From the Trustee Docket
Penn State Intercom......November 27, 2002

Changes approved for
undergraduate, graduate programs

The Board of Trustees on Nov. 22 heard of the following program and curriculum changes at both the undergraduate and graduate level.

Undergraduate programs

Berks-Lehigh Valley College

* Professional writing minor at Penn State Berks and Penn State Lehigh Valley: New minor

The minor in professional writing is intended to prepare students from all degree programs within the Berks-Lehigh Valley College to write effectively in a variety of workplace and academic settings. Theory courses provide the necessary background to help students understand and appreciate the larger issues surrounding the writing and reading of texts. In addition, applied courses focus on the skills demanded in professional schools and graduate programs. Most of the required courses address writing in electronic formats, including writing for the Web, multimedia authoring and digital publishing. This instruction will provide both the technological tools for producing effective documents as well as a critical perspective for examining and analyzing the significance of the current information culture.

College of the Liberal Arts

* Bachelor of science degree in archaeological science: New program

* Archaeological science degree in biological anthropology: New program

The biological anthropology degree provides the opportunity to develop a strong foundation in research methods, quantification and laboratory science. It prepares students with the skills and competencies needed to pursue graduate study or careers in professions associated with biological anthropology. This program builds upon existing strength in biological anthropology, which has been the strongest sub-discipline in the Department of Anthropology at Penn State.

The Smeal College of Business Administration

* Bachelor of science degree majors in insurance; insurance and international business; real estate; and real estate and international business: Phase-out of majors

The college intends a shift of teaching resources, where possible, from the areas of insurance and real estate to the field of finance and redeploying the IRE faculty to teach finance-attractive electives in the finance curriculum. If approved, no new students will be accepted into the majors after January 2003. No faculty positions would be lost with the phase-out since they will be redeployed in critical areas of shortage. Very few students request either insurance or real estate as their chosen majors, while an excessively large number of students are interested in the finance major.

Graduate programs

* Master of music in performance in the College of Arts and Architecture: Change in program

The proposal to change the requirements for the master of music in performance was approved by the Graduate Council at its Oct. 16 meeting. The change to the master of music in performance (orchestral instruments) makes the master's paper/lecture-recital component optional for students in the program. The change makes the University's degree program consistent with other major universities and conservatories. In addition, the program will be in compliance with the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM) guidelines.

Board of trustees met Nov. 22

The Board of Trustees held its regular, bimonthly meeting Nov. 22 in The Nittany Lion Inn on the University Park campus. During his opening remarks to the board, President Graham B. Spanier reported on the University's significant increase in minority enrollment, high standing in athletic graduation rates and several faculty research projects.

For a full transcript of his remarks, visit http://www.psu.edu/ur/2002/bot22nov02spanier.html.

University stays course
on enrollment growth

The University continues to see an upward trend in enrollment growth, setting a new record while staying within its plan of controlled and modest growth, the University's Board of Trustees learned Nov. 22.

For the full story by Tysen Kendig, visit http://www.psu.edu/ur/2002/bot22nov02enrollment.html

Efforts continue to
bolster financial aid

With roughly three in four students at Penn State receiving some level of financial assistance in attaining their degree, the role of student aid programs at the University continues to be crucial in supporting enrollments and making a Penn State education more affordable both today and in the future. Such was the focus of a Nov. 22 report to the Board of Trustees, who learned that more than 49,000 undergraduate students -- roughly 76 percent of the undergraduate student body -- received some form of financial assistance in 2001-02.

For the full story by Tysen Kendig, visit http://www.psu.edu/ur/2002/bot22nov02studentaid.html

Medical center
master plan approved

The Board of Trustees on Nov. 22 approved a campus master plan for the Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center and College of Medicine. The plan calls for approximately 832,500 square feet of new construction over the next seven to 10 years -- including new facilities for research, education, Penn State Children's Hospital, Penn State Cancer Center and a major reorganization of clinical care facilities.

For the full story by Amy Neil, visit http://www.psu.edu/ur/2002/bot22nov02hmcplan.html

Action taken on Blue Band
facility, other projects

The Board of Trustees took action Nov. 22 on proposed improvements to the physical plant at the University Park campus involving three new construction projects -- the proposed Blue Band Practice Facility, East Parking Deck and Chilled Water Facility, and an addition to and renovations of the Redifer Dining Commons.

For the full story by Gary Cramer, visit http://www.psu.edu/ur/2002/bot22nov02oppup.html

Erie property purchase,
Hazleton architect approved

The Board of Trustees on Nov. 22 approved the purchase of property adjacent to Penn State Erie for future campus enhancement, and the appointment of an architect for a facility to include a new Teaching/Learning Resource Center at Penn State Hazleton.

For the full story by Gary Cramer, visit http://www.psu.edu/ur/2002/bot22nov02oppcampuses.html

Trustees approve naming of
Huck Institutefor Life Sciences

The Board of Trustees on Nov. 22 approved naming the Life Sciences Consortium the Dorothy Foehr Huck and J. Lloyd Huck Institute for Life Sciences in recognition of the Hucks' leadership and generosity in support of the life sciences at the University.

For the full story by Michael Bezilla, visit http://www.psu.edu/ur/2002/bot22nov02huck.html

University's charter,
standing orders revised

The Board of Trustees on Nov. 22 approved a revision to Penn State's Charter and Standing Orders that provides a new process for the election of business and industry trustees.

For the full story by Allison Kessler, visit http://www.psu.edu/ur/2002/bot22nov02charter.html

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