The senate meeting on October 11 proposed three new bills to add a new major and minor and to remove a major. Two of the bills were unanimously approved and one was postponed to the November 8 meeting.
Bill 17/18-02 proposed to add a minor [track] in aquarium science within the zoo and conservation science major.
Biology and Earth Science Professor Halard Lescinsky said this would allow the program to bring about 12 more students per year into the zoo major.
"I think that's a big plus and I think providing the students another opportunity is a big plus," said Lescinsky at the senate meeting.
This bill was passed unanimously.
Another bill voted on was bill 17/18-03 which proposed to remove the Bachelor of Science in the sustainability studies major.
"This major has always been under-enrolled," said Chair of the Curriculum Committee Jenny Merkowitz,. Merkowitz said that students interested in that area now have their needs and interests met by enrolling in the new engineering major.
This bill was passed unanimously.
The last bill was 17/18-04 which proposed to add a major in art history. There is currently an art history minor in the art department, so no additional classes would be added in order to complete the major. This would also make a smoother transition for students to move on to graduate studies.
"I have a concern with this particular proposal," said President Kathy Krendl.
This bill requests a transition of an employee from an administrative line to a faculty line in order for the instructor to advise students and to make galleries and museums as learning spaces for all students, since the employee in question is one of the gallery directors.
President Krendl was also concerned that a member of academic affairs was not represented in the curriculum committee to give insight into the proposal.
The bill was postponed to the next meeting on November 8.
