Dear JBAC Board Members

In response to the request for feedback - I feel REALLY strongly about this as I work with students attending most of Oregon's universities. I am greatly distressed by the arbitrary barriers created by the wide range of general education requirements at our universities. Did you know that a BM Music student at Portland State requires only 27 lower division credits to meet the lower division gen ed requirements, whereas a Bachelor of Science student at WOU would need 78 credits? In our seven universities there are some 16 different sets of gen ed requirements!!!

The proposed Transfer Core itself is an excellent compromise. It is, in essence the academic, liberal arts and sciences core from the AA/OT and it makes sense as a common transfer unit. If this was the General Education core for all Oregon CC and universities I'd be all for it!!

What does NOT maker sense, is permitting the receiving institution to "specify additional general education coursework". This will serve only to exacerbate the existing situation!!! Students will not benefit since every university will add their own requirements to the gen-ed requirement - essentially resulting in NO CHANGE in the status quo!!!. Let's have truth in marketing - if it is a "Transferable Common Core" - let's make it exactly that - no caveats, no additions, no catches!

We need to focus upon STUDENTS! (what a unique concept!! - listen to the some of the discussions and you'll know what I mean) Students need a common, fully transferable (academically strong) core that they can build on a "mix and match" basis from any or all of Oregon's universities and community colleges. There should NO be "GOTCHA'S" when they attend a university - "Yes we know you have the transfer module but now you need these courses to meet OUR gen ed requirements - Oh! NO! they are not the same as the UO's - and we can't guarantee they will transfer to their gen ed . . . ."

We need ONE, COMMON, Transferable Gen Ed Core.

All other requirements should be included in the specific DEGREE REQUIREMENTS. e.g. OSU's Engineering and Science DEGREES require powerful science and math sequences; most of OIT's Degrees require strong sciences, computer, math, writing and (commonly) business courses, UO's Architecture has very specific DEGREE related requirements, and every Business degree requires specific DEGREE related basic business and accounting courses -- that's fair enough.

Let's have truth in marketing - if it is a "Transferable Common Core" - let's make it exactly that - no caveats, no additions, no catches!!

Andy

Andrew (Andy) N. Duncan. Ph.D. Director
Southwestern Oregon University Center
1988 Newmark Avenue
Coos Bay, OR 97420
Phone: 541 888 1510
Fax: 541 888 1530
E Mail: Andy_Duncan@ous.edu
http://ous.edu/ucsw