The Arkansas Tech University Board of Trustees approved a second letter of intent regarding the university’s plan to create its first doctoral degree during a meeting at the Ross Pendergraft Library and Technology Center on Thursday.
The board gave its approval for a letter of intent that will notify the Arkansas Department of Higher Education that Arkansas Tech intends to pursue a change in role and scope if the doctoral program comes to fruition.
A change in role and scope must be approved by both the Arkansas Tech Board of Trustees and the Arkansas Department of Higher Education Coordinating Board before the university can begin offering its planned Doctor of Education in executive leadership degree.
“The university’s role and scope is basically a description of the constituency the university strives to serve, the programs and degrees the university offers and any special features or programs that the university has in its inventory,” wrote Dr. John W. Watson, vice president for academic affairs at Arkansas Tech, in a memorandum presented to the Tech Board of Trustees on Thursday. “With the possible addition of a doctoral program, the role and scope in relation to the types of degrees the university can offer needs to be expanded to include doctoral programs.”
On July 8, the Arkansas Tech Board of Trustees approved a letter of intent that notified the Arkansas Department of Higher Education that the university intended to develop the first doctoral program in the 100-year history of the institution.
Arkansas Tech administrators and faculty members plan to present the Doctor of Education degree program and the proposal to change the role and scope of the university to the Board of Trustees for its review in November.
The doctoral degree program would be housed in the Arkansas Tech Center for Leadership and Learning and would be launched in June 2011 if approved.
Those currently serving as or wishing to become superintendents, deputy superintendents, central office leaders, principals, educational consultants and related education positions would be the target audience for the new degree.
In other business on Thursday, the Arkansas Tech Board of Trustees approved:
*the purchase of two lots and a 1,582-square foot house at 911 N. Denver in Russellville for $60,000, with funds coming from the unappropriated educational and general fund balance;
*a transfer of $34,178 from the unappropriated educational and general fund balance to fund repairs to parking lots at Tucker Coliseum and between Nutt Hall and Brown Hall;
*a transfer of $9,394 from the unappropriated educational and general fund balance to complete renovations to office space in the technology and academic support building at Arkansas Tech-Ozark Campus;
*a letter of intent that will be forwarded to the Arkansas Department of Higher Education regarding the establishment of an Associate of Applied Science degree in occupational therapist assistant at Arkansas Tech-Ozark Campus;
*a request to establish a provisional position funded by the Arkansas Department of Higher Education for a teaching assistant in the Career Pathways Initiative program at Arkansas Tech-Ozark Campus;
*a formalized set of procedures for bond underwriting transactions;
*and parking regulations for the 2010-11 academic year on the Russellville campus.
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