UT is eliminating Skills and Experience Flag requirements from degree plans effective immediately, the university announced in a press release sent to UT students Monday. In place of Flag requirements, the University will apply an updated program centered on skills-based requirements, according to the Austin American-Statesman.
Flags were areas of study that all UT students were required to complete courses in, regardless of major. They were “designed to provide the enriched education that all students will need,” according to the university flag requirements webpage. The flags that have now been eliminated consisted of Cultural Diversity in the United States, Ethics, Global Cultures, Independent Inquiry, Quantitative Reasoning and Writing.
The elimination of flags for all current students comes in the midst of fall course registration and the announcement for students was made around an hour after priority registration began, potentially leaving some students to rethink their registration choices to align with the updated options. It is also taking effect roughly a month before graduation for the class of 2025.
“Although Flags have played a key role in the UT academic experience for the past 18 years, the world has evolved significantly for our students, and careers of the future look increasingly different from those of the past,” Interim Executive Vice President and Provost David Vanden Bout said in the press release. “After extensive discussion and analysis, the University has decided to discontinue the Flags requirement.”
The announcement means that all students who “currently have incomplete Flag requirements will no longer need to take those courses” to graduate. The policy change was first announced by the Austin American-Statesman following an exclusive interview with Art Markman, senior vice provost for academic affairs.
Vanden Bout clarified in the press release that writing requirements will remain in another form, as they are required by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. It is currently unclear how that requirement will be implemented and monitored. The university has not yet responded to a request for comment.
“I am incredibly grateful to the (Flags Review Committee) members for their thorough analysis and their dedication to advancing and enhancing our core mission,” Vanden Bout said. “It is our responsibility as an institution of higher education to evaluate our curriculum regularly and revisit the skills, knowledge and experiences we offer our students.”
