Regents Approve New Degree Programs, Promotions, Holidays

May 23, 2014
SHSU Media Contact: Julia May

Sam Houston State University was given the “go-ahead” to proceed with offering new degree programs—many with an emphasis in health sciences—by the Texas State University System Board of Regents on Friday during the board’s regular quarterly meeting at SHSU.

The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board must now approve each item before implementation.

With final approval, SHSU will move forward with plans to offer:

• A Master of Arts degree with a major in band conducting;
• A Bachelor of Science degree with a major in athletic training;
• A Bachelor of Science degree with a major in health care administration;
• A Bachelor of Science degree with a major in health sciences;
• A Bachelor of Science degree with a major in public health;
• A Bachelor of Science degree with a major in wellness management;
• A graduate certificate in critical infrastructure protection;
• A graduate certificate in emergency management;
• A graduate certificate in higher education assessment and institutional research;
• A graduate certificate in comparative and international education;
• A graduate certificate in play therapy; and
• A Master of Science degree in project management via distance learning.

Last year, the regents authorized SHSU to add a College of Health Sciences, which went into effect in September 2013. The demand for more professionals in the health sciences field continues to grow, according to Gibson.

“Clearly, the health and fitness field is a growing academic area and a popular field among students,” she said. “These new degree programs in the College of Health Sciences will provide expanded access to health sciences education and careers for SHSU students.”

In other business, the university was granted authority to proceed with plans to construct a parking lot in the southern area of campus on the site of the recently demolished Richmond Apartments. The parking lot will be directly south of a proposed student-residential complex and to the west of Raven Village. In addition to the parking lot, construction will include sidewalks, the 22nd Street extension between Avenue J and Avenue I, and underground storm water detention facilities.

The regents also approved promotion to full professor status for the following, effective Sept. 1:

Todd Armstrong, criminal justice and criminology; Kimberly Bell, English; Jeffrey Bouffard, criminal justice and criminology; Ronald Daigle, accounting; Richard Henriksen, educational leadership and counseling; Darci Hill, English; Joseph Kavanaugh, management and marketing; Juliana Lilly, management and marketing; Diana Nabors, language, literacy and special populations; Ilona Petrikovics, chemistry; Barbara Polnick, educational leadership and counseling; Marilyn Rice, curriculum and instruction; and Glenn Sanford, psychology and philosophy.

Faculty members who were approved for promotion to associate professor with tenure, effective Sept. 1, include:

Laura Avery, theatre and musical theatre; Sybil Bucheli, biological sciences; Hyuk Cho, computer science; Madhusudan Choudhary, biological sciences; Donna Cox, language, literacy and special populations; James Crosby, psychology and philosophy; Jennifer Didier, health and kinesiology; Cortney Franklin, criminal justice and criminology; Travis Franklin, criminal justice and criminology; Donovan Haines, chemistry; Maki Hatanaka, sociology; Damon Hay, mathematics and statistics; Charles Heath, history; and James Hynes, curriculum and instruction.

Also, Steve Johnson, general business and finance; Aaron Lynne, biological sciences; Martin Malandro, mathematics and statistics; Robert Maninger, curriculum and instruction; Michelle Martinez, Newton Gresham Library; Cynthia Martinez-Garcia, educational leadership and counseling; Scott Miller, physics; Andrew Noble, dance; Matthew Nobles, criminal justice and criminology; Tommy Robertson, general business and finance; Ilonka Rus-Edery, music; Li-Jen Shannon, computer science; Jorge Varela, psychology and philosophy; Joan Williams, language, literacy and special populations; and Faruk Yildiz, agricultural and industrial sciences.

Barbara Greybeck, associate professor of language, literacy and special populations, was awarded tenure.

The regents also approved the SHSU holiday schedule for 2014-15. For 2014, the dates are: Labor Day, Sept. 1; Thanksgiving, Nov. 27-28; and Christmas, Dec. 22-31.

For 2015, the dates are: New Year’s Day, Jan. 1; Energy Conservation Day, Jan. 2; Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Jan. 19; Spring Break, March 13; Memorial Day, May 25; and Independence Day, July 3.

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