Nick Daley | contributing writer
ndaley@smcvt.edu

There are three letters every St. Michael’s College student knows: L, S, and R. The acronym translates into "liberal studies requirements," and students must complete them to graduate and earn a degree. Recently students have been asked for their input about the current requirements.

According to St. Michael's Registrar John Sheehey, the notion of revamping the college’s LSRs has been talked about for the past few years and faculty and student surveys were circulated and completed. These provided input, information, and feedback on possible changes. Student Association (S.A.) secretary of academics and senior, Jake Dubuque, is among several current students who have taken the discussion a step further.

Simons, a member of the CEPC, says that suggestions by students and faculty have been helpful in the furthering the discussion about the restructuring of the current LSRs. (Izabela Socha, photo)

In February, Dubuque organized an LSR discussion group at an S.A. meeting which was conducted to field suggestions and ideas about possible amendments to the requirements list.

“The general trend was that the LSRs needed to be simplified,” Dubuque says. “Students wanted increased flexibility.”

Dubuque says that many students wanted an increased ability to “double-dip” or, in other words, take a single course and have it fulfill two LSRs. Currently, only two courses in a student’s major may be used to fulfill a LSR.

Junior Mallory Wood, currently the class of 2008 senator and a candidate for next year’s S.A. vice president, attended the February discussion and said the students who attended put the requirements under critical analysis.

“The goal needs to be focused on what is going to be beneficial for SMC students post-graduation,” Wood says.

LSRs changing with the times

Sheehey says the current LSRs were adopted in 1996. The changes that were made required every student to complete a foreign language and a first-year seminar (FYS).

Currently, St. Michael’s students are required to take liberal studies courses in religious studies, philosophy, social sciences and organizational studies, natural and mathematical studies, humanities, artistic experience, writing-intensive (includes FYS), and foreign language. Combined, these are the minimum requirements a student must complete to graduate.

Sheehey says the process of selecting and changing the LSRs is extensive and it could be very beneficial for college’s to examine how other similar liberal studies Catholic colleges, like St. Anselm’s and Stonehill, handle changes.

“You get ideas and it helps you understand how your curriculum could be improved,” Sheehey says. “Every college that has curriculum requirements reviews them periodically.”

According to Dean Jeffrey Trumbower, the faculty committee known as the Curriculum and Education Policy Committee (CEPC) would be the first to formally propose changes to the LSR. These six faculty members will eventually draft a proposal, which will then be presented to the entire faculty to be voted on and amended. If it passes this stage, it will then be examined by the college’s Provost. If approved, the Board of Trustees will then have the final examination and can either adopt or veto the proposal.

Student input encouraged

Regardless of the impending changes, no current St. Michael’s students will be ultimately affected. Still, this has not stopped students from adding their thoughts and providing their own input. An open discussion board is currently available on the campus-related Web site eCollege. The discussion board was created by the faculty with the intent of getting student feedback.

Sophomore Lauren Trottier says she commented online to help incoming students and to share her personal experiences.

“I’d like to see more options with the LSRs,” Trottier says. “Each incoming class should have the opportunity to experience a liberal studies education to the fullest.”

Sheehey says this kind of participation and interaction is a great way for students to help and give back to the college. He also says their contributions are not going to waste.

“I’ve noticed that the curriculum committee pays very close attention to the input of students in this process,” Sheehey says. “I think it’s nice that the point of view of the students is going to be part of any decisions that are made regarding the changes in curriculum.”

What’s next for the LSR?

It is still uncertain exactly what kinds of changes will be made and which LSRs will be kept or removed. Trumbower says that regardless of the changes that are made, the number of credits required to graduate will remain the same. He says that the idea behind the possible changes is to make it easier for students to complete all their studies in four years and graduate on time.

“Neither the committee, nor I, would pass anything to make it more difficult to graduate,” Trumbower says. “I can say that the new Liberal Studies Requirements will not require more credits. I can’t imagine that happening.”

According to Sheehey, there has already been a minor change made in the foreign language requirement that will take effect with the start of the 2007 fall semester. Starting in the fall, the language requirement will be reduced from 10 credits to eight credits, and classes are scheduled to meet three times a week as apposed to four. Although this decision was made within the language department and is not related to the possible LSR changes, it is evident the college is open to change.

The most recent changes to the requirements were the institution of a first-year seminar course and requiring only eight foreign language credits. (Izabela Socha, photo )

St. Michael’s professor Lloyd Simons is a member of the CEPC and says that although no concrete decisions have been made yet, the interactions between faculty and students has certainly helped to guide and shape the possible changes.

“It’s way too early to say what changes are going to be made,” Simons says. “We would like to give students a little bit more freedom to explore.”

Simons also says the students who are participating in the process should be proud of their contributions. Dubuque, who is the student representative on the CEPC, says that the main motivation of the students involved is to help out the college.

“What’s driving students to participate has a lot to do with the sense of community at St. Mike’s,” Dubuque says. “We want to give back to the college.”