New minors don’t require regents’ OK

TXST UNIVERSITY

The Texas State University System Board of Regents’ agenda for its most recent meeting included numerous proposed changes to academic offerings at Texas State University, including the addition of a bachelor of science degree with a major in civil engineering, the addition of a master of science degree with a major in integrated agricultural sciences, the addition and deletion of programs at the Round Rock campus and the elimination of low-producing degree programs.

However, the regents are not the only decision-makers when it comes to academic changes — and many changes do not require the regents’ approval at all.

During protests on campus last year, students demanded the creation of a Latina/o Studies minor and an African-American Studies minor on campus. Administrators responded by promising the initiation of Latina/o Studies in Fall 2018. The new minor was not listed on the agenda for the Board of Regents’ meeting last week because the regents do not need to give new minor the green light.

Texas State University spokesman Jayme Blaschke explained the roles of different levels of administrators in approving different types of academic changes.

“New concentrations get approved by the department chair, college dean and associate vice president,” Blaschke said. “New minors get approved by the department chair, college dean, associate vice president, provost, university curriculum committee, faculty senate and council of deans. New majors get approved by the department chair, college dean, associate vice president, provost, university curriculum committee, faculty senate, council of deans, president, board of regents, coordinating board and sometimes SACSCOC (the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges).

“In short,” Blaschke said, “the Latina/o Studies minor did not go before the Texas State University System Board of Regents for approval because minors do not require board approval. They’re handled in-house, as it were.”

Texas State is also developing an African-American Studies minor that will be implemented in Fall 2019 — another demand that student protesters made in April.