Approved by the:	University Senate February 16, 1995
			Administration March 1995
			Board of Regents March 9, 1995
		

ENGLISH--Four years, including writing, literature, and speech.

Within the writing component, students may elect work in composition, creative writing, journalism, or research writing. Literature may include both American and world literatures; speech may include both public speaking and debate.

MATHEMATICS--Three years consisting of two years of algebra, one of which must be intermediate or advanced algebra, and one year of geometry.

SCIENCE--Three years, including at least one course each in the biological and physical sciences, and all three units to incorporate significant laboratory experience.

The biological and physical science requirements would most commonly be met by courses in biology, chemistry, and physics. Other courses could include advanced biology, human anatomy and physiology, botany, zoology, geology, and advanced chemistry and physics.

SOCIAL STUDIES--Three years, including one year each of geography and American history.

Geography need not always be taught as a full year course, and may in fact be incorporated in a significant way into other studies; transcripts should indicate specifically which courses meet the geography requirement.

[Additional comment: Geography is increasingly important to our understanding of global issues; its importance has been recognized by the National Goals Task Force, which is currently developing national geography standards. We support the addition of courses in geography to the high school curriculum.]

WORLD LANGUAGE--Two years of a single second language.

Language courses may include both those traditionally taught in high schools (for example, Spanish, French, German), as well as those less frequently taught.

ARTS--One year in the visual or performing arts.

It is expected that all arts courses (including band and chorus) will include instruction in the history and critical interpretation of the art form. Courses in the arts should offer students the opportunity to experience the arts directly as creators/performers and as critical, informed observers.

Additional study in mathematics and science is highly recommended; some divisions in specific institutions require four years of each for admission.

Students are also strongly urged to develop skills in using computers.

FOR INFORMATION:

Public baccalaureate education in the state of Minnesota is provided by the seven universities comprising the Minnesota State Universities, and by the University of Minnesota. Both of these systems have instituted preparation requirements for admission to their respective institutions. The University of Minnesota's requirements went into effect for incoming freshmen in fall, 1991; the requirements for the Minnesota State Universities began in fall, 1994, with a world language requirement to begin in fall, 1996.

The two systems have agreed that a common set of preparation requirements for the two four-year systems is in the best educational interests of students and school districts alike. Common preparation requirements will simplify the tasks of school counselors and others who help students make educational choices, make it easier for students to make course selections, facilitate curricular planning by school districts, and simplify the efforts of the four- year institutions to communicate their expectations. By moving toward a joint statement on preparation requirements, the two systems hope to send a clear and unambiguous message about the importance of appropriate preparation for a college education.

BACKGROUND

In September, 1985, the President of the University of Minnesota and the Chair of the Senate Consultative Committee jointly appointed the Special Committee on Unified and Increased Preparation Requirements. This committee, chaired by W. Andrew Collins, Professor and Director of the Institute of Child Development, issued its final report in March, 1986. The recommendations contained in that report were adopted (with minor modifications) by the Board of Regents, with the recommendations to take effect for incoming freshman students in fall, 1991, and for transfer students in fall, 1993. Students who graduated from high school before 1987 are exempt from the requirements. The requirements total fourteen Carnegie units, and include four years of English, three years of mathematics, three years of science, two years of a single second language, and two years of social studies. Courses in the visual and performing arts and courses using computers are also strongly recommended. Students who are otherwise well qualified may be admitted to the University lacking one or two requirements, but all preparation requirements must still be completed after admission.

The University undertook an extensive effort to communicate information about the new requirements to high schools, parents, and students. One major component of this educational effort was Project Inform, which was designed to assist students in making appropriate educational choices to prepare for college work. The University of Minnesota also developed a database to track completion of preparation requirements. Within two years of the time the requirements were approved, and well before they were in effect, the improvement in preparation of the incoming student body was noticeable. By the time the requirements went into effect in fall, 1991, more that 85 percent of students had completed all requirements before admission.

The Minnesota State Universities, as part of their quality planning and improvement effort known as Q7, have also adopted preparation requirements. In February, 1991, Chancellor Robert L. Carothers appointed a Preparation Standards Task Force made up of elementary, secondary, and postsecondary educators from all parts of the state. Following several months of intensive deliberations, the task force recommended preparation requirements to the Minnesota State University Board, which adopted them with several modifications in May, 1991. The requirements, which will be phased in beginning fall, 1994, consist of four years of English, three years of mathematics, three years of science, three years of social studies, and three years of specified electives (to be chosen from at least two of three areas: world cultures, world languages, and the arts). Subsequently, the Board revised the requirements to include a two-year world language requirement effective in fall, 1996.

As a second phase of the process to implement preparation requirements, the Minnesota State Universities formed teams of elementary/secondary teachers and university faculty members to translate the adopted "seat-time" requirements into statements of competency. As noted later in this report, final competencies have now been adopted in six areas, with interim guidelines in place in two additional disciplines. The Universities are also working on implementation of an admissions database that will allow them to track the impact of preparation requirements on admission and retention; development of a mechanism to report routinely to high schools on students' freshman year academic performance; and development of special efforts to assure that all students in Minnesota, regardless of racial or ethnic background, socio- economic status, or location, have the information needed to prepare adequately for postsecondary study.

RECOMMENDATIONS

There are strong correspondences between the preparation requirements now in effect in the two systems (see Table 1 at the end of this report). In considering how to approach the establishment of a set of common requirements, the Ad Hoc Committee adopted two strategies. First, the Committee agreed not to add any new requirements beyond those already stated in one of the two sets of requirements. Second, the Committee agreed that, in the case of each requirement, they would adopt the more rigorous of the two standards currently in effect unless there was a compelling reason to do otherwise. The recommendations that follow reflect these two decisions.

We recommend that, beginning in fall, 1997, the following preparation requirements be adopted by both the University of Minnesota and the Minnesota State Universities. [Recommendations constitute the text of the motion.]

LOOKING TO THE FUTURE

The Minnesota State Universities are moving from "seat-time" preparation requirements to competencies. The advantage of the competencies is that they amplify the seat-time requirements and allow faculty to explain clearly the specific skills and knowledge expected of students who wish to pursue a college degree.

The Minnesota Department of Education is also in the process of developing a new high school graduation rule based on competencies. When this rule is approved, it may provide a appropriate starting point for the University of Minnesota to develop its own competency-based approach to preparation.

University of Minnesota Participants

Elizabeth Blake, Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, UMM
Andrew Collins, Professor, Institute of Child Development. UMTC
Linda Ellinger, Associate to the Vice President for Arts, Sciences, and Engineering, UMTC
Richard Leppert, Professor, Cultural Studies and Comparative Literature, UMTC
Roger Miller, Associate Professor, Geography, UMTC

Minnesota State Universities Participants

Cynthia Crist, Associate Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, Minnesota State Universities
Miriam Lo, Economics and International Business, Mankato State University
Mary Shimabukuro, Professor of Biology, Moorhead State University