COLUMBUS Proposed bill affects college course work

The sponsor says he hopes to spur election participation.
By JEFF ORTEGA
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
COLUMBUS -- State two- and four-year colleges in Ohio would be required to include completion of a government course as a condition for awarding degrees or diplomas, under a bill introduced Thursday in the state Senate.
Under the bill, sponsored by state Sen. Marc Dann, of Liberty, D-32nd, the Ohio Board of Regents would require each state college and university to include the successful completion of government or political science course work that addresses the U.S. and Ohio constitutions as a condition for an undergraduate degree.
"It's just the general issue of we don't have the kind of participation in elections that I think we ought to have," said Dann. "It's important."
According to the bill, a student could also satisfy the proposed government course requirement by obtaining a high-enough score on the high school Advanced Placement Government exam, a placement exam given by a school, or by the transfer of credits from another college.
Disapproval and doubt
One higher education official, however, said he doesn't believe the legislation is such a good idea.
"It's not a good idea for the General Assembly to be deciding curriculum issues," said Jim McCollum, executive director of the Inter-University Council of Ohio, an association of the 13 public four-year state universities and two freestanding medical schools.
McCollum said the IUC would likely oppose Dann's measure.
Dann said his bill would not mandate any content, just that some course work cover the national and state constitutions.