General Education/Graduation Requirements Policies Committee (GE/GRPC)

The General Education / Graduation Requirements Policies Committee is a standing Policy Committee of the Faculty Senate, responsible for the development of policy and oversight of the General Education Program and Graduation Requirements at California State University, Sacramento. (FS 11-12/101/SEL: Amends FS 94-98A.1 and FS 09-11D/EX) 

Charge

A) Recommends changes in the G.E. Program as well as changes in other non-major degree requirements to the Faculty Senate.

B) Makes recommendations to the Associate Dean for Undergraduate Studies on general goals related to resource allocation and administrative procedure in the areas of student orientation and advising, special tutorial and remedial course offerings, student and faculty awareness of the G.E. Program, diagnostic testing, outcome assessment and any other university non-major graduation requirements.

C) Makes recommendations to the Associate Dean for Undergraduate Studies concerning the desirability of seeking future increases or decreases in section offerings by area, based on program objectives and perceived student needs. Outcome assessment instruments, if appropriate and reliable, should be among the criteria used in making these kinds of recommendations.

D) Hears appeals on course listings or reviews decisions by the Course Review Subcommittee and may recommend revised action to the Associate Dean for Undergraduate Studies or the Vice President for Academic Affairs as specified in Section IV D-4 of the University Policy Manual.

E) Proposes to the Associate Dean for Undergraduate Studies and reviews with the Associate Dean for Undergraduate Studies, research and research agendas relating to all aspects of G.E.

F) Monitors (through liaison membership and/or annual reports) the procedures and criteria used by other faculty committees (such as the G.E. Course Review Subcommittee and University Reading and Writing Subcommittee) or departments (e.g., Department of Foreign Languages and the English Department) which may take actions which substantially affect course offerings in the G.E. Program or other non-major graduation requirements, to ensure that these conform to existing policies and procedures, the implementation of which are the responsibility of the General Education Policies/Graduation Requirements Committee. Recommendations for changes in the procedures are to be made to that committee or to the appropriate constituting authority for the committee.

G) Oversees G.E. course Assessment.

Membership

Voting members shall include: 11 faculty members appointed by the Faculty Senate to a three year term, including one faculty member from the Library or Student Services Professionals-Academically Related units; and ten College-based faculty members.  More than one member may be from a single college but no two members may be from the same department/unit.  Every effort shall be made to encourage membership from each college. 

Non-voting members shall include: one staff member appointed by the University Staff Assembly to a two year term; at least one, but no more than two, students appointed by ASI to a one year term; ex-officio members of the administration as specified in each Policy Committee charge; and the Faculty Senate Chair.

Officers

Election and Role of Policy Committee Chairs

A) The Chair of each Policy Committee shall be elected annually by the Faculty Senate as described in the By-Laws of the Faculty Senate.  The Committee Chair shall be included in the count of the 11 voting members.

B) The term of office of a Policy Committee Chair shall be one year. The term shall begin at noon on the last day of the spring semester in which s/he is elected Chair and shall end at noon on the last day of the spring semester of the following year. 

C) A faculty member may be elected to serve up to three consecutive terms of one year each as the Chair of the same Policy Committee. After an interval of one year following the end of the third consecutive term, the faculty member shall become eligible for election to the Chair of this Policy Committee.

D) Each Policy Committee Chair shall also serve as an ex-officio non-voting member of the Faculty Senate, unless concurrently serving as the elected representative of his or her department/unit.

E) Each Policy Committee Chair shall also serve as a voting member of the Executive Committee.

Election and Role of Policy Committee Vice Chair(s)

A) At its first meeting of the academic year, each Policy Committee shall elect, from among its voting membership, a Vice Chair and any other committee officers deemed appropriate.

B) The Vice Chair of a Policy Committee shall preside over the routine business of a Policy Committee in the absence of the Committee Chair or, should the office of Policy Committee Chair become vacant, until the election of a new Committee Chair; the Policy Committee Vice Chair shall not serve as an ex-officio member of the Senate or its Executive Committee.

Operations 

A) The Committee shall work in close coordination with other Faculty Senate Policy Committees and other Senate and University committees/subcommittees in the performance of its duties.

B) Issues considered by the committee may be referred as well by the Executive Committee to any of the other committees of the Faculty Senate.  The committee may similarly refer issues to other Senate committees through the Executive Committee.

C) The Committee shall meet at least once a month at a designated time and place.

D) A quorum of the Committee shall require the presence of at least six voting members.  The Committee shall not act in the absence of a quorum.

E) Committee meetings shall be open to the university community.

F) The meeting agenda and supporting documentation shall be distributed to Committee members at least 72 hours prior to the meeting.

G) Committtee agendas shall normally be published and made accessible to the campus community at least 72 hours prior to the meeting.  Minutes shall also be published and made accessible to the campus community in a timely manner.                           

Subcommittee that report to the Curriculum Policies Committee:

• General Education Course Review Subcommittee