Enhancing Flexibility in CSU's Transfer Requirements

AS-2678-04/AA - November 11-12, 2004

RESOLVED: That the Academic Senate of the California State University support the implementation of rules that permit flexibility in student completion of the lower-division General Education (GE) package prior to upper-division transfer, as has been recently implemented for students majoring in nursing and as embodied in the newly developed Science Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (SCIGETC); and be it further

RESOLVED: That major-specific patterns for completion of the General Education package be acceptable if approved through the normal GE governance process.

RATIONALE: It is clear from the number of major preparation courses required in the sciences and other areas that the time to degree is lengthened for community college students who complete the General Education (GE) package in certain majors. Instead, they should be deferring some parts of GE and taking more major preparation courses. In order to be eligible for these deferrals, students must complete the identified major preparation pattern.

The newly developed and approved nursing program, allowing students to transfer after one year in the community colleges, is an example where there are not enough units at the lower-division level typically offered in the community colleges. Accelerating transfer is in the interest of both the state and the student in terms of reducing the time to degree.

The SCIENCE "IGETC" is another example of this sort of flexibility. The SCIGETC allows the student to defer the completion of three blocks of General Education for students preparing to major in the sciences or other high-unit lower-division preparation majors. Up to one course in the humanities, one course in the social sciences, and the course for Lifelong Understanding may be deferred, with the student substituting additional lower-division science preparation courses instead.

This resolution expresses our approval of the implementation of this kind of flexibility, where appropriate and needed.