Senate Document Number 0800F

Date of Senate Approval 12/07/00

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Statement of Faculty Senate Action:

APC Document 3: Designating ESI 101 as a General Education Social Science Course

Effective Date: Spring, 2000
(Contingent on Board of Governors Approval for Establishment of a Major in Interdisciplinary Studies including a concentration in Ethics and Social Institutions)

Add: on p. 45, between "ECON 261 U.S. Economic History 3" and "MCOM 101 Understanding the News Media 3" the following:

ESI 101 Introduction to Ethics and Social Institutions 3

Add: on p. 133, in the course description of ESI 101, approved as APC Document 2, before "Fall," the following:

This course may be used to satisfy three hours of the General Education social science requirement.

Rationale:
This course is designed to introduce students to institutions through which social decisions are made, to investigate the relationships among them, and to consider the ethical implications of the processes and outcomes of social decision-making. These are the issues routinely covered in many social science courses. Moreover, the nature of the material covered in this course ensures examination of the basic assumptions and perspectives of several social science disciplines, which is mandated by Senate Document 3684 defining the social science requirement. Even though ESI 101will be led by one faculty member, it is being planned by faculty from multiple disciplines and will be taught with contributions from faculty across the social sciences and philosophy. It will thus expose students to a more diverse introduction to how social sciences think about and analyze problems than discipline-based courses in the social sciences.

Impact:
A slight decline in the number of students enrolled in other courses which satisfy the social science requirement of General Education.