The Commision on Undergraduate Experience (CUE) at Case Western Reserve University serves to assess and improve undergraduate education and the residential campus experience in order to establish how the university will move forward in the future.

The CUE consists of faculty members from each of CWRU’s colleges, including the Case School of Engineering, the College of Arts and Sciences, Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing, Weatherhead School of Management and the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. It also includes administrative members, student representatives, Dean of Undergraduate Studies Jeffrey Wolcowitz, Executive Director of International Affairs Molly Watkins, Vice President of Student Affairs Lou Stark and Vice President for Enrollment Management Richard Bischoff.

On Sept. 29, the commission released a preliminary report, sent via email on Oct. 3, asking students to submit feedback on the recommendations outlined within. Accessing the report requires a CWRU email address and password. It is the first such report released since 2001.

“I’m excited for the future of the undergraduate experience here at [CWRU] and I believe that the CUE recommendations are essential to moving it forward,” said Garret Oester, a student representative of CUE. “I’m excited to hear where students think there is further room for these ideas to grow.”

The recommendations outlined in the report include the adoption of general education requirements that will be the same throughout the university, regardless of school or major, in an attempt to foster a sense of identity among the diverse population of undergraduate students at CWRU. This recommendation is one of many that attempt to bridge the gap between students in engineering and the humanities. The high level of stress among undergraduates was also addressed; CUE recommended a change to major requirements to prevent students from course overload as they strive to graduate on time.

The current CUE was formed in January of last year and announced on Feb. 4, 2016 by Provost Bud Baeslack. Since its formation, CUE has released three progress reports and a draft on their framework and philosophy.

At this stage, with the release of the preliminary CUE report, the group is seeking student opinions and creating several opportunities to provide feedback, the first of which is Oct. 19.

Kimberly Emmons, CUE chair and associate professor of English, said, “The report that the CUE issued is very much a first draft—we are counting on the CWRU community to help us make it stronger and more effective.”

She encourages students to read the report and attend the feedback sessions, or to contact CUE directly.