USG candidates debate general education

Editor's Note: This is the fifth story in an eight-part series on how the Undergraduate Student Government presidential and vice presidential candidates would deal with specific issues. This story focuses on general education.

General education has been looking at reform for the past year. The likely reforms will affect University students' educational base indefinitely. The nine tickets running for USG do not all see the issue as a serious problem.

BOWSER and WILDERS

- Wesley Bowser

Bowser said he felt very strongly about a freshman seminar.

"The freshman seminar is my baby," Bowser said. "I just don't want the focus of it to be how to succeed socially, but you should come out of it with a purpose, and with knowledge of yourself."

COVENER and NIGHTINGALE

- Jason Covener

"I am definitely against a freshman seminar," Covener said. "It's supposed to teach students about social interacting . . . or how they should spend their social time, but that's not what you come to a university for."

DESMOND and POLK

- Jaime Desmond

"President Spanier stated in his address the one thing that makes Penn State unique is the strong base all students leave with," Desmond said, referring to general education.

"I think there's a lot to be learned from general education, but a lot of reforms need to be made," she said.

FAKE and BARRON

- Thane Fake

"USG doesn't ask enough of students," Fake said. "We're not tapping the diversity of our resources."

USG and the administration should work together to come up with a general education program students want, Fake said.

LANDSBERG and BARBE

- Michael Landsberg and Brent Barbe

"Penn State already has more gen ed than other universities," he said. "I think you have to be well balanced, but I think Penn State's general education requirements need to be lightened if anything."

Landsberg did not think the idea of a freshman seminar would be taken seriously. He said he wanted to know what would actually take place in the class.

"As far as the idea of a freshman seminar, what are they going to do? If the purpose of it is to just hang out, I'm all for it," he said. "When I get my teaching degree, I'll be willing to come back and teach the freshman hangout seminar."

LOCCARINI and PIRROTTA

- Darin Loccarini

"That is something I need to get more involved with," Loccarini said.

As of right now, Loccarini said he is not aware of any problems with general education. While there may be problems he is not aware of, he said, general education classes are just as important as classes relating to a major.

"I always feel that general education is extremely important," Loccarini said. "A lot of times people say 'This ain't in my major. Why do I have to take this?' I'm against that sentiment."

LUBKEMANN and KRAMER

- David Lubkemann

"Students should be offered more of a choice," Lubkemann said. "General education classes force students to address different view points they wouldn't normally consider or have exposure to."

RUMMEL and CIESLA

- Blaine Rummel

"We believe students should be offered more flexibility in course substitutions in general education," Rummel said.

Incorporating real world experience into academics, he said, is another way to improve general education.

"Academic credit shouldn't be offered just for lectures," Rummel said.

SAUR and ROBBINS

- Hank Saur

"We want to see general education changed for the better, but not to become more burdensome," Robbins said. "We also agree with the freshman seminar on some levels. To make it mandatory for credits, however would be not fair."

The freshman seminar should offer information on how to use the University library system, Saur said, and how to read degree audits.

"If we learn how to read that document properly, we can take a more active role in our advising," he said. "It can really help you chart the course of your education."