The Online Reflector

Over the next few years, General Education options for freshmen will change. A new program called Freshman Seminar Plus, or FYS Plus, will be piloted in the 2012-2013 school year.

The freshman class of 2016 will be able to take new piloted courses, such as Vampire Literature and Cell Phone Photography, which will be three credit hours and satisfy several core requirements at once, according to Special Assistant to the Provost Daniel Briere.

“I want students to know we are trying to engage them with the university and with academics,” Briere said. “We want to give them a new experience and motivate them.”

The current core curriculum is composed primarily of survey courses, like those students have seen in their previous courses.

“The students are accustomed to those classes [survey courses], but we want them to have more engagement in the classroom,” Briere said. If students are more engaged, they will be more motivated and get better grades.”

According to Briere these courses are different from the current NSE courses and major-specific preparation courses. They will integrate the objective of NSE courses, introduce the students to the university, provide students with an exciting experience outside of their major and meet core requirements.

Prospective FYS Plus courses must meet the general education goals of critical thinking, creativity and performance and the learning objectives of reading, writing, research and discussion.

FYS Plus proposals are being accepted and reviewed by the General Education Curriculum Committee.  Professors must compile a syllabus that matches one or more objectives of the General Education Core and reflect the learning goals of the university, according to the General Education Proposal packet.

In addition to meeting these goals and objectives, prospective courses must meet specific objectives relating to their field. The Cell Phone Photography course had to meet the objectives for a fine arts course, such as: analyze the structure of a work, demonstrate an understanding of the aesthetics and artistic technique and engage in the creation, conception and critical analysis of art.

Approximately 13 or 18 additional courses will join the approved courses by February of 2012 for the year of transition. During the 2012-2013 school year, the pilot courses will be monitored for potential problems during the transition period.

The professors leading the transition will be Associate Professor for Art and Design Donna Adams teaching Cell Phone Photography and Associate Professor of English Jennifer Camden teaching Vampire Literature. Adams is excited to share her new courses with incoming freshmen.

“Here’s what excites me: everyone has a cell phone. There are over a billion in the world. You don’t need any extra money, it’s built into your cell phone,” Adams said. “You can share pictures with the world.”

Students in Cell Phone Photography will take cell phone photos using their regular lens and gadgets such as the fish-eye lens or Kaleidoscope lens. They will learn to use Photoshop and research photographers of historical and contemporary significance. They will discuss the ethics of photography, with topics such as: editing, voyeurism, paparazzi and publishing issues.

“We are trying to make the core more meaningful and fun for students,” Adams said. “This class should be fun and exciting for students.”

If the transitional period goes well, the program of FYS Plus courses will continue to be phased in.

“This will be a great program for freshmen, down the road,” Briere said.