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Function

The authority to approve the inclusion of courses in the University Liberal Education curriculum shall reside in the Liberal Education Council. Courses submitted for such approval shall already have been approved by all other appropriate academic unit. Periodic review of courses should affirm that the primary focus of course offerings is clearly aligned with the ºÚÁÏÉçÇø learning objectives of the Miami Plan attribute associated with the course.

Actions of the Liberal Education Council which require the approval of University Senate, such as changes in policy, shall be reported to the Senate Executive Committee, which shall place them on the agenda of University Senate. All actions of the Liberal Education Council shall be recorded in its minutes, which shall be distributed to all members of University Senate, who may raise questions about any of these actions at the meeting of University Senate that follows the distribution of the minutes. Except for any action University Senate refers again to the Liberal Education Council, the actions which do not require explicit approval by University Senate shall be considered passed upon the adjournment of the first University Senate meeting after the distribution of the Liberal Education Council's minutes.

Composition

• A minimum of Eleven (11) faculty members:
  • The Associate Director
  • Two (2) faculty members from different departments with expertise in humanities.
  • Two (2) faculty members from different departments with expertise in social sciences.
  • Two (2) faculty members with expertise in natural sciences.
  • One (1) faculty member with expertise in creative arts.
  • One (1) faculty member with expertise in mathematics/technology/formal logic.
  • One (1) faculty liaison to the Howe Center for Writing Excellence.
  • One (1) faculty at-large member nominated in consultation with the Chair of the University Liberal Education Council.
  • One faculty (could also be one of the above) with expertise in Study Away/Study Abroad
  • One faculty (could also be one of the above) shall represent the Regional Campuses
  • One faculty (could also be one of the above) with expertise in interdisciplinary/transdisciplinary learning
  • One faculty (could also be one of the above) with expertise in DE&I
  • One faculty (could also be one of the above) with expertise in Intercultural Consciousness
  • One faculty (could also be one of the above) with expertise in Global Inquiry
  • One (1) faculty member of University Senate from any academic discipline and serving as Senate Liaison.
  • Ex-officio members who are non-voting but advisory:
    • One (1) representative from the University libraries.
    • One (1) representative from the Office of the University Registrar
    • One (1) undergraduate ºÚÁÏÉçÇø nominated by Associated Student Government.
    • One (1) professional academic advisor
    • The University Director of Liberal Education shall serve as the Chair of the Liberal Education Council.
    • Additional ex officio members may be named to nonvoting seats on the Liberal Education Council at the discretion of the Council, with the approval of University Senate.

The primary goal is assembling a committee with the appropriate expertise to appropriately evaluate offerings. All divisions must be represented.

The Council shall form appropriate subcommittees as necessary.

Nominations for the Council and subcommittees shall be made in consultation with the Director of Liberal Education. Nominees must be able to serve at the regularly scheduled meeting time established for the following year. 

Membership

• Chair, Leighton Peterson, lpeterson@MiamiOH.edu
• Associate Director, Office of Liberal Education, Elizabeth Hoover, hooverea@MiamiOH.edu
• Senate Liaison, Tracy Haynes, CAS, haynest@MiamiOH.edu

Faculty and Staff

Term ends August 2025

• David Daugherty, MPS (CLAAS), daughed@MiamiOH.edu
• Elizabeth Hoover, HOWE Writing, (CCA), hooverea@MiamiOH.edu
• Robert Leonard, ISA-Farmer, (MTH, Tech, Formal Logic), leonarr@MiamiOH.edu
• Aaron Pergram, MUS, (CCA), pergraal@MiamiOH.edu

Term ends August 2026

• Caryn Neumann, ICS (DEI and IC), neumance@MiamiOH.edu

Term ends August 2027

• Kathleen Knight Abowitz, (EHS), knightk2@MiamiOH.edu
• Kelsey Ellis, (ATH), elliskm3@MiamiOH.edu
• Ron Becker, (MJF), beckerrp@MiamiOH.edu
• John-Charles Duffy, REL (CAS-Humanities), duffyjc@MiamiOH.edu
• Tracy Haynes, BIO (CAS-NAT Science), haynest@MiamiOH.edu
• Andrew Hebard, ENG (CAS-Humanities), hebarda@MiamiOH.edu
• Christopher Kelley, POL, (Social-Science), chris.kelley@MiamiOH.edu

Undergraduate Student

• Venus Harvey ASG, harveyl6@MiamiOH.edu

Ex officio non-voting members

• Leighton Peterson, Director of Liberal Education, lpeterson@MiamiOH.edu
• Carol Jones, Associate Registrar, jonescm3@MiamiOH.edu
• Bill Modrow, (Libraries), modrowwm@MiamiOH.edu
• Christa Branson, Academic Advisor, College of Arts and Science, bransocl@MiamiOH.edu
• Dorothy Falke, Secretary for Liberal Education, falkeda@MiamiOH.edu
• Elizabeth Hoover, MUS, (CCA), hooverea@MiamiOH.edu