Present: Faculty—Bruce, Dohse, Friedenberg, Hardy, Konz, McKnight, Moseley, Nelms, Pons, Rizzo, Ruiz, White-Carter, Katz; Student—Spencer; Alumni—Perry

1. Discussion of APC Report on Arts and Ideas requirement (with original report submitted to APC)—Dr. Charles McKnight was present to help GERTF members with questions about the Arts and Ideas requirement and to comment on curricular directions the program might be interested in pursuing.

Our discussion began by reviewing the thinking behind the original charge and development of the course. Dr. Moseley, who chaired the last General Education Review, noted that Arts 310 was developed around the idea that doing artwork was an epistemological act, a way of knowing, different that the other ways of knowing, those of the Humanities, Social Sciences, and Natural Sciences. The course was intended to be a core experience, complementing but different in kind than the Humanities experience.

Dr. McKnight was asked to explain why there developed an attitude or bias against "art appreciation" courses. He replied that the thinking seems to be that appreciation courses are traditionally not academic enough and are not oriented to the big-picture, big-question approaches to the subject matter. We discussed if art appreciation courses necessarily excluded such approaches or were inadequate for liberal arts curricula. Some members suggested that if taught as art history or if tied to some sort of topical or historical context, the course might help students understand the role art plays in the engagement of ideas, social problems, etc.

Ms. Spencer, who is currently enrolled in Arts 310, and Ms. Perry, a graduate who took Arts 310, both spoke on their experiences. Ms. Spencer thought that the course, as it is presently conceived, is very difficult to teach in ways that serve students’ needs and interests. The performances are excellent, she said, but the lectures are often disconnected from one another, or lack a conceptual or thematic context or thread. This makes the course frustrating for students. Ms. Perry said that the course she took was much different than the one offered now. She said that when she took this course it seemed vague and scattered; lacked a clear sense of purpose; and did not seem connected to the rest of the curriculum. Working in advising now, Ms Perry said she frequently heard students in Arts 310 express similar concerns. Other GERTF members agreed that advisees express such reactions.

Dr. Friedenberg asked Dr McKnight what a good version of the course might be if he were to disregard the original course conception and create something new. Dr. McKnight replied that he might like to see the course as a follow-up to what students learn in Humanities 124, 214, and 324. Having a defined content, historical or otherwise, might help students see why art has played such an important role in the human experience. Dr. Katz asked if it might be possible actually to link such an Arts course to Humanities 124, 214, or 324, so that students might be able to spend a semester thinking about the arts in the context of the intellectual, social, cultural and political conditions of the period covered in the Humanities course. Dr McKnight thought that something like this might be interesting. Asked whether such a course might be connected to other sorts of courses in a sort of topical cluster or learning community, he replied that this might also be possible. Reaching the end of the hour, we concluded this discussion.

2. The next phase of the General Education review—We briefly discussed the process of moving into the design phase of the revision. We will meet next week, Wednesday, 10 April, at 4:30 pm. GERTF members will look at websites of schools who employ a variety of curricular models, all of which may be accessed from the GERTF website, in order to stimulate their thinking. Katz will send out an email reminding them of this "assignment."

3. VCAA Search—Linda Nelms reported that the names of candidates were forwarded to the Chancellor. Search committee members were instructed not to convey further details until the Chancellor had made his decisison.

4. Our next meeting will be Wednesday, 10 April, at 4:30 pm, in the Red Oak Room. Also, remember to keep the Wednesday, 4:30-5:30 timeslot clear throughout this semester and next year.