Faculty Senate approves new analysis requirement for 1998

Students entering the College of Arts and Sciences in 1998 will have an additional requirement to fulfill -- a quantitative analysis mandate approved at last week's Faculty Senate meeting. The requirement will stipulate that all students take at least one course involving mathematical or statistical analysis of quantitative data. Biology Undergraduate Chairperson Ingrid Waldron, who heads the quantitative committee, said the requirement passed by a "nice solid margin." "It was a useful discussion," she said. "I'm really looking forward to getting it in place and seeing the benefits for students." College Dean Robert Rescorla will work with faculty to increase the discussion and evaluation of quantitative data in their courses in order to implement the new requirement. He added that the requirement is not meant to be an extra burden for students. Courses fulfilling the requirement will be offered at difficulty levels and will include courses that also satisfy other parts of the General Requirement. Rescorla said the new requirement will provide students with important analytical skills. "College graduates will be required to make decisions based on large amounts of information, much of it quantitative in form," he said. Rescorla added that students "will have to be comfortable with such materials, both in terms of understanding the arguments of others and in terms of advancing their own positions." Waldron said the College will develop student support services --which may include walk-in help and discussion sessions -- to help students fulfill the requirement. A committee consisting of a broad range of faculty members and two student representatives will be established this spring to implement the requirement. Associate College Dean Kent Peterman said although one-half of College students already take courses that involve quantitative skills, the requirement will ensure that "everyone can't avoid having to deal with quantitative material." Rescorla said the requirement will raise the general amount of attention given to quantitative skills, as the writing requirement does for written expression. And Peterson said the requirement sends a "message" to faculty and students. "We hope that by passing this requirement, we will not only insure exposure of our students to appropriate education, but also signal to all students the importance of quantitative reasoning," he added. Although the administration eagerly awaits the requirement's implementation, many students doubt that it will make any substantive changes to undergraduate education. "It's a noble cause and noble goal, but I don't know what it will do in reality," College junior Laura Schulman said.