Town Hall Meeting on Mt.SAC’s GE Philosophy 10/25/2024 by

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

ashleylanuza — 2024-10-22 19:43:59 UTC

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

ashleylanuza — 2024-10-22 19:44:21 UTC

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 — 2024-10-22 19:45:39 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 — 2024-10-22 19:49:42 UTC

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

ashleylanuza — 2024-10-22 19:49:55 UTC

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

ashleylanuza — 2024-10-22 21:40:24 UTC

What outstanding question do you have?

ashleylanuza — 2024-10-22 21:40:57 UTC

2024-10-25 16:31:45 UTC

Needs to be aligned with accreditation standard 2.3. Align Title 5 with accreditation standards.

2024-10-25 16:38:03 UTC

Need to have a campus-wide discussion in regard to Area E (keeping it?) and if the campus will agree with only the minimum per area, as some areas have 2 courses.

2024-10-25 16:45:28 UTC

Simplify General Education Philosophy.

2024-10-25 16:52:03 UTC

Do we want to keep it at 30 units? Arts and Humanities, 1 instead of 2 courses. Social and Behavorial Sciences, 1 instead of 2 courses. Keeping non-requirements, Area E?

2024-10-25 16:54:44 UTC

What's preventing us from repositioning all our local associate's degrees? All students should be transfer level eligible.

2024-10-25 16:56:41 UTC

Might be good to keep as 30 units because students can explore and can get their local degree, along with their CalGETC. (May also depend on the type of student)

Demographics of students can change also because sometimes we have more high school graduates, depending on the year. Also, some students will get a degree at another cc because their local degree has less units.

2024-10-25 17:11:27 UTC

From Question 1:

Alignment, how to veer from GEs to transfers ("and" options, not "or"). Student-focused language so it will be clear to students who are reading the GE philosophy statement.

Like an "on ramp, off ramp."

2024-10-25 17:11:45 UTC

Opposite of 4

2024-10-25 17:12:18 UTC

This is confusing. Learned a lot.

local degrees, transfer, CalGETC, ...

2024-10-25 17:18:00 UTC

What happens after this? Who makes the decision? (to make implementation for Fall 2025? catalog and etc.)

What happens to students who are undecided?

Communication is key (to the students).

2024-10-25 17:54:10 UTC

How to have Cal-GETC meet the local GE requirements ?

2024-10-25 17:54:32 UTC

How to leverage the student experience

2024-10-25 17:54:44 UTC

How to leverage the Counselors' experience

2024-10-25 17:55:41 UTC

Simple is good for students

2024-10-25 17:56:19 UTC

Benefit to do some sort of a session with the counselors to have them talk about their experience working w students on the GE patterns. And do the same with students.

2024-10-25 17:56:45 UTC

How messy the GE patterns are now

2024-10-25 17:58:16 UTC

Pro for students will be more clarity.

2024-10-25 17:59:56 UTC

The lifelong learning classes can be really important and meaningful to the new students. Lifelong learning is a great welcome for incoming students. It can also help new students balance a heavy class load with something that is relevant to their personal interests.

2024-10-25 18:06:06 UTC

Why would we choose to do something different that Cal-GETC, thinking about students

Why would we choose to do something that the 21 required units, thinking about students
Going with the minimum does not preclude students from taking courses outside of the degree requirements, but don’t need to require students to take courses beyond the requirement

-- and --

But exploration is important. How do you explore without guidelines like the GE guide.

Feel like the GE should be a guideline to help students explore. This is a growth opportunity – a time for growth in people’s lives.

2024-10-25 19:43:01 UTC

Realign our local associates degrees to be transfer eligible.

2024-10-25 19:44:51 UTC

We don’t want to create areas that do not align with Cal-GETC. What if we use Cal-GETC as our local? What is the advantage of doing the local associate degree?

2024-10-25 19:45:34 UTC

Consider how you could use double-counting in the major courses.

2024-10-25 19:47:23 UTC

Must align with ACCJC Standard 2.3. "All degree programs include a general education framework to ensure the development of broad knowledge, skills, and competencies related to communication, quantitative reasoning, critical thinking, information literacy, civic responsibility, and the ability to engage with diverse perspectives. (ER 12)"

2024-10-25 19:49:15 UTC

Must consider the Board of Governors policy on Gen Ed when developing local board policies.

In Appendix A of this memo.

2024-10-25 19:52:55 UTC

Alignment to:

Title 5

Accreditation Standard 2.3

BOG Gen Ed policy

Consider who this is for – the students. The clearer and simpler the language is for the GE, the better for the students. Remember the audience.

2024-10-25 19:55:36 UTC

Pro for students. More clarity.

Con- students aren’t going to be incentivized to take lifelong learning classes or classes in the arts or language.