As announced on December 2, a new CLAS General Education requirement in Diversity and Inclusion (3 s.h.) has been approved.

At the same time, the Values, Society, and Diversity (VSD) GE requirement has been revised to avoid overlap with the new Diversity and Inclusion area and has been given the name of Values and Culture (3 s.h.).

More comprehensive information on the current GE Program may be found on these CLAS pages.

Timeline for Implementation

CLAS undergraduate students entering UI beginning in Summer 2017 and after will be held to the new GE requirements and will be required to complete both the Diversity and Inclusion and the Values and Culture requirement.

• Continuing students will complete the GE requirements now in place, including the Values, Society, and Diversity GE requirement.
• The current GE Program will be kept in place for at least five years and/or until most continuing students have graduated.

Call for GE Proposals: Diversity and Inclusion

We are issuing a call for proposals to request the addition of GE status in Diversity and Inclusion to an existing or new course.

• Information on how to propose GE status for a new or existing course for may be found on this CLAS page.
• Proposals are due September 15, 2016.

Call for GE Proposals: Values and Culture

• Some courses currently with GE status in Values, Society, and Diversity (VSD) may also be appropriate for the new area of Values and Culture. In these cases, an abbreviated proposal will be accepted; please use this form to apply for GE status in Values and Culture if the course already has VSD status. The form should be submitted to the College as soon as feasible and before the close of the spring semester.
• Requests for GE status in Values and Culture for a new or existing course without current GE status in Values, Society, and Diversity (VSD) will require a full proposal. Please see this this CLAS page for guidelines. Proposals are due September 15, 2016.

Other Considerations

I ask that DEOs and the Directors of Undergraduate Studies carefully consider which courses from their department or program might work best with GE status in either of these two new GE categories.

All departments and programs are welcome to apply, regardless of discipline as long as the proposal shows that the comprehensive outcomes of the GE Program and the GE specific area outcomes below can be met.

All GE courses must also use core GE attributes, as defined on this CLAS web page.

Thank you for your help and for your interest in the GE Program; if you have questions, please feel free to contact me.

Content and Outcomes of New GE Requirements

Diversity and Inclusion
Content
Courses develop students’ recognition of their positions in an increasingly pluralistic world while fostering an understanding of social and cultural differences. Courses in this area are generally discussion based.
Outcomes

1. Students explore the historical and structural bases of inequality.

2. Students learn about the benefits and challenges of diversity.
3. Students reflect critically on their own social and cultural perspectives.
4. Students increase their ability to engage with people who have backgrounds or ideas different from their own.

Values and Culture
Content
Courses focus on how culture shapes the human experience and on the role of values in society.
Outcomes

1. Students ask fundamental questions regarding the human experience.
2. Students become aware of the characteristics that define culture and values.
3. Students apply at least one method to analyze cultural value systems.
4. Students consider the complex origins of their own values and beliefs.