Discussions and debates among faculty and administrators often occur in the context of conversations and machinations happening several levels up from faculty meetings and the gatherings of deans.
In 28 March Chronicle of Higher Education Dan Berrett describes several institutions where administrators and faculty don’t see eye to eye about curricular changes associated with “the completion agenda.” Of note:
- curricular changes get pushed through over objections with justified by the need to “smooth the transfer of credits between institutions”
- supporters of credit hour changes trumpet state concerns as “a big problem”
- the debate is framed as changes that support completion vs. academic quality
- the Lumina Foundation and its “Degree Qualifications Profile” are in the background
- at one school, a core humanities requirement gets replaced by a course on “leadership “based in part on a self-help book by Steven R. Covey, The Seven Habits of Highly Successful People.”
The institutions mentioned include Alamo Colleges in Texas, CUNY’s Queens College, Fort Lewis College in Colorado.
See Also
- Jennifer R. Lloyd. “Alamo Colleges faculty unite against proposed curriculum change“
- Colleen Flaherty. Humanities could be replaced by ‘7 Habits’ self-help 17 FEBRUARY 2014 Times Higher Education Supplement
- The Pathways Program at Queens College of CUNY
- “Why Should You Be Upset About Pathways?” on the Unofficial Student Senate Site at CUNY
- Dale Rodebaugh “College to abandon four-credit system: FLC trustees end months of controversy” Durango Herald
- Jonathan Rees. “Fort Lewis College: Shared Governance Denied.” Colorado AAUP. FEBRUARY 24, 2014
