2008 Woodie Awards
Faculty approves proposed curriculum changes
David King '08
Issue date: 4/2/08 Section: News
Last week, all tenure-track faculty were eligible to vote on whether or not they approve of a new curriculum proposal that set forth the course requirements for future students at Saint Joseph's University.
Of about 240 eligible faculty voters, 185 faculty voted, which represents 77 percent. Of these voters, 97 accepted the proposal (52 percent) and 85 rejected the proposal (46 percent). Three voters abstained.
The curriculum was narrowly accepted by humanities and social sciences divisions and overwhelmingly accepted by business school faculty (40 votes to accept, four to reject).
The only group to reject the proposal was natural sciences and mathematics, whose faculty voted overwhelmingly to reject. Thirty-six faculty members, representing 90 percent of those who voted from the math/natural sciences division, voted to reject the proposed curriculum. Previously, the curriculum had been amended to include only one natural science course for all students.
While these votes are non-binding, they are to be considered with a number of other factors as the proposed curriculum moves to the University Council, the school's main governing body, made up of 28 faculty members, administration personnel, staff and students.
"If the curriculum is overwhelmingly accepted by the faculty, I would think the University Council would accept it, and if the vote is close, they would probably look at the issues that were contentious and make recommendations," said John Tudor, Ph.D., President of Faculty Senate before votes were tallied.
The General Education Plan (GEP) is the proposed curriculum which has been in development since May of 2003, is based on an 18-16-6 model. This proposal has a maximum of 18 general education programs, a maximum of 16 courses within a student's major and a minimum of six free electives for all students, regardless of majors.
The curriculum was discussed last month by the College of Arts and Sciences council as well as the Erivan K. Haub School of Business council. Both schools attached recommendations for how to best make the curriculum work.
Of about 240 eligible faculty voters, 185 faculty voted, which represents 77 percent. Of these voters, 97 accepted the proposal (52 percent) and 85 rejected the proposal (46 percent). Three voters abstained.
The curriculum was narrowly accepted by humanities and social sciences divisions and overwhelmingly accepted by business school faculty (40 votes to accept, four to reject).
The only group to reject the proposal was natural sciences and mathematics, whose faculty voted overwhelmingly to reject. Thirty-six faculty members, representing 90 percent of those who voted from the math/natural sciences division, voted to reject the proposed curriculum. Previously, the curriculum had been amended to include only one natural science course for all students.
While these votes are non-binding, they are to be considered with a number of other factors as the proposed curriculum moves to the University Council, the school's main governing body, made up of 28 faculty members, administration personnel, staff and students.
"If the curriculum is overwhelmingly accepted by the faculty, I would think the University Council would accept it, and if the vote is close, they would probably look at the issues that were contentious and make recommendations," said John Tudor, Ph.D., President of Faculty Senate before votes were tallied.
The General Education Plan (GEP) is the proposed curriculum which has been in development since May of 2003, is based on an 18-16-6 model. This proposal has a maximum of 18 general education programs, a maximum of 16 courses within a student's major and a minimum of six free electives for all students, regardless of majors.
The curriculum was discussed last month by the College of Arts and Sciences council as well as the Erivan K. Haub School of Business council. Both schools attached recommendations for how to best make the curriculum work.
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