The pending Assembly Bill 1460 in the California Assembly seeks to mandate that every California State University campus require, at minimum, one three-unit ethnic studies course as part of undergraduate graduation requirements.
Currently, Cal State Fullerton has a cultural diversity requirement that is called “Overlay Z.” More than 100 courses, including those in African-American, Asian American and Latin American studies, and foreign languages courses, as well as classes in religious studies, anthropology, sociology, human communications, and child and adolescent studies, can be applied to the requirement.
“The CSU and the statewide Academic Senate (ASCSU) need to know the perspective that students and faculty members have about the potential ethnic studies requirement for all CSU students,” explained Mark Stohs, chair of the campus Academic Senate and an ASCSU senator. “Such information should provide a guide to developing any such requirement.”
In response to a ASCSU request for information and details, CSUF’s Academic Senate held a special Sept. 26 meeting to hear feedback from faculty and students in four areas of consideration:
- Learning outcomes
narrowly or broadly outlined, include other groups beyond those traditionally covered, include courses beyond those taught as ethnic studies - Type of requirement
Single course, multiple, upper or lower division course - Implementation
Standalone section of general education, standalone campus-based requirement, overlay met by GE, major or other courses - Integrity of the requirement
How to maintain consistency and integrity of requirement
Additional information will be sought through a campuswide survey that will be sent with an approximate delivery date of the week of Oct. 7. Results will be made available to campus members Oct. 21 and an Oct. 31 senate meeting will be held to formalize the campus response to the ASCSU by Nov. 1.
For additional information contact Mark Stohs at mstohs@fullerton.edu or 657-278-7421.