UW System Proposes New Policy for Core General Education Requirements

Strategic Insights -

The University of Wisconsin (UW) system is moving towards a new policy that will standardize core general education requirements across its 13 universities. The proposed "Core General Education Requirements" (CGER) policy aims to guarantee that core general education credits earned at one UW university will transfer and apply towards graduation requirements at another UW university. This policy will replace the current Liberal Education (LE) requirements at UW-Eau Claire, with each campus setting its own policy within the six broad CGER categories: mathematics and quantitative reasoning, communication and literacy, social and behavioral sciences, humanities and arts, natural science and wellness, and civics and perspectives.

Key Takeaways:

  • The proposed CGER policy will establish a student-friendly approach to transfer, guaranteeing that core general education credits earned at one UW university will transfer and apply towards graduation requirements at another UW university.
  • The six CGER broad categories are: mathematics and quantitative reasoning, communication and literacy, social and behavioral sciences, humanities and arts, natural science and wellness, and civics and perspectives.
  • Each UW campus will set its own policy that fits within the six CGER categories, which are a broader and more general framework than the current Liberal Education (LE) requirements at UW-Eau Claire.
  • The proposed policy will eliminate the "unique personality" of each UW campus, as it imposes a "one-size fits all" approach.
  • Faculty and staff are concerned about the speed at which this change would need to take place, with the transition from LE to CGER expected to happen in about six months, compared to the 10-year process of establishing the current LE system.
  • The unions are worried that imposing the same general education system on every campus across the state would allow for politicians to take additional steps at regulating the curriculum or interfering in campus free speech.
  • Students and faculty have raised concerns about the implications of the proposed policy, including the loss of faculty jobs and programs, reduced exposure to disciplines beyond majors, and the narrowing of education to produce workers in certain fields favorable to industry.

Statistics:

  • The CGER policy will affect undergraduate students who first enroll for fall 2026.
  • The proposed policy was shared with all UWs for comments and feedback from September 24 to October 8.
  • A survey of UW campuses found that several have introduced resolutions to their University Senates rejecting the proposal.
  • Student Senate's Intergovernmental Affairs Commission's director, Ally Etzler, a third-year political science student, estimates that students have a more powerful voice than faculty in influencing the policy.
  • AFT-Wisconsin's Vice President of Higher Education Council, Neil Kraus, estimated that if approved, the policy will lead to the "inevitable" loss of faculty jobs and programs.

Sources:

  • UW press release
  • Wisconsin State Legislature's 2025 Wisconsin Act 15
  • Section 134 in state statute 36.11 (3)(b)
  • Statute 36.09(3)(a)
  • UW-Eau Claire's University Senate resolution
  • AFT-Wisconsin's Vice President of Higher Education Council Neil Kraus's talking points