Editorial: Language GE requirement vital to education
By Daily Bruin Staff
May 26, 2010 9:00 p.m.
The Undergraduate Council of the Academic Senate met on Tuesday to consider the elimination of just one of the four required science courses in the undergraduate General Education requirement.
Thus, undergraduates would be required to take one life science course, one physical science and one more life or physical science course with an associated lab section. The change is temporary and would last for two years, beginning with the current freshman class. The elimination of the science requirement will be made in lieu of eliminating the undergraduate foreign language requirement. There will be another meeting regarding this change that will take place on June 4, and the proposal could take effect as early as next year.
Given the economic situation of the university, this board believes that this compromise is the best possible outcome for students.
While it would be ideal to not cut any requirement, the GE requirements are valuable and allow students to diversify their education and gain a broad base of knowledge before specializing in specific majors and fields.
However, if a cut must be made, it is better to cut a science course than the language requirement. Labs are expensive and cost the university more than lectures. Language courses add value to our education and provide us with a global, marketable skill.
As it is, students must enroll in four science courses: two physical and two life sciences; and two of those courses must have associated laboratory courses. Some students take these courses and labs seriously, hoping to gain the most from them, and others simply take the easiest courses possible in order to fulfill their requirements and get to the classes they truly wish to take.
But this board believes that three courses will be sufficient for students to gain a diverse understanding of the sciences. To cut the language requirement, on the other hand, would be a more serious and problematic issue.
At a Faculty Executive Committee meeting on March 4, the alteration requirement was initially discussed. The committee did not wish to cut the requirement, but it did consider increasing its flexibility and potentially allowing students to pass out of it. The current language requirement requires a full year for all undergraduate students, but the requirement can be fulfilled through high school Advanced Placement tests or by taking a placement test.
A language requirement is a basic requirement at a university, at which we enroll to gain a universal, global education that includes studying a foreign culture and language.
Facing such a difficult budgetary crisis, compromise is all we can hope for as we strive to achieve a quality education.
