Changes in Ball State University's core curriculum structure isa task that's two years in the making. It was addressed again in areport issued by The Higher Learning Commission of the NorthCentral Association of Colleges and Schools regarding Ball State'srecent reaccreditation.
"The purpose of UCC is of immense importance because it cutsacross all disciplines to give students not only knowledge butskills they will need for the rest of their lives," Julie Eflinsaid, the philosophy and religious studies chairwoman who isinvolved in the core curriculum inquiry.
The report recognized the university for its assessment ofacademic programs based on evaluations of the University CoreCurriculum. The team noted that effective assessment is dependenton the structure of the core classes. However, the report alsomentioned changes that needed to be made.
The report outlined goals for core classes that woulddistinguish it from disciplinary courses and help in the assessmentof core education. Eflin said the assessment was built into corecurriculum from the beginning. Joe Losco, Department of PoliticalScience chairman, said assessment is needed in order to see whetherthe goals set for the courses are met.
Another recommendation calls for a distinction to be madebetween core curriculum and discipline courses and their goals.Losco said questions about how much core courses need to contributeto specific majors are being addressed and core courses shouldallow students to know enough to function in their major.
The UCC program at Ball State is made up of 41 hours and offersa broad educational foundation to the academic major. The currentUniversity Core Curriculum was established in 1984. Undergraduateand graduate studies are assessed in the core curriculum anddisciplines areas.
"In 1984, when the core was set up, its aim was to give studentsa wide background of knowledge meant to cover many areas," Eflinsaid. "One thing that didn't happen in the structure was a way tobring core experiences together in a unified fashion."
Besides the core curriculum, the team addressed what was calledan "assessment ceiling," stating program and department assessmentresults should be combined. Losco said the courses were assessedand not the entire program. He said the university has establisheda group that plans to look at the outcome of the entire curriculumand not just the courses.
Two years before the NCA report was issued in July, a committeewas established to examine the goals of the core curriculum andaddress if any changes should be made. Task Force I was establishedin August 2002, where Linda Hanson, an English professor wasdirector.
"It's purpose was to examine core curriculum and to come up witha model to serve as a national model for the 21st century," Hansonsaid.
Eflin is the chairwoman for the University Core Curriculum TaskForce II and a member of the previous group. Task Force II is inthe process of revising the goals of the program for the first timesince 1985. Eflin said University Senate asked the team to considerif there should be changes to the core by looking at concerns theBall State community has with the current curriculum. Task ForceII's report on its findings will be brought to the UniversitySenate meeting Thursday, Marilyn Buck, senate president and TaskForce II ex-officio, said.
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