With the potential help of a grant, the process of revising Baker University’s general education program is coming closer to completion.The task force formed to redevelop general education requirements consists of 12 members including two students, nine faculty members and one administrator. Assistant Dean for Institutional Effectiveness Judy Smrha and Assistant Professor of Psychology Marc Carter co-chair the committee.Acting Associate Dean of College of Arts and Sciences Rob Flaherty was on the 2005 committee when gen. ed. requirements first came under review. Flaherty said the previous committee worked over the summer and developed many potential plans. When the plans were presented to faculty, the feedback was not coherent and the process was slowed down. Flaherty also said former university president Dan Lambert thought a grant from the Hall Family Foundation would provide the resources needed to help in the process.The Hall Family Foundation first heard of the grant proposal in November 2005 and decided to wait on giving the grant because Baker would be getting a new president.”They wanted to make sure the leadership of the program was behind the project,” Flaherty said.Flaherty said he and Grant Programs Director Terry Manies reviewed the grant and made some changes.
In early September 2006, Flaherty and University President Pat Long re-submitted the proposal for the grant.”We have asked for a little more than $1 million to help support the development,” Flaherty said. “The grant will support the development in itself, not the gen. ed. program.”Flaherty said the grant will provide money for faculty release time, summer funding, traveling expenses, money for retreats and other needs. Flaherty said he’s guessing the committee will hear of a decision made about the grant by the beginning of 2007.Interim Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences Rand Ziegler said he is eager for the new developmental process.”I’m very anxious for it to happen. I’m optimistic,” Ziegler said. “All the people involved are doing this on a volunteer basis on top of their real job.”Associate Professor of Political Science Bruce Anderson said he is also ready to see revisions in the gen. ed. requirements.”Something needs to change. We are asking students to do too much,” Anderson said. “Some (classes) aren’t even about content; it’s about mechanics.”Junior Marck Kabbany said he looked at the gen. ed. requirements before he chose to come to Baker.”I thought it was a strong program here so I chose to play football here over another school in West Virginia,” Kabbany said. “Baker gave me a chance to have a well-balanced education. The gen. requirements put me in a position to learn things I don’t think I would have taken individually.”