Current integrative studies requirements for physical education are hoped to change for the incoming class in the fall of 2014. According to Margery Avery, director of academic records, the changes will affect the use of “indoor” and “outdoor” terminology, eliminate use of “points” in physical education requirements, and attach a half-semester lab component to the required Fitness for Life Class.
Currently, students must pass one outdoor class and one indoor class to fulfill part of their physical education requirements. However, students in the upcoming academic year will only have to take two classes of their choosing from either classification. “To simplify the requirements” was the aim of this change, according to Avery. “After several years of working with the current set of requirements the faculty realized the requirements were somewhat confusing to students. Some people tended to confuse the four points system with credits, but the points had nothing to do with credits. Taking out the references to points should help simplify the requirement.” According to Linda Mills Woolsey, dean of the college and vice president for academic affairs, “We had noticed a high number of petitions for exceptions to the Health and Wellness requirements and had had some complaints from advisors about the complexity of the requirements, scheduling, and other matters.”
As for the “point” system which was previously used to keep track of which physical education classes had been fulfilled in which categories, Avery says it will no longer be needed. “Some people tended to confuse the four points system with credits, but the points had nothing to do with credits,” she said. “Taking out the references to points should help simplify the requirement.”
In addition to distribution changes, incoming students will also be required to complete a wellness lab that will follow Fitness for Life, which is intended to be scheduled solely during the first half of each semester. The second half of the semester will be occupied by the Wellness Lab, which can be taken for 0.5 credits. The lab will be based on a similar course that was previously taught at Houghton and required for integrative studies. According to Avery, “It used to be that Lifetime Wellness had a lecture and a lab component. When the current PE competency began in 2009, the Lifetime Wellness had been separated into Fitness for Life (which was part of the theory point one) and a separate lab component (the point two).”