A new group has been formed to determine the academic future of the University.

Cathy Cardwell, the chairman of the committee, said Connecting the Undergraduate Experience, or CUE, is meant to make the learning experience better for students at the University, including connecting all of the units of the learning experience, including general education requirements.

‘We’re trying to make sure the learning experience is more cohesive,’ she said.

The committee is made up of 20 faculty members along with two student representatives, one from Undergraduate Student Government and one from Graduate Student Senate.

One of the students involved with the committee is Sundeep Mutgi, president of Undergraduate Student Government.

‘It’s really a committee in charge of evaluating how we look at how we do the general education requirements on campus, from English and to your major requirements,’ he said. ‘Not only are we looking at the general classes, but also how they are taken, such as whether not you have to take them as one class or as a group.’

‘This group is part of an open forum,’ said Bettina Shuford, interim associate vice provost. ‘We really focus on what learning should be.’

When looking at what changes should be made in determining what learning should be, the committee takes into consideration various changes that can be made, including various General Education requirements across campus. These may include classes such as the requirements for all students, to the requirements for each major.

While looking at what different changes should be made to the general education requirements, CUE is also taking a look at the four ‘corner schools’; Bowling Green State University, Miami University, Kent State University and Ohio University and at how their education system is different, Mutgi said.

CUE is currently at the end of ‘Phase 1’ according to their Web site, which includes the study of trends and scholarship about undergraduate education, along with developing education criteria and a conceptual learning model to share with the campus community. The plan includes four phases, with the final phase finishing just before fall semester 2011.

‘Right now, we’re trying to bring it down to a more manageable level; I’m not sure if it’ll be done by 2011,’ he said. ‘It’s very big picture.’

More information about CUE can be found on their Web site at http://www.bgsu.edu/cue/. ‘