SGA discusses the future of EXP requirement

In addition to other campus updates, Dr. Thomas Scott spoke at SGA’s latest weekly meeting to discuss the future of the College of Liberal Arts’ experiential learning requirement.

Experiential learning courses are required by the university as part of their Engaged Learning initiative.  These courses focus on active learning outside of the classroom. they include study abroad, Mercer on Mission, internships, service learning and undergraduate research. The College of Liberal Arts requires all of its students to enroll in one of these classes and, according to enrollment records, the majority of students end up taking far more than is required.

Scott sent surveys to CLA faculty chairs and SGA members, and also hosted a focus group to figure out if there was a majority opinion about the possibility of removing EXP as a required course. He reviewed the results with SGA, and listened to their feedback.

“So many people do four or five of these anyway,” Senator Millie Smith said. “I don’t think we need the assessment for it.”

Other members also said they believed that because most Mercer students end up taking EXP credits for their own sake, there isn’t a need for it to be an official requirement.

Other SGA members, including senior Senator Oge Onuh, said they were in favor of keeping the requirement, but want to make it more clearly communicated in advising meetings because some members said that not all students were aware of the EXP requirement. In a few rare instances, it has caused students to take an extra semester to fulfill it.

No official consensus was reached, but Scott said he planned to organize an informal report to submit to the General Education Committee and CLA faculty by the end of this semester.

In other news, SGA will host a ‘Mental Health Week’ starting March 20th. Applications for summer housing for internships are open until March 13th, and Community Engagement and Development applications will be accepted through March 15th. Both online applications can be found on the Facebook page ‘Mercer University Student Government Association’.