General requirements for the associate degree have changed, allowing students working towards an associate degree to choose a class in replacement of the current physical education requirement. The change will be implemented starting fall 2025.

Back in April 2024, the Curriculum Committee proposed to only require students to complete the general education courses under the Title V requirements, meaning lifelong learning and development, multicultural and physical education courses would no longer be required.

Although the proposal passed through the Faculty Senate on May 2, 2024 it was not placed on the agenda to go to the board in time to meet Brown Act requirements, which meant that this change could not be implemented in fall of 2024.

Over the following months the implementation of this plan was discussed. However, faculty members who were unsatisfied with eliminating the lifelong learning and self-development section from the general education requirements wanted a compromise.

“One of our ethnics studies instructors said, ‘Gosh, it feels like the curriculum just looked at either all or nothing, minimum or minimum plus a whole bunch of other stuff.’ How come we can’t compromise?” said Heather Halverson, counseling faculty and secretary of Faculty Senate. “I got up and spoke and I said, ‘You know, we would love a compromise.’”

In October 2024, Fullerton College’s Faculty Senate approved the new recommendation from the Curriculum Committee for Fall 2025 after months of deliberation. It requires students to fulfill the general education requirements,areas one through six, along with one course in area seven, which fulfills the lifelong learning and development section.

Starting Fall 2025, students will now be required to take 21 units to fulfill their GE requirements, along with a one-unit course with the option of a physical education, multicultural, or life-long learning and self-development course.

Continuing students will have the option to either follow the current GE requirements in which students are required to take a 1-unit PE course or follow the fall 2025 requirements. The implementation of this change for continuing students is still being discussed. Students are encouraged to meet with counselors to ensure they meet their graduation requirements.

A previous version of this article misquoted Halverson. The correct spelling of the department is “ethnic studies.”