Through months of debating, the Council on Academic Affairs decided to eliminate the Constitution requirement and the requirement to take either History 3600 and Political Science 1153.

For incoming students who will follow the Fall 2006 catalog, the requirements for History 3600, the U.S. Constitution and the Nation, as well as Political Science 1153, American Government and Constitution, no longer exist.

It was just one part of the revisions being made on the general education requirements, said Debra Reid, associate professor of history and chair of the Council on Academic Affairs.

This final decision was reached after debating that started last spring.

Many of the history professors were against taking the classes out of the core requirements while many political science professors were for the removal, Reid said.

The passion for History 3600 was a supporting factor for why the history department wanted to keep the constitution requirement.

“(It’s) one of the most important classes,” Reid said. “We were as aggressive in defending this course as we could be.”

The class is important because it gives students the historic context of our government, she said.

History 3600 also challenges professors, which is something Reid likes about the class.

“It’s not an easy course by any means but the faculty are challenged by putting it together,” she said.

Student course evaluations and comments from History 3600 were used to persuade faculty and staff to keep the requirement.

On the other side, some faculty and staff thought that eliminating the requirement of the two classes would allow more freedom within the departments.

Many faculty members within the political science department were tied down to teaching American government, said Richard Wandling, department chair of political science.

Now, the department can be open to bringing in new classes that it could not in the past, which will eventually give students more course choices.

“There’s the opportunity to consider it,” Wandling said. “The department will have more flexibility to respond to demands for other classes.”

Although Wandling supported the removal of the Constitution requirement, he still supports the class.

“The (political science) department is fully committed to teaching American government,” he said.

Besides more opportunities for departments, others feel that the Constitution requirement is repetitive of high school.

All high school students in Illinois are required to pass a U.S. Constitution test.

“This is something (students) have to do twice,” said Shelley French, associate professor for foreign language and vice chair for Academic Affairs.

After hearing both sides of the issue, French voted for the removal of the requirement.

“I don’t think it’s a bad idea,” she said.

Although the Constitution requirement has been removed, both History 3600 and Political Science 1153 will continue to be taught.

However, there might be a smaller enrollment for the two classes.

The sections might decrease by one, Reid said.