In response to a new state law aimed at easing the transfer of students from two-year to four-year institutions, the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville is reducing the general-education requirements that all students in its Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences must complete, regardless of their majors, from 66 credit hours to 35, the Associated Press reported. The changes eliminate a foreign-language requirement, reduce science requirements, and require only college algebra, which the college’s dean, William Schwab, characterized as “high school-level stuff.” Mr. Schwab met with language faculty members last month to reassure them that he intended to minimize the new requirements’ impact on their departments.
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12 Responses to U. of Arkansas Cuts Core Curriculum, Eliminating Foreign-Language Requirement
11164868 - May 3, 2010 at 5:27 am
William Fulbright is rolling in his grave. I guess in Arkansas, English is a foreign language, and with the old and new testaments, who needs science.
mondegreen - May 3, 2010 at 9:58 am
2. They ought to at least be required to relinquish the “Fulbright” part of their name in adopting such pathetic standards. Really, how far are we from just saying “look, whatever you’ve already learned and done in your life is pretty much equivalent to our degree, so you pay us, and we’ll give you the degree.”
willismg - May 3, 2010 at 10:06 am
Pathetic… that’ all I can say. The Deep South has taken one more step towards exemplifying the stereotypes about their education systems.
davidcoberly - May 3, 2010 at 10:12 am
Is the rest of the world supposed to “just learn English”?What does it mean to get a college degree in the US? Frighteningly, it seems like less every year.
joe_in_decatur_ga - May 3, 2010 at 10:22 am
Another watered down curriculum…
8780sb - May 3, 2010 at 10:52 am
They’re doing it in response to a state law which essentially forces them to accept an associate’s degree from transfer students as having completed the “core requirements”, so they’re changing the core to reflect that. The language, math, etc. requirements will probably be major specific now, but you’ll still need the same number of hours to graduate.
ralphelton2 - May 3, 2010 at 2:17 pm
This could be the model for the Obama admiistration’s idea of attaining higher graduation rates. Dumb down the satndards to the point of handing out diplomas. Give credit for life learning (many places allow life experiences for “degree credit” of a quarter or more of the “degree”).That’s the ticket-more “degrees” equal more educated workers and a society. Sounds like double speak and the Obama way.
gussguss - May 3, 2010 at 3:34 pm
Other than 8780sb these comments are an indication of a level of thought that is way below the level of what I would expect from Chronicle readers. The Chronicle bears some responsibility for these reactions because the short posting above does not provide an accurate picture of the circumstances. That picture can be easily attained from the link to the original article. Lowering the general education requirements does not mean that gruaduation requirements have been lowered. The article indicates that many of the departments have already made changes to degree programs that replace the earlier requirements.
lynnbhardin - May 3, 2010 at 4:51 pm
Arkansas is not the deep south!
tony__ross - May 3, 2010 at 5:26 pm
in case you haven’t followed the higher ed headlines lately, many colleges and universities are undergoing a revision to their general education requirements. this isn’t new and for many of us, the revisions are long overdue. its important to remember that most curricular changes go through the academic senates and the vpaa/provost as there is usually ample consultation on each campus. its important to let each campus determine their destiny and for “us” as weekly or daily readers, to allow them to do so.
watermarkup - May 3, 2010 at 9:41 pm
The problem is not the university or the college, but a state legislature filled with undereducated anti-intellectuals who want to micro-manage everything the university does, and who see no need to inform themselves of possible effects of the laws they pass.
honore - May 6, 2010 at 10:37 pm
Dear Tony…And the American mind keeps shrinking.Nothing says provincial, short-sighted and boorish American thinking like “policies” such as this. The rest of the world not only encourages but actually practices the acquisition of foreign languages and technological skills, but in the US, we pursue tummy-tucks, breast implants, rotisserie tans and chronic erections. Who really wonders if we are a society in rapid decline? But as long as the “faculty” has had a chance to “discuss” their own inanity, everything is just okay? Spoken like a true H/E mediocrity licking drone. YOU are what’s wrong with the American academy, NOT foreign languages…Que perdida de capacidad y para que?