Half of Pacific’s seniors will not be graduating this year because they haven’t completed their focal studies requirements.Theuniversitysaiditwas too late for graduating seniors to fill out the forms and take the classes.
They said the students would have to come back next Fall (and pay lots of money) to complete the required classes if they are offered.
“We’ve had to make a number of cuts in classes offered next year so there may be some classes that are not offered,” said a university spokesman. “Students will just have to wait an additional year or two until the classes are offered.”
Meanwhile, a like number of juniorswillnotbeallowedtoregister for classes next year until they declare their focal studies.
If they fail to do so, said one official, it would enable to university to further eliminate classes to balance the budget.
Focal studies have been a contentious issue since they were first required four years ago.
A recent survey showed that an overwhelming percentage of students and faculty were opposed to the requirement but is a tersely written email the university responded to the survey,“whocares,whatdotheyknow. It’s pedagogy. We don’t care if it works or not as long as it pedagogy.”
When asked to define pedagogy, the university spokesperson responded “We haven’t defined it yet. We are looking for a rubric that will enable us to figure out what it is.” The college is currently looking at forming task forces to define pedagogy and to ascertain what rubric this task force should be using.
One solution for the focal studies dilemma might include expanding the options. Currently a student can fulfill the part of the requirement with a semester abroad.
Additional options might include counting athletic participation, participation in areas such as music, theater, forensics, the Index, or working more than one job of campus to count for the second focal study.
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