By Diana McElfresh
Editor-In-Chief
A health science major will have to wait at least another two weeks before it has a chance to be voted on.
Faculty senators tabled a motion to vote on the new health science undergraduate major at their meeting last Friday, following several hours of deliberation.
The delay resulted from concerns raised by senators representing the science department.
“I want to make sure that we are really speaking here for the science faculty,” said Anne Foerst, Ph.D., computer science professor and science representative for Faculty Senate.
Foerst explained in an interview that the program will initially be headed under the School of Education with several cognate courses in the science department.
“Currently, the chem and bio labs are overcrowded,” Foerst said. “If we would have any more incoming freshman next year, we couldn’t handle it. So there has to be a clear commitment that we get additional faculty and additional lab space.”
She added that the new core curriculum will likely strain the department’s resources, as well.
Foerst noted that chair of the health sciences program, Claire Watson, Ph.D, has set up meetings over the past week and into the upcoming week to ensure the science department’s issues are addressed and resolved.
Watson said that in the meetings, topics discussed include the GPA requirements for students in the program, developing further curriculum, how students will complete pre-requisite courses, and what courses will be offered in the program both next year and looking into the future.
Watson said that the program will provide students with opportunities to be immediately employed following graduation in allied health fields, which encompass biology and sport studies.
“At SBU, we currently have different options that a student can take for preparation for graduate studies in allied health,” Watson said. “I’d be remiss if I didn’t include the options through the psychology and as an individualized major as potential routes as well.”
Watson noted the difficulties of passing the proposed curriculum through all the schools.
“It’s great to have collaboration, but with this many interdisciplinary stakeholders, it is difficult to have all of the parties agree,” she said.
In the Faculty Senate meeting, Watson said that the program is running slightly behind in the recruiting cycle.
“It might seem a little expeditious, but we’re trying to get everything into New York State so we can start recruiting,” Watson said.
Maureen Cox, Ph.D., professor of mathematics, voiced concerns at the meeting. She suggested that market research be done on the program to ensure it will pay off for the school.
Joe Zimmer, Ph.D., provost, said the market research wouldn’t be able to be done by December – when the program must be passed in order for the school to be able to advertise the program for the 2017-2018 school year.
Zimmer said that the program doesn’t have a full guarantee — but he believes that the payoff will be worth it.
“I can’t tell you people will come here for this program,” Zimmer said. “ (But) I have had assurances from Bernie Valento that many, many students will come here for this program.”
Zimmer added that classes in health science could be offered without adding faculty to the university.
“We accept that this is a work in progress,” Watson said. “It’s essential that we allay these concerns in hopes of offering a new major that can attract prospective students to SBU that aspire to excel in health careers.”
The motion will be reexamined on Friday, Nov. 18 at the Faculty Senate’s next meeting.
mcelfrdh14@bonaventure.edu
