I don’t have to schedule classes for next semester because I’m graduating. Because I don’t have to deal with the stress of finding the right class at the right time, I’ve had a chance to reflect on some curriculum recommendations I’d like to make to the Faculty Senate general education committee.
The University’s general education requirements leave students with a great deal of freedom in choosing their electives. However, this freedom comes with a cost. Some students never take multicultural classes. Other students only take electives they need to fulfill their minor’s requirements. Other classes aren’t even offered by the University, and some of these missing classes are vital to students’ education. For example, the University should offer and require students to take an ethics course.
As a mass communication major, my core curriculum includes a media ethics class. I couldn’t find any other college at the University requiring its students to take a course in ethics. Granted, people will debate on whether ethics can be learned at the college level. However, students should be exposed to a course teaching ways to logically and fairly maneuver through difficult situations. The University should offer a general ethics course for all majors.
I guarantee non-mass communication majors will face tough ethical dilemmas after graduation. A course in ethics does not teach a person what is right and wrong — instead it provides the tools you need to make more informed and just decisions. It’s a class the University should offer.
Besides ethics, students should be required to take some sort of multicultural class. I took African and African American studies last year. The experience of walking into a classroom and being the only white person there was a learning experience in itself. The University should require students to take at least one culturally diverse classes, whether it’s an AAAS class, a women’s and gender studies class or a religious studies class such, as REL 2120: The Holocaust, taught by Rabbi Barry Weinstein. I’ve taken at least one course in each of these areas, and the knowledge I’ve gained through them will last longer than what I learned in any biology or chemistry class.
In addition, I’ve had the privilege this semester of being part of Leadership LSU. It’s a program that takes senior leaders and begins transitioning them into the community outside LSU. Each week, we attend sessions on subjects such as the economy, politics, the environment, the media and juvenile justice. We meet local leaders in these fields and learn about obstacles we will face after graduation. It’s been a fantastic learning experience. But it disturbs me not everyone is given this chance. A committee selects only 25 students for the program — a small portion of the student body.
The University offers a course called How to Do LSU. Why can’t we make start another one called How to Leave LSU? Every graduate should have the opportunity to partake in experiences similar to the ones I’ve had. It might not be feasible to take every graduating senior on extensive field trips like we go on. But it would be possible to have sessions in the classroom educating Louisiana’s future leaders about their community and issues they soon will encounter. It’s a perfect way for the University to further cultivate leadership and knowledge among its students. It’s a project I’d like to see future Student Governments take on, especially since it began as an SG initiative.
Finally, the University should mandate that students get hands-on experience for course credit. Internships aren’t just invaluable these days — they’re necessary to get a job. Internships are a good way for students to find out what they’re good at and what they’re interested in. By requiring students to have an internship to graduate, everyone would be better prepared for the real world. It’s something Faculty Senate should consider when deciding on the general education curriculum.
I feel as if I’ve received a well-rounded education from LSU. But I feel like I’m the one who is responsible for it; I’m the one who has sought it out. The University should take a more active role in ensuring students have a well-rounded education. There should be a stronger push from the administration and faculty for students to take courses such as ethics. It’s something I hope the University will consider the next time general education requirements are re-evaluated.