcmy122@psu.eduUPStudent

Deans/Chancellors Advisory Group Members

Last NameFirst NameCampusEmail
CavenerDougUPdrc9@psu.edu
CrouterAnnUPac1@psu.edu
EasterlingWilliamUPbilleasterling@psu.edu
HanesMadlynUPmqh3@psu.edu
HatchMelanieDuBoismlh37@psu.edu
HillkirkKeithBerksrkh5@psu.edu
KornerBarbaraUPbok2@psu.edu
WelchSusanUPswelch@psu.edu
WilliamsAnnLehigh Valleyauw2@psu.edu