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Faculty Senate acts on 2 master’s degree programs 4:38 p.m., Dec. 6, 2006--A master's degree program in hospitality information management was awarded permanent status by the University Faculty Senate at its Dec. 4 meeting, while the provisional status of a master's degree in health services administration was extended for three years. Offered by the Department of Hotel, Restaurant and Institutional Management, the master's degree in hospitality information management focuses on finance, strategy, entrepreneurship and marketing as well as information technologies. The resolution before the senate noted that an external review team had recommended permanent status and the program had exceeded its projected enrollment goals. In a second resolution, the senate approved the recommendation of the interim director of the School of Nursing and the dean of the College of Health Sciences that the provisional master of science program in health services administration be extended for one year. The senate's graduate studies committee also noted in the resolution that two years would be needed to develop this program and a third year to accomplish updated reviews by senate committees. Senators voted unanimously for the three-year extension. Based on recommendations from senate committees on graduate and undergraduate studies, senators approved a series of changes to course names and programs. Within the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, revisions to a M.S. in wildlife ecology and an undergraduate minor in wildlife conservation were approved; the master's program in entomology and applied ecology was renamed M.S. in entomology, along with revisions to that major; the doctoral degree in entomology and applied ecology was renamed Ph.D. in entomology and wildlife ecology and two concentrations, one in entomology and one in wildlife ecology, were established. Within the College of Engineering, the bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering was revised and a biomedical engineering minor was added. In his remarks before the senate meeting, Provost Dan Rich reported that the Middle States Commission on Higher Education had praised the University's Periodic Review Report for “both its content and presentation.” The commission is the accrediting arm of the Middle States Association of Schools and Colleges and the report focused on the University's progress since the last site review in 2000-2001 and identified academic priorities and benchmarks for the next accreditation review in 2010-11. Rich also mentioned the successful launch of an academic roadmap, The Commitment to Delawareans, which was designed to help students and parents in the state plan for the courses and performance standards required for University admission and success. “No Delawarean competes with out-of-state students for a position at the University,” Rich said. “All Delaware applicants are evaluated against a standard of predicted success. The message we want to convey is that if you follow the roadmap to success provided, there will be a place for you at UD and the University will do all it can to continue to make a UD education affordable.” Turning toward UD's Study Abroad program, Rich said that the Institute of International Education ranks the University first in participation among the nation's public institutions of higher education. He said that 43 percent of UD's most recent graduating class took part in a study abroad program. Many of the colleges and universities participating in study abroad programs are private, Rich said. “Of the top 20 institutions involved in study abroad, we are the only public institution listed.” The University has invested a great deal in study abroad scholarships so that UD's program is not stratified by income, Rich said. Havidan Rodriquez, vice provost for academic affairs, told the senators that the University is initiating a new faculty fellows program associated with the Center for International Studies. A stipend of $5,000 will be awarded to individual faculty either to organize a research program abroad or to set up a conference or workshop with international speakers, he said. Rodriquez said a request for proposals will be issued soon. Article by Cornelia Weil |
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