1. Evaluation and Revision of GRCC Graduation Requirements
Team co-chairs:
Patti Trepkowski
Jennifer Batten

2. Team Members Ann Alexander (Business) Susan Mowers (English)
Janice Balyeat (English)
Oscar Neal (Mathematics)
Frank Conner (Psychology)
Diane Patrick (Registrar)
Bill Faber (SAS Dean’s Office)
Shelly Richter (Nursing)
Heather Richards (Social Sciences)
Anna Rose (ISIS)
Tamara Scott (Language and Thought)
Elaine Kampmueller (Physical Sciences)
Fred Zomer (Counseling and Career Center)
Laura Kennett (Exercise Science)
Mike Light (Social Sciences)

3. Purpose of Evaluation and Revision:
to respond to end-of-year feedback provided by AGC membership
to better align GRCC graduation requirements with the new MTA requirements and the Curriculum Model
to ensure that the requirements are clear and meet the needs of all students
to evaluate the necessity and purpose of individual graduation elements

4. The Process On April 3rd the team met to:
determine the principles that would guide the work.
determine the areas of the graduation requirements policy that would be addressed by this team.
discuss benchmarking.

5. Team’s Guiding Principles
GRCC’s Graduation Requirements should:
align with transfer institution requirements
align with MTA requirements
give students and programs flexibility
align with program accreditation requirements
support GRCC ILOs and Values
allow for efficiency and enhance graduation rates

6. Have completed at least 60 credits of course work.*
  To be awarded an Associate’s degree at Grand Rapids Community College, students must:
Have completed at least 60 credits of course work.*
Have completed at least 15 credits of course work at GRCC.*
Have completed the coursework outlined in the GRCC catalog for the program in which they are enrolled.*
Have earned a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0 in all course work completed at GRCC.*
Have earned at least one Wellness (WE) credit.  A maximum of two Wellness credits may be applied toward graduation unless they are specified as a program requirement.
Have earned credit for PS 110.
Have earned at least six credits of English composition if seeking the A.A., A.S., A.F.A., A.B., A.M., A.N., and A.G.S degrees.
Have earned credit for the appropriate general education Group Distribution Requirements for the degree they are seeking.*
No courses below 100 level will be used toward graduation requirements, including the minimum number of credits that need to be completed.
* Addressed by other AGC policies.

7. Questions Addressed by the Team
Should PS 110 remain as a graduation requirement?
Should all students be required to take 6 credits of English composition in order to graduate?
Should all students be required to take a Wellness course to graduate?

8. The Process (continued)
On May 4th the team held a day-long work session to address each of the aforementioned questions by:
reviewing feedback from departments and individuals.
discussing both benefits and drawbacks of any proposed changes.
considering each question in light of the team’s guiding principles.
developing proposals and holding a vote on each item.

9. PS 110 should be removed as a graduation requirement.
The Team’s Proposal
PS 110 should be removed as a graduation requirement.
Benefits:
This change allows students more flexibility in selecting social science courses that best fit their needs/interests.
The removal of this requirement allows faculty/programs to require coursework that is most applicable to workforce needs and/or discipline and still remain within maximum credit hour limits.
PS 110 is not a requirement at transfer institutions and its removal as a graduation requirement will allow better alignment of our pre-major programs with our partners’ programs.
The removal of this course as a graduation requirement may help boost GRCC graduation rates.
This change does not alter the number of social science courses needed for graduation.*
Drawbacks:
This course provides an opportunity for students to better understand the United States’ system of government and fewer students may take this opportunity.
*Students in occupational programs require only one social science course, while students completing the MTA requirements must complete two courses.

10. The Team’s Proposal
Graduation would require 6 credits of English composition or 3 credits of English composition and 3 credits of an MTA approved communication course.
Benefits:
This change allows faculty/programs /pre-major programs flexibility to require coursework that is most applicable to workforce needs and/or discipline without going over maximum credit limits.
Transfer students will have more choice in course selection while at GRCC as several transfer partners (CMU, EMU, and FSU) require a communication course for graduation.
This proposal recognizes that there are many forms of communication.
The proposed change aligns with the MTA.
Drawbacks:
Not requiring two semesters of composition will reduce some students’ exposure to evidence based writing.
Most transfer students will still need to complete English Composition 2 to attain a B.A./B.S. degree and students will need to be informed of this requirement.

11. One credit of Wellness should remain as a requirement.
The Team’s Proposal
One credit of Wellness should remain as a requirement.
Benefits:
Wellness courses at GRCC now require the Dimensions of Wellness as course components and this content may lead to a better understanding of general physical and mental wellbeing.
Data shows that community college students are more at risk for health issues and they may benefit from these courses.
Maintaining the Wellness requirement would preserve a category of required study.
Drawbacks:
SAS students are not required to obtain an Associate degree before transfer and keeping this graduation requirement may negatively impact GRCC graduation rates - mainly in SAS programs.
With the exception of WMU, transfer programs do not require wellness type courses and students most often don’t need these courses to obtain a B.A. or B.S. degree.
Individual programs and pre-majors that value this content would still have the option to require wellness courses for graduation even if they were not general graduation requirements.
The MTA does not require a wellness course.

12. Proposed Graduation Requirements
Have completed at least 60 credits of course work.
Have completed at least 15 credits of course work at GRCC.
Have completed the coursework outlined in the GRCC catalog for the program in which they are enrolled.
Have earned a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0 in all course work completed at GRCC.
Have earned at least one Wellness (WE) credit.  A maximum of two Wellness credits may be applied toward graduation unless they are specified as a program requirement.
Have earned at least 6 credits of English composition or at least 3 credits of English composition and 3 credits in a MTA approved communication course for all Associate degrees.
Have earned credit for the appropriate general education Group Distribution Requirements for the degree they are seeking.
No courses below 100 level will be used toward graduation requirements, including the minimum number of credits that need to be completed.

13. Next Steps
Discuss the College’s Graduation Requirements with your departments.
Please send any feedback to Patti Trepkowski and Jennifer Batten by September 18th.