REPORT TO THE ACADEMIC SENATE AP-001-089 Discontinuance of Botany, Microbiology and Zoology Majors And Implementation of New Biology Major with Options in General Biology, Botany, Microbiology, and Zoology

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REPORT TOTHE ACADEMIC SENATEAP-001-089Discontin
uance of Botany, Microbiology and Zoology Majors
And Implementation of New Biology Major with
Options in General Biology, Botany,
Microbiology, and Zoology

• Academic Programs Committee Date 09/17/08
• Executive Committee Received and Forwarded Date
  11/12/08
• Academic Senate Date 11/19/08 First
  Reading

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• CLASSIFICATION AP-001-089
• TITLE OF REFERRAL Discontinuance of Botany,
  Microbiology, and Zoology Majors and
  Implementation of New Biology Major with Options
  in General Biology, Botany, Microbiology, and
  Zoology
• BACKGROUND The Department of Biological
  Sciences has submitted a proposal to discontinue
  the Botany, Microbiology, and Zoology majors.
  The Department is also requesting the
  implementation of a new Biology major with
  Options in General Biology, Botany, Microbiology,
  and Zoology. The new Biology Major proposal will
  be implemented no sooner than Fall 2010.
• RECOMMENDED RESOURCES Jill Adler-Moore, Nancy
  Buckley, Gary Carlton, Frank Ewers, Chris George,
  Don Hoyt, Claudia Pinter Luke.

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DISCUSSION This request has the endorsement of
the Departments faculty and the College of
Sciences Curriculum Committee. All of the
resources contacted support the proposal. The
proposal -Reduces the number of majors to three
(Biology, Biotechnology, and Environmental
Biology) and brings the Department more in line
with other regional CSUs. -Streamlines the
offering of the Department and reduces the course
overlap between majors. Grouping the students in
three majors enhances the position of the
Department (for example, it would have 877 majors
instead of scattered numbers distributed among
the 6 majors). -Allows students greater success
since Options appear on the diploma, bestowing,
thus, recognition on the students for the
sub-discipline and allowing them greater
flexibility when seeking employment.
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RECOMMENDATION

• The Academic Programs Committee recommends
  approval of the referral Ap-001-089
  Discontinuance of Botany, Microbiology, and
  Zoology Majors and Implementation of New Biology
  Major with Options in General Biology, Botany,
  Microbiology, and Zoology.