{"id":3,"date":"2025-09-08T14:39:49","date_gmt":"2025-09-08T14:39:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/act-15-cger\/?page_id=3"},"modified":"2025-10-09T14:52:11","modified_gmt":"2025-10-09T14:52:11","slug":"act-15-core-general-education-requirements-and-transfer-work-groups","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.wisconsin.edu\/act-15-cger\/","title":{"rendered":"Act 15 – Core General Education Requirements and Transfer"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Purpose<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

On July 3, 2025, the Wisconsin State Legislature approved 2025 Wisconsin Act 15, which, in section 134, amended state statute 36.11 (3)(b). In response to this new statute, President Rothman charged Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs Johannes Britz to take the necessary actions to ensure compliance with the Act 15 requirements through the creation and\/or revision of Regent and System policies. In order to operationalize the transfer of Core General Education Requirements (CGER), two work groups will be established to supplement the pre-existing Transfer Policy Work Group. One will be designated the Academic Affairs Work Group<\/strong>, while the other will be the Operational Work Group<\/strong>. Each work group will comprise representatives from the Transfer Policy Work Group as well as representatives with necessary expertise from UW Administration and all UW universities. These two work groups will work separately and collaboratively to address all technical, procedural, and communications needs, develop a new system policy, and revise other system policies.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Work Groups Objectives<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Both work groups, working collaboratively with the Transfer Policy Work Group and in consultation with appropriate stakeholders, will draft a new system policy (SYS 105), ideally by October 2025, that will add further detail as to how transfer of CGERs will work. They will also look at other system policies (i.e., SYS 102, 115, 135) that may need to be revised. To accomplish the policy goals, each group will focus on specific areas that need to be addressed operationally, as well as others that may arise through the work.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Work Group Membership<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Transfer Policy Working Group<\/summary>
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<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Name<\/th>Title<\/th>Organization <\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Julie Amon<\/strong><\/td>Associate Vice President for Enrollment & Student Success <\/td>UW Administration <\/td><\/tr>
Shanna Nifoussi<\/strong><\/td>Director of Academic Student Success Initiatives<\/td>UW Administration<\/td><\/tr>
Corina Diaz-Suazo<\/strong><\/td>Strategic Enrollment & Transfer Specialist<\/td>UW Administration <\/td><\/tr>
Christy Sevier<\/strong><\/td>Director of Strategic Enrollment <\/td>UW Administration <\/td><\/tr>
Joey Bohl<\/strong><\/td>Associate Director of Admissions<\/td>UW-Eau Claire<\/td><\/tr>
Marquell Johnson\u2021<\/sup><\/strong><\/td>Faculty Governance Representative<\/td>UW-Eau Claire<\/td><\/tr>
Trevor Sprague<\/strong><\/td>Associate Director of Transfer Admissions<\/td>UW-La Crosse<\/td><\/tr>
Janet Branchaw<\/strong><\/td>Associate Professor of Kinesiology in the School of Education<\/td>UW-Madison <\/td><\/tr>
Lori Christianson<\/strong><\/td>Associate Director – Transfer Admissions & Recruitment<\/td>UW-Madison<\/td><\/tr>
Christopher Head<\/strong><\/td>Assistant Registrar of Transfer Services<\/td>UW-Milwaukee<\/td><\/tr>
Erin Grisham<\/strong><\/td>Internal Consultant<\/td>UW-Oshkosh<\/td><\/tr>
Ed Martini\u2021<\/sup><\/strong><\/td>Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs<\/td>UW-Oshkosh<\/td><\/tr>
Matt Cecil\u2021<\/sup><\/strong><\/td>Interim Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs<\/td>UW-Parkside<\/td><\/tr>
Deann Possehl<\/strong><\/td>Assistant Provost for Student Success<\/td>UW-Parkside<\/td><\/tr>
Holly Attenborough\u2021<\/sup><\/strong><\/td>Associate Provost<\/td>UW-Platteville<\/td><\/tr>
Annette Hackbarth-Onson<\/strong><\/td>Director of Academic Success<\/td>UW-Stevens Point<\/td><\/tr>
Todd Huspeni<\/strong><\/td>Associate Vice Chancellor for Teaching, Learning, & Strategic Planning<\/td>UW-Stevens Point<\/td><\/tr>
Julie Zaloudek\u2021<\/sup><\/strong><\/td>Associate Provost<\/td>UW-Stout<\/td><\/tr>
Nicholle Schulke\u2021<\/sup><\/strong><\/td>Faculty Governance Representative<\/td>UW-Superior<\/td><\/tr>
Tatiana Fadeeva<\/strong><\/td>Transfer Articulation Coordinator<\/td>UW-Whitewater<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u2021<\/sup> joined working group in July as part of General Education subcommittee<\/p>\n<\/div><\/details>\n\n\n\n

Academic Affairs<\/summary>
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<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Name<\/strong><\/th>Title<\/strong><\/th>Organization<\/strong><\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Shanna Nifoussi*<\/strong><\/td>Director of Academic Student Success Initiatives<\/td>UW Administration<\/td><\/tr>
Julie Amon*<\/strong><\/td>Associate Vice President for Enrollment & Student Success<\/td>UW Administration<\/td><\/tr>
Amanda Smith<\/strong><\/td>OLITS Consultant<\/td>UW Administration<\/td><\/tr>
Christy Sevier*<\/strong><\/td>Director of Strategic Enrollment<\/td>UW Administration<\/td><\/tr>
Marquell Johnson*<\/strong><\/td>Faculty Governance Representative<\/td>UW-Eau Claire<\/td><\/tr>
Jason Spraitz<\/strong><\/td>Interim Associate Vice Chancellor<\/td>UW-Eau Claire<\/td><\/tr>
Patricia Terry<\/strong><\/td>Faculty, Shared Governance Representative<\/td>UW-Green Bay<\/td><\/tr>
Bryan Kopp<\/strong><\/td>Faculty, Communications Department<\/td>UW-La Crosse<\/td><\/tr>
Trevor Sprague*<\/strong><\/td>Associate Director of Transfer Admissions<\/td>UW-La Crosse<\/td><\/tr>
Janet Branchaw<\/strong>*<\/td>Interim Vice Provost<\/td>UW-Madison<\/td><\/tr>
Michelle Young<\/strong><\/td>Associate Vice Provost<\/td>UW-Madison<\/td><\/tr>
David Clark<\/strong><\/td>Associate Vice Provost<\/td>UW-Milwaukee<\/td><\/tr>
Christopher Head*<\/strong><\/td>Assistant Registrar of Transfer Services<\/td>UW-Milwaukee<\/td><\/tr>
Ed Martini*<\/strong><\/td>Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs<\/td>UW-Oshkosh<\/td><\/tr>
Matt Cecil*<\/strong><\/td>Interim Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs<\/td>UW-Parkside<\/td><\/tr>
Holly Attenborough*<\/strong><\/td>Associate Provost<\/td>UW-Platteville<\/td><\/tr>
David Gillota<\/strong><\/td>Assistant Provost<\/td>UW-Platteville<\/td><\/tr>
Wes Chapin<\/strong><\/td>Interim Provost<\/td>UW-River Falls<\/td><\/tr>
Kathleen Hunzer<\/strong><\/td>Faculty, Director of General Education<\/td>UW-River Falls<\/td><\/tr>
Todd Huspeni*<\/strong><\/td>Associate Vice Chancellor<\/td>UW-Stevens Point<\/td><\/tr>
Alison Lukowski<\/strong><\/td>Faculty, General Education Program Coordinator<\/td>UW-Stout<\/td><\/tr>
Julie Zaloudek*<\/strong><\/td>Associate Provost<\/td>UW-Stout<\/td><\/tr>
Nicholle Schulke*<\/strong><\/td>Faculty Governance Representative<\/td>UW-Superior<\/td><\/tr>
Alison Wielgus<\/strong><\/td>Faculty, University Studies Coordinator<\/td>UW-Superior<\/td><\/tr>
Kristin Plessel<\/strong><\/td>Associate Vice Provost<\/td>UW-Whitewater<\/td><\/tr>
Tatiana Fadeeva*<\/strong><\/td>Transfer Articulation Coordinator<\/td>UW-Whitewater<\/td><\/tr>
*Member of the Transfer Policy Work Group<\/em><\/strong><\/td> <\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n<\/div><\/details>\n\n\n\n

Operations<\/summary>
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<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Name<\/th>Title<\/strong><\/th>Organization<\/strong><\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
Julie Amon*<\/strong><\/td>Associate Vice President for Enrollment & Student Success<\/td>UW Administration<\/td><\/tr>
Shanna Nifoussi*<\/strong><\/td>Director of Academic Student Success Initiatives<\/td>UW Administration<\/td><\/tr>
Amanda Smith<\/strong><\/td>OLITS Consultant<\/td>UW Administration<\/td><\/tr>
Todd Bailey<\/strong><\/td>Policy and Planning Analyst<\/td>UW Administration<\/td><\/tr>
Sue Buth<\/strong><\/td>Director<\/td>UW Administration<\/td><\/tr>
Corina Diaz-Suazo*<\/strong><\/td>Strategic Enrollment & Transfer Specialist<\/td>UW Administration<\/td><\/tr>
Angie Kellogg<\/strong><\/td>Senior Academic Planner<\/td>UW Administration<\/td><\/tr>
Vivek Deshpande<\/strong><\/td>OLITS<\/td>UW Administration<\/td><\/tr>
Joey Bohl*<\/strong><\/td>Associate Director of Admissions<\/td>UW-Eau Claire<\/td><\/tr>
Andrew Meyer<\/strong><\/td>Assistant Registrar, Transfer Services Coordinator<\/td>UW-Green Bay<\/td><\/tr>
Leann Vigue<\/strong><\/td>University Registrar<\/td>UW-La Crosse<\/td><\/tr>
Beth Warner<\/strong><\/td>Interim University Registrar<\/td>UW-Madison<\/td><\/tr>
Brian Hinshaw<\/strong><\/td>Director, Academic Advising<\/td>UW-Milwaukee<\/td><\/tr>
Josh Becken<\/strong><\/td>Associate Registrar<\/td>UW-Oshkosh<\/td><\/tr>
Erin Grisham*<\/strong><\/td>Internal Consultant<\/td>UW-Oshkosh<\/td><\/tr>
Deann Possehl*<\/strong><\/td>Assistant Provost for Student Success<\/td>UW-Parkside<\/td><\/tr>
Holly Attenborough*<\/strong><\/td>Associate Provost<\/td>UW-Platteville<\/td><\/tr>
Ryan Bench<\/strong><\/td>Associate Registrar<\/td>UW-River Falls<\/td><\/tr>
John Gaffney<\/strong><\/td>Registrar<\/td>UW-Stevens Point<\/td><\/tr>
Darren Ward<\/strong><\/td>Associate Director for Transfer & Articulation<\/td>UW-Stout<\/td><\/tr>
Anne Carlson<\/strong><\/td>Transfer Center Coordinator<\/td>UW-Superior<\/td><\/tr>
Heather Chermak <\/strong><\/td>Registrar<\/td>UW-Whitewater<\/td><\/tr>
*Member of the Transfer Policy Work Group<\/em><\/strong><\/td> <\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n<\/div><\/details>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Core General Education Requirements Proposal:<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The proposed Regent policy will provide the framework for the Core General Education Requirements as six broad categories, 10-12 courses, 30-36 credit hours<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Frequently Asked Questions <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Q: Where did the six categories come from?<\/strong> <\/summary>
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A: The six proposed categories are based on an examination of the general education and competency requirements at all of the UWs and identifying areas of alignment. The categories are also similar to the seven categories identified as requirements for the AA\/AS degree at WTCS<\/a>. Additional analysis of other statewide and systemwide gen. ed. cores show common inclusion of the following areas or disciplines: Communication\/English composition, Humanities\/Social or Behavioral Science, Quantitative skills\/critical thinking, Physical and Natural Science, with variability in areas of global\/cultural\/ethnic studies and wellness\/wellbeing\/fitness.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/details>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Q: Within the flexible CGER model, what are the minimum and maximum requirements? <\/strong><\/summary>
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A: Under the flexible CGER model, students must complete at least 10 courses for 30 credit hours and based on statutory language, universities cannot require students to complete more than 36 credit hours of core general education courses. However, as a student is being advised on what courses to select to fulfill the core general education requirements, they may end up with more than 36 credit hours from courses with the CGER categories. For example, a student may take a foreign language course for 4 credits, thus fulfilling the Civics & Perspectives category requirement by completing 4 instead of 3 credit hours.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/details>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Q: May a general education course fulfill multiple Core General Education Requirement categories? For example, can a History of the Middle East course fulfill both the Humanities & Arts category requirement and the Civics & Perspectives category requirement?<\/strong><\/summary>
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A: The Academic Affairs working group will address questions like this and will inform the development of SYS policies and procedures. We anticipate that one course may fulfill both a CGER requirement and a major requirement, however it may not satisfy two different CGER categories. In the scenario above, the History of the Middle East course may be used to fulfill a course requirement in the Humanities & Arts category and may be applied to a History major requirement, but it may not also be used to fulfill the course requirement for the Civics & Perspectives category.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/details>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Q: My university currently requires more than 36 credit hours of general education and university requirements. Can we have additional requirements above those included in the Core General Education Requirements for all undergraduates?<\/strong><\/summary>
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A: No, a university can’t have additional course requirements that are universally applicable to all undergraduates. Universities may have additional College\/School, degree type (e.g., B.A., B.S., B.F.A., B.B.A., etc.), and\/or major\/program requirements that apply to subsets of students. <\/p>\n<\/div><\/details>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Q: What if a student completes the Mathematics & Quantitative Reasoning category at one UW university and then transfers to another UW university and wants to use that course to fulfill requirements at the receiving university. Does the receiving university have to accept and apply the course and credits?<\/strong><\/summary>
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A: Yes, if a student completes a course that fulfills a Core General Education category at the sending UW university, it must fulfill the same Core General Education category[1]<\/a> at the receiving UW university. However, the receiving UW university may have additional program\/major requirements that are not fulfilled by that course. For example, a student who completes an algebra course at the sending university fulfilling the Mathematics & Quantitative Reasoning category requirement may still have to complete calculus at the receiving university to fill a chemistry major requirement. In this case, the Core General Education Requirement has been fulfilled at the receiving university, but the student still needs to complete calculus to satisfy the program\/major requirement.

[1]<\/strong><\/em><\/a> UW universities may use discretion in applying CGER credit to categories that are in the best interest of the student.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/details>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Q: May my university specify discipline or subcategory requirements within the framework of the Core General Education Requirements?<\/strong><\/summary>
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A: Yes. For example, a university can require students to take one Humanities course (e.g., History or Literature) and one Arts course (e.g., Dance) to fulfill the Humanities & Arts category requirement. However, that same university must accept any courses within the category that transfer from another UW university to fulfill that category requirement. So, if the sending UW university allows students to complete the Humanities & Arts category through completion of two Art courses, or an Art and a Music course, the receiving UW university must accept those two courses as fulfilling the Humanities & Arts category requirements.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/details>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Q: Our university has developed a First Year Experience\/Seminar course to increase retention in first year students. Will we need to get rid of this course?<\/strong><\/summary>
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A: No. Depending on the learning outcomes of the First-Year course it is possible that it could align with a few different categories, such as Communication & Literacy, Social & Behavioral Science, or Humanities & Arts. You may also have different First Year courses that are specific to a particular College\/School. In the latter case, since students enrolled in different colleges\/schools within the university have different requirements, this would not be considered a Core General Education Requirement, but rather a College\/School requirement and therefore outside of the 30-36 credit hour range.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/details>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Q: My university does not have a wellbeing and fitness requirement, but a student transferred in with a course that is tagged as meeting a Natural Science & Wellness requirement. Can we require the transfer student to take another course to complete the Natural Science & Wellness category?<\/strong><\/summary>
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A: No. If one UW university (sending institution) has categorized a course as fulfilling a requirement within a Core General Education category, the receiving university must accept the course as fulfilling the same category. A transfer student cannot be required to take additional courses to meet the learning outcomes or requirements of the receiving university within a particular category, if the completed course fulfilled category requirements at the sending university.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/details>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Q: Can my university add an additional courses outside of the categories?<\/summary>
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A: No. The general education courses currently offered at your university need to be mapped to the six (6) broad CGER categories. Any courses outside of these categories can’t be a graduation requirement for all students. As indicated above, requirements can be added to specific Schools\/Colleges, degree types, or programs (major) that are outside of the six (6) categories but can’t be required universally of all students.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/details>\n\n\n\n

Q: Can my university have a course just for first year students, that is outside CGER and wouldn’t be required for transfer students?<\/summary>
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No. In accordance with RPD 7-3<\/a> and SYS 135<\/a>, UW universities should apply academic policies and procedures to continuing and transfer students in a similar manner. In this context that means that a UW should not have different graduation requirements for continuing (first year students) versus transfer students. If the university has a first year experience course requirement, transfer students should be provided with a suitable course substitution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this scenario, since the first year experience course is a graduation requirement, even with the appropriate course substitution, this would still be considered a general education requirement and therefore needs to be mapped into one of the six categories to be included in the CGER. <\/p>\n<\/div><\/details>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Q: Will the Core General Education Requirements include an ethnic studies requirement?<\/summary>
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The Universities of Wisconsin through the Board of Regents do not require ethnic studies or cultural diversity courses. Individual universities currently have discretion in this area and that autonomy is not subject to change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As part of the development of the new Core General Education Requirements framework, universities will map their existing courses into six broad categories.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n<\/div><\/details>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Q: How are we required to provide notice to HLC regarding these curricular changes?<\/strong><\/summary>
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A. The Office of Academic Affairs (OAA) will work with each university to ensure that notice is provided to HLC as necessary to document the curricular changes associated with the new Core General Education Requirements. OAA will also work with each university to ensure compliance with DOE policies. <\/p>\n<\/div><\/details>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Q: What is the role of the regents in this process?<\/summary>
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Act 15 amended state statute to indicate that the board is responsible for establishing policies related to the transfer and applicability of core general education requirements. To comply with the statute, it is anticipated that the Board will consider the new policy, which we are referring to as Regent Policy Document (RPD) 4-X. This document has been drafted and shared with Board leadership and it is anticipated that the Board will consider RPD 4-X at a special meeting on November 19. Prior to that meeting, the policy will be distributed to all UW universities for comment and feedback.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/details>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Q: Will the Regent or System policy determine the specific courses that are taught at a UW to fulfill the Core General Education Requirements?<\/strong><\/summary>
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A: No. Universities will have autonomy to determine how their courses and associated learning outcomes fit into each of the identified categories.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/details>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Q: What is the timeline for the policy development, distribution, and approval?<\/summary>
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RPD 4-X:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sept. 24: distributed for public comment (see information below)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nov. 19: Board discussion and anticipated approval<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SYS 105:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sept.\/Oct: The Academic Affairs and Operations working groups identified above will draft the System policy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nov.: anticipated distribution of policy for public comment<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dec. 31: anticipated approval by President Rothman<\/p>\n<\/div><\/details>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Updates<\/h2>\n\n\n