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Sept. 20, 2004 Volume 29, Issue 8 |
Senators approve IHL credit-hour cut, call for limit
During a very busy first meeting of the 2004-05 school year, members of the Robert Holland Faculty Senate weighed in on a new state College Board proposal that would reduce the number of credit hours necessary for students to receive undergraduate degrees.
During the summer, the College Board first announced its planned cut in credit-hour requirements for all degrees to 124 hours or less in every case possible.
"Most of our neighboring states have policies that set the number of credit hours between 120 and 128," IHL commissioner David Potter explained in July. "This proposal will encourage universities to operate more cost effectively, which will ultimately translate into savings for the state and better service for our students."
Tennessee, Florida and Virginia are among states that already have reduced required credit-hours to 120.
In their 31-10 vote at the September session, members of the MSU administrative advisory body approved the high-end of the College Board proposal but recommended that the cutback not go below 120 hours.
A second part of the senate vote approved a reduction in the number of University Core Curriculum hours in order to give more flexibility to departments and colleges in dealing with the anticipated changes.
Specifically, the approved senate motion reads:
- That a maximum of 124 semester hours-unless accreditation for certification requires more-and a minimum of 120 semester hours be required for baccalaureate programs; and
- That the number of hours of the University Core Curriculum be reduced from 45 to 36, through the elimination of three hours each of the computer literacy, speech and junior/senior writing requirements.
Prior to the vote, senators were reminded by Academic Affairs Committee Chair Lou D'Abramo of Wildlife and Fisheries, immediate past senate president Walter Diehl of Biological Sciences, and others involved in the formulating of what became the final motion that the UCC reductions won't mean an institutional elimination of the three requirement areas.
"The college and/or department will be responsible for designating the procedures by which these proficiencies will be met," said Diehl in his preface to a slightly amended motion that ultimately became the final version. "Although the elimination of these courses composing the core curriculum of the university has been proposed, the courses can still be included as part of the required courses within a baccalaureate program."
If approved next year by the College Board, the new policy would not go into effect until the 2007 fall semester or later.
The September senate meeting concluded with the unanimous approval of a resolution expressing the representative body's condolences at the recent fire-related tragedy at the University of Mississippi. Several weeks ago, three members of Ole Miss' Alpha Tau Omega social fraternity died of smoke inhalation during an early morning fire at the fraternity house. An exact cause of the fire has yet to be announced.
The Robert Holland Faculty Senate "extends deepest sympathy to all [the students'] families and friends, the student body of the University of Mississippi and the entire University of Mississippi community," the resolution said.
"We sincerely hope that all of Mississippi's institutions of higher learning will rise up from this tragedy with continued efforts to protect and provide for the safety of their students," the resolution concluded.
A complete summary of these and other matters at the September meeting is available on the senate home page. Also, in time, a University Television Center-developed video replay of the meeting will be available for viewing at the senate site.