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| Vol. 18, No. 27 | April 15, 1999 |
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| Vol. 18, No. 27 | April 15, 1999 |
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At its April meeting, the University Faculty Senate approved establishment of a master of arts in physics and astronomy and gave permanent approval to the Family Nurse Practitioner Program and the women's studies major.
The senate eliminated two committees, the Budget and Space Priorities Committee and the Faculty Advisory Committee on Honorary Degrees. Senators also voted to change the method of selecting members for the Committee on Rules.
According to Mark Sharnoff, the new M.A. degree in physics and astronomy will require 30 graduate credits but will include no extended research, no formal thesis and no exit exam. Sharnoff told the senators that the master of science degree, which has been offered by his department for 40 years, frequently takes recipients 4.9 years to complete, whereas the new program could be completed in five or fewer semesters by individuals on a part-time basis.
Senators voted unanimously to give permanent status to the Family Nurse Practitioner Program, which has graduated 36 students and awarded 17 post-master certificates since its creation in 1993. All the graduates have passed their national certification exams on their first attempts.
No objections were raised to granting the women's studies major permanent status. Faculty and staff from three colleges and 15 academic departments have participated in the program, which has graduated 56 majors and 267 minors since 1993.
Membership on the Committee on Rules was changed from election to appointment. The committee now consists of the secretary of the Senate, who acts as chairperson, and four other members chosen from current and past members of the senate, who will serve two-year, staggered terms. A resolution condemning the recent shutdown of the Baha'i Institute of Higher Education by the Iranian government was passed by the senate.
