General Education Revision Task Force

To recruit and retain excellent students, and foster the type of experiential and future-focused learning outlined in our mission, RIT must provide an innovative and relevant general education experience that incorporates shared experiences while remaining flexible enough to connect with students in different disciplines and meet programmatic needs. 

The General Education Committee has identified friction points within the existing framework, including too many learning outcomes, “box-checking” and perceived irrelevance to program coursework, a lack of flexibility and choice, a need for more attention to modern issues like DEI, and the absence of a common learning experience in the first year. 

Rather than focusing on concerns about the existing framework, the GEC, and the Provost’s Office see this task force as an opportunity for RIT’s faculty and staff to build an exciting and meaningful shared experience that sets RIT apart from other universities. This curriculum will attract students and faculty to RIT and showcase the incredible innovation of a world-class STEM/TAD university that focuses on creating the doers and makers who will shape the future.

The Provost’s General Education Task Force (convened fall 2024) is charged with re-imagining the current general education model with the ultimate goal of creating a forward-looking, relevant, and impactful general education program. The program will fulfill the Liberal Arts and Sciences requirements outlined by NYSED and our accreditors while providing students with an experience unique to RIT. The task force will explore emerging trends in general education and make recommendations for revisions that will ensure all students acquire a broad set of 21st-century skills and competencies needed to be citizens of the world.

 The task force will provide recommendations for how to implement innovative and interdisciplinary curricular and pedagogical ideas and align incentives under an ABB (traditionally discipline- and unit-based) model. This model will include:

• Interdisciplinary, cutting-edge GE courses
• An impactful first year experience that supports retention and engagement
• Clear alignment with the RIT brand and Mission, fostering transformative learning such that our students can “shape the future and improve the world through creativity and innovation”
• The opportunity for every student to understand and interact with emerging digital futures such as AI, particularly in terms of their ethical, social, political, and legal implications. All RIT students should be prepared by a shared core curriculum to create, use, and navigate new technologies in ethical and sustainable ways, including information and literacy about technological impacts to combat misinformation/disinformation, algorithmic bias, and other future opportunities and threats

 In addition, this Taskforce should also consider: 

• Offering an opportunity for reflection at the end of the general education experience  (a “bookend” course or experience)
• Innovative opportunities for students to gain real world skills such as micro credentialing, skills-based certificates in the liberal arts and sciences, and other stackable curriculum options that showcase the relevance and integration of the liberal arts and sciences at a STEAM/TAD university
• Flexible credit-hour and scheduling models such as 1 credit hour courses 

Fall 2023

In accordance with its standing charge to assure ongoing review of the general education curriculum, the General Education Committee (GEC) begins discussions with Senior Leadership to assess the possibility of revising the General Education Framework and curriculum. 

Provost David and Senior Associate Provost Licata asks the GEC to provide a recommendation as to whether the General Education Framework and curriculum should be revised.

Spring 2024

The GEC reviews current friction points and future possibilities and recommends the creation of a task force to collect community input and propose ideas for a revised General Education Framework and curriculum. 

The GEC presents the recommendation for revision at Faculty Senate in spring 2024, with a corresponding recommendation to Provost David to formally create and charge a task force.

Fall 2024

Provost David appoints the General Education Revision Task Force and Advisory Group with input from GEC. The Task Force receives their charge in September and formally starts work in October.

Stakeholder meetings, research about current general education initiatives, listening sessions, and data collection to inform the process begins.

Spring 2025

Early spring: Continuation of stakeholder meetings, research about current general education initiatives, listening sessions, and data collection to inform the process.

Late spring: Present preliminary model(s) and summary of campus feedback, solicitation of additional feedback, present and solicit feedback on timeline and plans for 2025–2026. 

Fall 2025

Community feedback on proposed model, prepare draft feasibility study, consultation with Senior Leadership, including the new RIT President. Assess the proposed model in relation to the strategic plan.

Spring 2026

Present final model to Faculty Senate for formal vote, draft implementation plan for AY 2026-2027.

Provide Feedback to the Task Force

Schedule of Department/College Meetings

• COLA Dean’s Meeting, October 21, 2024
• COLA Faculty Meeting: November 1, 2024
• International Locations, November 21, 2024, 8:30 AM
• CAD Faculty Meeting: November 21, 2024, 11:00 AM 
• COS Faculty Meeting: December 6, 2024, 1:00 PM 
• University Writing Program, January 14, 2025

Meetings are added as scheduled 

Attend an Open Forum 

• December 2 @ 12:00 PM, check back for Zoom link

Presentations 

• Provost’s GE Task Force Kick Off
• Gen Ed Task Force Overview
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