From
the Trustee Docket
Penn State Intercom......January
23, 2003
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| The new addition and entry to the Penn Stater Conference Center Hotel are on the right in this sketch of what the 99,000 square-foot addition will look like. |
Spanier touches on variety of topics
The Board of Trustees held its regular, bimonthly meeting Jan. 17 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 budget, activities connected to the Capital One Bowl and fall commencement, student applications trends, student accomplishments and several faculty research projects. For a full transcript of his remarks, visit http://www.psu.edu/ur/2003/17jan03botspanierremarks.html .
Penn Stater to grow
The Penn Stater Conference Center Hotel, the centerpiece of Innovation Park at the University Park campus, will undergo an expansion project that will make the center more attractive for professional conferences that require ample on-site lodging facilities for their events. The University's Board of Trustees heard a report that detailed the 99,000 square-foot addition. For the full story, visit http://www.psu.edu/ur/2003/17jan03botpsaddition.html.
Final plans for SALA,
other buildings approved
The Board of Trustees approved final plans for a new School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture (SALA) Building at the University Park campus that will be the first new Penn State building designed to meet the national criteria for certification as environmentally friendly "sustainable architecture." At Penn State Erie, a new five-level student residence hall, Senat Hall, will add approximately 150 beds. At Penn State Fayette, a multi-purpose building will be built so that the University may better serve the students and other citizens of the Uniontown area. For the full story, visit http://www.psu.edu/ur/2003/17jan03botopproundup.html.
Applications increase by 10 percent
Applications to Penn State have surged another 10 percent for next year's class. Total applications for all campuses were ahead by 10 percent in early January over the same time frame last year, reported President Graham B. Spanier. Total applications to Penn State had reached 56,765 by Jan. 6, compared with 51,587 by the same date in 2002. For the full story, visit http://www.psu.edu/ur/2003/17jan03botapplica.html
Orientation sets expectations
The University conveys its expectations of new students right from the start through an intricate, yearlong orientation process. The University has developed a variety of programs, publications and policies that effectively communicate the University's expectations to these students. "Orientation is critically important because it sets the tone for the incoming students and tells them what we expect of members of the Penn State community," said Janis E. Jacobs, vice provost for Undergraduate Education and International Programs, in a report to the Board of Trustees. For the full story, visit http://www.psu.edu/ur/2003/17jan03botexpect.html
Academic integrity emphasized
Academic integrity is among the principles that are most valued at the University and over the past two years, steps have been taken to establish a stronger climate of academic integrity. "It exemplifies our respect for individual achievement -- one of the cornerstones of an academic community that has the advancement of knowledge as a primary goal," Janis E. Jacobs, vice provost for Undergraduate Education and International Programs, told the Board of Trustees. For the full story, visit http://www.psu.edu/ur/2003/17jan03botacadinteg.html.
Trustees updated on IST
More than 2,600 majors enrolled at 19 campuses, 110-plus faculty, and associate, baccalaureate and doctoral degree programs -- these are the milestones reached by the School of Information Sciences and Technology (IST) since first opening its doors in August 1999. In an informational report to the Board of Trustees, James B. Thomas, IST dean, outlined the school's success. For the full story, visit http://www.psu.edu/ur/2003/17jan03botist.html.
World Campus success blurs
on-campus, online distinctions
Successful online education programs like the World Campus are blurring the distinctions between on-campus and online learning, World Campus leaders told the Board of Trustees. For the full story, visit http://www.psu.edu/ur/2003/17jan03botworldcampus.html
Additional land leased
The Board of Trustees
approved the addition of 0.91 acres of land to the 4 acres that are being
leased at $1 per year to Alpha Community Ambulance Service. A 50-year
lease arrangement that was approved in November 2001 will enable the service
to build a new facility to better serve the Centre Region, State College
and the University Park campus. For the full story, visit http://www.psu.edu/ur/2003/17jan03botalphaland.html.
Trustees re-elect Hintz, Baldwin
Edward R. Hintz Jr., president of the New York-based private money management firm Hintz, Holman and Hecksher Inc., and Cynthia Baldwin, judge in the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas, were re-elected chairman and vice chairman, respectively, of the Board of Trustees. For the full story, visit http://www.psu.edu/ur/2003/17jan03botboardofficers.html.
Dates set for trustee election,
2004 meeting schedule
The Board of Trustees approved May 15 as the date for the delegate election of agricultural trustees and for the counting of ballots in the alumni election of board members. The board also designated May 16 as the date of the election of business and industry trustees. In other business, the board set its 2004 meeting slate, which includes the board's first official gathering in New York in addition to five regular sessions on the University Park campus. For the full story, visit http://www.psu.edu/ur/2003/17jan03botboarddates.html.
Elder, Kozol to get honorary degrees
The Board of Trustees approved the granting of honorary degrees to Glen H Elder Jr., the Odum distinguished professor in sociology and research professor of psychology at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill's Carolina Population Center, and Jonathan Kozol, best-selling author. For the full story, visit http://www.psu.edu/ur/2003/17jan03bothondeg.html.
Board approves several graduate program changes
Following
are graduate program changes approved by the board of trustees at its
Jan. 17 meeting. All changes were approved by the Graduate Council at
its Nov. 20 meeting.
n
Master of forest resources in the College of Agricultural Sciences:
change in program
The
changes to the master of forest resources degree include an increase in
the number of formal courses required for the degree and the addition
of a formal oral presentation of the master’s paper. The changes
will ensure a balance of formal courses relative to independent study
and to replace the research-oriented colloquium with a technical presentation.
The master of forest resources degree differs from the research-oriented
master of science degree in that the master of forest resources emphasized
applications, analysis and synthesis of knowledge rather than creating
new information through more traditional types of research.
n
Master of project management degree program at Penn State Erie: new
program
The
master of project management degree program offered by Penn State Erie
via the World Campus is a uniquely designed graduate program in the discipline
of project management. The master of project management degree will enable
Penn State Erie to meet the University’s goals of promoting internationalization
and outreach. The program is designed to address key areas of education
in project management in a field that is rated as one of the most significant
for future growth. In addition, the master of project management is interdisciplinary
and utilizes problem-based learning. The program is intended for individuals
in early management positions who are unable to attend a traditional resident
program and will provide a broadly diverse project management curriculum
that focuses on key project management and business themes to help them
understand the complexities of the workplace and how to manage it.
n Master
of engineering degree program in environmental engineering at Penn State
Harrisburg: new program
The
master of engineering in environmental engineering will strengthen the
environmental programs at Penn State Harrisburg. The program is a professional
degree, which fits the mission of the college and further supports the
identification of environmental quality as a major thrust of the University.
The program is intended to be a part-time program for engineers. The full
complement of environmental graduate courses needed for the program already
are offered.
n Master
of hotel, restaurant and institutional management in the College of Health
and Human Development: change in program
The master of hotel, restaurant and institutional management degree has remained virtually unchanged since 1993. During this time, changes have occurred in the management of hospitality firms. Because of these changes, the graduate program faculty has undertaken a revision of the program with the goal of making it relevant to current developments in hospitality management.