Curriculum Update: August 2026
The core curriculum review process continued throughout the past spring and summer with the primary goal of completing the “gathering and review of information” phase of our process.
Spring 2026 found us focused on two activities: the Steering Committee led a series of listening sessions with different departments, colleges, and leadership groups across campus to learn about challenges with the current core, visions for what the core could be, and ideas for practical implementation. Simultaneously, the Advisory Committee subcommittees were productive in gathering information and data about the six different aspects of the Core, as we outlined in our last update.
The Steering Committee spent summer 2026 reviewing the subcommittee findings, requesting additional data, and identifying important trends in the core curriculum. This work included circulating, with the support of Career Discovery and Success and college career services offices, a survey of Auburn alumni and employers that yielded an impressive 800+ responses, many of which sought to make sure we knew how important the core curriculum was to their Auburn experience and to their careers. The Steering Committee worked to combine all the data and written analysis, including synthesis of these survey results, into a comprehensive Phase 1 report, which will be shared widely with the campus community for feedback. Additionally, the Auburn Board of Trustees adopted their Policy on Academic Curriculum, Courses, Syllabi, and Core Educational Requirements in June 2026, and an Implementation Leadership Team was formed to focus on incorporating these policies into the ongoing review process.
As we enter the fall semester, we look forward to sharing our findings and connecting again with our campus community. When the Phase 1 report is shared, we encourage faculty, staff, and students to share their feedback during a robust comment period. Your insights will help us organize our Phase 1 Advisory Board working groups to develop plans for implementing new opportunities for revision to strengthen Auburn’s academic core, in collaboration with the Core Curriculum and General Education Committee, University Curriculum Committee, colleges, and departments. As an example, one working group is already considering ways to streamline the science course sequencing.
We want to thank everyone for your continued support as we transition into this new stage of our review process. There are many opportunities to continue to engage, and we encourage everyone to reach out with your thoughts and ideas at any time.
Sincerely,
Jeff and Chase
