TESC Overhauling Gen Ed Reqs. Not enrolled, watch out!

[sanantone]

this hurts my brain, I'll have to think about this more tomorrow.

When I saw this, all I could think about was Excelsior and their complicated degree requirements. The general education requirements probably aren't all that complicated once you decipher the overly complicated wording.

I am glad that Texas is making all law enforcement professionals take cultural diversity and I think it's a great idea to include it in degree plans. In my line of work, I come across so many ignorant and bigoted individuals. There are actually people out there who think Muslim is a race. Not related to my job, there were three cases in the past few years where students of the opposing school made anti-immigrant chants to basketball players who were American citizens. They assumed that just because they were Hispanics from poorer areas that they were illegal immigrants. The dumbest case was in Mississippi where they harassed a Puerto Rican player. They probably assumed he was Mexican. Puerto Ricans are born U.S. citizens for anyone who doesn't know.

[Daithi]

I'm 47 years old and I can remember back to when I was a small kid living in Chicago. I'm white and my best-friend, who lived next door was black. We played together during recess and generally hung out with each other, and the principal of our school called my friend's dad and told him that he needed to have a discussion with his son, because it wasn't proper for a black boy to be playing with a white boy. My friend's dad basically told him where to shove it. The next day I was pulled from class and put into another class. It wasn't because we were playing in class, but because the principal was a die hard racist. My friend's 9-year-old sister was also jumped and beaten by a car load of white high school students. The police refused to investigate. I can't imagine what it is like to live through that kind of racism.

However, most of my experience growing up has been just the opposite. I moved to California when I was eight, and none of my teachers would put up with any sort of racism. The kids I grew up with were all kinds of different races, and and although kids from different races tended to hang out with each other, they still formed friendships with kids from others races as well, and I never felt the us vs. them type racism. When incidents of racism did occur, they were condemned by society. Adults seemed to take pride in NOT being racist -- this was early 70s and 80s. The books we read, the TV shows, the movies, and the entire culture that I grew up in had been all about embracing diversity and condemning racism.

When I was in the Army, I was stationed at Ft. Gordon, Georgia -- in the heart of the deep South --- and one day there was a KKK rally that marched through downtown Augusta, GA. Myself and several of my fellow soldiers (including whites, blacks, and Hispanics) decided to go to the rally to protest the march. To my surprise, a lot of the residents of Augusta did the same thing. The number of people protesting the KKK marchers outnumbered their supporters by 10 to 1, and the actual KKK marchers were a pathetic group of a little more than a dozen morons who were getting booed on their walk of shame.

I am not arguing that racism doesn't exist or flare up. It surely does. However, I don't believe the U.S. is a racist nation, or evenly largely racist, and certainly not in need of colleges mandating diversity courses that will create socially responsible individuals with broadened perspectives. It should be the responsibility of universities to educate its students but not to somehow fashion better citizens. I don't want to see this being done by the political-right spectrum, and I don't want to see it done by members on the political-left spectrum (full disclosure, I'm Libertarian). I enjoy learning about political theories, different philosophies, and cultural beliefs. However, these kinds of topics are problematic in that instructors can easily use them to advance their political views, which I believe is the whole point of mandating these courses in the first place. I believe the goal here is NOT to educate students, but is to fashion better citizens, and they are changing their curriculum to make this happen.

We also need to ask what needs to be dropped from the General Education requirements to make room for the new courses mentioned (e.g. Global Environmental Change, War and American Society, Philosophy of Religion, Cultural Diversity, Elements of Intercultural Communication, and Ethics and the Business Professional). Compare the old and new general education requirements for yourself---

Current General Education Requirements -- 60 Credits
__A. English Composition [6 credits]
__B. Humanities [12 credits]
__C. Social Sciences (2 subject areas) [12 credits]
__D. Natural Sciences and Mathematics [12 credits]
__E. General Education Electives [18 credits]

New General Education Requirements -- 60 Credits
__A. Intellectual and Practical Skills [15 credits]
____English Composition (6 credits)
____Math (3 credits)
____Intellectual and Practical Skills Electives (6 credits)
__B. Human Cultures and the Physical and Natural World [18 credits]
____Social Sciences (3 credits)
____Natural Sciences (3 credits)
____Humanities (3 credits)
____Human Cultures and the Physical World Electives (9 credits)
__C. Personal and Social Responsibility [9 credits]
____Diversity/Global Literacy (3 credits)
____Responsible and Ethical Leadership (3 credits)
____Personal and Social Responsibility Elective (3 credits)
__D. Integrative and Applied Learning Synthesized Across General and Specialized Disciplines [18 credits]
____Includes a Capstone and who knows based on the Academic Gobbledygook.

[FallingWaters]

This is awful, on so many levels. First, for those of us who are in the process of completing a degree and now must finish by a certain time or revamp everything we've done; also because it will require more course work and fewer CBE's; and lastly for all the reasons given in the post above mine. It's obvious this will be used to brainwash people into some global nonsense. I'd bet my entire college education costs that the overwhelming majority of those professors will be far-left-leaning liberals. Even the course titles make me ill.

Personally, I'm not sure what to do.

[Stitching Belle]

This is awful, on so many levels. First, for those of us who are in the process of completing a degree and now must finish by a certain time or revamp everything we've done; also because it will require more course work and fewer CBE's; and lastly for all the reasons given in the post above mine. It's obvious this will be used to brainwash people into some global nonsense. I'd bet my entire college education costs that the overwhelming majority of those professors will be far-left-leaning liberals. Even the course titles make me ill.

Personally, I'm not sure what to do.

As long as you're ENROLLED before July 1, the changes won't apply to you, no matter when you finish your degree.

[cookderosa]

This is awful, on so many levels. First, for those of us who are in the process of completing a degree and now must finish by a certain time or revamp everything we've done; also because it will require more course work and fewer CBE's; and lastly for all the reasons given in the post above mine. It's obvious this will be used to brainwash people into some global nonsense. I'd bet my entire college education costs that the overwhelming majority of those professors will be far-left-leaning liberals. Even the course titles make me ill.

Personally, I'm not sure what to do.

You play the game so YOU can hold the piece of paper and use it for good. Don't let them win. We will figure out the requirements in time, and how to tackle them in the least painful way possible, that I'm sure of.

[FallingWaters]

As long as you're ENROLLED before July 1, the changes won't apply to you, no matter when you finish your degree.

I realize that, but that puts a deadline on finishing my degree that I wasn't quite ready for. If I was a fulltime student, that would be one thing, but I'm not. Studying is my fourth "job", and I can't promise that I can finish by July '14. I'm assuming that you can stay in for another year if you pony up the $2500 to re-enroll, but I'd rather not do that either.

This also changes my daughter's situation, because I'm not about to have her complete a degree that's all about cultural relativism nonsense.

[Jonathan Whatley]

This also changes my daughter's situation, because I'm not about to have her complete a degree that's all about cultural relativism nonsense.

A few thoughts.

The concern here seems to be about this part of TESC's coming new gen ed requirements especially:

C. Personal and Social Responsibility [9 credits]
____Diversity/Global Literacy (3 credits)
____Responsible and Ethical Leadership (3 credits)
____Personal and Social Responsibility Elective (3 credits)

The "Diversity/Global Literacy" requirement sounds almost exactly like the "Global Understanding" gen ed requirement COSC has had all along.

At Charter Oak, this very similarly stated "Global Understanding" requirement can be met with just one of these:

• DSST Human/Cultural Geography, Environment and Humanity, History of the Vietnam War, Introduction to the Modern Middle East, Rise and Fall of the Soviet Union, Western Europe Since 1945, Introduction to World Religions; ECE World Conflicts Since 1900, World Population; AP Human/Cultural Geography, Government & Politics/Comparative, Environmental Science.

There's also an ECE in Cultural Diversity, but surprisingly this isn't currently listed as meeting Global Understanding at Charter Oak. It's possible that they would accept it on review.

TESC's new "Responsible and Ethical Leadership" requirement, too, parallels Charter Oak's "Ethical Decision-Making" requirement, which can be met with any one of these:

• DSST Business Ethics & Society, Ethics in America; ECE Ethics: Theory & Practice, Bioethics: Philosophical Issues; TECEP Business in Society.

The third requirement TESC lists above, for an elective in the area that's a superset of these two areas, could be met with any one other nonduplicative test, or course, from either area.

So it seems to me that these new requirements can probably be met through standardized tests – and some of the same standardized tests that people, pursuing heavily test-based degrees, are already taking every day.

Similarly, courses in the same broad subject areas should also be accepted in transfer.

[cooperalex2004]

Well put. As I wrote in the original post, my state (Minnesota) has had these requirements since 2003, and unlike New Jersey the rules here are the exact same at every single public and private school. They have "human diversity", "global perspective", "ethical and civic responsibility", and "people and the environment" added to the other more typical areas (Minnesota Transfer, Minnesota Transfer Curriculum (MnTC)). If you want an Associates or Bachelors at any Minnesota school which is regionally accredited you will complete those types of courses. I don't see TESC being unreasonable in asking for a few more requirements to be met, and as Jonathan illistrated it seems to be possible to still use exams and transfer credit to complete the new areas (time will tell how that plays out once they go into effect). For those who are upset, now is the time to act. You can complete the degree under the existing rules and get your diploma, or you can wait (and as some have done complain) and do it later, where you will follow the new rules which I think are going to add some more variety to the learning and maybe strengthen the appearence of a degree from TESC.

A few thoughts.

The concern here seems to be about this part of TESC's coming new gen ed requirements especially:



The "Diversity/Global Literacy" requirement sounds almost exactly like the "Global Understanding" gen ed requirement COSC has had all along.

At Charter Oak, this very similarly stated "Global Understanding" requirement can be met with just one of these:

• DSST Human/Cultural Geography, Environment and Humanity, History of the Vietnam War, Introduction to the Modern Middle East, Rise and Fall of the Soviet Union, Western Europe Since 1945, Introduction to World Religions; ECE World Conflicts Since 1900, World Population; AP Human/Cultural Geography, Government & Politics/Comparative, Environmental Science.

There's also an ECE in Cultural Diversity, but surprisingly this isn't currently listed as meeting Global Understanding at Charter Oak. It's possible that they would accept it on review.

TESC's new "Responsible and Ethical Leadership" requirement, too, parallels Charter Oak's "Ethical Decision-Making" requirement, which can be met with any one of these:

• DSST Business Ethics & Society, Ethics in America; ECE Ethics: Theory & Practice, Bioethics: Philosophical Issues; TECEP Business in Society.

The third requirement TESC lists above, for an elective in the area that's a superset of these two areas, could be met with any one other nonduplicative test, or course, from either area.

So it seems to me that these new requirements can probably be met through standardized tests – and some of the same standardized tests that people, pursuing heavily test-based degrees, are already taking every day.

Similarly, courses in the same broad subject areas should also be accepted in transfer.

[sanantone]

However, most of my experience growing up has been just the opposite. I moved to California when I was eight, and none of my teachers would put up with any sort of racism. The kids I grew up with were all kinds of different races, and and although kids from different races tended to hang out with each other, they still formed friendships with kids from others races as well, and I never felt the us vs. them type racism. When incidents of racism did occur, they were condemned by society. Adults seemed to take pride in NOT being racist -- this was early 70s and 80s. The books we read, the TV shows, the movies, and the entire culture that I grew up in had been all about embracing diversity and condemning racism.

You are basing your assumptions off of 1. you not being a minority and 2. your own experiences and location. It's unacceptable to openly be a lot of things, but those people and their problems still exist. Married individuals still cheat on their spouses in secret, pedophiles still molest children behind closed doors, and alcoholics still suffer in silence.

When I was in the Army, I was stationed at Ft. Gordon, Georgia -- in the heart of the deep South --- and one day there was a KKK rally that marched through downtown Augusta, GA. Myself and several of my fellow soldiers (including whites, blacks, and Hispanics) decided to go to the rally to protest the march. To my surprise, a lot of the residents of Augusta did the same thing. The number of people protesting the KKK marchers outnumbered their supporters by 10 to 1, and the actual KKK marchers were a pathetic group of a little more than a dozen morons who were getting booed on their walk of shame.

I think you should read these articles about the increasing number of hate groups since immigration became a hot topic and after the election of Barack Obama.

Report: A Surge in Hate Groups Across America
The State of Hate: White Supremacist Groups Growing - Confronting the New Faces of Hate

I am not arguing that racism doesn't exist or flare up. It surely does. However, I don't believe the U.S. is a racist nation, or evenly largely racist, and certainly not in need of colleges mandating diversity courses that will create socially responsible individuals with broadened perspectives.

So what is the purpose of teaching U.S. History and having humanities requirements? Those courses aren't going to help most people perform better on their jobs.
Everyone has prejudices. Everyone has stereotyped a person or group of people at one time. We live in an increasingly diverse society and there is nothing wrong with learning about the people you're going to have to deal with in life.

It should be the responsibility of universities to educate its students but not to somehow fashion better citizens. I don't want to see this being done by the political-right spectrum, and I don't want to see it done by members on the political-left spectrum (full disclosure, I'm Libertarian). I enjoy learning about political theories, different philosophies, and cultural beliefs. However, these kinds of topics are problematic in that instructors can easily use them to advance their political views, which I believe is the whole point of mandating these courses in the first place.

How come people complain about the government trying to mind read when making employers comply with anti-discrimination laws, but those same people try to read the minds of the policymakers who are mandating these courses. A lot of courses provide a platform for instructors to express their political views. Should we get rid of U.S. History courses because an instructor can take sides when discussing the Civil War and Civil Rights Movement? Should we get rid of science courses because instructors can take a stance on creationism, the big bang theory, and evolution? Should we get rid of economics courses because an instructor can side with or against Keynesian economics? How come no one is complaining about business ethics requirements in business programs? After all, it's not the school's place to create ethical business leaders. How come no one is complaining about ethics requirements in healthcare programs? It's not the school's place to create ethical healthcare professionals. Why do some criminal justice programs require an ethics course? We don't want universities turning out ethical law enforcement professionals. Why do we even need civics courses? The Constitution is there for everyone to read and civics courses provide the perfect platform for an instructor to express his or her political views.

I believe the goal here is NOT to educate students, but is to fashion better citizens, and they are changing their curriculum to make this happen.

Fashioning better citizens is so evil.

We also need to ask what needs to be dropped from the General Education requirements to make room for the new courses mentioned (e.g. Global Environmental Change, War and American Society, Philosophy of Religion, Cultural Diversity, Elements of Intercultural Communication, and Ethics and the Business Professional). Compare the old and new general education requirements for yourself---

Current General Education Requirements -- 60 Credits
__A. English Composition [6 credits]
__B. Humanities [12 credits]
__C. Social Sciences (2 subject areas) [12 credits]
__D. Natural Sciences and Mathematics [12 credits]
__E. General Education Electives [18 credits]

New General Education Requirements -- 60 Credits
__A. Intellectual and Practical Skills [15 credits]
____English Composition (6 credits)
____Math (3 credits)
____Intellectual and Practical Skills Electives (6 credits)
__B. Human Cultures and the Physical and Natural World [18 credits]
____Social Sciences (3 credits)
____Natural Sciences (3 credits)
____Humanities (3 credits)
____Human Cultures and the Physical World Electives (9 credits)
__C. Personal and Social Responsibility [9 credits]
____Diversity/Global Literacy (3 credits)
____Responsible and Ethical Leadership (3 credits)
____Personal and Social Responsibility Elective (3 credits)
__D. Integrative and Applied Learning Synthesized Across General and Specialized Disciplines [18 credits]
____Includes a Capstone and who knows based on the Academic Gobbledygook.

You're not missing out on anything important; you just have less freedom in choosing general education courses. You're still taking a bunch of courses that fall into the humanities and social science categories. Instead of having the freedom to take fingernail painting II, you'll have to take a required humanities course. If you're not a New Jersey resident, you'll either have to respect their laws or enroll in a school in another state. They have a right to make mandates and you have to freedom to attend school in another state. I don't like TESC's capstones; and even though I would have more of a right to complain as a student if this policy is of their own making, I have chosen not to pursue any degrees at TESC that require a capstone. I have other options.

[Daithi]

I already had my say on this topic, and I'm pretty sure any further points I make won't change anyone's minds. I'd also rather not create enemies just because I have a different viewpoint.

Most importantly, I realize that plenty of good-hearted, intelligent people, like Sanatone, can see things differently. So, I'll just leave it at that.