University Senate
Instruction, Curriculum and Advising Committee
and Equal Opportunity Committee
Review of the
Committee to Advance Our Common Purposes Curriculum Task Force Report

Report on S-0005: "Review and comment on the May 2000 Report of the Committee to Advance Our Common Purposes Curriculum Task Force."

Background: In order to operate effectively in a multicultural setting both within and outside the University, Rutgers students need to have a fundamental understanding of intercultural interaction. While there are about 150 courses offered every semester that are designated as "multicultural courses," many of these focus on a single culture and don’t deal with the interaction between cultures.

Task Force Report: The Curriculum Task Force found that a curriculum that would prepare Rutgers students to function effectively in a global society should include:

1. An examination of the interaction among cultural groups;

2. An extended and comparative exploration of cultures, with cultures explored in a larger context;

3. An examination of power relations among groups, including the issues of privilege, subordination, discrimination, disenfranchisement, prejudice, and the sources of inequality;

4. An examination of the enriching aspects of cultural diversity and interaction;

5. An examination of current problems related to intercultural interaction and potential positive solutions;

6. An examination of issues specifically related to cultural diversity in the United States; as well as

7. An examination of the tension created by global interdependencies and diverse world cultures.

 The core Task Force recommendation is that the curriculum committees of each of the 18 undergraduate units University-wide review their current offerings in terms of the above learning objectives, and in some way incorporate these objectives into their undergraduate graduation requirements.

Review: The Senate Instruction, Curricula, and Advising Committee reviewed the Report and recommendations of the Curriculum Task Force and found them to be sound and in the best interests of the students, as well as appropriate to the educational mission of the University.

Recommendations:

1. That the University Senate enthusiastically endorses the report and recommendations of the Committee to Advance Our Common Purposes Curriculum Task Force, and recommends that undergraduate deans and their curriculum committees consider incorporating intercultural learning objectives into their graduation requirements.

2. That the University Senate urges individual faculty in all disciplines to consider incorporating the intercultural learning objectives into their course offerings whenever feasible.

3. That the University Vice President for Academic Affairs present a report at the April 2002 University Senate meeting summarizing the activities and progress made in incorporating intercultural learning objectives across the curriculum.

RESOLUTION

Whereas, the University Senate’s Instruction, Curriculum and Advising Committee has examined and reported on the May 2000 Report of the Committee to Advance Our Common Purposes Curriculum Task Force; and

Whereas, the University Senate has reviewed the Committee’s Report and its Recommendations, finding those Recommendations to be sound and in the best interests of Rutgers University;

Therefore, Be It Resolved, that the Rutgers University Senate endorses the Report and Recommendations on the Report of the Committee to Advance Our Common Purposes Curriculum Task Force.