THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT ASHEVILLE
                         FACULTY SENATE 

Senate Document Number   1290F 
Date of Senate Approval    12/13/90

 
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Statement of Faculty Senate Action:  
 
                         APC DOCUMENT #8
REVISION OF GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS
                       IN NATURAL SCIENCE

CURRENT STATEMENT  (Senate Document 3684)

     1.   A 5-hour course from Biology, Chemistry and Physics. 
          This course must include a laboratory, must treat the
          historical development of the science, must explicitly
          employ and discuss the scientific method, must be
          interdisciplinary where feasible, and may not be the
          first course in a sequence taken by majors.  An 8-hour
          sequence with laboratory from Chemistry, Physics, or
          Biology may substitute for the 5-hour course.

     2.   A 3-hour course from Biology, Chemistry, Physics,
          Atmospheric Sciences, Environmental Studies, or Special
          Topics courses.  These courses need not include a
          laboratory but must be interdisciplinary in content. 
          Upper-level science courses may be interdisciplinary
          enough in scope for science majors to satisfy this
          requirement.

     Rationale:

          Current:  In general education students need both
          breadth and depth in their science experience.  The
          first course provides depth through the content and
          methodology of a single science.  Laboratory experience
          is essential to understand the method of science. 
          Choices are limited to Biology, Chemistry, and Physics
          due to their fundamental character.



     PROPOSED CHANGES (underlined)

     1.   A 5-hour course from Atmospheric Science, Biology,
          Chemistry, Environmental Science (geology), or Physics
          (Contemporary Physics and Astronomy).  This course must
          include a laboratory, must treat the historical
          development of the science, must explicitly employ and
          discuss the scientific method, must be
          interdisciplinary, and must be designed to meet the
          special needs of non-majors.   An 8-hour sequence with
          laboratory from Biology, Chemistry, Physics, or
          Atmospheric Science may substitute for the 5-hour
          course.


Rationale:

     Current:  In general education students need both breadth
     and depth in their science experience.  The first course
     provides depth through the content and methodology of a
     single science.  Laboratory experience is essential to
     understand the method of science.  Choices are limited to
     Biology, Chemistry, and Physics due to their fundamental
     character.  


     Proposed Revision:

     Divide the current rationale into two paragraphs, one for
     the 5-hour course, one for the 3-hour course.

     5-hour course

          Revise the sentence:  "Choices are limited to Biology,
               Chemistry and Physics due to their fundamental
               character,"

          to read: "Choices are limited to one course in each of
                    our natural science departments/programs
                    except for physics which has two (physics and
                    astronomy).  These courses with the exception
                    of atmospheric science represent those areas
                    of science which have traditionally been
                    defined as fundamental (astronomy, biology,
                    chemistry, geology, physics).  However, it is
                    humans who compartmentalize science, nature
                    does not.  Therefore, we recommend that one
                    course from Atmospheric Science be included
                    in the 5-hour requirement to allow each of
                    our natural science areas to share fully in
                    the opportunity to present their discipline
                    to all students.

     3-hour course (unchanged)


ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT

     A.   Effect upon major/minor

               The changing of the wording which previously
               prevented the 5-hour courses from counting as the
               "first course in a sequence taken by majors" was
               in recognition of the fact that this principle has
               not been rigorously followed in all cases.

               The case was made and agreed upon that so long as
               the five-hour course was designed to meet the
               special needs of non-majors, it should be
               permitted to also count toward the major.

               None of the involved departments or programs have
               indicated that the revisions will result in
               changes from the now practiced requirements for
               majors or minors.

     B.   Effect upon University requirements

               The proposed changes will add three new courses
               (resulting in a total of 6) from which students
               may meet their 5-hour laboratory-based general
               education requirement in the natural sciences.

     C.   Resource Impact

               As stated previously, each department/program will
               be expected to develop a three-year plan the total
               of which should have a near zero budgetary and
               staffing impact.