In early 2016, a survey was issued to every CSU campus in order to compare each campus requirements of general education classes.
The conclusion of the survey showed a number of differences between the schools. In order to have a more cohesive system, there are changes being made so everyone will be on the same page.
On Aug. 23, 2017 Executive Order 1100 revision was released documenting the official changes and is now in effect. Previously known as “CSU GE pathways” is now going to be “CSU GE patterns,” school wide.
Senior Tanner Gunning, Communications major, was impressed with the news of changes being done to the General Education Pattern. “I like that there’s more structure. There’s more of a clear plan for freshmen which is important because for me that was something I really struggled with was figuring out what I needed to take by the end of my first year,” he said.
The required units are now 48, including the combination of lab and lecture course students must take, compared to the previously required 50 units. In each area, there are nine lower division units required with the exception of Area E only being three units. Upper division units are mandatory in Areas B, C, and D of three units in each area, for a total of nine semester units taken at a CSU.
There is now a new plan in place, which started on Aug. 2, 2018, which gives students a new track for what courses to take for their Writing and Math requirements to be fulfilled, detailed in the new CSU Executive Order, or EO for short. The plan is called “Assessment of Academic Preparation and Placement in First-Year General Education Written Communication and Mathematics/Quantitative Reasoning Courses.”
They have also noted a change in which major courses are also accepted for GE credit. Junior and Hutchins Major Madeline Baker, thinks that this is a great idea moving forward. “I think that it would be easier for students to grasp the concept of whichever major they have, if they were allowed to use GEs that pertained to their specific major as a major class itself.”
In Area E, there is going to be an addition for possible topics as well. For example, information literacy and student success strategies are courses that will be offered. The objective of the new requirements in Area E are to “Equip learners for lifelong understanding and development of themselves as integrated physiological, social, and psychological beings.”
Specifically aimed to aid freshman students, campuses are now required to offer enough sections of Area A2 and B4 to complete the classes within their first year. The minimum grades are a C- or better for each transfer course or CSU course in Area A and B4.
To keep the GE pattern accurate, if a course is not being provided within five years, it will be not be authorized to be on pattern.
Some of the changes may seem minor, but change is good. A survey in March 2017 filled out by students, administration, and faculty concluded, “nearly all of the responses indicated support for a revision of EO 1100 with attention to clarity, equity, and streamlining.” The first order needed to be revamped and have alterations to it. General education classes are essential in college because of the different skills and knowledge developed within them. Taking classes outside of your major creates a more rounded and educated person.
