Core Education Committee

The Core Education Committee has the authority to develop and approve strategy, policy and planning for the Baccalaureate Core/Core Education programs.

The Committee reviews the content and appropriateness of both existing and proposed Baccalaureate Core/Core Education courses. The committee shall conduct periodic reviews of the overall Baccalaureate Core/Core Education programs, and of existing courses within these programs, to ensure that the criteria of the general education model are being met and to evaluate student attainment of category learning outcomes. This work depends on the availability of data to be provided by university administration at the request of the Committee. The Committee shall also evaluate proposals for additional and new courses deemed relevant to the core and stimulate proposals for additional and new courses as deemed necessary and advise faculty members in the preparation of such proposals.

The Committee shall consist of fourteen voting faculty, at least thirteen of whom shall be teaching faculty, and two voting students. In so far as possible, at least two of the voting faculty shall be from the College of Liberal Arts, at least two from the College of Science, at least one from each college responsible for granting standalone baccalaureate degrees, at least one from OSU-Cascades, and one professional academic advisor. The following shall be ex-officio, non-voting members: the Director of Core Education, the Writing Intensive Curriculum Program Director, the Difference, Power, and Oppression Program Director, two representatives appointed by the Vice Provost for Academic Affairs with specialties in general education assessment and curriculum management, and an Ecampus representative appointed by the Vice Provost, Division of Educational Ventures.

Voting quorum consists of a majority of the voting committee members.

Course Selection

• The Committee may solicit courses, which include detailed descriptions and outlines, from all colleges/departments.
• All existing, modified and new courses proposed by individual faculty, groups of faculty, or departments for inclusion in Core Education must be approved by an appropriate faculty curriculum committee within the college of origin prior to submission to the Committee.
• All submissions shall be routed for additional curriculum review at the discretion of the Committee. Request for such reviews, and selection of the reviewing unit, will be made by the Committee. The criteria used to select the reviewing unit will be based upon that unit's ability to assess the proposed Core Education objectives.
• All submissions pertaining to Writing Foundation and Writing Elevation must be routed to the Writing Advisory Board, which is composed of the Writing Intensive Curriculum Director, the Director of First Year Writing, the Director of the Writing Center, and a writing faculty member with expertise in technical and professional writing. This Board will consult with faculty to develop and implement proposals that meet Core Education criteria.
• The Committee will review all submissions to assure compliance with the criteria adopted by the Faculty Senate; those courses which are deemed by the Committee to meet these criteria and address the category learning outcomes can be approved for inclusion as Core Education courses, subject to approval by the Curriculum Council.
• The Committee has the authority to request changes to existing courses and/or deny continuation of Baccalaureate Core/Core Education status for courses.

Category Reviews

• The Committee will periodically request and review institutional data in order to evaluate Baccalaureate Core/Core Education categories based on:
  • adequate access to courses within the category;
  • consistency of category criteria and learning outcomes with institutional goals for undergraduate learning;
  • evidence of students achieving satisfactory success relative to category learning outcomes; and
  • continued satisfaction of category criteria by individual courses.
• The Committee has the authority to request changes to existing courses and/or deny continuation of Baccalaureate Core/Core Education status for courses.

Changes in Core or Criteria or Process

• Any changes in the Baccalaureate Core, Core Education, the supporting criteria or the process will require the approval of the Faculty Senate.

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