Motion -One: Assessment)

The Faculty Senate requests that the faculty of Wichita State University approve during its next general faculty meeting the following change in the academic requirements for associate or baccalaureate degrees from Wichita State University.

"Wichita State University will begin gathering student assessment data during the 2003-4 academic year. One instrument to be used during this trial period will be the CollegeBASE national general education examination.  Since CollegeBASE does not assess all aspects of General Education, additional assessment procedures may be developed by the WSU community or appropriate assessment instruments or procedures developed outside the university may be recommended for use by the university. Recommendations for the use of additional assessment instruments or procedures will be submitted to the Faculty Senate Executive committee, who may bring forward recommendations for additions to the "prototype assessment system". The General Education committee, the General Education coordinator, the College of Fine Arts and the Elliott School are specifically urged to consider this opportunity. Any additions to the "prototype assessment system" must be approved by the Faculty Senate. Approved additions shall be used during the semesters in which CollegeBASE is used.

During the fall semester of 2003 and the spring semesters of 2004 and 2005, the university will use the CollegeBASE national general education examination as one component of a "prototype assessment system" for General Education., including Basic Skills.

(i) In the Fall of 2003, 2004WSU will use CollegeBASE to test samples of approximately 200 students in each of the following groups:

(a) incoming freshmen;
(b) students starting their junior year (defined as students who have completed between 48 and 60 hours) who have taken all their Basic Skills courses at WSU; and
(c) students about to graduate.

Students who have taken some or all of their Basic Skills courses in high school as "concurrent enrollment" will not be included in the samples if they would constitute more than ten percent of the total sample in a category.  Appropriate sampling to assure randomness will be the responsibility of the administrator.

(ii) In the spring of 2004, 2005, the university will use CollegeBASE to test a sample of approximately one fourth of all the students who are have completed between 48 and 90 credit hours.

(iii) In the spring of  2005, 2006, the University will use CollegeBASE to test a sample of approximately one half of all the students who are have completed  at least 48 credit hours.

By February 1, 2006, 2007. the University will adopt by vote of the faculty a comprehensive assessment system for assessing the General Education program,  including Basic Skills. This system will consist of some or all of the following components:

(i) a nationally normed examination,
(ii) interviews with students,
(iii) student portfolio assessment,
(iv) other assessment procedures together with established criteria for satisfying each component of the assessment system. The criteria for successful completion of the assessment system shall also be determined by the faculty of Wichita State University.

Beginning in the 2006-7 academic year, an  (amended 4-28-03) assessment system will be used by all Wichita State University undergraduate students who have completed at least 48 hours in university credit (including transfer credit) and have not successful completed this assessment. Beginning with the 2007-8 academic year, any student who was required to use the university assessment system in the previous academic year but failed to do so will not be allowed to enroll in courses at WSU until the student has used the assessment system.

Motion approved 24 yes, 11 no, 1 abstention, 4-28-03 as amended – FACULTY SENATE
Defeated by the General Faculty 5-13-03

 

Motion Two: General Education Assessment Committee

 

The Faculty Senate requests that the faculty of Wichita State University approve during its next general faculty meeting the following:

 

A new Faculty Senate standing committee shall be created. The committee shall consist of 9 faculty members, chosen from each of the Faculty Senate divisions, and one student, with the General Education Coordinator and Chair of the General Education Committee as ex-officio non-voting members. The Faculty Senate General EducationAssessment Committee shall be responsible for overseeing the administration of the university General Education assessment system.

Approved 4-28-03 unanimously—Faculty Senate
Defeated by General Faculty 5-13-03


Motion Three: Completion of Basic

 

The Faculty Senate requests that the faculty of Wichita State University approve during its next general faculty meeting the following change in the academic requirements for associate or baccalaureate degrees from Wichita State University.

"All Basic Skills requirements of the General Education program must be met by undergraduates enrolled in a Wichita State University bachelors or associate degree program within their completion of the first 48 credits toward the degree, not including guest student credit and AP credit. Students who do not meet this requirement will be allowed to complete the Basic Skills requirement in the first semester of enrollment subsequent to their having reached the 48 credit plateau. Students who transfer to the University with at least 48 credit hours earned from an accredited institution but who have not completed the Wichita State University's Basic Skills requirements shall have two semesters of enrollment from their first enrollment to pass Basic Skills classes with the required C-or-better grade. Students who fail to pass Basic Skills classes in a timely fashion as defined above shall not be permitted further enrollment at the University except for enrollment in the Basic Skills courses."

Approved 4-28-03, as amended
Accepted by the General Faculty 5-13-03

 

Motion Four:  Description of Introduction and Further Studies Courses

The Faculty Senate requests that the faculty of Wichita State University approve during its next general faculty meeting the following change in the academic requirements for baccalaureate degrees from Wichita State University.

Definition of the requirements to be an Introductory course:
Each Introductory course must:

        (i) provide an overview of the multiple facets of a discipline,
        (ii) meet one general education goal,
        (iii) provide students with at least one outcome of the general education program,
        (iv) include the across-the-curriculum components (e.g. math, reading,  writing, speaking, & Library skills) of the general education program and
        (v) incorporate the general education goal and outcome(s) noted in (ii) &  (iii) in the course assessment (e.g. grading) process.

 

Definition of the requirements to be an Further Studies course:
Each Further Studies course shall

        (i) have an Introductory course in the same discipline as a prerequisite,
        (ii) use this Introductory course as the basis for an indepth study of one or more aspects of the discipline,
        (iii) meet one general education goal,
        (iv) provide students with at least one outcome of the general education program,
        (v) include the across-the-curriculum components (e.g. math, reading, writing, speaking, & library skills) of the general education program and
        (vi) incorporate the general education goal and outcome(s) noted in (iii) & (iv) in the course assessment (e.g. grading) process.

 

The I&P course requirement stays the same.

 

Approved 4-28-03 (as amended) – Faculty Senate
Tabled by the General Faculty, 5-13-03