University of Nebraska Kearney

Attachment: College of Fine Arts and Humanities:

Proposal A: College of Fine Arts and Humanities
Proposal to Implement Recommendations of the 2001 Academic Program Review
October 7, 2004

Background:

During the April 2004 meeting, the General Studies Council unanimously approved that recommendations and concerns of the 2001 General Studies Academic Review Report pertaining to the College of Fine Arts and Humanities would be referred to the college for discussion, and that suggested changes be presented to the Council during the 2004 October meeting.

Specific issues to be addressed are the following:

1. English language (9 hours)
   1. ENG 101
      -Students with an ACT score of 30 or above do not have to take ENG 101. They may take a Fine Arts or Humanities elective in its place. (Rationale 1) -Students with a grade of B or above in ENG 101 may take a foreign language instead of ENG 102
   2. ENG 102
   3. SPCH 100
2. Fine Arts ~ Aesthetics (3-6 hours) (Rationale 2)
   1. Art (0 - 6)
   2. Dance (0 - 6)
   3. Music (0 - 6)
   4. Theatre (0 - 6)
3. Humanities (9 - 15 hours from at least three separate categories) (Rationale 3)
   1. Literary perspectives (0 - 6)
   2. b. Foreign languages (0 - 6)
      -Students taking a beginning language other than the one they studied in high school may count a 5-hour introductory course and a i-hour cultural component toward general studies. Students taking intermediate level language may count up to two 3-hour courses toward general studies.
   3. Historical perspectives (0 - 6)
      -Students may select courses from History or historically-based courses offered in the College of Fine Arts & Humanities.
   4. Philosophical perspectives (0 - 6)

   Rationale:

   1. (1) Since the implementation of placement strategies to assign composition courses effectively, students with an ACT score of 30 or above are able to substitute any course in the GS program as an elective. The suggested change guarantees that students maintain a minimum of hours in the Fine Arts or Humanities categories.
   2. (2) The creation of a separate Fine Arts category allows for its four disciplines - Art, Dance, Music and Theatre - to be presented as a significant component of the College of Fine Arts & Humanities. The category receives emphasis in a manner similar to the division of the College of Natural and Social Sciences into three distinct categories: Category IV Mathematics, Statistics and Computer Science 36 hrs; Category V Natural Sciences 7-15 hrs, and Category VI Social and Behavioral Sciences 9-15 hrs.
   3. (3) As recommended by the APR report, significant proposed changes in Category III Humanities include the insertion of Foreign Languages as a strand as well as the elimination of specific requirements within the category. Students would be able to select the nine hours according to their interests or requirements for the major, with the only restriction being that a minimum of three sections would be covered.

Facilitating equal representation (0-6 hrs.) for four disciplines - Literature, Foreign languages, History and Philosophy - also addresses concerns by the APR which questioned why certain departments were favored for requirements while others marginalized. The suggested format change presents the Humanities category in a format parallel to Category V Natural Sciences and the proposed Category II Fine Arts.

The proposed format also accommodates the curious position of History (housed in the College of Natural and Social Sciences) in the Humanities category. Since it is reasonable for courses (regardless of the originating department) offered in the categories representing the College of Fine Arts and Humanities to conform to the purposes, guidelines, and methods of the "humanities," this understanding is the condition for accommodating courses from a department or departments outside the college.

Proposal B: Proposed General Studies Revision in Humanities, 11/04/04 

Resolution: The Fine Arts and Humanities proposal includes a statement to the effect that "history-based" courses can be included in the History Perspective provided such courses are offered in the College of Fine Arts and Humanities. This statement does not conform to the structure, style, or philosophy of the General Studies program as it currently exists and thus should be deleted.

Beyond this, the amended proposal deserves further study and comment from the appropriate College bodies. The proposal should be forwarded to the Colleges' Educational Policy Committees and Council of Chairs for specific recommendations.

During the February 3, 2005 General Studies Council meeting, college representative should be prepared to report on their College's recommendations to the following:

1. Does this College approve of the proposed changes to the Humanities curriculum? Are other changes to the proposal necessary?
2. How does this revision affect the remainder of the General Studies Program? How should the General Studies Council proceed in this regard?
3. Should changes be recommended, what should be the timeline for discussion, approval, and eventual implementation of the change? Which campus entities should be consulted

Revised proposal for Discussion

1. English language (9 hours)
   1. ENG 101
      -Students with an ACT score of 30 or above do not have to take ENG 101.They may take a Fine Arts or Humanities elective in its place. (Rationale 1)-Students with a grade of B or above in ENG 101 may take a foreign language instead of ENG 102
   2. ENG 102
   3. SPCH 100
2. Fine Arts ~ Aesthetics (3-6 hours) (Rationale 2)
   1. Art (0 - 6)
   2. Dance (0 - 6)
   3. Music (0 - 6)
   4. Theatre (0 - 6)
3. Humanities (9 - 15 hours from at least three separate categories) (Rationale 3)
   1. Literary perspectives (0 - 6)
   2. Foreign languages (0 - 6)
      -Students taking a beginning language other than the one they studied in high school may count a 5-hour introductory course and a i-hour cultural component toward general studies. Students taking intermediate level language may count up to two 3-hour courses toward general studies.
   3. Historical perspectives (0 - 6)
   4. Philosophical perspectives (0 - 6)