By COLE REIF
Great Bend Post
The Kansas Board of Regents (KBOR) wanted to create a common general education package that makes transferring from one college to another simple. Approving the Kansas System-wide General Education program in 2022, many general education degrees obtained at a community college will automatically transfer to a four-year university.
Barton Community College Vice President of Instruction Elaine Simmons said the move eliminates students’ fear of some courses not counting or transferring once they leave.
"We will not be making individual decisions about what's in our degrees that come under program to program," said Simmons. "It is good for students who move about and don't want to lose credits. It is definitely good for students, but you have to accept what you lose with that too. You do lose some unique features in the competitive world of higher education."
Barton’s current general education program requires 36 to 42 credit hours. The system-wide program will reduce that requirement to 34 to 35 credits.
Barton administration has submitted reports to KBOR and changed academic degree maps to best advice students.
"This is work you do because it's important to the institution and it's important for our students," said Simmons. "It's the work you do."
Each state and community college in Kansas will adopt the system-wide general education program starting in the fall 2024 semester.