Kent State plans to re-evaluate the Kent Core courses only a year after they were finished and put in place.

“There is an urgent need of great minds to work on the Kent Core to break its current deadlock,” Provost Robert Frank said.

Donald White, professor of mathematical science and a faculty senate member, said it took three years to create the current Kent Core. Frank said Kent State’s education system is about to go through a “paradigm” shift.

“Our focus is entirely on students and great education,” Frank said. “We have to be sensitive to the demands on our curriculum.”

Tom Janson, professor in the school of music and a faculty senate member, said President Lester Lefton charged the faculty senate to consider making changes to the Kent Core in his 2010 State of the University address.

“We immediately met with the provost after that and said we just looked (at Core courses) and that we needed it to sit for a while,” Janson said. “The provost is just reminding us that it’s been more than a year, and that we need to reduce the number of Core courses.”

Frank said issues in the Kent Core, such as students not graduating in four years, must be addressed.

George Garrison, professor of Pan-African Studies and faculty senate member, said many faculty members are confused as to what problems exist with Kent Core courses.

“I think it would be helpful if the university identified specifically what’s wrong with Kent Core and included recommendations,” Garrison said.

Contact Megan Wilkinson at [email protected].