Faculty Senate voted Tuesday to keep the requirements for Quest 112 as they stand now, with no required linked course.

Although there was still debate at the meeting, the motion to reinstate the link was defeated, 12 to 10. Darcy Russell, professor of biology, stated during discussion that she didn’t believe a solution could be found for next year.

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Faculty Senate to vote on linked-course requirement

Associate Professor of Physics Ran Sivron envisioned many problems with math and science majors who would have struggled with an increased course load if the linked requirement had been reinstated.

“The argument here is whether we should leverage the fact that our students need more philosophy and English classes, which I think they do eventually, but when we do that, we are breaking the promises we make our science students when they come in,” he said.

Also during the meeting, the senate approved a Quest program change that will rearrange the learning outcomes for several courses to make it clearer to both the instructors and the students what will be assessed in each course.

The proposal, which will go into effect in 2015, passed 14 to 5, something Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences Brian Posler thinks will enhance the program.

“It still allows for multiple outcomes within a class, but it insists on which ones we will guarantee will be taught,” Posler said. “I prefer a simpler list, not necessarily for accessibility, but so we can make sure all the students are learning the same things.”