General Education Committee
MISSION
The general education program develops a foundation and motivation for the lifelong pursuit of learning in undergraduate students at Arkansas State University by introducing them to a broad range of essential areas of knowledge that will enable them to think critically and participate ethically in a democratic nation and a global society.
Purpose
The General Education Committee (GEC) guides the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Research (VCAAR) in improving the quality and relevance of the university's general education curriculum. The committee:
- Reviews proposals for modifications to the General Education Program.
- Reviews each general education course on a four-year cycle to determine continued acceptability within the program.
- Reviews assessment data provided by the Office of Assessment and Accreditation.
- Makes recommendations regarding general education policy, curriculum, and assessment to the VCAAR.
Membership
Membership on the GEC consists of one faculty representative from each of these Colleges: Agriculture, Business, Communications, Education, Engineering, Fine Arts, Honors, Nursing and Health Professions, and University College. The College of Humanities and Social Sciences will be represented by three faculty representatives (from different departments) and the College of Sciences and Mathematics will be represented by two faculty representatives (from different departments). The Independent Department of Military Science will have one nonvoting, ex-officio faculty representative. The Associate Vice Chancellor for Academic Services and Director of Assessment Services will serve as ex-officio, nonvoting members.
The chair, who must be tenured, will serve a three-year term and may not be reappointed to a consecutive three-year term. Members of the committee will be tenured faculty with a minimum of three-years of continuous service prior to serving on the committee. Each college will be responsible for determining the selection of its representative(s).
In those cases where there is an issue affecting a broad area of the general education core that is not represented by the composition of the current committee, a representative from the area not represented must be invited to attend the meeting and be afforded the opportunity to participate in the discussions before action is taken.
Current Membership
Voting Members
| First Name | Last Name | Term Expires | Appointed by |
| Bert | Greenwalt | 2026 | College of Agriculture |
| Chris | Brown | 2026 | Neil Griffin College of Business |
| Lillie | Fears | 2027 | CLAC - Communications |
| Maggie | Hance | 2026 | Education and Behavioral Science |
| Timothy | Arquitt | 2026 | College of Engineering and Computer Science |
| Claire | Abernathy | 2027 | CLAC - Fine Arts |
| Carmen | Williams | Honors | |
| Kristen | Ruccio | 2028 | CLAC - Humanities and Social Sciences |
| Andrea | Davis | 2028 | CLAC - Humanities and Social Sciences |
| Amy | Buzby | 2028 | CLAC - Humanities and Social Sciences |
| Kathryn | Flannigan | 2026 | Nursing and Health Professions |
| Ferebee | Tunno | 2026 | Sciences/Mathematics |
| Martin | Huss | 2026 | Sciences/Mathematics |
| Lisa | Ferrell | 2028 | University College |
Ex-Officio, Non-Voting Members
| First Name | Last Name | Term Expires | Appointed by |
| MAJ Jeremy (Matt) | Weeks | 2027 | Military Science |
| Melanie | Wicinski | Position | AVC for Assessment and Accreditation |
| Will | McLean | Position | AVCAS |
| Kelli | Listenbee* | Assessment and Accreditation |
Quadrennial Review Cycle
The General Education Committee oversees the review and assessment of the university's General Education Program. Information about the quadrennial review process, assessment timelines, reporting requirements, learning outcomes, and supporting resources is maintained in the Assessment Manual.
➡ See: Chapter 5: General Education Review Process of the Assessment Manual for current procedures, review schedules, assessment expectations, and related resources.
Meeting Minutes
Past meeting minutes can be found in the A-State Research and Creativity Hub (ARCH) managed by the Dean B. Ellis Library
They can be found under General Education Committee Minutes in the University and Administration Collection.
For past meeting dates, refer to the official Shared Governance archives or contact the Office of Academic Affairs.