New Committee to Reimagine General Education at UIC

Posted on May 06, 2025

Dear faculty, staff and students,

I hope this message finds you well and that you are preparing for a rejuvenating summer.

I write today to announce the formation of the Committee to Reimagine General Education at UIC. As its name suggests, the committee has been charged to revisit, reimagine and update UIC’s General Education Program to better prepare our students to address the challenges of the 21st century. The current UIC General Education Program was last revised and updated in 2007. I expect the committee to propose an innovative, student-centered program that communicates, reinforces and furthers UIC’s mission “to provide the broadest access to the highest levels of educational, research and clinical excellence.”

The committee will be co-chaired by Rosie Hernández, senior associate dean for student academic affairs at the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, and Eric Schwarze, associate director of academic program development in the Office of the Senior Vice Provost for Academic Programs, Student Success, and Effectiveness, with broad representation from colleges and units that work with undergraduate degree programs (see the full list of committee members). The committee has been charged with reviewing and discussing the current curriculum and developing and proposing a new structure for UIC’s General Education Program.

By consulting with the colleges and other campus stakeholders, including faculty, students and key standing committees, the committee will gather feedback and seek endorsement of the emerging proposal through public forums, meetings and other settings.

Input and collaboration from the UIC community will be essential to the committee’s work, and the committee looks forward to engaging through public forums in the coming months. On behalf of the committee members and my office, thank you for the collaborative spirit with which I know our community will meet this endeavor.

Please visit the Provost Taskforces and Committees webpage for additional information related to the Committee to Reimagine General Education and its work.

Thank you,

Karen J. Colley
Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs

Modified on May 07, 2025