When our college began its Program Evaluation Process (PEP), it made its mission clear. According to PEP guidelines, “Roanoke College develops students as whole persons and prepares them for responsible lives of learning, service, and leadership.” Our curriculum is set up to ensure students are well-rounded so as to become the best versions of themselves they can be. While our mission is clear, the pathway is paved with differing opinions. The question is raised: Is such a well-rounded education what we are being provided?
Not long ago, professors at our school put forth a proposal to make an amendment to our college’s general education requirements. Their intent was to propose the addition of an Arts Designation for our students.
Certainly, it seems like an odd thing to lack. The proposal put forth included research that asserted that, when compared to peer institutions, only two out of sixty-six lack some form of Arts Requirement, with Roanoke being one of them. In fact, the ratio of our required courses compared to the average (2.15 Math/Science, 1.72 Social Sciences, 2.26 Humanities, and 1.31 Arts) is striking, prompting the proposal to suggest that we “drop the requirement for INQ 241/251 and replace it with an Arts Requirement.”…