Saturday, May 07, 2011
USI trustees meet in Evansville
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Seven baccalaureate degree programs, four master's degree programs, and two doctoral programs are in the plan for 2011-2013. Business economics, business/engineering, entrepreneurship, health informatics, industrial engineering, international business, and respiratory therapy are baccalaureate degree proposals. History, human performance, imaging sciences, and health informatics are in the proposal at the master's degree level. Doctoral degree programs in the plan are physical therapy and occupational therapy. Civil engineering, forensic science, and geography are baccalaureate degree proposals in the 2013-2015 biennium, along with master's degrees in English, environmental science, food and nutrition, and special education/exception needs and a doctoral degree in pharmacy. An electrical and computer engineering baccalaureate degree is in the plan for 2015-2017. A Diversity Committee made its annual report to the trustees. The committee was created on campus in 2007 at the direction of the Indiana General Assembly to review employment policies and processes, recommend improvements intended to increase hiring of diverse candidates, and recommend methods to increase awareness of USI's commitment to diversity. The report, which also supports the current strategic plan for the University, states the Human Relations Department will launch later this year a new recruitment platform to help review diversity-related information in an applicant pool. The committee has endorsed the updates to diversity-related advertising and recruitment messages by the University. It also has gathered information about community organizations that provide diversity-related activities and existing or possible future partnership opportunities to enhance support networks for faculty, staff, and students of diverse backgrounds. The report also cited annual events such as the International Food Expo, the Martin Luther King Memorial Luncheon, Phenomenal Women, Global Community Culture Nights, and Walk a Mile in Her Shoes among others as promoting diversity. Safe Zone training workshops to educate faculty and staff on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender (LGBT) issues and resources, a Jewish student group, and a Muslim student group are some of the new initiatives of the committee. In other business, trustees also reviewed construction change orders, projects in design, and current construction projects. Pavement replacement for University Boulevard and renovation of student housing apartments are planned for the summer. Five retirements, all effective July 1, 2012, were approved. They are: Sherry L. Boyd, associate professor of education, 23 years of service to USI. Larry F. Gries, instructor in English, 13 years Guillermo Latorre, professor of Spanish, 23 years Nancy L. Johnson, director of alumni and volunteer services, 29 years Carolyn L. Maasberg, assistant bookstore manager, 26 years The trustees also congratulated Lauren Raikes '11, a trustee and student who is graduating summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Science degree in biology this year. She served as a trustee for two years giving of her time and talent to represent the USI students. |
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