General Education Curriculum Reform

General Education at Kean aims to offer a broad, liberal education that cultivates and empowers the whole person. The academic implications of the revised GE Program are manifold and will be transformative for the institution and student learning. In addition to creating more dynamic, inclusive, and supportive learning environments through innovative pedagogy and curricular models, a well-structured General Education Program will support a range of institutional needs and mandates, including such things as:

• providing students with a unique, Kean-specific “Cougar Core” experience that fosters a sense of belonging where individuals feel acknowledged and welcomed in shared experiences, 

• decreasing achievement gaps and DFW rates across General Education courses, which are often also the gateway/foundational courses for some of the University’s undergraduate majors, 

• using High Impact Practices to support increased student persistence, retention, and completion rates, 

• improving each student’s individual preparedness for their academic majors and minors by ensuring that students reach proficiency across the GE Program Learning Outcomes and have learned how to successfully “be in college,” and 

• strengthening the sense of community on campus and fostering robust connections with the surrounding region. 

The University Senate is tasked with conducting Open Hearings in an effort to consult widely across disciplines, build support, and/or address specific concerns regarding the proposed General Education Restructuring Considerations Document.  

The University Community was asked to carefully review the two enclosed General Education Restructuring Considerations Documents:

A/ Proposal to Revise General Education Kean University [Summer 2025]

B/ An Annotated Collection of 25SP Recommendations in response to the GE Restructuring Document 2.13.25 and its Addendum 3.5.25 [as of 9.1.25]

 and bring suggestions, recommendations and/or concerns to one of the scheduled Senate Open Hearings: 

Thursday Oct. 2nd @ 3:15pm in CAS 106

Friday Oct. 3rd @ 12:15pm in STEM AUDITORIUM

Thursday Oct. 9th @ 3:15pm in Miron Little Theater 

Feedback from the community is currently under review by the GE Task Force and the University Senate.