Western is assembling a task force to review general education requirements over the summer.

Larry Snyder, associate dean of the Potter College, will lead the task force.

He said that a task force is assembled occasionally to review general education requirements, evaluate if requirements are fulfilling Western’s intentions and review any recommendations.

The course catalog states that the goal of the requirements is to provide a foundation by teaching students to think critically, make rational decisions and communicate effectively.

Snyder said Provost Barbara Burch called for the task force, asking that the university take a comprehensive review of the requirements.

There are no current recommendations for change. Any recommendations will come from the task force’s review, Snyder said.

“One possible recommendation is that ‘it works just fine, leave it alone,’” he said. “We’ve not been told that we have to change anything.”

Potter College Dean David Lee led the last general education task force, which met 10 years ago.

That task force generated a version of possible changes, had open meetings on campus to talk about those changes and get reactions, Lee said. Then it presented its review, which included concerns they heard from campus, to the provost.

The new task force may follow a different strategy, he said.

The last task force reduced the number required for general education courses by nine hours to 44, began an assessment program and created the position of general education coordinator, which is currently empty.

History Department Head Robert Dietle had been the coordinator until July 2007.

“When he became head of the history department, we didn’t replace him, partly because we knew there was going to be this task force,” Lee said.

The university needs to have another task force review of the general education program because it’s been 10 years since the last review, he said.

Burch said that although the university is pleased with the general education program, most degree programs have changed their requirements since the last review.

“If gen ed is supposed to undergird or be the foundation of a degree program, it needs to be current,” Burch said. “The whole world’s changing.”

Burch said she has the full list of members for the task force but is not releasing names before Western sends letters of appointment by the end of the week.

She said the task force will probably meet before school is out and will work on the review through next spring.

Reach Holly Brown at news@chherald.com.