SRU trustees approve new degree program; view presentation on Jamaican Carebreak; and approve archeology lab naming
Matt Lautman, chair of the Slippery Rock University council of trustees, provides clarification on a discussion point during the March 24 quarterly business meeting.
March 24, 2017
SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. - Slippery Rock University's council of trustees voted to advance an entry-level doctoral degree in occupational therapy program to Pennsylvania's State System of Higher Education board of governors for approval.
The program will be presented for action at the BOG's April 5-6 meetings.
The proposed program would be a 36-month, year-round program for students who hold a bachelor's degree or participate in one of the 3+3 pre-occupational therapy undergraduate tracks at the University.
"The purpose of this program is to provide cost-effective training for entry-level occupational therapists with an emphasis on providing advanced learning opportunities to prepare graduates for the challenges that currently confront the professional practitioner," said Jeffrey Loveland, associate professor of biology and coordinator of the proposed program.
"In particular, the program will focus on assisting special-needs populations to live safely and independently in their preferred environment. Faculty and student-faculty scholarship, combined with the development of emerging practice, will provide important opportunities for service to the Slippery Rock community, Butler County and to metropolitan Pittsburgh."
Read more about the proposed occupational therapy program.
The trustees also heard a presentation by Brad Wilson, associate provost for transformational experiences; Allison Klemm, a senior early childhood/special education major from Charleston, West Virginia; and Brittany Terry, a student affairs in higher education graduate student regarding an SRU Jamaican CareBreak from January.
As part of the trip abroad, 11 students and two staff members traveled to Petersfield, Jamaica for the fourth consecutive CareBreak involving that community. Students served as cultural ambassadors and humanitarian partners by assisting in local school instruction, revamping a playground and planting corn to supplement dietary needs of the local elementary schools.
In other business, the trustees voted to increase the health services fee to $345 per student for the 2017-2018 academic year. The fee provides for routine health care, response to urgent health needs, mental health crisis response, health promotion programs and public health functions. The increase will be used to implement new programs and strategies designed to address increasing mental health needs of students on campus. SRU is the only university in Pennsylvania's State System of Higher Education to maintain 24/7 health services operations.
Additionally, the trustees approved a request by Jennifer Keller, interim dean of the College of Liberal Arts, to name the archaeology lab in Spotts World Culture Building the Edmund Dlutowski Laboratory for Archaeological Science.
In other action, the trustees approved the minutes from the Dec. 8-9 quarterly and Dec. 22 special meetings; received reports from the Academic and Student Affairs, Finance, University Advancement and Governance committees; reviewed University financial statements, including the quarterly financial report; approved a contractually required 2.32 percent increase in AVI FoodSystems Inc. meal plan costs for the provision of food services to campus; and then approved compliance contracts, fixed assets, services and supply purchase orders and approved the 2016-2017 University budget.
The council's next meeting will be June 8-9, 2017.
MEDIA CONTACT: Robb King | 724.738.2199 | robert.king@sru.edu