By Emily Losito
News Editor
St. Bonaventure’s Board of Trustees met last Friday and Saturday to discuss ideas, issues and plans. The board mainly discussed the new strategic plan, Joseph Zimmer, Ph.D., said.
Normally the board passes the budget in June, but it was pushed back to the recent meeting, he said. Both the strategic plan and budget were passed, he added.
Although Zimmer, interim provost and vice president for academic affairs, was not privy to the executive session, he mentioned the presidential search was progressing on time.
The strategic plan initiatives presented by the cabinet officers were mostly well-received, Zimmer said.
The board talked about new programs to increase opportunities for graduates and undergraduates. Zimmer brought up the cybersecurity class that began this fall. The class has eight students; he hopes to have 20 enrolled in the class next fall.
Graduate enrollment is important and strong online programs are helping that, Zimmer said.
“Once programs get going, it’ll draw students,” Zimmer said, referring to the Military Aligned and Allied Health programs.
Veterans who are interested in pursuing higher education will be able to take advantage of the Military Aligned program.
Part of the Allied Health initiative could include classes in physical therapy.
Zimmer said Rick Trietley thinks they can recruit more than 30 and could potentially get up to 200 students for these plans.
Working on recruiting students for club sports and increasing roster for D1 athletes was also a topic of discussion amongst the board.
Zimmer said the university is trying to make changes in areas that need progress.
“What can we be, and what do we change to get there?” he asked.
The proposed core curriculum, Zimmer said, addresses issues with staffing, administration, choices for students and diversity.
He hopes the new curriculum to be available for freshmen next year. Zimmer said students can jump onto the program, but it would probably be more beneficial for upperclassmen to stick with the original plan. “They would end up having to take more classes with the new (Clare program),” he said.
The new curriculum looks mostly like the old one, Zimmer added.
New York State requires the university to have core classes students have to take like history, science and writing classes.
“I like my job because I get to see the first glimmers of hope, and I’ve been seeing a lot of glimmers,” Zimmer said.
lositoek14@bonaventure.edu
