This will respond to your questions regarding a life science requirement for engineering majors that my and the Provost's memorandum of September 1 has raised.

 It is our view that all Cal Poly undergraduates should have meaningful exposure to the life sciences as part of their baccalaureate study. This view is also clearly embedded in Executive Order 595.

It is not my view, as noted in my memorandum to you of February 19, 1998, that meaningful study in life science can only be accomplished through either a specific course of 4 units value or a set of learning experiences that adds up to 4 units. As the GE Committee has directed our institutional sights and consciousness, the life science requirement (like any other element of the GE Program) can be met through any appropriate demonstration that students have achieved the defined educational objectives in this area. Thus, learning outcomes should be the measurement of student progress towards the fulfillment of degree requirements.

 As you correctly state in your memo to me of November 13, faculty have primary responsibility for developing curricula, and I have primary responsibility for implementing Executive Orders. Thus, with respect to EO 595, while I am willing to request a reduction in units in various areas to accommodate the new GE template for engineering majors, I am not willing to request an exemption to an entire area of study such as life science. In this respect, I call your attention to a critical part of my and the Provost's memo to you of September 1: "We encourage academic departments to recognize the invitation they have from the GE Committee to think creatively about the design of courses to meet the GE standards. We expect that the GE Committee will be responsive to such thinking."

Although life science needs to be included within the curriculum for engineering students to meet the requirements of EO 595, this goal could be accomplished within the framework of the Engineering Template as it was originally approved by the Academic Senate. I encourage the GE Committee to work with the various engineering programs to achieve this goal. Similarly, I expect that engineering faculty will work with faculty in the life sciences to demonstrate how the learning goals for the life sciences which the GE Committee has identified will be satisfied.

Thank you for the opportunity to clarify these matters.