Tag: Common Curriculum

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Office of General Education

Office of General Education encourages Common Curriculum Course Proposals in recent outreach effort

SMU administration, executive board and guests attend the SMU Ignited Campaign Kickoff Ceremony and Picnic on the Main Quadrangle in front of Dallas Hall, Friday, September 17, 2021 on the SMU Campus.

The Office of General Education recently completed a review of student petitions for Common Curriculum (CC) Proficiency and Experiences (P&E) credit. The results showed that 27 SMU courses are frequently petitioned by students as individual activities but do not currently convey CC P&E credit.

Students clearly saw strong connections between these courses and some Common Curriculum P&E learning outcomes. To make things easier for both students and instructors, the General Education office reached out to instructors and department chairs to encourage them to submit course proposals so these requirements will automatically be conveyed to students who achieve a successful course grade.

Our Course Outreach list indicates which course instructors and departments we have reached out to. Academic departments can find detailed instructions on our Course & Experience Proposal webpage. Please refer to the Council on General Education website for any upcoming proposal deadlines.

Together, we can make it easier for students to meet graduation requirements while recognizing the excellent learning experiences already taking place in SMU courses.

For any questions, please do not hesitate to contact our office.

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Office of General Education

Approved meeting minutes from the Council on General Education on September 5, 2025

The Council on General Education met on September 5, 2025. The meeting minutes for April 25, 2025, were approved at this meeting. Below is the agenda, and the meeting minutes have now been posted on the General Education website.

  1. Approval of the Agenda for September 5, 2025, Council on General Education meeting.
  2. Approval of Minutes for April 25, 2025, Council on General Education meeting.
  3. Welcome and Introductions
  4. CC Human Diversity Requirement Task Force Update
  5. Graduating Students Community Engagement Update
  6. Simple Syllabi and SACSCOC Audit
  7. Course and Experience Outreach Campaign
  8. General Education Updates
    1. Place-based Symposium 11/5-11/6
    2. Common Curriculum Reading
      1. Fall Book-Infectious Generosity
    3. Archived University Curriculum (UC)
    4. Course Removals
    5. Course Proposals-Summer
    6. Writing Board Update
    7. CoGE 2025-2026 Meeting Dates
    8. New CoGE Member Training Scheduling

Please contact the Office of General Education for questions or proposal development support.

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Student Academic Engagement & Success

Introducing the Common Curriculum Assessment Design Assistant

The Office of General Education is excited to promote a new resource developed by the Office of Institutional Planning and Effectiveness. We are excited to announce the launch of the Common Curriculum Assessment Design Assistant, a specially curated GPT designed to support SMU faculty and pre-approved activity supervisors.

This innovative tool helps instructors and pre-approved activity supervisors design thoughtful and appropriate assessment assignments that evaluate students’ attainment of the learning outcomes associated with specific Common Curriculum (CC) components. Whether you are developing a new assignment or refining an existing one, the Assistant provides practical, tailored support to ensure your assessments align with SMU’s Common Curriculum goals.

What the Assessment Design Assistant Can Do

  • Create New Assignments
    Generate fresh, outcome-aligned assessment ideas tailored to your CC component.

  • Evaluate Existing Assignments
    Review current assignments for alignment with student learning outcomes and receive suggestions for strengthening rigor, clarity, and relevance.

  • Refine and Adapt Assessments
    Get recommendations on how to better connect assignments to CC outcomes while also maintaining disciplinary integrity.

Key Benefits for Instructors and Supervisors

  • Time-Saving Support – Quickly draft or improve assessments without starting from scratch.

  • Alignment with Learning Outcomes – Ensure assignments directly measure student achievement of CC goals.

  • Practical Guidance – Receive concrete, discipline-sensitive suggestions for assignment design.

  • Flexible Use Cases – Helpful whether you are teaching a new course, refreshing an existing syllabus, updating co-curricular assessment and reflection prompts, or preparing for an upcoming CC assessment cycle.

  • Confidence in Compliance – Know your assessments support institutional effectiveness and accreditation requirements.

The Common Curriculum Assessment Design Assistant is one more way SMU is committed to supporting faculty and supervisors in creating meaningful learning experiences and ensuring students thrive in the Common Curriculum.

The Common Curriculum Assessment Design Assistant is now linked on the Common Curriculum’s Faculty and Staff resources page.

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Office of General Education Student Academic Engagement & Success

Fall 2025 and Spring 2026 graduating students encouraged to complete their Community Engagement and Civic & Individual Ethics Proficiencies & Experiences

The Office of General Education would like to share efforts being made to encourage Fall 2025 and Spring 2026 graduating students to complete their Community Engagement and Civic & Individual Ethics Proficiencies & Experiences.

The following message was shared on Wednesday, September 3, with the identified 508 undergraduate students.

——————-

From: Office of General Education (gened@smu.edu)

To: Graduating Seniors who have not fulfilled CE

Subject Line: You’re Missing Your Community Engagement and/or Civic and Individual Ethics Proficiency & Experience for Graduation: Complete them with Engage Dallas or Alternative Breaks

Hello Seniors,

Our records indicate that you are graduating in December 2025 or May 2026 and still need to fulfill your Community Engagement and/or Civic and Individual Ethics Proficiency & Experience to graduate.

The Office of General Education, in collaboration with the Division of Student Affairs– Residence Life and Student Housing & Social Change and Intercultural Engagement, would like to share opportunities to fulfill your Community Engagement (CE) and/or Civics & Individual Ethics (CIE) Proficiency & Experience with our co-curricular program offerings.

Non-course-based options to consider:

Engage Dallas is a community engagement initiative through SMU’s Residential Commons, dedicated to addressing needs in South and West Dallas. This long-term, student-led program partners with residents, organizations, and leaders to create a positive impact. Free and open for new members anytime, students can volunteer to serve in small groups or individually, based on their schedules. Learn more and join by visiting smu.edu/engagedallas or accessing the Engage Dallas course on your Canvas dashboard. Engage Dallas can fulfill CE, CIE, or both Proficiency & Experience requirements. If you have any questions about involvement, email engagedallas@smu.edu.

Alternative Breaks is an immersive week of hands-on service, leadership, and relationship building supplemented with education and reflection. Each trip takes place over spring break and focuses on a particular social issue, and immersion in that issue begins long before the trip itself. Students educate themselves and each other, then do hands-on work with relevant organizations. It qualifies for the CE Proficiency & Experience upon completion.  If you have any questions about involvement, email Danielle Palomo dpalomo@smu.edu.

Why Participate?

These programs provide a unique way to fulfill your CE and CIE requirements outside the classroom, all while building leadership skills, forming lasting connections, and making a difference in the community. For more information on Proficiencies & Experiences, click here.

We encourage you to take advantage of these opportunities and look forward to seeing you continue to grow and contribute to positive change.

Brittaney Wilson, M.A.

General Education and Academic Appeals Coordinator

Office of General Education

214.768.6248 | brittaneyw@smu.edu | Laura Lee Blanton, Suite 338

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Office of General Education Student Academic Engagement & Success

The Office of General Education seeks Common Curriculum Reading facilitator

The Office of General Education is currently seeking one facilitator for the Common Curriculum Reading (CCR) for the upcoming Fall 2025 semester.

The CCR is a pre-approved activity done in the co-curricular that allows students to obtain their Civic & Individual Ethics (CIE) and Community Engagement Proficiency and Experience (P&E), two Common Curriculum (CC) requirements. Students who join the CCR are required to attend seven reading group meetings, during which they discuss assigned readings with SMU staff/faculty facilitators and complete two assessments.

The book selection for the 2025-2026 academic year is Chris Anderson’s Infectious Generosity. In this book, Anderson examines the ethics of generosity and how society can cultivate a culture of giving rather than one of taking.

We are seeking one facilitator to lead the afternoon session (4pm-5:30pm). Participating facilitators will commit to the following: 

  • Attending all reading group meetings on the following dates
    • September 16
    • September 30
    • October 14
    • October 28
    • November 11
    • November 18
    • December 2
  • Help guide discussions for their reading group, comprised of 6-10 students. Facilitators are provided with the book and discussion guide in advance.

Facilitators within SAES who complete their commitment will be offered two days of comp time, which they will be responsible for coordinating with their direct supervisor’s approval. Prospective facilitators can learn more about the commitment and sign-up via Qualtrics.

Staff or faculty interested in facilitating or with additional questions about the commitment can email the CCR coordinator, Melina Padron, at melinap@smu.edu.

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Office of General Education SMU in Four Student Academic Engagement & Success Student Success & Retention University Advising Center

Forging Ahead: Summer Forge Launches Third Year of Student Success

  

Summer Forge has officially launched its third summer of support with a cohort of 30 undergraduate students. Designed to accelerate students’ paths to on-time graduation, Summer Forge offers financial, academic, and social resources to help participants thrive.   

This summer, invited students received funding for up to 11 semester credit hours across May, Summer I, and/or Summer II terms. To enhance accessibility, room and board were provided for non-local students. Collectively, the Summer 2025 cohort is attempting over 180 credit hours, with most students enrolling in an average of 6 hours that fulfill major, minor, or Common Curriculum requirements.   

Summer Forge is a collaboration between the Office of Student Success and Retention, SMU in Four, Student Financial Services, Student Advising, and Academic Skill Development that reflects the university’s commitment to improving retention and graduation rates. Program Co-Directors Brittaney Wilson, General Education and Academic Appeals Coordinator, and Lisa Miller, Director of the Office of Student Success and Retention, identified eligible students based on key academic criteria and their intent to enroll at SMU in Fall 2025.  

To foster community among participants, Summer Forge hosted a June Social at Another Round, where students connected over mini golf, pickleball, and more.  

Special thanks to Becca Umobong from Academic Skill Development for leading a powerful Academic Skills Workshop to help students build a foundation for summer academic success. In addition to the workshop, students are receiving one-on-one academic counseling sessions provided by Sarah Cartwright, Gracy Herrera, Chris Meyers, Makenzie Moriarty, and Rebecca Umobong. Students are also encouraged to visit the  Altshuler Learning Enhancement Center (A-LEC) for tutoring across a wide range of course topics.  

A heartfelt thank you goes to the advisors who recommended students and supported outreach efforts—your partnership is invaluable to this program’s success. 

For questions or more information, please email summerforge@smu.edu 

  

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Office of General Education

The Office of General Education issues Warnings, Probation, and Suspension Notifications for the Fall 2025 Semester

 

The Office of General Education (OGE) has completed their Fall 2025 review and notification process for students who have not met University-wide requirements, as outlined in the undergraduate catalog.  

This semester OGE sent out 5 suspension notifications, 38 probation notifications and 42 alerts to student who had not satisfied their University-Wide Common Curriculum Foundations requirements within the specified units based on their catalog earned as SMU credit. Of the students initially flagged for suspension, 4 students successfully appealed their suspension and received extended probation. One student was able to petition prior credit to fulfill Quantitative Reasoning. Notifications were sent to students, academic advisors, and Records Offices via DocuSign. These documents have also been imaged to the student’s record. 

General Education Alerts
Students who received a General Education Alert have not yet met the credit-hour threshold for probation but are at risk of probation. These students are strongly encouraged to complete their outstanding Foundations requirement(s) in the next semester to avoid placement on General Education Probation. 

Academic Probation Criteria
In accordance with SMU’s General Education policy, students are required to complete their Academic Writing (WRTR 1312 or equivalent), Critical Reasoning (WRTR 1313 or equivalent), and/or Quantitative Reasoning requirement before obtaining: 

  • 60 credit hours at SMU for students entering SMU directly from high school or with fewer than 24 transfer credit hours. 
  • 30 credit hours at SMU for transfer students or those entering with 24 or more transfer credit hours. 

Suspension Criteria
Students who received a probation notification and do not satisfy the missing Foundation requirement(s) by December 2025 will be subject to General Education Suspension.  

Students are strongly encouraged to meet with their academic advisor or degree counselor to develop a plan for timely completion. General Education Alerts were first issued during the Fall 2024 semester by the Office of General Education. This policy can be found online in the SMU catalog as far back as 2017-2018 academic year.  

If you have any questions regarding General Education Probation or the specific requirements, please contact Brittaney Wilson, brittaneyw@smu.edu  

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Office of General Education Student Academic Engagement & Success

The Office of General Education completes the first year of the Common Curriculum Reading and looks toward 2025-2026

In the 2024-2025 academic year, the Office of General Education launched the Common Curriculum Reading (CCR). The CCR is a pre-approved activity done in the co-curricular that allows students to obtain their Civic & Individual Ethics (CIE) Proficiency and Experience (P&E), a Common Curriculum (CC) requirement.

Students who join the CCR are required to attend seven reading group meetings, during which they discuss assigned readings with SMU staff/faculty facilitators and complete two assessments. This year, students read Meredith Broussard’s Artificial Unintelligence, in which she discusses the ethics of AI and the growing belief that it can solve societal issues.

77 students completed the program in the 2024-2025 academic year and received their CIE P&E. Students provided positive feedback about the program, stating they appreciated the following:

  • That it was a program offered at no cost to students
  • The flexibility of meeting bi-weekly as opposed to weekly
  • Building friendships with peers they wouldn’t have met otherwise

The Office of General Education will continue the CCR in the 2025-2026 academic year. The book selection is Chris Anderson’s Infectious Generosity, which encourages society to engage in their community and discusses the ethics behind being selfless.

The CCR has also built partnerships with the following:

Students can sign-up for the program via Qualtrics. The Office of General Education is also seeking SAES staff or faculty facilitators for the upcoming Fall 2025 semester.

Facilitators who complete their commitment will be offered two days of extra comp time, which they will be responsible for coordinating with their direct supervisor. Prospective facilitators can learn more about the commitment and sign-up via Qualtrics.

The Office of General Education is excited to expand and continue the CCR as we move into the 2025-2025 academic year.

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Student Academic Engagement & Success University Foundations

Course Spotlight: UNIV 3305 – Personal Responsibility and Community

Students and their professor standing around a large wooden desk for a group picture.
Students in the fall 2024 section of UNIV 3305 visiting the George W. Bush Presidential Center.

SMU’s University Foundations Program (UNIV) provides enriching coursework focused on students’ personal, academic and leadership development as they transition to the SMU community. UNIV coursework often satisfies Common Curriculum requirements and prepares students to fully engage in SMU’s intellectually rich community, all while building meaningful connections with faculty and classmates.

UNIV 3305 – Personal Responsibility and Community provides students with the opportunity to think critically about their values, beliefs and identities, and examine how these elements influence the ways in which they serve their communities. Through a semester-long community engagement project, reflective journaling, case studies, and cultural immersion experiences, the course prioritizes experiential learning and immerses students in both the course subject matter and the greater Dallas community. Through this engaging coursework, students satisfy three Common Curriculum Proficiencies and Experiences: community engagement, civic and individual ethics, and oral communication.

During the fall 2024 term, Dr. Abby Pruitt, teaching professor in University Foundations, and her UNIV 3305 students visited the George W. Bush Presidential Library, located on SMU’s campus, and in small groups explored the museum with the guiding concept of what makes a good society. Students sought terms such as justice, freedom, fairness and privacy, found examples of these terms represented in the library, and reflected on how those terms were portrayed. Students were able to apply class readings and discussions to the world beyond the classroom, which made the lessons, reflections and conclusions much more impactful.

UNIV courses are offered with a specific target audience of first-year and transfer students but are often open to all students interested in the course. Students find that UNIV coursework benefits their academic success and deepens their responsible engagement within the SMU and the greater Dallas metroplex communities. A complete list of UNIV courses can be found in the University course catalog and more information about the UNIV program can be found on their website.

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Office of General Education

CE/CIE seats held for select undergraduate students to assist with CC student progress this Fall

Students sitting at table with notebooks.

Thanks to the Department of University Foundations, the Office of General Education will be able to hold seats in UNIV 3305 courses for Fall 2025 for students who were identified as not having satisfied both Community Engagement (CE) and Civic and Individual Ethics (CIE) graduation requirements and are expected to graduate on or before May 2026.

Therefore, 163 students will be invited to enroll in UNIV 3305 to satisfy both graduation requirements and Oral Communications in a single course. The email below will be sent to students on or before March 10.

Questions or concerns can be directed to the Office of General Education at gened@smu.edu.

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To: CE/CIE Students (n = 163)   

From: General Education   

Title: We’ve saved you a seat! Complete your CC Community Engagement & Civic and Individual Ethics requirements with UNIV 3305 this fall! 

March 10, 2025  

Dear Mustang –    

As of March 1, your Degree Progress Report (DPR) indicated you had not satisfied your Community Engagement (CE) and Civic and Individual Ethics (CIE) requirements. The Office of General Education wants to inform you that we have saved you a seat this Fall in a UNIV 3305 Personal Responsibility and Community course thanks to the Department of University Foundations. This course is a popular solution to fulfilling these Common Curriculum (CC) requirements.

We have held a limited number of seats in the Fall for you in UNIV 3305. The course conveys three tags: CIE, CE, and Oral Communication. Given the demand for seats in this course, these seats will only be reserved until May 15th. After May 15th, these seats will be released to other interested students.

Can’t fit in a CE and CIE course this Fall? Consider other options such as SMU Intersessions, participating in a pre-approved activity, or enrolling in a CE and CIE-tagged course this spring.

We know enrollment can be stressful, especially when managing graduation requirements. We hope this saved seat can help you as you close out your academic career at SMU.

Sincerely,     

Dustin K. Grabsch, Ph.D.  
Assistant Provost for Undergraduate Education & Academic Success