Faculty Senate
Faculty Senate approves new 4+1 program in historic preservation
Editor's note: For more detailed information, including meeting minutes, visit the Faculty Senate website.
9:46 a.m., March 8, 2013--The University of Delaware Faculty Senate approved the establishment of a new 4+1 bachelor of arts in public policy/master of arts in historic preservation degree program in the School of Public Policy and Administration during its regular meeting, held Monday, March 4, in Gore Hall.
The program allows a student to earn a bachelor’s degree in public policy and a master's degree in historic preservation in five full-time years of study.
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Provost’s report
University Interim Provost Nancy Brickhouse updated senators on the latest admissions numbers for the Class of 2017, a campus master plan for resource use and the search for a new dean for the College of Engineering.
“Our admissions office is in the throes of finalizing its decisions on the 24,000-plus applications we have received for admission to UD,” Brickhouse said. “The qualifications of the honor students to be admitted are the highest ever.”
Brickhouse also noted that the diversity of the incoming class continues to improve in terms of both underrepresented minority students and international students.
“It is clear that our admissions office is taking a very strong leadership role in enhancing diversity,” Brickhouse said. “We can be equally confident that we have the right systems in place so that students are successful when they get here.”
To enhance this effort, a Student Success and Retention workgroup has been convened and will be led by Ann Ardis, interim deputy provost, Brickhouse said.
“In particular, the questions they are addressing include assessment of the inventory of our current programs and what we have in the way of activities and programs to support this mission,” Brickhouse said. “They will also be looking at our data collecting and practices in this area, and they are going to conduct an audit of our enrollment management.”
A new campus master plan will focus on coordinating current information and assessing resource use, Brickhouse said.
“We need to update some key benchmark data that will help us in terms of assessing our needs,” Brickhouse said. “Right now, what we are largely doing is collecting information. When we begin the process of strategic planning next year, the two efforts will be very close aligned.”
Brickhouse also noted that the search process for finding a new dean for the College of Engineering continues.
“The list of candidates has been whittled down,” Brickhouse said. “We anticipate the final candidates will be selected this April, with the first on-campus interview in May.”
Regular agenda
Senators approved the establishment of an honors degree in the medical diagnostics major, effective Sept. 1.
Also passed was a resolution approving the new numbering system referring to individual policies of the existing Faculty Handbook.
Senate action
A proposal to add a new master’s degree in speech language pathology was removed from the agenda at the request of Faculty Senate President Sheldon Pollack for further review.
Pollack also noted that the Faculty Senate will be holding two open hearings in March, including:
- The University Faculty Senate Coordinating Committee on Education open hearing for the discussion of the revised online education policy at the University of Delaware. The hearing will be held from 4-5 p.m., Monday, March 11, in 104 Gore Hall.
- The University Faculty Senate Committee on Undergraduate Studies had announced an open hearing for the discussion of grade forgiveness at the University of Delaware. The hearing will be held from 3-4 p.m., Monday, March 18, in 104 Gore Hall.
Consent agenda
During the consent agenda portion of the meeting, senators approved several items including requests to revise majors in apparel design, fashion merchandising, Russian studies, exercise science and all concentrations and elementary teacher education.
Requests for revisions for bachelor of arts majors in mathematical sciences, mathematics education and mathematics and economics were approved.
Also approved were bachelor of science majors in mathematical sciences, mathematics education, quantitative biology, mathematics and economics, cognitive science, accounting and neuroscience.
Requests for revisions for minors in music management studies, Black American studies, Japanese, sexuality and gender studies and educational studies were approved.
Senators also passed a request to add minors in environmental sustainability, environmental humanities and Arabic. Also approved were requests to add or revise concentrations in pre-physician assistant, American politics, environmental biological and chemical processes, global studies, law, politics and theory, and politics, groups and identities.
Requests for revisions for graduate courses approved by the senate include mechanical engineering (Ph.D.), education program (Ph.D.), and master’s programs in human nutrition, mechanical engineering program policy, human development and family studies, and teaching.
The next meeting of the UD Faculty Senate is scheduled for 4 p.m., Monday, April 1, in 104 Gore Hall. Preceding the regular meeting will be a general faculty meeting to be held at 3:30 p.m., in the same location.
For more information, visit the Faculty Senate website.
Article by Jerry Rhodes