Faculty Policies (FAC)

General Education for AAS Degrees Policy

Policy Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to 1) present an outcome-based rationale for CSN’s General Education requirements that reflect the NSHE Board of Regents general education minimums, 2) provide a mechanism for assessing General Education course offerings, and 3) provide a mechanism for additions to and removals from the General Education course offerings at CSN for AAS degrees.

Policy Statement

  1. The CSN General Education requirements, outcomes, and course offerings for the AAS degrees are described in Attachments B and C. Attachment B provides an overview of the Proposed General Education requirements for AAS degrees and defines the distribution category. Attachment C assigns outcomes. These definitions and outcomes will facilitate assessment of General Education course offerings, as well as allow future changes in General Education course offerings.
  2. The procedures for changes to the CSN General Education course offerings for the AAS degrees are described in the procedures section and will involve the Curriculum Committee. Corresponding changes to AAS degrees will be considered and approved according to the Curriculum Committee Policy.

Procedure

  1. The Curriculum Committee will serve as the regulating body for General Education course designations.

    The Curriculum Committee will consider General Education proposals once each semester. The Curriculum Committee Chair will determine the appropriate meeting for General Education proposals and include them in the semester’s published calendar for Curriculum Committee meetings.

    The Curriculum Committee Chair will create a General Education Advisory Committee (GEAC) as a subcommittee of the Curriculum Committee. The GEAC should be comprised of representatives from a diverse representation of College programs. The GEAC will function in the same way that School Curriculum Advisory Committees (SCACs) currently function. This uses an already existing mechanism in support of the General Education process.

    Requests for courses to be added to or removed from a General Education category will first be presented to the GEAC. The GEAC will set a date to meet and hear proposals with an adequate amount of lead time before the full Curriculum Committee is scheduled to discuss General Education issues. If the GEAC determines that a proposal is complete and meets the relevant requirements (see below), then the GEAC will pass that proposal on to the full Curriculum Committee for a vote. If a proposal is found to be incomplete or deficient it will be returned to the presenter with the problem(s) identified.

  2. Adding a course to a General Education category.

    The CSN General Education definitions give a variety of categories. A proposal for adding a course to the General Education curriculum must identify a specific category. The burden of proof is on the presenter of a proposal to demonstrate that the proposed course adequately addresses the requirement for the category. A General Education Application Form will be created for each of the designated course categories.

    The GEAC and the Curriculum Committee will require the following:

    1. Proposals must be complete and accurate, and all Administrative signatures must be obtained.
    2. The Curriculum Form for the proposed course must incorporate at least 80% of the required General Education category requirements.
    3. The proposed syllabus and textual materials for the course must demonstrate the adequate fulfillment of the required General Education category requirements.
    4. The General Education Application form will require a written justification of (2) and (3).
    5. The GEAC and the Curriculum Committee may invite and utilize the advice of external subject matter experts when needed to evaluate a proposal.

    If a course is tabled by the GEAC or the Curriculum Committee then appropriate corrections must be addressed before the course can be reconsidered as a General Education candidate. If a course is rejected by the GEAC or the Curriculum Committee then appropriate corrections must be addressed before the course can be reconsidered as a General Education candidate.

  3. Removing a course from a General Education category

    A course can be removed from the General Education curriculum if the common practices in the course deviate from the required General Education category requirements.

    The GEAC and the Curriculum Committee will require the following:

    1. Proposals must be complete and accurate, and all Administrative signatures must be obtained.
    2. The proposal should demonstrate that the common practices in the course proposed for removal deviate from the required General Education category requirements in such a way that the course Curriculum Form needs to be changed.
    3. The General Education Application form will provide a written explanation of (2).

    If a General Education course is eliminated from the Catalogue because of a Curriculum “Shelf Life” policy or because a program discontinues that course, then it will automatically be removed from the General Education curriculum.

Authority and Cross Reference Links

  • NSHE Handbook - Title 4, Chapter 16, Section 25 (BOR 11/29/2012 Handbook Revision)
  • Curriculum Committee Policy, FAC 4.2

Most Recent Changes

Version 3:

  1. Attachment C revision

Disclaimer

The president has the discretion to suspend or rescind all or any part of this policy or related procedure(s). The president shall notify the appropriate CSN personnel, including the Executive Sponsor and shared governance leaders, of the suspension or rescission.

Questions about this policy should be referred to the Executive Sponsor.

Attachments

History

  • Version 3:
    • 05/06/2019: Approved by CSN President Zaragoza
    • 04/26/2019: Reviewed for Legal Sufficiency (Richard Hinckley)
    • 10/12/2018: Recommended by Faculty Senate (Senate Chair Darin Dockstader)
  • Version 2:
    • 06/13/2018: Approved by CSN President Martin
    • 06/06/2019: Reviewed for Legal Sufficiency
    • 05/11/2018: Recommended by Faculty Senate (Senate Chair Jill Acree)
    • 05/01/2018: Submitted to Faculty Senate by Assessment Committee (Debra Berry)
  • Version 1:
    • 02/22/2013: Approved by CSN President Michael Richards
    • 02/21/2013: Reviewed for legal sufficiency by CSN General Counsel Richard Hinckley
    • 02/01/2013: Approved by the CSN Faculty Senate (C. Milne)
    • 01/25/2013: Draft prepared by the CSN Faculty Senate ad hoc General Education Committee (D. Dockstader).

AAS Framework

Framework: Proposal for AAS General Education Requirements

This is a structural summary of the AAS Degree proposal. See the corresponding Course Outcomes proposal for the specific General Education outcomes associated with each type of course and a populated list of recommended course options. See the Procedures section for the mechanism for adding or removing courses from the General Education Requirements.

Associate of Applied Science

Requirements Credits Definition
Communications 3

Competence in the Communication Outcome requires that the theoretical perspectives of communication are the primary focus of the course, defined by accomplishing the following.

  1. Demonstrate general academic literacy applied to oral communication appropriate to different audiences and purposes.
  2. Distinguish and evaluate appropriate responses to informative and persuasive rhetorical situations.
  3. Develop and present effective oral presentations.
  4. Produce visuals using various media to enhance oral presentations.
English Composition 3-5

Competence in the English Composition Outcome requires that writing and the writing process are the primary focus of the course, defined by accomplishing the following.

  1. Construct college-level academic and professional writing using appropriate conventions.
  2. Employ research methods including how to obtain and use information via both print and electronic media.
Human Relations 3

Competence in the Human Relations Outcome is defined by accomplishing at least three of the following.

  1. Experience or interpret cultural, social and other differences present in our society.
  2. Employ positive communication and listening skills.
  3. Analyze and evaluate patterns of human behavior.
  4. Identify and interpret common human relationship forms.
  5. Assess one's own attitudes towards and interactions with others.
  6. Identify and interpret the ways in which social diversity affects organizational practices.
Mathematics 3

Competence in the Mathematics Outcome requires that mathematical reasoning is the primary focus of the course, defined by accomplishing the following.

Solve problems in quantitative mathematical reasoning including equations and variables, integer exponents, fractions, decimals, percents, ratios, statistics, and geometry.
Natural Science 3

Competence in the Natural Science Subject Area is defined by accomplishing all of the following.

  1. Define and apply basic concepts in at least one scientific discipline.
  2. Competently apply the scientific method.
  3. Recognize and weigh scientific evidence.
Fine Arts/Humanities/Social Science 3

Competence in the Fine Arts and Humanities Subject Area is defined by the following.

Students will acquire appreciation or introductory knowledge of the Humanities or International Languages, or at least one of the Fine Arts.

Competence in the Social Science Subject Area is defined by the following.

Students will acquire appreciation or introductory knowledge about Social Sciences and their insights about individual or group behaviors.
US and Nevada Constitutions 4-6

Competence in the Constitutions Outcome is defined by accomplishing the following.

Examine and interpret the United States and Nevada constitutions.
Gen Ed Subtotal 22-26  

Outcomes

The Associate of Applied Science degree provides employment related and career enhancing skills necessary to succeed in a chosen occupational or technical field of study. Although the AAS degree is not designed to transfer to a four-year program, many of the courses will transfer to four-year colleges and universities.

CSN’s General Education curriculum consists of a number of courses designed to increase students’ knowledge, skills, and dispositions. All courses at CSN are subject to course-level evaluation, so knowledge-based outcomes will be assessed at the course level.

At the skill and disposition levels, CSN has established the following Institutional Learning Outcomes:

  • Apply critical thinking in a variety of situations.
  • Use effective communication in personal and professional contexts.
  • Collaborate professionally to benefit our diverse community.

General Education assessment will take place in the following categories within the Institutional Learning Outcomes:

  • Written communication
  • Oral communication
  • Quantitative thinking
  • Critical thinking
  • Civic Engagement
  • Intercultural Competence
  • Information Literacy

These items will be assessed on the cycle determined by the Office of Assessment and using processes and tools developed or selected by the Faculty Senate General Education Assessment Committee.