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Caption: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1944
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io6o BOARD OF TRUSTEES figures include, of course, a few who transfer to other institutions.) Such a large number—the equivalent of a fair sized university—demand and deserve special consideration in making up our freshman and sophomore curricula. Undoubtedly, we could and should arrange for certain general courses of great value to all students, whether they continue on to a degree or not, and regardless of the later field of specialization. These courses should serve to develop a better knowledge of the responsibilities of citizenship, as well as of modern life and society. In addition, consideration should be given to prescribed courses in general science (with no or little laboratory work), rhetoric, and other subjects. I am, therefore, asking you as a group to make a study or investigation of this matter along the lines herein indicated and report your conclusions and recommendations directly to me. I believe you should invite representatives of all colleges and schools to confer with your group before you arrive at any final conclusions, but probably not before you have made a preliminary survey and set up a tentative program. I assure you that I consider this matter a major problem in the future development of the University, and I shall place the greatest confidence in and attach the greatest importance to your advice, whatever it may be." This statement from the President was one which showed educational vision and should have received greater consideration from the faculty than it did receive. Stimulation also came from a group of faculty members, for the most part those low in rank and young in age, through informal discussions. Through the original incentive of the President of the University, the special Senate Committee on Educational Program for Freshman and Sophomore Students organized subcommittees in each of the colleges concerned. The informal group mentioned above was named the Liberal Arts College subcommittee. Subcommittee reports were then made to the special Senate Committee on Educational Program for Freshman and Sophomore Students, which in turn considered the proposals and decided to recommend to the Senate that a two-year General Division with certain requirements be set up on a university-wide basis for all undergraduate schools. On April 4, 1938, the University Senate approved a recommendation from its Committee on Educational Policy, to which the President had referred the report of the Special Committee on Educational Program for 'Report of the Committee on Educational Program for Freshman and Sophomore Students, June 1, 1936. [42 —A.C.E. Report]
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