MEMORANDUM

DATE:             May 18 –19 – 20, 2005

TO:                  Montana Board of Regents

FROM:            Roger Barber, Deputy Commissioner for Academic & Student Affairs

This memorandum is intended to inform you of the Level I changes in academic programs that have been approved in the Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education since the last meeting of the Board of Regents.  It also includes announcements that may be of interest to the Board.  If you have any questions, I would be happy to answer them with the help of my colleagues in academic affairs.

The University of Montana-Missoula:

• ITEM 127-1001+R0505:  The University of Montana-Missoula submitted a Level I request, with Level II documentation, asking permission to offer a new Option in Forensic Chemistry as part of its Bachelor of Science degree program in Chemistry.  The option will require the addition of two (2) new classes to the Chemistry curriculum.  All other courses required in the new program are currently available on The University of Montana-Missoula campus.  Graduates of the program will hopefully find employment as forensic scientists.

• ITEM 127-1002+R0505:  The University of Montana-Missoula asked permission to revise its Ph.D. program in Mathematical Sciences.  The proposed revisions will permit interested students to add Computer Science classes to their doctoral program in Mathematical Sciences, if they would like that specialization.  The Computer Science classes will not be required of all students in the doctoral degree, however.

The University of Montana-Missoula College of Technology:

• ITEM 127-1005+R0505:  The University of Montana-Missoula College of Technology asked that the name of its Computing and Electronics Department be changed to the Applied Computing and Electronics Department.  The name of the Department was changed, in a Level I memorandum at the January 2005 meeting of the Board of Regents.  Unfortunately, the name that was submitted with the paperwork in January was incorrect, and this item remedies that error.

Montana Tech of The University of Montana-Missoula:

• ITEM 127-1503+R0505:  Montana Tech of The University of Montana-Missoula submitted a Level I request, with Level II documentation, asking permission to offer a new Option in Biochemistry as part of its Bachelor of Science degree program in Chemistry.  A one-credit chemistry laboratory class and two (2) new biology classes will have to be developed by Montana Tech to implement this new option.  The remaining classes in the option are already available at the institution.  The option will be of particular interest to students who plan a career in research or professional practice in biotechnology, biomedicine or health care.

The University of Montana-Helena College of Technology:

• ITEM 119-1901-R0503:  At the July 2004 meeting of the Board of Regents, the Board approved a proposal to convert the Associate of Applied Science degree in Licensed Practical Nursing to a Certificate Program; and to establish an Associate of Science degree leading to licensure as a Registered Nurse.  The Board’s approval was conditional, however.  The program changes had to receive final approval from the Montana State Board of Nursing.  That approval occurred in late February 2005.  This announcement is included in the Level I memorandum to notify the Montana Board of Regents that the changes in the nursing program at The University of Montana-Helena College of Technology are now final and official.

Montana State University-Bozeman:

• ITEM 127-2008+R0505:  Montana State University-Bozeman asked permission to change the name of the Burns Telecommunications Center to the Burns Technology Center.  The name change more accurately reflects the scope and breadth of the instructional programming and work conducted by the Center.

Montana State University-Billings:

• ITEM 127-2702+R0505:  Montana State University-Billings requested approval of a departmental merger that actually took place almost four (4) years ago.  In the 2000-2001 academic year, MSU-Billings began the process to consolidate the Department of History with the Department of Sociology, Political Science and Native American Studies.  The consolidation was completed in June 2001, but the institution neglected to file the appropriate Level I documentation with the Board of Regents at that time, authorizing the merger.  The programs have operated under that departmental structure for the last four (4) years, and the institution would like to continue the organizational model in the future.  The academic unit is called the Department of History, Native American Studies, Political Science and Sociology.   (This item was removed from the Level I Memo at the request of the campus.)

• ITEM 126-2703+R0105:  Montana State University-Billings filed a Notice of Intent to terminate its Minor in Theatre Therapy at the January 2005 meeting of the Board of Regents.  That Notice of Intent was included in the Level I memorandum distributed to the Board at the January meeting.  All of the steps in the termination process have been completed; and Montana State University-Billings has filed a program termination checklist with the Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education.  Sixty (60) days have also elapsed since the Notice of Intent was included in the January 2005 Level I memorandum.  The Minor in Theatre Therapy is, therefore, eliminated from Montana State University-Billings’ degree and program inventory.

Montana State University-Northern:

Montana State University-Northern has informed the Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education that it has placed several programs on moratorium status, under the provisions of Montana Board of Regents’ Policy 303.4.  The programs are: the Bachelor of Science degree and Minor in Communications; the Bachelor of Science degree in Water Quality Technology-Environmental Health; the Bachelor of Science degree and Minor in Civil Engineering Technology; the Bachelor of Science Teacher Education degree and Minor in Business Education; the Minor in Automotive Technology (Automotive Body); the Teacher Education Minor in Computer Information Systems; and the Master of Science Teacher Education Degree in General Science.  Several of the degree programs have two-year associate degrees that are unaffected by the moratorium.  Some of the programs may be revised, during the moratorium period, to make them more viable.  The moratorium on all of the programs listed above went into effect at the beginning of Spring Semester 2005.

Montana State University-Great Falls College of Technology:

·         ITEM 127-2852+R0505:  Montana State University-Great Falls College of Technology asked permission to change the name of its Associate of Applied Science degrees in Computerized Office Technology to Office Technology.  The Great Falls College of Technology actually has four (4) different Computerized Office Technology degrees, and all of them will be changed under this request.  In addition to the name change for the degrees, this item asked that two (2) options within the newly rechristened Office Technology degree also be changed.  Those changes are as follows:

--the Option in Administrative Assistant should be re-titled Executive Administrative   Assistant; and

--the Option in Attorney’s Assistant should be re-titled Attorney’s Administrative   Assistant.

            The name changes in the options establish consistency throughout the Office Technology program; and they hopefully insure that the Attorney’s Administrative Assistant option is not confused with a paralegal program. 

·         ITEM 127-2853+R0505:  Montana State University-Great Falls College of Technology asked that the name of its Associate of Applied Science degrees be changed from Computer Technology to Computer Information Technology.  The institution has three (3) degree programs, with individual options, that will be affected by this change.  According to the institution, the new name will describe the content of the degrees more precisely and conform with industry standards.

·         ITEM 127-2851+R0505:  Montana State University-Great Falls College of Technology notified the Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education that it intended to add a new administrator to its staff to assist with its academic programming plans in Bozeman.  Although the change is ordinarily not considered a Level I item, the College of Technology wanted to insure that the Board of Regents and the Commissioner’s office were fully aware of its intentions to expand academic programming opportunities in that city.

Other Announcements:

The Montana State Board of Nursing formally authorized the joint review and approval process for nursing program changes at its April 21, 2005, meeting.  The process sets out a coordinated and integrated review and approval procedure with the State Board of Nursing and the Montana Board of Regents, since both Boards must approve some changes to nursing educational programs in the State.  The Montana Board of Regents approved the review process at its May 2004 meeting.