I applaud the Faculty Senate for rejecting the creation of a General Studies Degree. 

At an institution that is hoping to achieve Tier-1 status as a research institution, this program does nothing to further that cause.  We are a university. Our mission is to educate and create an environment and foster research that helps expand our knowledge and understanding of the world around us. 

This degree looks, at first glance, tailored specifically for athletes who for one reason or another cannot gain admission to any of the numerous other degrees offered by the University. 

The statistics from the University of Michigan are astounding how three percent of the student population can find themselves in a degree that offers little hope for future employment.  Texas A&M does a similar thing by steering their athletes to Ag Science degrees that are as easily tailored to ensure NCAA compliance for satisfactory progress to avoid sanctions but offer little in terms of appeal in the current job market. 

Instead of trying to foist this degree on our institution, we should be focusing upon the expansion of our PhD programs so that we can elevate our standing in the academic community rather than a degree to allow us to keep athletes on our football and other athletic teams.