A proposal that would adjust components of the GUR program is trying to do just that.

The proposed pilot program would be similar to the current Honors Program system. Students would take three interrelated courses, one each quarter, that answer to an over-arching theme.

Professors would work together to tailor the classes to themes while covering a myriad of topics that would provide a richer GUR experience for Western students.

The GUR system will not be changed as a whole when the program is piloted next fall. As the program is tweaked and changed, it could result in students being able to earn credits for four GURs after taking only three classes, said Steve VanderStaay, vice provost for undergraduate education.

Since the new strand program was originally proposed — and then shut down — 10 years ago, committee after committee of faculty and staff have been discussing how to improve our GUR system.  Now it is our turn as students to have our voices heard.

This editorial board believes the new strand proposal is a good start in fixing a GUR system that often results in students feeling dissatisfied with their GUR education, according to the National Study of Student Engagement.

Having the same group of students take three of the same classes over a one-year period would create a feeling of community for those involved, a feeling that can be lost wading through a school as large as ours.

Having classes integrated based on a single theme would give broader meaning to what we learn in GURs and why we need to learn it.

In its current state, the system acts as a speed bump that sometimes hinders students’ ability to complete a degree in four years. Only 36 percent of Western students graduate on time, according to Kiplinger, a national finance magazine that recently ranked Western in its annual college ranking.

When higher education is low on the priority list for state budgets, it is vital for students to not only achieve the most quality education possible, but to do so in a timely manner.

If proven successful, this type of program could kill two birds with one stone — encourage students to be more engaged with GURs and quicken the pace to graduate.

The pilot GUR strand program is well-intentioned and seems to have the best interest of students at heart, but it needs student input.

The program is still in its development stages. A volunteer group of faculty and staff are working the rest of the year and summer to finalize it. 

This editorial board cannot stress enough the importance of student feedback in this process. In order for the GUR system to be tailored to students, students need to share their suggestions for a new system and their opinions on the current one.     

University administrators are finally trying to fix a system that students have complained about for years.

Make sure your voices are heard.

The editorial board is comprised of Editor-in-Chief Paige Collins, Managing Editor Marissa Abruzzini and Opinion Editor Sarah Aitchison.