Learning for life

Based on a new proposal from the university, general education requirements are currently being looked at in order to create a more well-rounded curriculum for all majors.
Formed in March 2009 by UB's Provost and Faculty Senate, the General Education Task Force has made revamping the general education requirements at UB its goal, hoping to make them more interesting and beneficial to the student body as a whole.
The task force was formed for the purpose of 'taking a holistic view of the general education program, focusing on its underlying philosophy, intellectual purposes, and educational mission; considering the opportunity to create a new signature program for the University at Buffalo while complying with the existing SUNY general education requirements; and defining the role of a new general education program within the mission of the University at Buffalo at large' according to a proposal.
Andreas Daum, associate dean in the College of Arts and Sciences, said the task force was formed to take a fresh look at the existing system set in place for general education requirements.
'The existing general education requirements are a heavy burden on the shoulders of students,' Daum said. 'We hope to fill the courses with meaning and make them more appealing.'
In the proposal, the task force states that it hopes to make general education at UB more exciting, distinctive, and more responsive toward students' needs.
The biggest challenge Daum says the task force faces is 'how … [to] prepare our students for the real world while still meeting the requirements set in place.'
They hope to do so with input from the UB community.
'I think courses that apply to real life would be more beneficial,' said Nicole Yehezkel, a freshman international business major. 'I wouldn't mind taking more general education courses; some of the required ones are pretty interesting and I would have taken them on my own.'
Other students feel that the general education requirements here at UB are too restrictive and don't apply to their major of study. Katie Leavitt, a doctoral candidate, expressed her aggravation about general education courses.
'I have to take a science class to meet my gen. ed., [so I chose] astrology. I'm working on my doctoral in child counseling and psychology and don't need the class,' said Leavitt. 'I feel like it is a waste of my money and time.'
Joe Randel, a freshman civil engineering major, agrees.
'I don't want to take more gen. eds. I am an engineering major and all of my course time is full, so I don't have time in the four years to fit in more classes,' Randel said.
The task force plans to rethink the purpose of general education courses and redirect them to the 21st century, not necessarily add any more courses to the curriculum.
Some proposals stated in the 'UB Core Curriculum: Learning for Life' report include promoting basic skills and competencies such as math, science, English, technology and history. Instilling ethical reasoning, improving global perspectives and increasing the breadth of foreign language studies were also focuses.
While this report lists proposals of what the task force hopes to achieve, nothing is final and all is open for debate and discussion.
The task force hopes to use this semester as an opportunity to receive feedback from the campus community.
'This report is not the end point, it is the beginning,' Daum said. Anyone interested in contributing their ideas or input to the general education task force can contact the group at 716-645-6003 or ubgened@buffalo.edu.

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