Staff writer

Student input is now being encouraged regarding the general education reform in the university’s switch from quarters to semesters in 2016.

During the weekly Associated Students Inc. meeting on Jan. 24, a large portion was devoted to the discussion of general education reform, led by associate professor of English, Emerson Case.

The reform, necessitated by Executive Order 1065 released by the Chancellor’s Office, requires the new general education model to contain 48 units.

The smaller program could be based off of any one of three separate models.

The model that the faculty general education committee designed resembles the general education programs at CSU Chico and CSU Northridge and is referred to as a thematic model.

Case said that the traditional sense of theme classes that students and faculty know at CSUB is not what this new program will be. The new program would focus on classes that fall under umbrella topic themes.

Hilda Nieblas, president of ASI, said, “I would like to see a theme around leadership.”

Case encouraged the ASI members to talk with students and email him with feedback.

“It takes a load off when you’re talking with other students,” said junior biology major Payal Bhavsar, 20, who would like more student interaction out of a general education reform.

Director of General Studies Vincent Ortiz, asked how the reform was going to affect transfer students from Bakersfield College. Case informed the ASI board that members of the B.C campus had been invited into the discussion to help with integration.

The board members also expressed concerns for the nursing program on campus to which Case explained the thematic classes would correlate with majors more fluidly. “We’re going to change the culture of general education,” Case said.