The Educational Policies Council voted today to change the freshman orientation courses, making them graded classes instead of pass-fail.

The approved proposal included changing the First Year Experience course to fit colleges’ specific standards.

“We’re trying to involve the colleges more in curriculum choices,” said Terri Christensen, executive director of Student Success. “They know best what their colleges need.”

Several aspects, such as time management and study skills, addressed in past orientation courses will now be incorporated into Welcome Weekend, which is replacing Week of Welcome.

“There is a major shift implied in this course that this may be the most important course at Kent State University,” Provost Robert Frank said. “It gives students a sense of what Kent State is about. We really need to remember this course is a large part of our retention efforts here and the (outside) view of Kent State University.”

The proposal, along with the changes to the WOW and PASS program, is the result of this year’s 21st Century Initiative, which the provost charged to look into liberal education requirements and curriculum.

The council also discussed possible agreements with Shanghai International Studies University and Hong Kong Baptist University that would bring Chinese students to Kent State to study.

In other business, the council approved a measure to inactivate the High Technology Manufacturing Technology major at the Trumbull Campus as well as the revision of several programs in the College of the Arts, in the College of Arts and Sciences and at the regional campuses.

Check tomorrow’s Daily Kent Stater for more information.

Contact academic affairs reporter Maria Nann at [email protected].