College may add new graduaton requirement

A quantitative analysisA quantitative analysismandate would affectA quantitative analysismandate would affectnext year's freshmen. In addition to writing, language and the liberal arts, students entering the College of Arts and Sciences next year may have a fourth prerequisite for getting their diplomas. The new graduation requirement would mandate coursework that focuses on quantitative analysis in various academic disciplines. The Committee on Undergraduate Education will meet this Friday to "take final action" on the requirement, according to College Dean Robert Rescorla. CUE Chairperson Rebecca Bushnell said the proposal is "important to the undergraduate population and will be widely discussed." After Friday's meeting, the proposal will come before the School of Arts and Sciences faculty for final approval, the English professor added. Rescorla said he believes a final decision will come either late this fall or early in the spring term. The new requirement would "enable students to build on their current level of skills so as to better apply quantitative materials and methods to their own fields of inquiry," Rescorla said. Because the requirement is still only in planning stages, College officials said they do not yet know what types of classes might fulfill it. But Bushnell emphasized that she wants students to have a wide range of options in dealing with the new mandate. If all goes according to plan, students will be able to satisfy the requirement with courses in their areas of academic interest, rather than just in math or science classes that are traditionally considered quantitative. "The proposal helps students make sure when they leave the University, they know how to use quantitative skills such as statistics and probability, which are important skills for living in the world today," Bushnell said. The requirement has been under consideration for some time, according to Rescorla, who appointed a committee to discuss the possibility two years ago. This committee performed initial analyses, including a "fairly extensive evaluation of seniors and freshmen," Rescorla said, adding that the survey showed that many seniors were graduating without essential quantitative skills. Rescorla said he hopes the quantitative requirement will be integrated into the curriculum similarly to the current writing requirement. "It will call students' attention to the importance of quantitative skills in the way that the writing requirement calls writing skills to their attention," he said. He added that he hopes courses fulfilling the requirement will integrate quantitative analysis into their curriculum, just as courses in the Writing Across the University program, or WATU, place heavy emphasis on writing. Student Committee on Undergraduate Education Chairperson Ben Nelson said although SCUE has not made an official statement regarding the proposal, the committee is enthusiastic that the College is examining some of its general requirements. "SCUE applauds things that enhance the quantitative ability of students but at the same time neither endorses or abhors current proposals," the Wharton senior said.