Integrated seminar (ISEM) courses are staying for another year, as the University of Idaho assigns a task force staffed by faculty, staff and students to revise the current state of general education, according to a campus-wide email sent last week by Cher Hendricks, vice provost of academic initiatives, and Dean Panttaja, director of general education.
In the email sent to university affiliates, Henrdicks and Pattaja acknowledged passion shown by faculty members toward general education, and emphasized ISEM 101 and 301 courses will remain on the 2019-20 course catalog.
Cher Hendricks | Courtesy
Hendricks and Panttaja, in the email, said responses from a recent general education feedback survey have shown “consistent themes related to faculty governance, strengths of our general education, and challenges we’re facing, including financial sustainability and lack of assessment data.”
They also said work on these issues will begin later this month, when the university assigns a task force comprised of faculty, staff and students.
Hendricks said in an interview that she believes it is only fair to have a “fully represented” task force.
“We have staff members, such as academic advisers, who have a unique perspective to offer because they are front-line working with students on course scheduling,” Hendricks said. “Students, of course, are affected by the general education curriculum and can offer their perspective about how to best integrate general education into the majors.”
Hendricks said the university will be working with Faculty Senate leadership to establish the estimated ten student representatives on the task force.
To ease financial burdens for course delivery, they said in the email, “the provost has committed to cover instructional costs of ISEM 101 courses for (fiscal year) 2020 using one-time carry-forward funds.”
Hendricks explained that “one-time carry-over funds” are unspent budget allocations from last year, and said it is “an exceptional case, as it is rare for the provost to commit this level of funding.”
Dale Graden | Courtesy
Dale Graden, a professor of history and ISEM instructor, was particularly outspoken in favor of ISEM courses during the general education open forum at the first of the month. Graden said he is pleased that the university has decided to keep the courses for another year.
“I’m deeply appreciative that (the university) has held off,” Graden said. “And, I really am hoping we can have a process by which (the ISEM courses) can continue, and we discuss things openly. Also, a very key point here, is an immense amount of work has gone into this over the past 25 years.”
Graden, who is a particular advocate for the ISEM 101 courses, said he believes connecting to first-year students with a transition-to-college class like ISEM is a key part of the freshman experience.
“You (connect) with kids in the freshman year, turn them on to college and you’ve got them for life,” Graden said. “You turn them off, and it is hard to recover — and if we’re so dependent upon enrollment, and trying to expand enrollment, I think ISEM is integral to attracting students here, and to help with retention.”
Andrew Ward can be reached at [email protected]