Town Hall Meeting on Mt.SAC’s GE Philosophy 11/07/2024 by

3. How do you think the changes could affect students in terms of their: A. educational goals, B. transfer rates, C. preparation for career, or, D.other?

ashleylanuza — 2024-11-05 16:31:12 UTC

5. What are the consequences of a local GE pattern not aligning with CalGETC?

ashleylanuza — 2024-11-05 16:31:12 UTC

1. Considering the recent title 5 changes, how might Mt. SAC review and update our current General Education Philosophy statement?

ashleylanuza — 2024-11-05 16:31:12 UTC

4. What does it mean to align our local GE pattern with CalGETC? How will aligning with CalGETC affect students who may or may not choose to transfer?

ashleylanuza — 2024-11-05 16:31:12 UTC

2. What questions do you have about the changes to the general education requirements for local associate degrees?

ashleylanuza — 2024-11-05 16:31:12 UTC

What’s one takeaway that you know now that you didn’t know before this town hall?

ashleylanuza — 2024-11-05 16:31:12 UTC

What outstanding question do you have?

ashleylanuza — 2024-11-05 16:31:12 UTC

Advocating for AREA E:

cton17 — 2024-11-07 22:50:34 UTC

(1) Not allowing the UCs to determine/ influence local GEs at the community college

(2) Community college serves a diverse set of students - AREA E courses can help to address the needs of our student pop. "we are not a UC"

(3) Giving student choices, options for lifelong learning

Local GE as launching point for Transfer

cton17 — 2024-11-07 22:52:59 UTC

Aligning local GE with CalGetc and help student transfer if they to decide to transfer. This way students are not taking extra classes or courses that not align with UC/ CSU transfer requirements.

Elective Philosophy

cton17 — 2024-11-07 23:10:58 UTC

Reducing GE requirements can give student options to choose elective units to fulfill 60 units.

Reducing GE requirement

cton17 — 2024-11-07 23:14:04 UTC

This can positively impact students who are in AS high unit major.

Can also impact working student population, helping to reduce work/ courseload.

Question:

cton17 — 2024-11-07 23:22:06 UTC

How many students will be affected if they followed the Associates GE but then decide to transfer later? How do we address this?

Example taking World Language level 1 or 2 course, which satisfies AA/AS Humanities requirement, however, CalGETC requires level 3 or higher to be counted for GE.

What if we align local GE with Cal GETC

cton17 — 2024-11-07 23:27:02 UTC

Pro: Student will take courses that will align with all educational goals.

Con: Many students are coming to Mt. SAC to pursue AA/AS degree, no transfer. Having one GE plan, limits choices .

Reducing units in ENGL and SPCH

cton17 — 2024-11-07 23:29:53 UTC

Reducing ENGL 1A and SPCH classes to 3 units? Rather than cutting AREA E

cton17 — 2024-11-07 23:32:12 UTC

Aligning Associate GE with Cal GETC will mean getting rid of AREA E.

Local GE is Aligned with Cal GETC

cton17 — 2024-11-07 23:34:53 UTC

Local GE is Aligned with Cal GETC - pattern is aligned, however, classes may not aligned i.e. Arts/ Humanities

cton17 — 2024-11-07 23:36:55 UTC

Idea: students use Cal GETC instead of AA/AS local requirement to graduate?

cton17 — 2024-11-07 23:38:12 UTC

Giving students choice, rather than imposing requirement i.e. US History/ Poli

cton17 — 2024-11-07 23:38:58 UTC

Positive consequence: more choices, course options and breadth/ experience.

Reducing GE requirement, keeping close to Title 5 req.

cton17 — 2024-11-09 05:21:29 UTC

Reducing GE requirements can positively impact students who are in AS high unit major. Reduce the amount of courses needed to complete major. Mt. SAC has several high unit majors: i.e. Sign Lang Interp., Interior Design, Nursing, Rad Tech, Aviation Science, etc.

Students may graduate sooner and start career sooner.

Can also help working student or student parent population, with less courses to complete/ reducing overall work/ courseload.

Follow Title 5 recommendations

cton17 — 2024-11-09 05:26:56 UTC

Follow Title 5 recommendations and reduce area C to 1 class - choice of Arts or Humanities, AREA D - to 1 class (eliminating force choice of US Hist/ Am Inst. Poli) and eliminating AREA E.

Less GE units may allow students flexibility in choosing elective classes.

Eliminating GE area may impact students' well roundedness and opportunity to explore

cton17 — 2024-11-09 05:31:43 UTC

Student may be technically skilled, however, may not have soft skills/ knowledge or simply opportunity to explore different topics of interest.

Adding options to PE requirement

cton17 — 2024-11-09 05:33:23 UTC

Idea of adding Nutrition as an option or alternative to PE. Student will the option of taking PE course or Nutrition course.

Mt. SAC has a lot of GE requirements.

cton17 — 2024-11-09 05:35:12 UTC

cton17 — 2024-11-09 05:36:23 UTC

Some participants were not aware of Title 5 regulations.

Task of revising current Mt. SAC pattern is a difficult one.

cton17 — 2024-11-09 05:36:52 UTC

More faculty voices needed

cton17 — 2024-11-09 05:37:36 UTC

High Unit major because they are skilled based, but it should not negate the importance of GE requirements.

All student should take the following:

cton17 — 2024-11-09 05:39:11 UTC

Financial Literacy,

Adulting 101,

Nutrition

Swimming

classes should be required for all students.

Is it necessary to revise current GE requirements?

cton17 — 2024-11-09 05:40:05 UTC

Impact on Enrollment

cton17 — 2024-11-09 05:43:11 UTC

If MtSAC stays at 30+ units for GE vs. other local CCC with closer to 21 units (as recommended by Title 5) - students may choose to attend other schools to reduce course requirement/saving time. money and effort.

GE Philosophy Statement

paulinelibrarian — 2024-11-15 18:49:08 UTC

We noticed to be in alignment with the Board of Governors philosophy, we would need lifelong learning to foster “the capability for self-understanding.”

Ideas for edits to our GE phil

paulinelibrarian — 2024-11-15 18:56:14 UTC

Remove gendered language

Make it shorter

“characteristics of an education person” – this is a loaded statement. Some may not have all those qualities and may feel like they are not all level yet. This phrase is problematic.
Want to add - To prepare students to reach their personal, educational, and career goals – add this.
Want to add from the BOG – develop the capacity for self-understanding.
If we feel it’s important for our students to explore themselves and how they fit into the world – with our experiences of students who are figuring out who they are and what they want to do – keeping area E is very important.

Like the encourage the life-long interest in learning.

paulinelibrarian — 2024-11-15 19:01:26 UTC

Reverse transfer students. Students might start at Mt. SAC, get a BA, then come back here because they can’t get a job because they don’t have skills and experience.

paulinelibrarian — 2024-11-15 19:02:22 UTC

There may be a cost-benefit analysis. Complete faster, potential for more FTEs for the campus. Cons would be the elimination of the exploratory spaces that we offer and not rushed decisions and deconstruct who they are as people. They come from a deficit perspective from high school. Those elements would be lost if we were to eliminate area E and E1. Community colleges students -it’s unfair that they do not have time to explore.

paulinelibrarian — 2024-11-15 19:03:05 UTC

A business model doesn’t apply to education and learning – get in and get out.

Students with the least resources who go to community college just go through it

paulinelibrarian — 2024-11-15 19:03:38 UTC

How to help the students who are not ready for the GE courses.

Not fair to put everyone on the transfer track. This is a disservice.

Our first gen students are going to gravitate toward the courses that interests them. They need those courses that are going to keep them coming back.

It takes time to develop the skills and maturing for the deep analysis classes.

We need more introductory courses for disciplines including career paths in the discipline. Students should be able to explore an area of interest. Example was the Engineering class that does this.

paulinelibrarian — 2024-11-15 19:03:53 UTC

We may get students who change their minds

Students may go to the schools where they can get their degree fastest.

Could be more legislation to tighten things up.

paulinelibrarian — 2024-11-15 19:04:40 UTC

There would be fewer opportunities for exploration so students can get out of here like the business model.

paulinelibrarian — 2024-11-15 19:04:56 UTC

We are getting farther away from what the community colleges are for – exploration, careers, and transfer.

Would like a menu and would like students to have choices.

edits to the current ge phil statement

paulinelibrarian — 2024-11-15 19:17:15 UTC

General education is ~~the distinguishing feature of higher education. It is~~ a broadly-based core of humanistic knowledge and abilities, ~~the acquisition of which is the~~ distinctive characteristic of the educated person. General education courses emphasize the ability to reason, to examine issues from different perspectives, to challenge authority, and to communicate ideas logically and confidently. They instill open-mindedness, respect for differences among people, and knowledge of self. By exposing students to different fields of study, general education courses provide an understanding of the human condition and of human accomplishments and encourage a lifelong interest in learning. Together with other Mt. San Antonio College degree requirements, the general education component of the associate degree prepares students to:

Somewhere add - … to reach their personal, career, and educational goals.