Dixie State University is making three structural changes to the general education program starting fall 2018.
Nancy Ross, interim director of general education, announced via email on Nov. 20 general education requirement changes will affect the information literacy, computer literacy, and global and cultural perspective courses.
The information literacy course, LIB 1010, will no longer be a requirement for GE. LIB 1010 is a course designed to help students learn the basics of university-level research by giving students the skills necessary to successfully research and write in the most effective way possible. Instead of taking LIB 1010 for credit, students will learn the library skills in their Life Science and English 1010-2010 GE classes.
Brooke Wayman, a freshman physical science major from St. George, said she is glad LIB and CIS are no longer going to be required because they are a waste of time.
“I think they are pointless,” Wayman said. “We know how to use Word and Excel and all that, and LIB is just a burden.”
Computer literacy, or CIS 1200, will also no longer be an institutional requirement. CIS 1200 is a course designated to teach students how to use particular computer programs, such as e-mail, word processing, spreadsheet and presentation software. As an alternative to this class being required for GE classes, there will be a computer literacy assessment given to students during First Year Experience courses. If students do not meet the benchmark requirements in the assessment, it will then be suggested they take CIS 1200 to help develop those skills.
The global and cultural perspective classes are also changing. The GLOCUP category will cease to exist, and instead students will achieve the six credits needed for GLOCUP through Social and Behavioral Science and Literature/Humanities courses offered for GE credits. Erin Ortiz, chair of the general education committee, said by combining these courses students will have a simpler route to their degrees.
Ortiz said, “This kind of streamlines those choices to help students have a more clear path through the curriculum.”
Ross said all students who have been declared will not be affected. Once students are declared, their catalog year is established, meaning they have to meet the requirements based on what the catalog stated at the time of the student’s declaration.
“If you are not on the fall 2018 catalog, then you need to take those things,” Ross said. “So things don’t change for you; your requirements don’t change because of your catalog year.”
All of the changes to be made to GE have been approved by the academic council and the university will be put into affect next fall. If students have further questions, they can visit Ross in her office located in the North Plaza Building in room 125D.
