Headlines/Oct. 14, 1992

Access

Three more degree programs in planning stages.

After a breather over the summer,
planning for new degree programs is
once again shifting in to high gear.
Bachelor degree programs in Computer
Information Systems, Social Work and
Science are slated to start in September
"93.

Subcommittees planning those
programs have had a little more time to
prepare than their counterparts who
started degrees this year, but they will
still have their collective plates full.

The Access committee will once
again serve as the forum for reviewing
degree program plans and monitoring
those that have been implemented. At its
latest meeting, various subcommittees
updated the committee on
developments. Don Tunstall was unable
to find any willing candidates for chair,
so he will continue as interim chair.

Environmental programs

Peter Slade and Rose Morrison-Ives
brought a proposal for environmental
studies to the committee. They said
UCFYV is one of the few institutions in
B.C. without any specific courses on
environmental issues, and that with the
air and water pollution in the Fraser
Valley, these issues are of particular
concern to the community.

They suggested that this need could
be addressed through a two-year
environmental program, or a
one-semester course that could be taken
as an elective by students from a number
of programs.

The committee responded with
support for the idea, but there was some

confusion as to whether Access was the —

place to bring such a proposal, or if it
should confine its mandate to new
degree programs. It was suggested that
Slade and Morrison-Ives approach
senior management as a next step.
Criminal Justice

Darryl Plecas reported that his degree
program attracted 61 students to
third-year courses, which was around
the number aimed for. On average they
are taking 3.3 courses, and will take
three years to complete the degree
program. He expects to take in around
55 students per year, and graduate

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around 40.

One unexpected factor was the degree
of interest from other colleges — 15
students from Camosun have enrolled in
the program.

On average, the Crim. degree students
have a GPA over 3.0, and over half of
them have a GPA over 3.5.

Crim. students will now be able to
complete the two-year diploma in
Chilliwack.

One new faculty member has been
hired so far. The second will start in
January, with four more planned for
next September.

Business Admin.

Twenty-six students have enrolled in
the Business Administration degree
program. Another 12 students are
making up one or two courses in the
diploma program before enrolling :n
third year. Several students were
accepted to the program but did not
enrol, some because they didn’t want to
give up their jobs, others because they
didn’t pay the $50 fee to hold their
place, and others for miscellaneous
reasons. 3

Department head Brian Coulter says
the enrolment numbers are a little
disappointing, and says part of the fault
lies in promotional material being
distributed too late to catch potential
students from other colleges.

Of the 26 enrolled, 20 qualify for
full-time status as they are taking three
or more courses, but most have also kept
their full-time jobs.

Arts

Associate registrar Sylvia Currie
reported on the enrolment process for
Arts degree students. Many of the
people who applied did not meet the
admission requirements for the
third-year entry point and ended up in
second-year courses.

Seventy-nine students are enrolled in
the Arts degree program

Science

The Science subcommittee is
planning a general science degree with
double minors, in partnership with

~ Simon Fraser. Students will choose from

biology, chemistry, physics, math and
computers for minors.

Science department head Henry
Speer conceded that offering majors
would likely make the program more
attractive to students, but said that
resources will not allow majors initially.
The minors will be designed so that
majors can be easily added later.

The department is planning to survey
current students to measure demand for
the program, and preferences for minors
and majors.

Social Work

Gloria Wolfson and the Social Work
subcommittee will be working with the
Open Learning Agency to develop a
BSW degree. Wolfson hopes that
students will be able to ladder in directly
from the current Social Services
diploma program.

The target market for the degree is
mostly UCFV diploma graduates, but
students and grads from Kwantlen,
Douglas and Cariboo have also
expressed interest.

Wolfson says that demand for the
diploma program boomed this year.
Computer Info. Systems
The CIS program will offer a brand
new degree, different from computing
science degrees currently offered at
universities.

“Our aim is to produce graduates
skilled in developing software and
working with systems in a business
environment,” says program head
Wayne Welsh.

The four-year degree program will
consist of 40 courses and will also
follow the “laddering” concept, with
students finishing their CIS diploma first
and entering the degree program at third
year. However, transfer students will be
allowed to enter with any 20 of the
program courses, even if they have to go
back and take some diploma-level
UCFYV courses.

Library

The Library has been busy ordering
new books and periodicals to support
the new degree programs.

Please see Access, page 5