Criterion 3 - 3.B.

The institution offers programs that engage students in collecting, analyzing and communicating information; in mastering modes of intellectual inquiry or creative work; and in developing skills adaptable to changing environments.

3.B.1.
The general education program is appropriate to the mission, educational offerings, and degree levels of the institution. The institution articulates the purposes, content and intended learning outcomes of its undergraduate general education requirements.

Since 2013, IU Southeast has established six skills as the basis of general education for all undergraduate students: written communication, oral communication, quantitative reasoning, reasoning about ethical questions or diversity, critical thinking, and information literacy (24-0047; 24-0222). In addition, students are expected to understand humanity and the world through the Central Ideas, Issues and Methods of Inquiry of different disciplines found in the Arts and Humanities, the Natural and Physical Sciences, and the Social and Behavioral Sciences. Students take 30 credits from the list of approved courses that cover these areas (24-0223).

The decision about which courses qualify as General Education courses is overseen by a Faculty Senate committee on General Education. Programs wishing to have a course considered as fulfilling a General Education requirement must demonstrate how their courses’ SLOs map on to the General education SLOs. Assessment of General Education courses is completed on a rotating three-year basis. Each program regularly gathers and submits assessment data (quantitative or qualitative) of student learning in their General Education courses. Over a three-year cycle, assessment data of all instructors teaching the courses across delivery platforms is collected. Assessment tools include clear rubrics for all learning outcomes (for instance, see 24-0224). Each program reviews the assessment data stored in TaskStream, taking note of areas of strength and areas needing improvement, and uses this review process to make changes to improve student learning. Some methods of improvement may include modifications in the way the courses are taught (e.g., adding or changing course materials, exercises, activities, etc.) and/or modifications of the assessment tools (e.g., developing or modifying rubrics for assessing learning outcomes or adopting a common assignment used for assessment). Programs choose an area of focus and ensure changes and improvements are communicated to all faculty teaching the course (see 4B for additional details)

In February 2023, the Faculty Senate approved a General Education Competencies proposal allowing for appropriate transfer courses to fulfill the General Education courses (24-0193, pp. 1-2; 24-0225). Because transferring colleges is common, we have adopted this proposal to ensure transfer students receive appropriate credit for their past work. The rationale behind this proposal was to reduce the amount of undistributed transfer credit and ensure transfer students are treated no differently than students who began their studies at IU Southeast. The proposal describes the process to evaluate whether a transfer course fulfills a general education competency. Guidelines indicate:

• Transferred course must be a minimum of 3 credits awarded by a regionally accredited institution (note: if this criterion is not met, students may still possibly be able to demonstrate their learning through a portfolio subject to evidence-based credit review: 24-0226).
• Transferred courses will be evaluated based on the Indiana University SE policy that applies to currently enrolled students. Our current policy states that a D- or higher is required for a general education BA distribution requirement. Some programs require a C- or even a C in major courses, and therefore a C- (or C) may be required in specific major courses.
• Courses should be listed at the 100 or 200 level and should generally not have prerequisites.
• If student satisfies general education at previous institution, general education requirement is met at IU Southeast, analogous to Indiana transfer students who earn credentials like the Indiana College Core at a previous institution.
• Learning outcomes should deepen, extend, or be distinct from high school Core 40 competencies

A brief description of the domain is described for each general education area. For example, the guidelines for social and behavioral sciences are:

Schools Authorized for Competency: Arts and Letters, Social Sciences, Business, Natural Sciences courses that require students to demonstrate basic literacy in social, behavioral, or historical research methods and analyses, or that require the student to evaluate evidence supporting conclusions about the behavior of individuals, groups, institutions, or organizations Introductory survey courses related to Anthropology, Communication Studies, Economics, Human Geography, History, Legal Studies, Political Science, Psychology, Sociology, Women’s Studies.

Transfer classes fulfilling a general education competency indicate that a course transferred in as fulfilling a general education competency using the newly approved catalog numbers (e.g., GEAH-UN 100 for a general education arts and humanities).

3.B.2.
The program of general education is grounded in a philosophy or framework developed by the institution or adopted from an established framework. It imparts broad knowledge and intellectual concepts to students and develops skills and attitudes that the institution believes every college-educated person should possess.

IU Southeast developed this program and regularly reviews it through the Faculty Senate and its General Education Committee (24-0093, pp. 18-19). The current program was instituted in 2013. It was structured following the Indiana Commission for Higher Education (ICHE)’s Statewide Transfer General Education Core (STGEC: ). The two General Education Core categories, “Foundational Intellectual Skills” and “Ways of Knowing,” are reflected in that philosophy. IU Southeast’s general education program stems from the idea that an IU Southeast undergraduate education prepares students to act as thoughtful, informed, and productive citizens and lifelong learners in a complex and rapidly changing society. We believe that the best education is one that provides not only specific knowledge and skills but also intellectual breadth. Such an education enables students to develop into well rounded human beings who can provide the leadership their communities need in an era of rapid change. We embrace the notion of a set of common goals for an undergraduate education at IU Southeast and recognize that the means of attaining those goals will vary among degree programs. The coherence of an IU Southeast education lies more in pursuing common goals than in completing common courses. The pursuit of these goals is a shared responsibility of faculty and students. Courses in the major contribute to general education and those in general education contribute to the major. Thus, all faculty members foster both the breadth and the depth of the education of all students in their courses.

As of Fall 2023, there are 110 GenEd courses offered by six academic units across IU Southeast. The course distribution (course count and %) is summarized in Table 1. The General Education website contains a complete list of the current GenEd courses (24-0621).

3.B.3.
The education offered by the institution recognizes the human and cultural diversity and provides students with growth opportunities and lifelong skills to live and work in a multicultural world.

Recognizing the value and importance of human and cultural diversity in the world, IU Southeast works to offer its students growth opportunities as a part of its diversity statement, listed on its website among its mission, vision, and values (24-0001). For example, IU Southeast’s General Education curriculum encourages students to explore ethical reasoning or diversity as part of its learning outcomes, encouraging students to effectively (24-0047):

1. Articulate multiple perspectives (including one’s own) on (an) issue(s) that affects one or more socially diverse groups
2. Articulate the social and cultural influences that shape multiple perspectives (including one’s own) on (an) issue(s) that affects one or more socially diverse groups.
3. Evaluate multiple perspectives (including one’s own) on (an) issue(s) that affects one or more socially diverse groups.

Faculty design curricular and cocurricular activities with these values in mind. For example, our Theatre program ensures diversity and inclusion, understanding that diversity includes sexual orientation, disability, gender identity, class, nationality, religion, race/ethnicity, and other marginalized groups. Across coursework and productions, the Theatre program creates intentional, conscious efforts in many areas, including curriculum, faculty, staff, students, production, season planning, casting, and guest artists. Since 2019, they have offered six courses with a directed focus (over 50% of the class) on diversity and produced six shows that specifically address diversity and inclusion through character or theme (24-0227). Another example is the newly revised first-year seminar course (described more fully in 4C). In the summer of 2020, to expand the diversity of perspectives on campus, IU Southeast began highlighting courses that devoted one-third of their content to an examination of issues of race (24-0228).

Another example is that international studies program requires active engagement experiences focused on diversity. One illustration of this occurred in September of 2023. The faculty planned a day trip allowing students to volunteer at and visit the Kentucky Refugee Ministries to learn about the work of refugee resettlement and the refugee experience. These examples provide a brief glimpse of how understanding diversity is distributed across curriculum.

Students can also study abroad or learn about other cultures through programming sponsored by Study Abroad and Global Awareness (24-0041; 24-0229). In 2023, IU Southeast faculty led programs in Sweden on healthcare and social services, in the Philippines on teaching, in Berlin to study German culture, and in Belize to study ecology. Moreover, students can travel abroad to 52 other countries through Indiana University’s Office of Overseas Studies (24-0229). The office also offers various internationally oriented campus events each year, including International Education Week in the fall and several international events in the spring. Students engage in other cultures in the United States as well. Modern Language majors who do not participate in a Study Abroad program must engage in a Cultural Engagement project in the United States, approved by Modern Language faculty.

IU Southeast’s Common Experience regularly adopts diversity themes (24-0043). To illustrate, the 2022-2023 theme – “All In: Expanding Our Disability Advocacy” – focused on the experiences of individuals with disabilities, both visible and invisible, and how we can work together as a community to better understand and support those around us. A series of events in fall and spring encouraged students, faculty, staff, administrators, and members of the broader community to be socially conscious. Likewise, the text for common reading was Alice Wong’s Disability Visibility: First Person Stories from the Twenty-First Century. Similarly, the following diversity-related themes have been a part of previous Common Experience programs (24-0231):

• 2019 – 2020: “Tolerance and the Struggle for Human Rights in Communities,” with The Laramie Project by Moises Kaufman being the common read.
• 2018 – 2019: “Think Global, Act Local,” with Where Am I Wearing? by Kelsey Timmerman being the common read.
• 2017 – 2018: “Cultures in Crisis: Circumstances and Cultures,” with Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis by J.D. Vance being the common read.

The Chancellor’s Diversity Award, a $500 prize, recognizes exceptional work in promoting and enhancing diversity efforts on campus (24-0048). Award recipients demonstrate efforts exceeding their mandated job responsibilities to support the goals and objectives of the IU Southeast Diversity Plan, a firm commitment to the recruitment and retention of individuals of diverse populations, and efforts that foster a more inclusive and equitable learning and work environment. For example, the 2022 winner, Greg Roberts, was lauded for his 12 years of work with Twenty-First Century Scholars, first-generation, and minority students through the Collegiate Summer Institute and his efforts with the campus Safe Zone project. Other winners have been lauded for their work with first-generation college students, the Muslim community on campus, and LGBTQ students.

3.B.4.
The faculty and students contribute to scholarship, creative work and the discovery of knowledge to the extent appropriate to their offerings and the institution’s mission.

IU Southeast faculty and students contribute to scholarship, creative work, and knowledge discovery in many ways. Faculty Research and Creative Activity reports (e.g., 24-0232) are accessible via the website for each year (24-0233). Tenure-track faculty members are expected to produce scholarship and creative work for tenure and promotion purposes (24-0088, pp. 28, 30-39).

Tenure-track faculty are accountable for their research productivity after tenure and record their scholarly activities in the IU-wide annual reporting system, Digital Measures Activity Insight (24-0088, pp. 21-22). Tenure-track faculty are given one-course release per semester to support that research (24-0088, p. 22). Tenured faculty members can also apply for sabbatical leave to focus on scholarship activities (24-0088, pp. 39-42; 24-0168, pp. 18-21). Financially, faculty and student research are supported by a variety of internal grants, including the Research Support Program, Regional Research and Creativity Initiatives, Student Assistant Grants, Undergraduate Research Fellowships, and Summer Faculty Fellowships, as well as external grants and travel funding (24-0168, pp. 4-11). IU Southeast faculty share their scholarship and creative work regularly at symposia and presentations, on and off campus.

Students are also active in creating and presenting their scholarship and creative work. Each December, the campus supports students presenting at the IU Undergraduate Research Conference (24-0234), where IU Southeast often sends more student researchers than any other IU campus, including the R1 campuses in Bloomington and Indianapolis (24-0236).

For the past 19 years, undergraduate and graduate students have presented papers, projects, and posters at the IU Southeast Student Conference (24-0235). This conference features over 150 student presenters from majors and programs across campus and includes both oral and poster presentations of scholarly work (24-0237). Additionally, the IU Southeast Undergraduate Research Journal and Graduate Research Journal provide avenues for students to publish their research conducted during their academic careers. Also available is the research of IU scholars, faculty and students via IU ScholarWorks, a searchable database available to the public. Besides the IU Southeast Student Conference and other state, regional, and national student conferences, IU Southeast students present at professional conferences, accompanied and supported by faculty members. For example, in spring 2023, 12 honors program students presented original research at the Mid-East Honors Association conference in Indianapolis, and nine fine arts students attended the National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts conference in Cincinnati. Faculty regularly work with students on research and creative projects.