The Student Trustee Exchange

The leaves on the trees are now changing as a new season approaches us. Coinciding with the change in season are the big changes that will soon be happening at GSU.

On October 11, I sat as the student representative on the Board of Trustees for Governors State University as they voted on numerous items that will begin the implementation of new projects and ventures for the institution.

Some of you may have noticed new programs being offered to students, such as Economics in the College of Business and Public Administration, Urban Teacher Education in the College of Education, Political Science in the College of Arts and Sciences, and the Family Nurse Practitioner Track in the College of Health and Human Services. The creation of these and other programs are an initiative of the Academic Master Plan - Strategy 2015.

Over 30 programs have been proposed since 2010 to meet the needs of students and growing fields. At the October board meeting, a new unit of instruction has been approved to begin the implementation process: a Bachelor of Arts in Gender and Sexuality Studies may be offered to students of the College of Arts and Sciences in the near future.

In the first Phoenix issue this semester, I mentioned the potential for competitive athletic programs to exist at GSU. It is now official - the beginning stages for GSU to have recreational and competitive athletic programs on campus have now begun. Though the exact sports teams to be offered are not yet set in stone, the possibilities are for GSU to have both a men and women's basketball team, cross country, soccer, and golf. We may also have men's baseball, women's softball, and women's volleyball. For now, only the costs to improve our facilities to meet competitive standards have been approved by the board. As developments progress, more stages of the process will come to the board for approval.

In addition to a new program and the start of athletic program expansion, there were many other items voted on by the Board of Trustees at the most recent meeting, including the approval of differential tuition for international students from GSU's partnering universities and the approval of additional individuals to be placed on GSU's list of honorary degree candidates. October agenda items can be found at www.govst.edu, under the About GSU menu. From there, you can follow a link to the Board of Trustees page.

Of course, you can always email me your questions, comments, or concerns at KRandolph-Clark@govst.edu. Thank you for making the effort to become an informed member of the GSU community.