Faculty Senate voted in favor of University of Idaho’s first associate’s degree, discussed campus safety and supported curriculum changes in the schools of global studies and journalism.
Associate’s degree
Of all of Idaho’s 4-year public institutions, UI is the only one to not offer an associate’s degree.
The goal of the proposed degree is to be able to provide students who leave the university partway through their bachelor’s to still receive some sort of credentials.
“Honestly, this makes a lot of sense since we are the only university,” CLASS Interim Associate Dean Annette Folwell said.
As of now, the intent is not to recruit students for a two-year degree, but to help those who originally came in as bachelor candidates. The senate voted 19-3 in favor of the degree offering.
Green Dot
New to the role this past academic year, Violence Prevention Program Coordinator Cori Damron touched on the use of Green Dot across campus.
Damron explained that red dots are the use of one’s power to inflict harm. Green dots are actions made to help someone else, aiming to outnumber the red dots.
This metaphor is a part of the Violence Prevention Program’s training where they identify warning signs and reactive ways to counter a harmful situation.
The program also offers in-class sessions to faculty and teachings on the bystander toolbox.
Damron hopes to recruit students to attend more trainings, using merch and other trinkets to begin conversations.
“I know what it’s like to be a broke college student,” Damron said, laughing. “So a glint of something free can help.”
A safety town hall will take place Feb. 28 in the International Ballroom, leading conversations on cameras, street lighting and campus housing.
Journalism and Mass Media
The JAMM department introduced new offerings including its first graduate program and two certificates.
The Masters of Emerging Media is intended to meet the needs of employment under quickly evolving digital media. This would introduce two new, one-year faculty positions in the department.
Faculty Senate also voted in favor of introducing a Strategic Media Management Academic Certificate and a Media Production Academic Certificate.
School of Global Studies
The suggestion to move language classes to the School of Global Studies was approved by Faculty Senate. Established in 2015, the school didn’t come to fruition until 2022. Instead, classes were under the Department of Modern Languages and Culture which merged with International Studies. This change would clearly establish the school as it exists today.
The senate also saw a discussion over the requirement for study abroad for some global studies majors.
“This is really about accessibility and inclusivity,” Rachel Halverson, director of the school, said. “We don’t want someone to not select these majors because they can’t study abroad.”
Haadiya Tariq can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @haadiyatariq