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A proposal from Provost Bobby Gempesaw to University Senate's executive committee Jan. 30 requests that Senate consider creating a new academic division for the regional campuses.
This proposal follows recommendations from two university committees and also reflects goals put forth by the Ohio Board of Regents, which wants more four-year degree programs to meet local workforce needs and changing economic conditions in Southwest Ohio. The proposed model would offer flexibility to the regionals to develop those programs.
The Senate executive committee decided Jan. 30 to ask the Academic Policy Committee to study the provost’s proposal and to provide the Senate, through the executive committee, a report for the Senate’s deliberation and action, said Steven DeLue, chair of Senate’s executive committee. “We also request that the recently formed regional campus faculty committee provide its recommendations in coordination with the Academic Policy Committee.”
Both reports should be to the Senate by April 9, 2012.
The new division would have authority to develop new degrees and programs following the same procedure used by other academic divisions, and it would continue to collaborate with Oxford divisions in enhancing teaching, research and outreach partnerships.
New faculty may be hired through the new academic division but there could also be joint appointments between Oxford divisions and the new academic division. Current faculty members on the regional campuses would continue to be tenured and promoted within their current departments.
The complete proposal can be found online at www.muohio.edu/rcp.
The 2009 Regional Campus Committee recommended that “the University re-envision the regional campus(es) as a location of baccalaureate degrees and baccalaureate completion degrees designed to assist the economic and cultural development of the region. Degrees offered on the regional campus(es) should be distinct in name and requirements from those on the Oxford campus. They should include degrees that serve a broader, place-bound population and address state initiatives from the Chancellor and Ohio Board of Regents.”
The 2010 Strategic Priorities Task Force report stated that “The primary mission of these (regional) campuses is no longer a focus on the first two years of a baccalaureate degree. Their mission continues to move toward increasing the availability of affordable degree opportunities that can be fully completed on these campuses.”
Following complete evaluation and discussion, the proposal will go to Miami’s board of trustees at its April 27, 2012, meeting.
More information is at www.muohio.edu/rcp.
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