The University Record, April 9, 1996
LS&A faculty adopts changes in distribution requirements, gender-neutral language
During their last meeting of the academic year on April 1, LS&A faculty members approved changes to the faculty code that will make area distribution requirements easier for students to understand and increase the number of qualified science courses.
Although the total number of credits required from outside a student’s concentration would remain at 30, students will have the flexibility to choose from courses in fine arts, computer technology, mathematics or statistics.
Under the new system, students must complete 21 credits in three areas—seven credits each in humanities, social science and natural science. The remaining nine credits of the distribution requirements must come from at least three different are as of these five: humanities; social science; natural science; mathematics, statistics or computer science (MSC); and creative expression.
The changes, which will be effective for incoming students in fall 1997, was approved unanimously by the LS&A faculty.
Faculty members also voted to remove all gender-specific language from the faculty code and to replace it with gender-neutral or inclusive language by using phrases such as “the dean” where possible and “he or she” as necessary. The change also substitutes “first-year student” for any reference to “freshman.”
