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S01-14

At its meeting of May 14, 2001, the Academic Senate passed the following Policy Recommendation presented by Jonathan Roth for the Curriculum and Research Committee.

POLICY RECOMMENDATION

FOREIGN LANGUAGE CLASSES AND GENERAL EDUCATION

Whereas, among the major campuses of the CSU system, SJSU is the only institution that neither grants GE credit for language courses in foreign languages, nor has a foreign language requirement, and

Whereas, this has resulted in an extremely low number of students taking foreign languages and participating in the Study Abroad Program, and

Whereas, the College of Humanities and Arts is charged in its mission statement with bridging “the gap created by linguistic barriers,” and

Whereas, with the move toward emphasis on globalization and the global economy, it is imperative that all of our students learn at least one foreign language and its culture as part of general education, and

Whereas, the Cornerstone report lists among the expected outcomes of the Baccalaureate in the CSU, the ability of any graduate to “communicate in a language other than English” and “to appreciate and value cultures other than one’s own,” and

Whereas, the CSU Foreign Language Council on October 27, 2000 passed a resolution urging that “steps be taken by San José State University to remedy the situation so that San José State University students benefit from learning opportunities similar to those offered at other CSU campuses,” and

Whereas, the Department of Foreign Languages currently places students in the appropriate foreign language course for their ability as demonstrated by their native language and performance on a placement exam, therefore let it be

Resolved, that the following amendments to the current General Education Program Guidelines (Spring 1998) be adopted:

CORE GE (C1 and C2) – Humanities and Arts – Arts and Letters

1. Goals

Courses in Arts and Letters should give students knowledge and understanding of significant works of the human intellect and imagination. Students will examine the interaction of analytical and creative processes in the production and perception of such works, and the significance of the historical and cultural contexts in which the works are created and interpreted. Courses should enable students to participate in social and cultural communities associated with artistic and literary endeavors, enriching their personal and professional lives. Lower division courses that teach foreign language (usually called “elementary” and “intermediate”) also satisfy these goals.

Advanced General Education: (V) CULTURE, CIVILIZATION, AND GLOBAL UNDERSTANDING

1. Goals

Courses in Culture, Civilization, and Global Understanding should give students an appreciation for human expression in different cultures and an understanding of how that expression has developed over time in different cultures. These courses should also increase students’ understanding of how other cultural traditions have influenced American culture and society, as well as how cultures in general both develop distinctive features and interact with other cultures. Upper division courses that teach advanced foreign language and culture are eligible for this category