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"I would like to suggest that the undergraduate curriculum be built around the idea that by graduation a student will have done a series of complex activities. A list of these activities or better yet a portfolio of evidence would be more impressive to employers and to professional and grad schools than a student's overall GPA and a transcript of courses taken." -- Jim Hatton, Southern Oregon University

 

"In addition to discussions about classes, majors, and careers, and making sure young people acquire the skill set to succeed in today's world, I believe one of the most important decisions we make-- often during college-- is who we want to spend the rest of our lives with... From early on, we are told that if we do well in school, we'll get into college and eventually, hopefully, have a rewarding career and make a difference in the world, but we don't teach much about another significant ingredient of happiness-- the people we surround ourselves with and our personal relationships." -- Robin Blackwood, BA in Human Biology '85, MA in Education '86

 

"Most everyone agrees that the current introductions to the humanities are important as is improving students' abilities to read, write, and discuss. However, are the current IHUM courses and PWR courses the best way of accomplishing these ends?... My suggestion would be to abandon IHUM and PWR in their current form. In their place we should invite departments to offer courses taught by faculty that introduce students to their discipline in a way that is enriched by incorporating elements of PWR courses." -- Craig

 

"Despite the large amount of diversity our student body holds, not many of us get the chance to consider important racial and cultural understandings outside of somewhat sporadic and simplistic freshmen dorm events... Do we want to be churning out students that, although not necessarily racist in an old fashioned sense, demonstrate modern racism in that they are ignorant of the multicultural issues still present in our society, ignorant of their own role in race relations, and ignorant of the fact that "color-blind" is in fact a myth that covers up inequality we still have today?" -- Taylor Phillips, Psychology & Human Biology '10

 

"I believe that we need to give students the tools to be liberally educated leaders in a changing world. This means people with adaptable skills who have the ability to meet and embrace creatively the changes that our students will face in their future. The curriculum then would emphasize leadership skills, their acquisition and development... We produce de facto leadership in many areas but would our curriculum be the same if we selected and educated for leadership in a changing world? I wonder if we would recruit the same individuals or depend on the same measures in the admissions process if our emphasis is on eventual leadership." -- Tom Black, Stanford University Registrar

 

"The purpose of an undergraduate education is to prepare students for 'local, national, and global citizenship.' If that is indeed the goal-- which I would heartily endorse-- the success of Stanford's  undergraduate program cannot be judged by the specific skills or knowledge that students manage to acquire during their time here, but instead by the general habits of thought and problem-solving strategies they can use in the years to come." -- Eric Roberts