Committee considers undergraduate education pathways, possible curricula changes
By Sharita Forrest, Assistant Editor 217-244-1072; slforres@illinois.edu
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Almost 20 percent of undergraduate students at Illinois take more than six years to graduate, and the percentage is even higher among students from underrepresented groups. The Pathways in Undergraduate Education Committee, formed by Provost Linda Katehi and chaired by Steven Leigh, a professor of anthropology, is examining curricula to determine if unexpected and undesirable barriers exist that impede students. Some people know early in life that within them beats the heart of a dancer, or a mathematician or a veterinarian, and for them college is a straight path to their degrees. But many students arrive on campus uncertain about the paths they want to take, and some may spend several semesters studying one discipline only to realize that their interest lies somewhere else. Changing majors and perhaps colleges, however, is not always simple because curricula are more flexible in some programs than in others. One of the four issues the committee is investigating is whether some curricula are “over prescribed,” with too many required courses and too few electives for students to explore and sample an array of disciplines. The committee will be looking at the balance of required courses in the major fields of study, of general education courses and of electives. The committee also is examining the level of flexibility provided for undergraduates to change majors, particularly students making inter-college transfers. Are students who have grade-point averages that place them in “good academic standing” (GPAs of 2.00 and above) prevented from enrolling in certain majors because the requirements are too restrictive, and what is the UI’s commitment and responsibility to those students? “If you’re in good standing academically, shouldn’t you have the opportunity to move from one program of study to another if you meet the stated qualifications?” said Peter Mortensen, a professor of English, an associate provost fellow and one of the staff members in the Office of the Provost working with the committee. “There’s an argument that yes, indeed, you should. But in practical fact we find that there are barriers to students moving. And that might result in students who make degree choices later rather than earlier being channeled into a fairly restrictive number of majors and programs. And whether that’s a good thing or a bad thing is something that the committee will be exploring. We need to know a lot more about what it means for a student to make a certain declaration upon coming here, only to end up in a very different place some years down the line.” “One of the strengths of our university,” Leigh said, “is that there’s so much available for students, and we’re taking a look at the functions that might be associated with students’ making inter-college transfers and making sure that students can take advantage of the strengths that we have.” Another issue that Katehi asked the committee to examine is means of increasing the presence of students from underrepresented groups in a wider array of majors. A disproportionate number of students from economically and educationally disadvantaged groups who participate in the UI’s Educational Opportunities Program, administered by the Office of Minority Student Affairs, enroll in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and graduate with LAS majors. The committee will be recommending ways of encouraging EOP students to consider all the options available to them. Chancellor Richard Herman’s strategic plan for the Urbana campus identified several themes that he deemed crucial for preparing students for life in the 21st century, including globalization, multiculturalism, leadership and information literacy. The committee will look at various ways in which the institutional culture can provide related learning experiences, whether it be by creating interdisciplinary minors for undergraduates, developing a general or liberal studies degree or developing a concentration in one of the thematic areas. They also are considering whether the student affairs units and academic units could partner with each other to provide programs through which students could build the requisite knowledge and skills. Kristi Kuntz, assistant provost, said that the provost’s committee “has pulled together faculty members from across campus to begin thinking about these issues. They have considerable time and energy invested in their disciplines within the undergraduate arena. And we’re tapping into that background and experience to get their perspectives about what they see happening on campus.” The committee is expected to provide Katehi with a summary report of its perspectives and recommendations by May 1.
