Board Approves Degree Programs, Certificates, Snow Removal Services

By Jeff Murphy, December 17, 2018

WARRENSBURG, MO – Approval of new bachelor’s and master’s degrees and two certificate programs, as well as a  0.5 percent increase in the administrative fee for Alumni Foundation funds functioning as endowments were among items approved by the University of Central Missouri Board of Governors when it met on campus Dec. 7.

Information about the administrative fee for Alumni Foundation funds was presented by Bill Hawley, interim chief financial officer, and Bill Estes, interim vice president for university advancement. They noted that increasing the administrative fee for Alumni Foundation funds from the current 1 percent to 1.5 percent will provide needed resources for fundraising efforts, staff, and improvement of staff retention efforts. The fee increase includes the hiring of two new entry-level positions to work with donor relations and university events/young alumni relations. It also will provide needed funds to enhance staff performance and retention as well as the overall organizational performance of the Alumni Foundation. The fee increase has been endorsed by the Alumni Foundation Board, and following Board of Governors’ approval, becomes effective Jan. 1, 2019.

Supporting academic program opportunities, the board approved the establishment of a new Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology within the School of Nutrition, Kinesiology and Psychological Science in the College of Health, Science and Technology. The new degree will become effective for fall 2019, pending approval of the Missouri Department of Higher Education/Coordinating Board of Higher Education. The degree program includes five areas: Area 1 – Exercise Science; Area 2 Corporate Fitness (current options with BS in Physical Education); Area 3 – Pre-Athletic Training; Area 4 – Pre-Occupational Therapy; and Area 5 – Pre-Physical Therapy (current BS in Health Studies degree).

The new degree and core curriculum, which more clearly defines which professional avenues are available to students, is expected to generate increased interest and enrollment in the degree.  It also has a stronger science core and will help students prepare for careers in the rehabilitation sciences or for advanced degrees.

A new Master of Science in Education in English Language Learners (ELL) program was approved, and becomes effective in fall 2019 pending MDHE/CBHE approval. Housed in the College of Education, the program will help UCM meet a variety of local and international needs for qualified English language teachers. The first program track, the MSE in ELLS, is designed in response to many regional and rural school districts which have expressed a need for qualified teachers trained in working with culturally and linguistically diverse students. The second track is designed for teachers who desire to teach English as a foreign language.

Board members approved a new Advertising minor program to be housed in the Harmon College of Business and Professional Studies Division of Business Strategy. It is a partnership between the Marketing, Public Relations, and Graphics programs, and responds to a need expressed by program advisory boards to meet a demand from employers who seek graduates with a business acumen and creative skills necessary to fill positions in the advertising arena. It becomes effective in fall 2019.

A certificate in Apparel and Textiles Merchandising was approved. It aligns with the Apparel, Textile, and Design pathway that was recently added by the state of Missouri as a program within the high school Family and Consumer Sciences curriculum. The goal of the high school pathway is to prepare students for higher education or the workforce in fields related to apparel and textiles after taking a series of courses in high school. Students who complete the degree will be good candidates to continue as fashion majors at UCM, or other similar degree programs, therefore, helping with recruitment, retention, and degree completion. This program must now obtain MDHE/CBHE approval before it can become effective in fall 2019.

Board members approved a new 18-credit-hour graduate certificate aimed at providing agriculture educators coursework they need to establish dual credit credentials required under the CBHE Dual Credit Policy. Under this policy, all high school dual credit instructors who have a master’s degree outside of their primary area of teaching are required to have at least 18 credit hours of graduate level coursework in that area of specialty to continue teaching their course for dual credit through higher education institutions. Many high school teachers who typically have agriculture education degrees will be unable to offer dual credit courses that are relevant to the curriculum in four-year agriculture science programs. This graduate certificate program provides coursework needed to achieve this credential in hybrid format courses offered exclusively in the summer to accommodate in-service teachers’ schedules.

The development of the coursework and a 75 percent tuition scholarship for selected secondary educators is funded by a $150,000 United States Department of Agriculture-National Institute of Food and Agriculture grant. The project is titled “Certificate to Teach Agriculture: Graduate Certification for Agriculture Dual Credit Teachers.” About 80 percent of the grant goes to pay tuition costs for students.

In other business, the board approved a request to revise the Bachelor of Science in Occupational Education (BSOE) to an expanded Bachelor of Science in Educational Studies and Training that will serve additional stakeholders. The current BSOE is a statewide degree that serves career and technical education (CTE) public education teachers. It is a 2+2 degree articulated with Missouri’s community colleges, and also allows for documented workplace credit for eligible experiences. The current BSOE as articulated however, cannot effectively serve other CTE- or education-based populations, such as active duty military personnel, military veterans, business and industry trainers, international educators/industry trainers who do not need Missouri teaching credentials, and current teacher education majors who have decided to pursue business and industry employment rather than public education. The new degree will still meet the needs of current BSOE students, but also be expanded to serve these individuals. It will allow them to apply their professional education coursework, thus allowing them to pursue their professional certificate later in their careers if they choose to do so.  This change is slated for fall 2019, pending CBHE approval.

The board authorized the university to enter agreements with Wetzel Concrete LLC, Leeton; Postoak Agribusiness, Knob Noster; and Richter Excavation and Plumbing, Warrensburg, to provide snow removal services on an as-needed basis for one year, for the period, Dec. 12, 2018 through Nov. 30, 2019, with four one-year renewal options. This will help the university to clear parking lots in a timely manner during inclement weather.