The General Education Visioning Task Force is looking to change “outdated” general education requirements as soon as next fall.

The task force plans to make recommendations to overhaul general education requirements so they focus on skill-based classes. Mike Kolb, anthropology professor and chair of the task force, said the last time NIU looked at general education was when the original guidelines were put into effect in the late ’70s and early ’80s.

The General Education Visioning Task Force is made up of faculty, staff and students who have researched how other schools have focused their efforts on general education requirements.

The task force is conducting a student and faculty survey. The responses to these surveys will be key in how the task force approaches its objectives for the remainder of the school year.

“After we make the recommendations it’s really up to our president and our provost to decide the schedule,” Kolb said.

Patrick Birk, sophomore business administration major and a member of the General Education Visioning Task Force, said the general education program at NIU is outdated.

“As universities across the country are struggling with decreasing enrollment and competitive admission, universities are striving to stand out from others,” Birk said.

Kolb said the tendency has been using general education classes as introductions.

“I would like to see a greater shift in focus in those,” Kolb said. “I would like to see them more research-based; for example, I would like to teach ‘the Extinction of Culture’ rather than ‘Introduction to Civilization.’”

Birk said NIU needs to revise its program.

“Not only do we need to revise to be competitive with other schools, but to be able to provide students with valuable lessons and experiences that they can bring to the work force,” Birk said.

Mike Penicnak, junior political science major, said he thinks NIU should be less strict with its general education requirements.

“Asking cash-strapped students to take classes not relevant to their majors seems unfair,” Penicnak said.

Birk said students and faculty will be affected by the new and improved general education program.

“As a university, it will be important to embrace and welcome the new changes,” Birk said.

Kolb encourages everyone to take the online survey.

He said it’s important to have student input and the survey provides the task force a great opportunity to get it.

“This isn’t the end. This is just our first step, and we will be using student input all the way,” Kolb said.

Students and faculty can go to www.surveymonkey.com/s/DHKD3VG to take the gen. ed. survey.