The Student Senate posed a question in its meeting Tuesday that many students and faculty have been wondering about: When and how will SMU curriculum change?

Student Body President Patrick Kobler informed the Senate about key changes proposed in the new curriculum, which, if approved, will be implemented for all incoming freshmen in the fall of 2012.

The most essential idea behind the new curriculum is proficiency. He said this will achieved by incorporating as much out-of-class experience as in-class experience.

“We’re more interested in what you take, instead of how many classes you take,” Kobler said.

The curriculum will offer pillar classes that cover modern issues, such as immigration and climate change, so that students will be able “to handle the social issues that we cannot foresee,” Kobler said.

The committee who proposed the new curriculum had to adhere to three main guidelines. First, double-majoring must be made easier for students. Second, the process of transferring should be made easier for perspective students. And finally, the curriculum needs to be conducive for the engineering and performing arts schools.

If implemented, the new curriculum will not impede the progress of upper level students. This means that students’ credits from previous semesters will still count toward their majors.

“The biggest difference is that [courses] can count for more than one requirement,” Kobler said.