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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) established a forty-two hour core curriculum to go into effect in Fall, 2014 at all state institutions of higher education. Specifics can be found at: <a href="http://www.thecb.state.tx.us/index.cfm?objectid=6F049CAE-F54E-26E4-ED9F0DAC62FABF7D">http://www.thecb.state.tx.us/index.cfm?objectid=6F049CAE-F54E-26E4-ED9F0DAC62FABF7D</a> . <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>In addition, a helpful FAQ can be found at: <a href="http://www.thecb.state.tx.us/index.cfm?objectid=89D19531-A7F8-0359-0A60D56D9728897E">http://www.thecb.state.tx.us/index.cfm?objectid=89D19531-A7F8-0359-0A60D56D9728897E</a> .<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The University Studies Council has been hard at work mapping our institutional response to these changes.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Essentially, the SCH allocations within the new core mirror our current University Studies program with one notable exception. The new core curriculum stipulates six hours of courses at each institution be allocated to a “Component Area Option” or CAO. These six hours of courses allow institutions to respond to local institutional priorities and student needs in the context of the core curriculum.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The University Studies Council invites faculty input on the CAO at its meeting on January 29, 12:30-2:30 PM in Conference Room B of the Rayburn Student Center. The Council offers for consideration two options about how the six hours of the CAO should be allocated.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><b>OPTION 1: </b>All students will be required to take either SPC 1315 OR 1321 (a current requirement) for three hours of the CAO; AND the remaining three hours of the CAO can be any course taken from the University Studies list.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><b>OPTION 2: </b>All students will be required to take either SPC 1315 or 1321. AND for the remaining three hours colleges/departments will choose from one of three paths for their students: A.) student must take either an additional math or additional science course from the University Studies list; B.) student must take one 100-level foreign language course; C.) student must take an additional fine arts course from the University Studies list.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Written comments may be directed to Dr. Ricky Dobbs at <a href="mailto:Ricky.Dobbs@tamuc.edu">Ricky.Dobbs@tamuc.edu</a> and those will be forwarded to the council.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The council will make a final determination about which of these paths to take will be made by the council sometime next month. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>