2007 Campus Theme: Global Change in a Local Context
Life, culture, politics, economics, demographics, environment – all aspects of our planet and its inhabitants are characterized by change. Moreover change occurs over many scales – from individual behavior to processes affecting worldwide populations, and over time periods as short as a nanosecond to centuries or longer. How do living things (humans and other life forms) and the physical world respond to and even directly affect change? Is change measured and perceived differently when observed through different lenses (scientific, cultural, historical, personal, global)? As part of their General Education program at WSU Vancouver, undergraduate students will study and explore the concept of change across many disciplines and from multiple perspectives using the local environment, culture, and society as a context in which to appreciate issues of global concern.
New Student Reading Project
Asphalt Nation: How the Automobile Took Over America and How We Can Take It Back by Jane Holtz Kay has been chosen as the New Student Reading Project selection for 2007-2008. To learn more about the New Student Reading Project, click here.
For Prospective Students
Beginning Fall 2006, incoming students at WSU Vancouver will benefit from a brand new General Education curriculum, custom-designed by current WSU Vancouver faculty members who are committed to making the WSU Vancouver experience student-centered, innovative, and tied to real-world concerns. Unique features of the WSU Vancouver General Education program include:
- Interdisciplinary Core - Science, arts, and humanities are integrated and linked to a unifying Campus Theme (see below.) Students receive a "big picture” view of the world, learning how different disciplines relate to each other and to real life.
- E-Portfolio - Students will create their own electronic portfolio in their first year, adding to it throughout their educational experience. The e-Portfolio will provide students with a platform to assess their experience, deepening their learning. It will also give students a handy and safe way to store class papers, projects, and recommendations for future use in their academic or professional careers.
- Outcomes-based Learning - Course design is based on six Learning Goals (Critical Thinking; Quantitative and Symbolic Reasoning; Information Literacy; Communication; Self in Society; and Specialty.) Upon completion of a WSU Vancouver degree program, or even a single class, students should be able to:
- Construct and use knowledge claims of evidence and context to reason ethically and reach conclusions as well as to innovate in imaginative ways. These steps are equally applicable to different kinds of problems such as scientific theory development and testing, ethical problem solving, and innovation.
- Analyze and communicate appropriately with mathematical and symbolic concepts.
- Use a disciplined and systematic approach to accessing, evaluating and using information.
- Write, speak and listen to achieve intended and meaningful understanding.
- Employ self-understanding and interact effectively with others of similar and diverse cultures, values, perspectives, and realities.
- Hone a specialty for the benefit of themselves, their communities, their employers, and for society at large.
If you have questions or need additional information, please contact the Office of Academic Affairs or the Admissions Office.
Program Background
In 1989, WSU Vancouver was formally established as a branch campus within the state's land-grant institution, Washington State University. At that time, branch campuses in the state of Washington were authorized to offer junior-, senior- and graduate level courses. Following a 2004 legislative request of each branch campus to conduct a self study, WSU Vancouver recommended that the campus expand to offer four year programs and continue research university status to meet the educational needs of the region. In 2005, legislation was passed to alter the role of the branch campuses in Washington State. WSU Vancouver is now authorized and funded to offer lower division courses and accept freshman students, in addition to transfer students, in Fall 2006.
The General Education website is currently dedicated to the transition to the lower division program at WSU Vancouver and reflects the extensive planning efforts on the part of faculty and staff to develop an innovative, engaged experience for students. Students are at the center of the undergraduate experience at WSU Vancouver. Our program strives to create an active learning environment that is purposeful, rigorous and relevant.
We welcome participation from faculty, staff, community members and prospective students as this program evolves and is implemented. If you have any questions, need further clarification about documents found on this site, or would like to provide feedback, please contact Karen Diller, Assistant Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs.