The editorial you published on October 1 in regards to the ACE general education program brought forward some great points. The system is very student oriented, something the ES/IS system was not. The implementation of the ACE system will, undoubtedly, save students the headaches of figuring out which classes fit into their degree program and which classes will qualify if they decide to switch majors.
Speaking as a student that changed his major three times and spent a considerable amount of time in the Division of General Studies the ACE program is something I wish was implemented years earlier. The new ACE system will remedy many student concerns from the ES/IS system.
Your article also addressed difficulties faculty might have when dealing with the ACE requirements. The course proposal process does not involve burdensome amounts of paperwork or bureaucracy. The process is online and only requires the faculty to address three questions, only asking for about paragraph for each answer.
While the instructors are asked to go through an assessment phase, this part of the program was designed to help instructors make sure students are learning what the educators say they are teaching, not to be restrictive. While this may lead to some extra work the assessment portion can be embedded in the already existing course work. The assessments will benefit students in the long run, as well as faculty. You said it yourself, this system is not perfect, but I feel it is as close as students and faculty can ask for.
Rest assured, the ACE system is still being assessed itself by faculty and students through group efforts to ensure the ACE program is successful shift from the ES/IS system for students and faculty.
Justin Solomon
Academic Committee Chairman
Association of Students of the University of Nebraska
is a member of the 
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