College will not cancel Gen Ed

 

By Kristen Campbell

camp0504@algonquincollege.com

 

 

There are no plans to cancel general education classes in Ontario colleges despite rumours circulating throughout Algonquin.

Most students attending colleges in Ontario need to take general education courses in addition to their core classes to expand their knowledge beyond their chosen program. Here at Algonquin, students are required to take one general education elective for a certificate program, three for a diploma and five for an advanced diploma.

 

College staff from various colleges across Ontario were suprised to hear of this rumoured cancellation, and denied any plans to cancel the general education classes.

 

Faculty members from both Fanshawe and Centennial College denied the rumours and said that their respective colleges would not be getting rid of the general education electives any time soon.

 

Helen Allen, the Dean of Community and Liberal Studies at Sheridan College, explained that it is mandatory for Ontario's colleges to run general education courses.

“It's a ministry directive,” she said. “We are obligated to run general education courses.”

 

There are a few exceptions, which is where the rumour may have stemmed.

“Private colleges can opt out,” she added. “They do not have to offer general education courses.”

 

Some students at the college feel that general education courses should be removed as they do not relate directly to their program. Other students feel that it is worthwhile for these courses to be taught. Former Algonquin College student Jessi Atkinson, 20, believes that general elective courses are beneficial to college programs and should remain in the core program.

 

“I truly believe they are a huge benefit for the students,” she said. “It is a great opportunity for kids who aren't exactly sure what they want to do to get the chance to test out the waters, see what college is like and some of the different things you can go to school for.”

 

Kent MacDonald, Algonquin's Vice President, Academic, denied the rumours and explained why there are no plans to get rid of the general education classes.

 

“When someone suggested that we could get rid of those courses, that is absolutely incorrect,” he said. “Colleges have been designed to educate students beyond a narrow skillset.”

 

Algonquin will continue to offer a variety of general education classes to help students create what MacDonald calls “broader sets of knowledge that we believe will make them a much more rounded graduate.”