By Laurean Love
Staff Writer
Baylor received an “A” for its superior core curriculum for the third consecutive year in a study done by the American Council of Trustees and Alumni.
Baylor is the only Big 12 university out of the 21 institutions in the nation to earn an “A.”
“We are always appreciative of external validation of the outstanding education we offer at Baylor,” said Lori Fogleman, director of media communications. “It reaffirms what we have always believed and what students and families believe about Baylor, that we are offer an education that is well rounded, that is exceptional and that equips students to be leaders in the world.”
The study also found that 61 percent of universities received a “C” or lower.
The ACTA report on the state of general education examined at curriculum offered from a total of 1,070 four-year public and private colleges and universities in all 50 states, together enrolling more than 7 million undergraduate students.
“This study shows that while students, parents and taxpayers are paying a lot, they’re not getting a lot in return,” said Anne D. Neal, president of the American Council of Trustees and Alumni. “Students are graduating into one of the most inhospitable job markets in American history, and they’re doing it with record debt. What Will They Learn? examines which schools are making a solid commitment to a broad academic foundation, and which ones simply don’t make the grade. Regrettably, too many do not.”
Institutions received grades ranging from “A” to “F” based on the seven core subjects the schools require. These subjects are composition, literature, foreign language at an intermediate level, U.S. government or history, economics, mathematics and natural or physical science.
To receive an “A,” universities must require at least six of the seven subjects.
Four-hundred schools requiring only four or five core courses earned a “B.” Most institutes received a “C” or lower for requiring three or fewer subjects, while nearly 300 institutions received a “D” or “F” for requiring two or fewer subjects.
According to Roper Public Affairs and Media, 70 percent of Americans believe colleges and universities should require that all students take basic classes in core subjects.
“We have always attached as a priority a strong core curriculum at Baylor,” said Fogleman. “We have expanded our curriculum by adding new courses and new majors, but we have never stepped away from the essence of the basic core of required courses at Baylor in composition, literature, history, languages, math and science.”
