The Hazards and Emergency Management certificate was approved on Monday, Dec. 2 and is proposed to enter the Geography Department in August 2014.
The decision to adopt the new certificate program was based on student and faculty interest. The program that will center on potential environmental hazards such as earthquakes or flooding. The addition of the certificate into the U’s curriculum create the first Hazards and Emergency Management certificate in the state. The program will require 18-19 credit hours for completion.
The University Writing Program also submitted a proposal to become a department at the U. The proposal was passed, as well as their name change to become the Department of Writing and Rhetoric Studies.
The University Writing Program has been around since 1984 and the transition from program to department is not expected to be difficult. The new department will remain in the College of Humanities.
With the change from program to department, the Department of Writing and Rhetoric Studies will change the name of its current minor and add two majors, a BA and BS in the field.
The Academic Senate also approved a proposal to create a Student Savings AdHoc Committee in January 2014 until May 2014. The committee will try to find ways to help students save money on textbooks and will consist of 10 total members made up of students, faculty and staff.
ASUU president Sam Ortiz also gave the Academic Senate an update on the Infant Care proposal that was passed by both the ASUU Assembly and Senate in November.
“One initiative we have made significant progress with is in regards to child care,” Ortiz said.
Rachel Wootton, director of Academic Affairs and a senior in political science, gave an update about Geek Week, which is set to begin next week. Geek Week is aimed to keep students focused and reduce stress during the last two weeks of class. Geek Week will include extended library hours, yoga sessions and free study supplies.
“I think it’s really exciting,” Wootton said at the meeting.
The Academic Senate officially voted to eliminate Spring Semester’s Reading Day in order to allow more students to go to commencement. A final decision will be made by a panel later in the year on whether or not eliminating Reading Day permanently will hurt students academically. Ortiz stressed the importance of reaching a solution to help eliminate the conflict between commencement and Reading Day.
The debate over removing Reading Day was not one-sided. Many members of the Academic Senate raised concerns over the time frame. Many argued that Reading Day was removed far too late and that it could disrupt some plans. Ortiz and others argued that many students have so much on their plate that they “live semester to semester” and the change will not affect them very much.