UK receives average grade: Ranking places core curriculum above 16 benchmark universities

By Katie Perkowski

With emphasis being placed highly on becoming a top-20 research university, UK may have to focus on other priorities, according to a recent report.

In an August report by the American Council of Trustees and Alumni, the University of Kentucky got a “C” on the strength of its 2008-09 core curriculum.

“Our argument is, if you want to pay attention to reputation of prestige, that’s fine, but don’t ignore education. One should not be had at the price of another,” said David Azerrad, program officer at the American Council of Trustees and Alumni.

“There’s really no reason why you couldn’t have your cake and eat it too,” Azerrad said.

The study, called “What Will They Learn?” looked at 100 universities nationwide and graded them based upon whether or not they fulfilled seven core curriculum requirements. UK only met three out of the seven.

Of UK’s benchmark schools, only four placed above UK, Student Government President Ryan Smith said.

“The fact that we’re being included in the study is a good thing but basically, any type of study like this is extremely subjective to the company and who’s conducting it,” he said. “To get an ‘A’ in this study is like winning a championship in a tournament that doesn’t keep score.”

UK filled the composition, foreign language and mathematics requirements, but did not meet the literature, U.S. Government or history, economics, and natural/physical science requirements.

Azerrad said the organization did not give UK science credit because students can fulfill the credit in other areas the organization does not consider legitimate.

“For the science requirement within the study we didn’t receive credit because we allow political science, psychology, and anthropology,” said Smith. “Most people would agree this fills the requirement.”

Only five out of 100 universities received an “A” in this study: University of Arkansas, City University of New York-Brooklyn College, University of Texas-Austin, Texas A&M University and the United States Military Academy.

Schools that were given an “F” in the study include Brown University, Colgate University, Northwestern University, Vanderbilt University, Vassar College and Yale University.

“It’s just really striking to me that schools that are held in the highest prestige in the country … flunked in this study,” Smith said. “Which, to me, shows that this is not a very good representation of the academic community that they’re serving.”

Smith said there are updates being made to the general education requirements but they are currently under review by faculty Senate. A final decision has yet to be made regarding the requirements.

The changes being looked at include students getting credit for Advance Placement classes but not specific class credit, and lowering the minimum number of University Studies Program classes, Smith said.

“Our approach is that the university has a responsibility to make sure students graduate knowing these things … that adults don’t allow students to graduate with a thin or patchy education,” Azerrad said.