In January 2013, the Academic Senate of the California State University (ASCSU) strongly opposed the proposed elimination of the WASC Guideline described in CFR 2.2a from the Revisions to the Draft 2013 Handbook of Accreditation, and strongly urged WASC to include the CFR 2.2a Guideline modified as follows "The institution has a program of General Education that is integrated throughout the curriculum, including at the upper division level, together with significant study in depth in a given area of knowledge (typically described as a major)."

Please see AS-3109-13/AA, Support for the Continued Inclusion of Upper Division General      Education within WASC Accreditation Guidelines, at: http://www.calstate.edu/acadsen/Records/Resolutions/2012-2013/docum...

Subsequently, in consultation with ASCSU and other stakeholders, WASC has finalized its 2013 Handbook of Accreditation where the CFR 2.2a Guideline reads as follows "The institution has a program of General Education that is integrated throughout the curriculum, including at the upper division level, together with significant in-depth study in a given area of knowledge (typically described in terms of a program or major)."

Please see WASC 2013 Handbook of Accreditation Finalized at:

http://www.wascsenior.org/annoucements/2013-handbook-accreditation-...

I invite comment on how this WASC Guideline described in CFR 2.2a will work for your institution of higher education. How will you address GE and student engagement (e.g. high impact practices) to facilitate graduation and learning success? Thanks for sharing your input.

Darlene Yee-Melichar

Professor, Gerontology Program, San Francisco State University

Member-At-Large, Executive Committee, Academic Senate CSU

     E-mail dyee@sfsu.edu

     Phone (415)338-3558

     URL http://userwww.sfsu.edu/~dyee/