The call for the establishment of this Commission came from UNC’s Charting the Future Design Team when it specified, in its Final Report, that:

A task force, consisting primarily of faculty members, will be appointed by the president in consultation with the Faculty Senate chair, to review the current general education requirements, suggestions received from unit reports, campus comment, CCHE requirements and the [Design Team’s] suggestions [regarding a set of university wide requirements designed to replace the current General Education program].... Following [this] review, the task force will develop proposed curriculum requirements and submit its recommendations through the ordinary governance process. (8)

The Commission, appointed in the Fall of 2004, operated during 2004-2005 under the following charge:

The Commission will propose a core curriculum that builds on existing faculty strengths, integrating available relevant disciplines and resources to create an effective, comprehensive approach to prepare a well-educated citizenry whose understanding of issues enables them to be contributing members of a rapidly changing, technologically advanced, diverse society. This commission serves in an advisory role to the president. Toward this end, the Commission is charged to recommend a proposed core curriculum, staffing procedures for implementation, and operating guidelines for a coherent, intentional, innovative and interdisciplinary academic program to enhance connectivity to majors and transferability between the institutions. (Charge to the Commission on the University Experience 2)

The Commission issued a report containing its initial recommendations for a short-term plan in writing to the president on April 15, 2005.

At the beginning of Fall, 2005, UNC Provost Allen Huang announced that the Commission will continue to operate for an indefinite time and updated its charge as follows:

The Commission will work to ensure that the General Education curriculum meets the state requirements and will work to reduce the number of courses in the program to meet the CTF recommendation of 60-70 courses in the core.

During Fall 2006, the University’s General Education Council developed a proposal designed to implement the Commission’s short-term recommendations in a new Liberal Arts Core intended to replace the university’s current General Education program. Here is a description of the new program, which was approved by the university’s voting faculty on December 6, 2005.