A campus of The California State University
Office of the Academic Senate • One Washington Square • San Jose, California
95192-0024 •408-924-2440 Fax: 408-924-2451
SS-S05-5
At its
meeting of
SENSE OF THE
SENATE RESOLUTION
PROMOTING LIBERAL
EDUCATION
WHEREAS, The Academic
Senate’s amendments to the General Education guidelines includes a learning
objective to help students to become intentional learners who can adapt to new
environments and integrate knowledge from different sources, and continue
learning throughout their lifetimes; and
WHEREAS, A campus
dialogue on what it means to be an educated person has been underway since May
2003;
WHEREAS, The Academic
Senate has endorsed a vision for San José State University that recognizes the
value we place on the integration of liberal and professional education and
theoretical and applied knowledge; and
WHEREAS, The Association of American Colleges &
Universities (AAC&U), of which SJSU is a member, defines “liberal
education” as: “A philosophy of education that empowers individuals, liberates
the mind from ignorance, and cultivates social responsibility. Characterized by
challenging encounters with important issues, and more a way of studying than
specific content, liberal education can occur at all types of colleges and
universities. ‘General education’ and an expectation of in-depth study in at
least one field normally comprise liberal education;”[1]
and
WHEREAS, In
1998, the AAC&U adopted the attached statement on liberal learning; and
WHEREAS, “On the occasion of its 90th anniversary,
AAC&U is launching a decade-long initiative to champion the value of a
liberal education—for individual students and for a nation dependent on
economic creativity and democratic vitality. The initiative will expand public
and student understanding of what really matters in college—the kinds of
learning that will truly empower them to succeed and make a difference in the
21st century.”[2] and
WHEREAS, The
AAC&U has invited universities committed to advancing liberal education for all students to
join its LEAP campaign (Liberal Education and America’s Promise) “by working
to: identify ways to help students understand, embrace, and achieve liberal
education outcomes; integrate liberal and professional studies; and assess
liberal education outcomes across the curriculum;”[3]
and
WHEREAS, We take seriously our obligation to help our
students prepare for life; and
WHEREAS, SJSU has
both the ability and responsibility to help to inform its students and its
community of the importance of a liberal education; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the Academic
Senate call upon Interim President Kassing and
Interim Provost Sigler to sign the AAC&U commitment form before the end of
this semester so that SJSU becomes a LEAP partner campus; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the Senate
Executive Committee identify activities and projects to help expand
understanding of the importance of a liberal education with such work involving
Senate committees, colleges, the Office of Communications & Public Affairs,
the SJSU Foundation, and the continued work of the Educated Person Dialogue.
Approved:
Present: Ashton,
Donoho, Heisch, Kassing, Lee, Lessow-Hurley,
Maldonado-Colon, Nellen, Phillips,
Absent: Bros,
Greathouse, Sigler, Van Selst
Vote: 11-0-0
Financial Impact: Unknown
AAC&U Statement on Liberal
Learning
A
truly liberal education is one that prepares us to live responsible,
productive, and creative lives in a dramatically changing world. It is an
education that fosters a well-grounded intellectual resilience, a disposition
toward lifelong learning, and an acceptance of responsibility for the ethical
consequences of our ideas and actions. Liberal education requires that we
understand the foundations of knowledge and inquiry about nature, culture and
society; that we master core skills of perception, analysis, and expression;
that we cultivate a respect for truth; that we recognize the importance of
historical and cultural context; and that we explore connections among formal
learning, citizenship, and service to our communities.
We
experience the benefits of liberal learning by pursuing intellectual work that
is honest, challenging, and significant, and by preparing ourselves to use
knowledge and power in responsible ways. Liberal learning is not confined to
particular fields of study. What matters in liberal education is substantial
content, rigorous methodology and an active engagement with the societal,
ethical, and practical implications of our learning. The spirit and value of
liberal learning are equally relevant to all forms of higher education and to
all students.
Because
liberal learning aims to free us from the constraints of ignorance,
sectarianism, and myopia, it prizes curiosity and seeks to expand the
boundaries of human knowledge. By its nature, therefore, liberal learning is
global and pluralistic. It embraces the diversity of ideas and experiences that
characterize the social, natural, and intellectual world. To acknowledge such
diversity in all its forms is both an intellectual commitment and a social
responsibility, for nothing less will equip us to understand our world and to
pursue fruitful lives.
The
ability to think, to learn, and to express oneself both rigorously and
creatively, the capacity to understand ideas and issues in context, the
commitment to live in society, and the yearning for truth are fundamental
features of our humanity. In centering education upon these qualities, liberal
learning is society’s best investment in our shared future.
Adopted
by the Board of Directors of the Association of
Source:
http://www.aacu.org/About/statements/liberal_learning.cfm