The Faculty Senate Executive Meeting held last Wednesday covered topics ranging from internationalizing student standards to new caps and gowns for Ph.D. students.
The International Strategy Task Group attended the meeting to present a report on internationalizing UB. The report delivered ideas and suggestions that the group believes will help benefit UB in international standards.
Joe Mook, assistant dean for mechanical and aerospace engineering, presented the report's recommendations for the improvement of the student experience. The primary suggestion was to internationalize the curriculum and enhance international content in General Education requirements.
The Task Group suggested implementing a proficiency requirement in select undergraduate programs, as well as introducing a language proficiency entrance requirement for undergraduate admission.
The group also suggested that all entering students be required to obtain a passport. The report also states that the University should incorporate travel to Canada into freshman courses such as UB 101 and EAS 140.
"We talked about incorporating travel to Canada for required freshman course, students should have a passport and should cross the border at least once," Mook said.
The report also calls for short-term introductory study abroad programs for freshmen.
"A lot of our current undergraduate programs have no study abroad options, and some of the programs that do have study abroad options don't have options that enable students to get full credit to stay on track," Mook said.
It was also suggested that the University grant formal certification to show that students that have completed Study Abroad programs.
The group also developed an idea for creating living and learning spaces for students in residential housing to promote closer and more intense interaction between domestic students and international students.
Mook compared this scenario to the program that the University of Rhode Island currently has in place.
"It has a very intense exchange program with the University of Germany: They bought a big frat house essentially, and the students from Rhode Island that are going to Germany the year before they leave, they live in this frat house, and that's where the students that come from Germany live," Mook explained. "We think that's something we could do in our dormitories."
The report also called for more recruitment of international faculty members, more faculty involvement in Study Abroad programs and creating incentives for faculty to incorporate international activities into their curriculum.
In addition to the topic of internationalizing UB, the meeting focused on new caps and gowns for doctoral students.
The caps and gowns that are currently being used have been found less than satisfactory to many faculty members, according to Office of Special Events Director Bill Regan.
"It has come to the attention of faculty members that we really don't have a custom Ph.D. factorial cap and gown specifically for our Ph.D. graduates."
The new proposal cap and gown that Regan suggested would have a silver piping to represent the gray in the school's colors instead of the gold piping now on the undergraduate gown. The addition of the UB shield on top of the lapel was also discussed.
The proposal is still undergoing consideration, and the new prototype gown will be unveiled during the Dec. 4 Faculty Senate meeting.
