Over the winter break, Sacramento State was awarded a $40,000 educational grant. The grant money was given by The Association of American Colleges and Universities, which is funded by the Carnegie Corporation of New York, State Farm Companies Foundation and the Lumina Foundation.

Sac State was one of three CSU campuses to receive funding from this association. The funds are aimed at improving existing programs at the participating universities.

The general education program at Sac State is slated to benefit from these funds.

“The actual amount received by the campus is closer to $25,000,” clarified Janet Hecsh, chair of the General Education and Graduation Requirements Policy Committee, and the manager on the “Give Students a Compass” project at Sac State .

The difference of $15,000 will be used for travel, training and like expenses associated with the program. This is referred to as “in-kind”, which is indirect funding.

The CSU stated that Sac State will use the grant to redesign its general education program to prepare students successfully for the global, civic and economic challenges that all Americans now face.

Sac State will participate in the three year program which is, “directed at improving general education . . . and providing a model using research gained from the project for more widespread dissemination,” said Hecsh, citing the text of the proposal.

“We are very excited about receiving this award,” Hecsh said. “It will give us a chance to reevaluate and improve the GE program.”

Hecsh said that the grant had a quick turnaround time and the full details of the award are unknown. She thinks the campus is likely to use the funding for professional development within the general education program. This will keep the faculty up to date on new techniques and give them the tools to teach students effectively.

“Any inflow of money during these tight budgetary conditions is a good thing, particularly when the money is directed toward a program that benefits all students on campus,” said Faculty Senate member Jessica Howell.

Ken O’Donnell, the associate dean of Academic Program Planning for the CSU, said that the CSU was given the responsibility of designating three of its campuses as recipients of these grants. The CSU invited all 23 campuses to apply for the funds and 10 campuses submitted applications. A review panel then read the applications and proposals, and chose the three to fund- unclear.

The funds have been given to the CSU system offices, but have not yet been moved to the campuses. Once the Faculty Senate has proposed a detailed budget to the CSU steering committee, the university will then have access to the grant money.

According to O’Donnell, the use of the money is monitored by both the association and the CSU steering committee that selected the three recipients.

The grants are part of a larger project called “Give Students a Compass,” which is part of the association’s signature initiative, Liberal Education and America’s Promise (LEAP).

The “Compass” project aims to “make excellence inclusive”, which is part of the association’s mission. The pilot project’s activities will include electronic methods of monitoring student’s participation in certain educational practices.

Another focus of the proposed program is to provide assistance to transfer students by offering educational roadmaps and planning tools. Efforts to improve the partnerships between two year colleges and four year universities are also at the forefront for the project.

Hecsh and other faculty members will attend the association’s conference to kick off the “Compass” project and bring more information back to the campus community.

Crystal Kirk can be reached at [email protected]