Gen Ed Course Approval Process

Approval Process for New General Education Courses

Faculty who wish to add a course to the Gen Ed core list of courses should first download and complete application(s) for mapping to the competency/ies desired for your course.
Please note that all courses approved for Aesthetic Dimensions must also be approved for at least one Written Communication outcome. Likewise, all courses approved for Continuing Learning/Information Literacy must also be approved for all Ethical Dimensions outcomes.
If there are any questions at all about whether, and how, a course would fit into a competency area, the submitter should consult with the designated competency expert to ensure the mapping is done well, that the outcomes are assessable, and that all of the BOR competency outcomes are satisfied. (Poorly filled out applications will be promptly returned to the submitter, so make sure your course mapping is as complete as possible before submitting).
All course modifications (including Gen Ed changes) must also seek approval from the Curriculum and Educational Affairs Committee (CEAC). Submit a CEAC Course Modification form (or if outcomes are NOT being changed, the “GEACC Changes Only” form), available here*, along with the completed Gen Ed competency outcomes mapping, to: Jason Seabury, CEAC Chair AND cc: Jeff Damiano, GEACC chair. *Note that clicking on this link will require you to log in with your Net ID and Password.
GEACC will review the Gen Ed outcome mapping and vote to approve its addition to the Gen Ed list based on the criteria found here.
CEAC will then (usually one week later) review the application in light of curricular concerns.
CEAC will bring the application forward one more time during its semi-annual Open Hearing. It will then proceed to the All-College Meeting for a college-wide vote.
At the beginning of the following semester (following the completion of the process at the administrative level), GEACC will add the new course to the list on the GEACC website and in the college catalog.

Course Applications for the Common Core

Student performance on competency learning outcomes will be assessed on a five year rotating schedule. Read the most recent Gen Ed Assessment. Department Chairs, Program Coordinators, and/or Faculty teaching courses in competency areas scheduled for assessment must complete and submit the following Assessment Planning form to the General Education Assessment and Curriculum design Committee by October 1 of the semester preceding assessment.

Approved General Education Course Applications with Course Outcomes

Five year assessment rotating schedule

GEACC Critera for Add/Remove/Exempt

Criteria for Adding Courses to a Gen Ed competency

The course addresses the General Education Competency with the majority (>50%) of its content.
Course outcomes map accurately to BOR General Education Competency Outcomes
Proposer has considered the impact of transferability, unless the course is in a primarily terminal program.
Proposer has considered how assessment of the BOR Outcomes will be accomplished.

Criteria for Adding Courses to a Gen Ed competencyremoving Courses from a Gen Ed competency

No programs require that particular course as part of their Gen Ed requirements
Rationale for how students can (easily) meet that competency through other courses

Exemptions from Gen Ed requirements

The program must otherwise exceed the credit limit imposed by the college (60-61 credits)
The program must be accredited by an outside agency

Then, for the proposed Competency Exemption, ONE of the following arguments must be convincingly made:

The students in the program don’t need that competency in their future studies or job
The students will be essentially acquiring the competency through other program classes

GEACC determines by vote whether the criteria are met. The proposal then moves to CEAC for final approval (CEAC paperwork is required for all of the above). Changes generally go into effect the next academic year.