From
the Trustees Docket
Penn State Intercom......July
26, 2001
University enters final year of current strategic plan
Now in the final year of its five-year strategic plan, the University is reflecting on the results that have emerged over the past few years, and focusing on the next cycle of planning activities.
"Strategic planning continues to improve Penn State's efficiency, effectiveness and our joint sense of purpose in creating academic excellence," Rodney Erickson, executive vice president and provost, told the Board of Trustees on July 16.
The strategic plan, "Academic Excellence: Planning for the 21st Century," is a 34-page document that contains goals and strategies to strengthen the core missions of Penn State and move it into the year 2002. The overarching goals of the plan include enhancing academic excellence and enriching the educational experience of Penn State students, building a more considerate and civil community, and serving people -- while identifying new revenue sources and reducing costs. Erickson told the board that these remain clear goals for the University to pursue in the coming years.
For the full story, visit http://www.psu.edu/ur/2001/bot17jul01goals.html.
World Campus launches online MBA program
The Board of Trustees approved an online MBA degree on July 17. The Penn State Intercollege Master's in Business Administration (iMBA) represents a collaboration among business faculty from Penn State Erie, Penn State Great Valley, Penn State Harrisburg and The Smeal College of Business Administration.
The iMBA courses are designed and taught by a University-wide faculty group and will be delivered through Penn State's World Campus. John Fizel, professor of economics at Penn State Erie, is interim iMBA chair.
For the full story, visit http://www.psu.edu/ur/2001/bot17jul01imba.html.
Board approves IST building plans
The Board of Trustees on July 17 approved final plans for the new building on the University Park campus that willhouse the School of Information Sciences and Technology (IST) and the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, and authorized the University to obtain bids and award contracts for the project.
The IST Building will contain state-of-the-art classrooms as well as experimental labs and other facilities allowing faculty and students to teach and learn in immersive environments via high-end simulation. It is designed by Rafael Viñoly/Perfido Weiskopf Joint Venture of New York and Pittsburgh, and has a total project budget of $56.9 million.
For the full story, check the Web at http://www.psu.edu/ur/2001/bot17jul01ist.html.
MBNA building, other projects OK'd
The Board of Trustees on July 17 approved final plans for the new MBNA Career Services Building and additions to the Nittany and Eisenhower parking decks, all at the University Park campus, and authorized the University to obtain bids and award contracts for the projects.
For the full story, visit http://www.psu.edu/ur/2001/bot17jul01miscopp.html
Junker Center named at Penn State Erie
The Board of Trustees on July 17 approved naming the new athletic facility at Penn State Erie in recognition of Trustee Edward P. "Ted" Junker III, his wife Barbara Frederick Junker and their family.
The Athletics and Recreation Center honors the Junkers' long-standing commitment and generosity to Penn State, especially their support of Penn State Erie's athletics program, which they endowed with a major gift in 1997. Erie residents, Ted and Barbara Junker graduated from the University in 1959 and 1957, respectively.
Ted Junker has been a University Trustee since 1986 and served as chairman of the board from 1998 to 2001. He is a director and past chair of the Council of Fellows at Penn State Erie. He also is a volunteer leader of Penn State Erie's segment of the Grand Destiny campaign and serves as a member of the campaign's steering committee.
For the full story, visit http://www.psu.edu/ur/2001/bot17jul01junker.html.
Information on
Undergraduate Programs
Altoona College
Option in Information Systems in the associate degree program in business administration: Change in name from Option in Management Information Systems
The name change will bring this option into consistent usage with the Information Sciences and Technology program, which shares similar courses.
Capital College
Major in English: Change in name from major in literature
The name change is recommended to fit into the University-wide system of English majors and will better reflect the breadth of English studies, beyond literature, that the revised major will cover as well as the potential career paths that will be open to English graduates. In addition, the requirements will use English courses and be more easily transferred throughout the University.
Experimental psychology option and psychological services option in the psychology major: New options
The psychology major offers two options from which students may choose. The option in psychological services is designed to provide experiences to facilitate the transition to the work force for students planning to seek employment at entry level positions in careers such as human services, applied behavioral fields or resource management. In this option, applied and hands-on courses are required to foster development of clinical and counseling skills.
The option in experimental psychology is designed to prepare students for graduate education, particularly on the doctoral level. Assisting faculty members in research is strongly encouraged in this option.
Interdisciplinary humanities major: Change in name from general humanities major
The name change will more accurately express its nature and updates the curriculum to incorporate all current University requirements for baccalaureate degrees. It also demonstrates how general education courses fit into this major, and to accommodate the four-year look as Capital College moves toward integrating its Schuylkill and Harrisburg campuses and programs.
College of Communications/
School of Information Sciences and Technology
Information sciences and technology for telecommunications joint minor: New minor
This joint minor provides an opportunity for faculty in each program to collaborate toward a productive outcome through shared teaching and research agendas, as well as offers students an opportunity to examine the opportunities and challenges presented by convergence of telecommunications and information processing. This convergence offers more convenient and economical services, but also raised a variety of management issues in legal, regulatory, political, socio-economic and technological compliance.
College of Health and Human Development/
School of Information Sciences and Technology
Information sciences and technology in hotel, restaurant and institutional management joint minor: New minor
The Internet and associated technologies have become vital communications channels for hospitality professionals and will continue to be an area of strength in the future. This joint minor will provide an important vehicle for the integration of information technology with hospitality management on an international level. The development of application domain-based minors in Information Sciences and Technology is one mechanism by which the school is responding to its mandate to make these minors available to students majoring in other disciplines.