Chronology of General Education Renewal at Oakland University

The Process
In 1998, prior to the comprehensive visit of the NCA, Oakland University began the process of considering its general education program. A team of faculty representatives from Senate committees, department chairs and administrators attended the American Association for Higher Education Summer Academy. The team’s goals included examining the current goals of OU’s general education program, reviewing the coherence of the program and how it under girds the curricula of the schools and college, determining how assessment could be used in the general education process, and learning about the general education programs of other institutions in attendance.

In 1999 the NCA completed a comprehensive visit to Oakland University and informed the university that a focus visit was forthcoming on general education.

In 2000 the Office of Academic Affairs sponsored a series of dinners with a random, stratified sample of Oakland’s tenure system faculty. These dinners included structured interview questions and discussion by the participants as well as a written survey of the participant’s views on the current general education program. The discussions included questions regarding faculty views on what ideally constituted the knowledge, skills and values that should be included in general education, and what it means to be a liberally educated person. A conceptual/theme analysis was done of the audiotapes of the discussions. Themes that repeatedly emerged across groups were identified as the elements that faculty believed important to include in general education.

In 2000 the provost appointed Task Force I who was charged with turning the concepts from the dialogue dinners into learning outcomes and place them into modules. During this time, a focus group from business and industry was also conducted to obtain feedback about general education. A presentation/discussion was also held with members of Student Congress to obtain input. Task Force I identified a large number of learning outcomes. University-wide faculty input was sought regarding the outcomes and structure through open forums and electronic mail.

The Provost appointed Task Force II in 2001. Task Force II was charged with developing an implementation plan for the modules and outcomes identified by Task Force I. In the process of developing a plan for implementation it became apparent that the ideal elements identified by the faculty through the dialogue dinner process went beyond what was practical to include in a general education program and included elements that are part of a broader undergraduate experience. The Senate asked Task Force II to develop a simpler framework for a general education program. That framework was developed based on input from the faculty and was passed by the Senate in April 2003. The Senate then charged Task Force II with developing a program proposal for general education based on the framework to go to the Senate in December 2003.

OU’s new General Education proposal was developed to meet that charge.

The Chronology

1998-1999 Prior to NCA visit

• Team of faculty from major Senate Committees, Vice Provost and Dean of College of Arts and Sciences attend AAHE Summer Academy to focus on general education
• NCA Reaccreditation Visit
  1. Comprehensive visit to Oakland University by NCA
  2. Recommended focus visit on general education and assessment in 2005

1999-2000 assessment of current General Education program

• Dialogue dinners held with 100 faculty (20 at a time)
  1. AAC&U General Education Assessment instrument completed
  2. Structured interviews with faculty
  3. Taped dialogues reviewed for recurring themes of what constitutes ideal General Education

200-2001 General Education Task Force I appointed by Provost

• Charged to
  1. Focus on students
  2. Be true to themes identified in faculty dialogues
  3. Develop knowledge, skill and values areas
  4. Develop learning outcomes based on themes

• Report placed on Web
• Open hearings for campus feedback on report of Task Force I
  1. Addendum to report developed from feedback

• Additional feedback groups
  1. Business and industry focus group
  2. Student Congress

2001-2002 General Education Task Force II appointed by Provost

• Charged to
  1. Develop implementation of Task Force I report

• Developed four approaches for implementation
• Approaches and issues placed on Web for feedback
• Approaches not supported by campus/Senate
  1. Perceived as
     1. Too complex
     2. Disadvantaging departments
     3. Too interdisciplinary

2002-2003 Task Force II develops revised General Education framework

• Co-chairs of Task Force II meet with each academic unit and the library
• Co-chairs meet with Student Congress for feedback
• Focus group from student leadership program
• Framework passes Senate (Spring 2003)
• Task Force II charged by Senate with developing new program by December 2003
• Task Force II develops full program

2004-2005 Full program passes Senate and implementation

• Full program passes Senate Spring 2004
• Capital Campaign focuses on distinctive undergraduate experience
• Funding for implementation provided by President/Provost and Board of Trustees
• Rounds I and II of incentive funding provided for faculty to develop/fevise courses
• Implementation led by General Education committee begins
  1. Chair’s workshop
  2. Faculty workshop
  3. General Education implementation Web site
  4. Subcommittees appointed by General Education Committee to review course proposals
  5. Course proposals undergo review

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