Is Academics headed for a major change?

The Pipeline has been hearing rumblings from various corners of campus about a major shake-up in Academics for months now. There had been whispers about departments moving around, departments getting split up, and whole schools being overhauled. But nothing was ever definite....all just rumor and conjecture.

Well it still isn't official yet, but now at least there is a concrete document from VP of Academics Liz Hitch's office that lays out some of the plans. If even half of this stuff actually happens (it looks like it probably will) it will be the biggest change the campus has seen in many years. Check it out:

Organizational Redesign for Academic Affairs (doc)

The document is dated October 8 but the footer at the bottom of each page says September 20. We know that Hitch sent an e-mail to some faculty and staff that included this link recently.

As for what is going to happen, we will let you read the document yourself. But if you are really lazy here is the list of substantial changes listed in the report:


1. Aviation, Emergency Services, Fine and Performing Arts, Social Sciences, and Health Science become schools reporting to a dean.

2. There are no substantial changes in the School of Education.

3. Forensic Science moves to Biology.

4. The School of Business will divide the Department of Management into two smaller groups.

6. The School of Business will send Criminal Justice faculty to the department of Anthropology/Sociology in the School of Language and Social Sciences.

7. The School of Business will assume Culinary Arts faculty in hospitality management.

8. The College of General Academics will be renamed “University College.”

9. University College will include remedial programs as well as programs for high academic achievers, such as Honors, Debate, Integrated Studies and Humanities.

10. Speech Communication faculty from the current Communication Department will be assigned to the University College as a core academic skill. The debate program will be housed in or near Honors.

11. Honors will be in University College.

12. A centralized Graduate Office will be formed in the VPAA office.

13. ESL goes to the School of Adult and Continuing Education.

14. Turning Point, Wee Care, Women in Technology, and other appropriate programs that provide student services go to Student Services.


In other words...big changes. There is way more to this story, but we'll save that for future posts.

Dental Hygiene bachelor proposal goes to Regents

UVSC's Dental Hygiene program has been offering 2-year associate degrees for almost ten years. Earlier this month the school's Board of Trustees approved a new 4-year bachelor's program.


UVSC degree options open wide
College sends plan for a bachelor's in dental hygiene to state board
(Deseret Morning News, October 17 2007)

Currently in Utah only Weber State offers a bachelor's degree in Dental Hygiene. Of course the state's Board of Regents will need to give the final word on UVSC's proposal. There is a Regents meeting scheduled for October 24 at Utah State...no word if this item will be on the agenda yet, but we assume it will be

Today On Campus: Wednesday • 10/17/07

SUBSTANCE ABUSE FAIR
10:00am - 2:00pm
Hall of Flags
Free

UV UNPLUGGED
11am - 1pm
Student Center
Free

WRITING A BETTER BUSINESS PLAN WORKSHOP
6:00pm - 8:00pm
WB118
Free
For more info click here

Each weekday during the fall and spring semesters The Pipeline publishes "Today on Campus" which outlines events at UVSC. To notify us of an event send details to uvscpipeline@gmail.com

Today On Campus: Tuesday • 10/16/07

First day of Second Block Classes

"WHAT'S AT STAKE IN IRAQ FOR AMERICA?" WITH OMAR KADER
11:30am - 12:45pm
LC 243 (Faculty Seminar Room)
Free
For more info click here

SUBSTANCE ABUSE FAIR
10:00am - 2:00pm
Hall of Flags
Free

Each weekday during the fall and spring semesters The Pipeline publishes "Today on Campus" which outlines events at UVSC. To notify us of an event send details to uvscpipeline@gmail.com

Dreams of a green campus

The Pipeline is not much for sentimentality so when we decided to participate in this year's Blog Action Day it was because we had something very specific in mind.

This year's theme is the environment and it just so happens that The Pipeline has been researching some ideas that would make UVSC a leader in Green Technologies, and at the same time revitalize the school's diminishing Trades program.

Imagine a construction program that featured the latest resources in Green technology, LEED certification, and hands-on experience in environmental projects. Imagine an automotive department that valued MPG over MPH.

For the past five years the administration has been pushing the trades program to look more like a college and less like a trade school. All the while UVSC's traditional trades programs, such as welding, have diminished; losing market share to cheaper alternatives like the Mountainlands Applied Technology Center.

It is is time to cut off programs that refuse to innovate, and replace them with programs that feature green technologies. UVSC's trades graduates would be in high demand in an expanding industry that is in desperate need of qualified LEED craftsmen. Why not prepare students for this opportunity?

And what better place for students to practice using these new materials and techniques than right here on campus. Many colleges across the country have completed retrofitting projects that have brought their facilities up to LEED's gold standard. Why not UVSC? Students from our programs could work side by side with contractors, learning these techniques and gaining valuable hands-on experience.

Today On Campus: Monday • 10/15/07

Fall First Block Classes End

CREATING TESTS AND USING ALTERNATIVE FORMS OF ASSESSMENT
11:30am - 1:00 pm
LC 243
FREE
Faculty Center for Teaching Excellence

Interpol Concert
7:00pm - 10:00pm
Ticket Prices: GA Floor = $30.00, Lower Bowl = $27.00
More info and to buy tickets click here




Each weekday during the fall and spring semesters The Pipeline publishes "Today on Campus" which outlines events at UVSC. To notify us of an event send details to uvscpipeline@gmail.com

USA Today and Deseret Morning News get trial run on campus

UVSC news junkies have been enjoying their free copies of the New York Times for over two years now, and now USA Today and the Deseret Morning News will join the battle for students' attention.

Starting this Monday and for the next four weeks (though we have also heard it might be six weeks) students will be able to pick up free copies of both papers. Students will be surveyed and the school will decide if it wants to foot the bill on a regular basis.

Not everyone is thrilled about USA Today's colorful coverage...one dean equated it to Marvel Comics. But serious news watchers will be happy to know that the Times will still be around.

One administrator said he is hoping that the costs of all these publications (perhaps even the Wall Street journal for business students) will be added to the school's general budget. Right now the subscription fee is rolled into student fees.

Now all we need is a better recycling system for all these newspapers.

UVSC College Times gets new website

Our friends over at the College Times have sloughed off their old website and have just launched www.uvcollegetimes.com.

Not everything is working just yet, but it looks nice and should provide a lot more functionality. The RSS feed isn't operational right now, but we'll add it to our feeds when it is.

One problem is the fact that the name UVCollegeTimes will soon be anachronistic.

UVSC bucks statewide trend with positive enrollment numbers

The state Board of Education has released enrollment numbers for Utah's public colleges and universities, and while overall the numbers are flat UVSC gained the most students and had the second highest percentage of growth over last fall's numbers.

Enrollment remains flat at Utah colleges
Recruitment to become more competitive as numbers stay steady
(Salt Lake Tribune, October 12 2007)

While this news is no big surprise for UVSC, it is nice to see what numbers other schools are posting. Here are the headcounts for all nine schools:

U of U: 27,685 -2.15%
USU: 21,455 +1.10%
Weber: 17,089 -1.16%
SUU: 6,410 +4.94%
Snow: 3,202 -9.65%
Dixie: 5,209 -2.43%
CEU: 1,799 -3.95%
UVSC: 20,959 +3.44%
SLCC: 23,824 +0.01%

Higher Ed
Total: 127,632 -0.09%

If that number seems a little low for UVSC, who usually boasts of having 24,000 students we can only assume the state is not counting high school students taking in concurrent enrollment classes.

School of Business to get new name and a load of money

While no one on campus is willing to go on record, it seems everyone is flapping their lips about a huge donation coming to UVSC's business school next week.

Large gift to UVSC's school of business
(Daily Herald, October 12 2007)

The Herald is reporting that the gift will be between $15-20 million, and come courtesy of the Woodbury family. As part of the donation the School of Business will change it's name, probably to something like the Woodbury School of Business. Again, no one on campus is being quoted on the particulars here, so we will probably have to wait until the official announcement on October 19.

The School of Business currently resides in the Woodbury Business Building on campus. No word yet if some of the donated money will be allocated to improving the aging structure, but the school's master plan does indicate eventual expansion.

The Woodbury's have also donated space at their University Mall for the Woodbury Art Museum.

No word if uber-philanthropist Ira Fulton will match this huge gift. The Arizona homebuilder has matched other major gifts this year, including Brent Brown's $1 million donation for the school's baseball facility, and just last week he matched the $1 million donation from Clyde Companies Inc.

Today On Campus: Friday • 10/12/07

Fall Break (Faculty and Students)

MAKE A WISH, MAKE IT HAPPEN! WOMEN ENTREPRENEUR CONFERENCE
9:00am - 3:00pm
Center Stage
$65
http://www.uvsc.edu/sbdc/workshops



Each weekday during the fall and spring semesters The Pipeline publishes "Today on Campus" which outlines events at UVSC. To notify us of an event send details to uvscpipeline@gmail.com

Today On Campus: Thursday • 10/11/07

Fall Break (students)

ENTREPRENEUR CLUB LECTURE NIGHT: MICHAEL STEBINGER
6:30pm - 7:30pm
WB 240
Free
www.uvsc.edu/eclub

Each weekday during the fall and spring semesters The Pipeline publishes "Today on Campus" which outlines events at UVSC. To notify us of an event send details to uvscpipeline@gmail.com

Today On Campus: Wednesday • 10/10/07

DR. CARL BLACK SEMINAR FOR HEALTH PROFESSION STUDENTS
12:00pm - 1:00pm
SC 213b
Free

BIKERS AGAINST CHILD ABUSE (B.A.C.A.)
6:00pm - 7:00pm
Grande Ballroom
Free

COUNTRY DANCE
9:00pm - Midnight
UVSC Ballroom
$3 w/college ID
Ladies FREE until 9:30pm


THE CLOTHESLINE PROJECT
8:00am - 8:00pm
Grande Ballroom
Free
Clothesline


Each weekday during the fall and spring semesters The Pipeline publishes "Today on Campus" which outlines events at UVSC. To notify us of an event send details to uvscpipeline@gmail.com

President Sederburg recovering from knee surgery

It is not uncommmon for UVSC president Bill Sederburg to mention tennis when speaking to large groups. He'll usually make some good-natured joke about a guest politician's game or lack there of. And he usually alludes to the fact that his bum knee keeps him from playing better. Last Friday Big Bill went under the knife to repair a torn meniscus.

UVSC pres. undergoes knee surgery
(Daily Herald, October 9 2007)

Here is hoping the next time he needs a folksy introduction he forgoes the old tennis stories and just shows everyone his gnarly scars.

Local big wigs discuss the future of UVSC

This past Monday UVSC hosted a pow-wow with leaders from the state and local government , as well as business leaders and educators from throughout Utah County.


Leaders look at role of UVSC
Identity issues involving school, region discussed
(Deseret Morning News, October 9 2007)

One of the most interesting facts brought up during the meeting was this one:
For instance, Hispanic students are the majority in seven of Provo's 11 elementary schools, said RaDene Hatfield, president-elect of the Provo Council PTA.

A few months back there was an article in the Daily Herald said that all of UVSC's recruitment material was also available in Spanish. There were some in the community who complained that students should be able to speak English before going to college.

More minority students going to college
(Daily Herald, August 4 2007)

Clearly if UVSC is going to continue to meet the needs of the community it will need to reach out to Hispanic students and their parents (for who the Spanish recruitment material was intended for).

Today On Campus: Tuesday • 10/9/07

THIRD ANNUAL SYMPOSIUM ON THE DEATH PENALTY
10:00am Tom Brunker, Utah Assistant Attorney General. Death-Penalty Litigation after the Conviction and Sentence.
11:30am Hugo Bedau, Professor of Philosophy, Emeritus, Tufts University. The Current and Future Status of the Death Penalty in America.
1:00pm Bud Welch, Father of Oklahoma City Bombing Victim. From Rage to Reconciliation.
2:30pm Panel Discussion
4:00pm Book Signing
SC 206bc
Free

FINDING VOICE: THE MUSIC OF UTAH BATTERED WOMEN
7:00pm - 8:30pm
Grande Ballroom
Free

THE CLOTHESLINE PROJECT
8:00am - 8:00pm
Grande Ballroom
Free
Clothesline



Each weekday during the fall and spring semesters The Pipeline publishes "Today on Campus" which outlines events at UVSC. To notify us of an event send details to uvscpipeline@gmail.com

Today On Campus: Monday • 10/8/07

THIRD ANNUAL SYMPOSIUM ON THE DEATH PENALTY
10:00am - 4:30pm
11:00am Nils Christie, Professor of Criminology, University of Oslo. Conditions for Not Killing Other People
12:00pm Rob Johnson, Professor of Justice, Law ans Society, American University. Life Without Parole, America's Other Death Penalty.
1:00pm Margaret VanDiver, Professor of Criminology, University of Memphis. Families of Homocide Victims and the Death Penalty.
2:00pm Student Debate
SC 206bc
Free

OPEN MIC NIGHT
Each open mic reading will feature a guest author, then open the mic for all readers to share five minutes or less of poetry, prose, plays, language art, or music.
6:30pm - 8:30pm
SC206a
Free

Each weekday during the fall and spring semesters The Pipeline publishes "Today on Campus" which outlines events at UVSC. To notify us of an event send details to uvscpipeline@gmail.com