In the release, Dr. Vilas A. Prabhu, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, was quoted as saying, “because of the current severe economic situation and the University’s limited resources, [the University has] decided to devote [its] time and resources to the undergraduate program.”

Adding, “the limited resources will necessitate the suspension of applications for the master of business administration (MBA) degree program until such time that economic conditions allow us to allocate resources to upgrade the MBA program to achieve AACSB standards.”

Three years ago, before the recent economic recession, PASSHE mandated that all 14 state system universities of Pennsylvania comply with AACSB (the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business) accreditation for their business administration programs.

Some schools have already made that shift—for example, West Chester and Shippensburg—but Millersville hasn’t.

Millersville University’s business administration programs are currently accredited by the Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP).

During this shift, the MBA programs will continue with its ACBSP accreditation as it seeks AACSB accreditation. Prabhu expressed that students wonder now if their degrees are going to be valid. He insists that they will.

Only, they are not recognized by PASSHE any longer.

Considered a gold-standard accreditation, however, the AACSB accreditation “represents the highest standard of achievement for business schools, worldwide,” the AACSB website states.

The AACSB accreditation process takes anywhere between five to seven years to complete, the majority of the years being “candidacy” years, where the university is constantly observed and steps are taken to ensure the institution’s continued compliance with AACSB standards.

MU has just begun their application process. And they want all current MBA students to complete their degrees by 2012, while, in the meantime, as of the March 27 news release, MU has ceased to accept any further applications to its MBA program.

MU will, instead, focus what seems to be dwindling resources upon the undergraduate business administration program—home to 850 students, compared to the 45 students currently enrolled in the MBA program.

However, as can be noticed, the 2012 deadline gives those who have just enrolled in the MBA program less than three years to satisfy the degree requirements of the program, placing a bit of a squeeze on them.

It also places some pressure upon those in the middle of their program.

Dr. Victor S. DeSantis, dean of graduate studies and research, said Friday morning that MU is “actively working with matriculating MBA students on an individual basis to determine the courses they need and scheduling MBA courses to match those needs.”

DeSantis, as well as Prabhu insisted that on the morning of April 3, MU will find some way to make sure those entering the MBA program can graduate as well as fulfill all degree requirements before 2012.

According to the MU MBA website (http://www.millersville.edu/~theMBA/degreq.php), a business administration degree can be completed in as little as 14 months (a little over one year)—assuming the respective students are full-time students with no prerequisite coursework.

Full-time students must take four courses per semester (must pass each of those course with at least a “B” average) and do so directly after graduating from their undergraduate program, enrolling in the immediate summer session.

“Thus, the time required to complete the program could be as short as 14 months or as long as five years,” the website concludes.

Upon whether there would be any specific actions or programs utilized in order to ensure that all currently enrolled candidates for the MBA programs, full-time or not, are able to achieve their degrees, DeSantis offered some possibilities.

“We will be assisting those students, as needed, to identify other MBA programs that would allow them to take courses to transfer back to MU.  We will also offer independent study options in certain instances,” DeSantis explained.

Dr. J. Douglas Frazer, professor of accounting in the department of business administration, has been keeping a wide eye on this issue and worries that a good number of students will receive the short end of the stick, despite the administration’s musings.

“The undergraduate students will benefit, obviously. There are several students who are caught in the middle. They are in the MBA program already,” Frazer said.

The decision to stop accepting applications to the MBA program was made in order to cut the losses for both the students and the university.

In general, every department on campus will be receiving a mandatory 3 percent reduction in their operating budgets. The university as a whole faces a $1.67 million deficit. That deficit more than likely will be greater for next year’s budget.

MU had a decision between seeking AACSB accreditation for both programs—graduate and undergraduate business administration—the former having 850 students and the latter having 45 students. It chose to ensure the success of at least 800 undergraduate students a year for the next five to seven years rather than risking the failure of both programs because of insufficient resources.

“If they’re (MBA students) just entering, they would probably be better served to transfer. For example, if they’ve taken less than six credits…most institutions will transfer the credits. I’m not saying that coldly, but it would probably be better for them to cut their losses and find some other way to finish,” Frazer admitted.

He added that he doesn’t know what specific steps MU could take in order to secure certainty that all students will have the resources to complete their MBA program.

“Millersville is an excellent University. So, we’re not going to be the laggers,” Prabhu said.

“There are only five universities in the state system that have AACSB. There are another four that have already been approved for AACSB—that are going through the candidacy. That’s nine out of 14. We want to be there!” Prabhu exclaimed in conclusion with a smile of optimism and pride on his face.

Dr. William Darley, director of the MBA program, newly hired by MU specifically to seek out AACSB accreditation for both programs, was not responsive to inquiries.

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Students and Jim Kurdzo, the local AMS chapter president, were asked to come up with a spring activity that would involve the community.

That started that planning for the event.

Activities were scheduled throughout the day, including a green screen, which allowed children to watch themselves on a television screen while giving a weather report.

Many of the graphics for the forecast were produced by WGAL-8.

Senior Daniel Johnson helps test a green screen for kids at Weather Awareness day. Photo by Christian Shuts.

Local weather companies also participated in the event, including WeatherBug, the State College office of the National Weather Service and WeatherTrends.

“Since the event was geared toward kids we didn’t have too many MU student at the event,” Student Matt Potter said. “Maybe next year when we do this event we can have stuff for MU students.”

Families were educated on the use of weather instruments, while having fun at a trivia contest booth and participating in weather related experiments.

“The event is beneficial to the community because it gave them a chance to experience what the field of meteorology is, and it was a great event to come to for those who are interested in our field,” Potter said. “The event came at a great time because of the tornado that touched down recently and our event drew in a couple that came from the same township that had the tornado.”

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A candidate for the position, Chairperson of the Department of Mathematics Dr. Robert T. Smith, gave a 30 minute presentation on, “The Role of the Science and Mathematics Dean.”

Search Committee Chair Dr. Jean Bowl introduced Smith at 3:30 p.m., and explained that Dr. Edward Shane, dean of science and mathematics, would be retiring after 10 years of service. There are five candidates being reviewed to fill his position. The search committee will be holding five public forums for each of the candidates.

Smith presented a power point on what he believed the roles of the dean  are.

Dr. Robert Smith, chairperson of the department of mathematics, presents a powerpoint to fellow faculty and students. Photo by Christian Shuts.

He began with a brief description of what a dean does, stressing that these roles were just the beginning of a list of responsibilities. These roles he stated were to be a manager, public spokesperson, advisor to the provost, advocate for science and math, faculty developer, and a strategic planner.

He then offered a more detailed description of what the roles of dean were such as continuing the success of what the program does well and to constantly look to the future, to provide the highest quality program in science and math, to support teaching, learning, research, outreach and diversity.

Smith spoke strongly on his views of dean as a supporter of faculty and staff development.

Recruiting the best faculty and staff possible, providing the faculty with resources and support to be successful and to promote excellence in teaching and scholarship services were the main points that he presented.

He ended his presentation with what he felt were the most important roles as a dean of math and science.

These roles are of an advocate for the school, meaning that the dean must be articulate and enthusiastic.

The dean must be an academic leader, viewing the school as a single entity rather than seven separate departments.

A dean is a financial manager, targeting budgets to enhance student learning and research.

After the informative speech the floor was open for questions and answers.

“Very organized,” Math Professor Dorothee Blum called his presentation. “He touched on all the important points. Having had experience, he knows what is possible and what is not, he is going in with his eyes open.”

He was questioned on how to control class sizes.

He believed that the chairs of the department and the dean should work together to fit in students.

He would also like to see more classes in the 100 level grades rather than cutting upper level classes.

He was asked on ways that staff should manage their workload. His response was to, “be creative, and to encourage faculty to apply for grants and do more scholarship.”  If a professor is participating in research they should get a lighter class schedule.

This answer caused a rebuttal, pointing out that the rest of the staff has to pick up the pieces and workload.

“We are supportive of grants because it will give the school back when it is done. I agree that some of the load gets shifted, and we will take turns balancing it out,” Smith answered.

The hour was cut short due to the lack of questions being asked.

The audience was then asked to hand in evaluations on the candidate’s strengths and weaknesses.

There will be two open forums this week, check the Millersville website for times and locations.

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The new degree options include: a Bachelor’s of Science in education for Pre-K through grade four, a middle-level education mathematics and middle-level education English degree, and a dual degree in special education and Pre-K through 4th grade.

Millersville University granted its approval of the new degree programs in December of 2008.

The new degree changes are the result of recent changes made by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, entitled Chapter 49-2.

The programs, which received approval from the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) in January, are now one step closer to final approval.

“We have come a long way because of the hard work of the faculty to get stuff ready for multiple approvals,” said Dr. Jane Bray, dean of the School of Education.

The department is at the final step in the process. The Pennsylvania Department of Education must review the potential course specifics, and decide whether or not approval will be granted.

Students who are currently enrolled in the department will not be affected if they continue with their current degree and gain their teaching certification before Aug. 31, 2013.

The faculty has been working non-stop to get materials ready for review.

“The work was far more than anyone ever intended it to be,” said Bray. “The new programs will prepare our teachers and students in a far greater way than before.”

The Council of Trustees is going to consider four Millersville University Foundation Endowments.

The endowments include Edna Butler Cohen ’27 for mathematics, E. Kathryn Miller Kraybill ’15, Biology Scholarship and Student Independent or Honors College Biology Research.

Students within the department have mixed emotions on the subject.

“I’m mad I’m not a freshman now,” said Junior Katie Duyn. “It would have gone good with the dual major instead of what I’m doing now, because I would rather just work in the elementary school.”

Freshman Chris Doyno said, “I’m a freshman, so it’s easy for me. I like the new options and it’s a better way to break it up into groups.”

Some students feel the break-up of the department is hindering a broader area of study. “I don’t like the new options,” said Sophomore Ryan Coleman. “ I think it’s narrowing what you can teach because now you have to select Pre-K through grade four.”

Despite the various student input, the teaching staff is more than happy to start the new degree options.

“There isn’t a person here that isn’t excited about it,” added Bray.

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A reception for the exhibition of those projects was held two days ago in the same lobby, with some encouraging words by Dr. Jane Bray, dean of education at Millersville University. The student designers were not available for comments.

The ITEC 34 course is offered every fall, and will be offered every semester as of next year.

“Design: the planned process of change that produces the results we want with minimized trade-offs and controlled risk,” read the first page of a PowerPoint printout on display behind the projects.

A superb interpretation of what “we want” with plenty of “controlled risk” was a playing table with a seat on either side, almost seeming for the purpose of two school-aged children.

In the middle, a flat surface serves as a checkers board. Michael Friedman, Jessie Buechele and David Stoy worked together for only three weeks during the Fall semester to put this together.

To the back of the leisurely checker game was a fantastic demonstration of minimizing trade-offs.

Probably a dozen hinges connected many pieces of wood, creating folding areas that allowed the object to flatten itself to just inches of height. Both a chair and table were in this way created by Nick Defeo, Greg Heffner and Ryan Martin.

Matt Ebner, Brian Chea and Greg Tice constructed a rocking chair and side table, suitable for a cup of tea before a quick nap in the sun.

Fittingly displayed beneath “the Symons lobby” plaque dedicated to Harry C. Symons, “in recognition of his services to Millersville University,” the exhibit will be displayed until Feb. 27.

Scott A. Warner, Ed.D., assistant professor in industry and design has been professor of ITEC 344 for the last two years and has led each of those classes through this capstone project.

Scott Warner, Assistant Professor of Industry and Design, examines a piece of furniture designed by a student. Photo by David Lu.

Last year, at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Warner said his class participated in a larger competition and two of this students actually had their projects displayed there at IUP.

The goal was to design “a product appropriate for Ikea… [the students] had to find out what the corporate philosophy is for Ikea,” Warner said.

On the Ikea website, under “our vision and business idea,” it states that “our vision is to create a better everyday life for the many people. Our business idea supports this vision by offering a wide range of well-designed, functional home furnishing products at prices so low that as many people as possible will be able to afford them.”

Essentially, on top of having only 24 sq. ft. of birch plywood and limited solid wood to work with, the students had to figure out “how can we get everything down to a flat panel so we can ship it?” Warner said, because both the method of and materials used for shipping have environmental costs.

Over the process, Warner noticed his students gaining an expertise in a way of thinking and designing that surpasses most people and not merely because they created something out of virtually nothing. Anyone can be coached through that.

“We also wanted them to have a green perspective… how can you minimize the environmental impact of both the product and the material it’s made out of , as well as any shipping. If it’s going to go in a box, well, then that costs and it has its own environmental impact. So, all those kinds of questions came into play…

“As a teacher…what’s most important to me is what they learn from the experience,” Warner continued.

Warner, pausing after a long discussion on the importance of giving his students something of their own to research, design and produce. He concluded that what really matters at the end of the process is “what’s in here,” pointing to his head with both hands.

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A search committee of 11 members from the Millersville faculty and staff are responsible for finding a new dean for the department. The search committee includes a student representative, a dean and a vice president.

Over 30 applications have been received over for the position of dean. Dr. Richard Clark, department chairman for the earth sciences department and professor of meteorology is heading the search committee.

The main duties for which the dean of the math and science department is responsible is to be a leader and provide direction to the other staff members.

The dean is also responsible for helping to encourage faculty in their professional research and instruction in the areas of the earth sciences, computer science, chemistry, biology, nursing, physics and mathematics.

“The dean is directly responsible to the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs for the overall operations of the School,” said Dr. Clark.

The dean’s position also entails a keen role in advocating both the math and the science department.

The dean also must be willing to acquire, “Academic vision which includes both preservation of the best in liberal arts tradition and ideas for the future development of disciplines within the school,” says Dr. Clark.

The dean will also be held accountable for bringing in outside groups and organizations, as well as speaking at forums and during meetings with faculty and staff.

Dr. Edward Shane is retiring after 10 years in the position of Dean of the School of Science and Mathematics.

During his retirement, he will spend time with his wife, Carol, volunteering and traveling.
Dr. Shane is currently the vice president and treasurer of the board for the Lancaster Science Factory.

“His management style is one of building consensus in ways that are fair and transparent, with no hidden agendas,” said Dr. Clark.

Dr. Clark also commented on Dr. Shane’s outstanding leadership abilities and talent to aide in the enrollment of more students in the department of math and science. Dr. Shane has also helped raise the amount of students that participate in undergraduate research.

“He leaves this position with Millersville science and mathematics programs ‘second to none’ in a comparison with other PASSHE institutions and many other regional colleges and universities,” said Dr. Clark.

Dr. Shane has helped to raise Millersville to a level of national recognition for several programs in the department. The math and science department would like the new dean to continue Dr. Shane’s successes and, “Would like the future dean to build on these strengths, and with his own management and leadership style, bring the school to the next level of quality, performance and recognition,” said Dr. Clark.

The search for a new dean is on schedule and has not experienced any major problems.
However, the committee has been experiencing slight trouble scheduling meetings due to the overwhelming obligations of the majority of the members.

Dr. Clark said that he is part of a “dedicated group committed to ensuring a successful search and a seamless transition.”

The new dean will take over the position on July 1. An administrative staff will assist the new dean in adjusting to his position.

Dr. Clark reiterates that the University has provided a budget for finding the committee as well as ensuring a diverse applicant pool. “This is an extremely important position of leadership at Millersville. We are committed to getting the best possible candidates for on-campus interviews,” said Dr. Clark.

Interviews for the new applicant will take place on campus during the week of Feb. 9 and will be completed before spring break, depending the on weather.

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As stated in a campus wide memorandum that was sent out before the beginning of the spring semester, the calendar reduced the 2008-2009 year by one week.

This reduction has resulted in the elimination of reading days and inclement weather make-up days. It is also responsible for the missing Monday, or fact that there were only 13 Mondays included in the spring semester schedule, compared to the 14 Tuesday through Thursday classes.

The University has provided professors with the opportunity to make up classes; at their own discretion.

This may be done through the use of extra assignments outside of class or taking advantage of the two days provided for the make up of class time.

Classes, held Monday before 5 p.m., were assigned to make up class time on Saturday, Jan. 24.

Monday night classes were scheduled to make up class time on Friday, Jan. 23.

Dr. Zeger, professor of biology, is making up missing class time by assigning extra reading to his students.

“I think that there are better solutions to the problem than the current plan,” Zeger said. “Years ago we started the semester the Monday after the MLK holiday, which was a superior schedule to this one!”

He believes the week of finals should be rescheduled.

Dr. DeCaria, professor of earth sciences, chosen not to make-up his class time for his ability to assign extra readings and exercises, as well as his “question as to whether enough students would attend or be fully engaged on a Saturday to make holding class worth while.”

Leaving the decision up to the instructors allowed missed class time to be used in ways that may not have been able to benefit students had the Monday class been held. Professor Katz, professor of computer science, shared her choice to makeup class time through an alternate approach.

“I will be meeting with each team outside of class at various points through the term enough times to make up that missed 50-minute class period,” Katz said. “That’s a better pedagogical use of their and my time than coming in for a lecture on Saturday.”

Dr. Rickard, professor of chemistry, believes classes time should be utilized during the make up period.

“This is what students pay for, this is what I am paid for, and this is what the administration expects me to teach,” Rickard said. “The calendar this year included a day off for Martin Luther King day just as we had Labor day off during Fall semester. Therefore, I will meet my class on Saturday.”

Sophomore, Allison Konnick, attended two make up classes on Saturday.

“I have homework assignments due, and I don’t want to fall behind on class notes,” Konnick said.

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This will help give graduate and undergraduate students the chance to understand economics, especially the development of South Central Pennsylvania.

CCERP was given a grant of $207,000 in order to begin this project, which will run from January 2009 to January 2012.

For future entrepreneurs, the curricular will not only teach entrepreneurial thinking and skills, but will become a sort of “boot camp” for those students interested in such an area.
An entrepreneurial minor is also being considered.

The ELC’s permanent spot on campus is in the CCERP’s Center for Public Impact, which serves as an outreach program to help students find solutions to the problems of the region, nation and even the world.

The new center is sure to fit right in to this category. Because entrepreneurial goals are similar, students will be working together in classes and activities provided by the ELC.
The training sessions and courses will be directed by Dr. Jean Kabongo, business administration.

Kabongo has plenty of experience himself in entrepreneurship, for he was nominated at the end of 2008 to serve on the editorial review board of International Journal of Social Entrepreneurship, a journal that  publishes scientific research.

Throughout the development of the ELC, students will be able to witness positive changes throughout the center, from curricular changes to Millersville University students being able to partner up with different members of the community.

The MU business sector has no choice but  to grow exponentially with such a project as the Entrepreneurial Center.

With help from the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE), the organization who gave the University the grant, it is now possible to prepare students more thoroughly on the subject, releasing confident students into an economy that might not be so confident itself.

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Before answering, let’s return for a moment to 2008.   Thomas Beattie, the man who gave birth to a daughter, was born female.  He is legally married to the woman who is his daughter’s mother.

Beattie reversed his physiological sex change, a change including breast removal and male hormones, when his wife had a hysterectomy and could not conceive a child.

Thomas still had a uterus.   So he stopped taking testosterone, found a sperm donor, and was artificially inseminated.

Beattie’s decision to go public made explicit all the questions of gender identity that confront us in a world that acknowledges the social construction of reality and flirts with the science-inspired reconstruction of nature.   If Beattie has a uterus, is he a man?

If she calls herself a man, is she one?  If this man without a penis is in a relationship with a woman, is he heterosexual, homosexual, or something else?

How does the state determine whether a person is male or female? Are male and female the only two choices?

In a wild understatement of gender bending, Beattie wrote:  “Our situation sparks legal, political and social unknowns.”  The unknowns are also theological and moral according to Pope Benedict XVI.

In an address to the College of Cardinals just before Christmas, the Pope strongly stated the inviolability of a traditional conception of sex and gender as the Creator’s plan: “We need something like human ecology, meant in the right way. The Church speaks of human nature as ‘man’ or ‘woman’ and asks that this order be respected.”

To those theorists who question gender constructs and those persons who bend gender rules, Benedict says, “This is not out-of-date metaphysics.

It comes from the faith in the Creator and from listening to the language of creation, despising which would mean self-destruction for humans and therefore a destruction of the work itself of God.”

This is the quagmire into which the Women’s and Gender Studies (WGST) faculty have leaped willingly. Why?   There are two answers, one pragmatic and one theoretical.

The theoretical reason rests in the power of naming.  Naming a phenomenon strengthens and shapes its reality.

Bisexuality is an ancient phenomenon; however, only after being named in the nineteenth century has it become an explicit part of theorizing sexual behavior.

And naming one phenomenon can render another phenomena invisible.

Mothers have always worked, but when we refer to women with jobs outside the home as “working mothers,” we insidiously suggest that women at home with children don’t work.  The power to name reconstructs reality.

A program accurately named accomplishes its purposes more faithfully.

So when Cheryl Desmond asks, Whose School Is It Anyway?, she and her students explore both male and female experiences of schooling in a comparative mode.

When Carrie Smith teaches Reproduction and Birth, she includes a text called Sex, Men and Babies to make the point that reproduction is always relational.

When Rika Schmitt teaches Feminist Theory, she emphasizes that any theory of women’s experience is always also making claims about men’s experience.

Feminist theory does not replace a patriarchal, phallocentric worldview with a matriarchal, gynocentric one.

The point is not to pay attention to women at the expense of men but to refuse this either/or choice, studying gender as a reciprocal cultural and political system.

The pragmatic reason for the name change is a function of the faculty’s desire to expand course offerings, encouraging other faculty members and students, both male and female, to join in the systematic study of gender.

New program offerings are on the horizon. Creativity, Innovation and Gender is offered again this spring.

Dr. Ryan Orr joins the Sociology/Anthropology Department in the fall, bringing with him the expertise to teach Sociology of Sex and Gender as well as a new course called Masculinities. There is also potential for developing a Psychology of Gender course.
Introduction to Queer Studies may return.  In addition, there are existing courses not now approved for the WGST minor — like Human Sexuality — that could conceivably complement a focus on Gender Studies.

Courses that explicitly name a focus on men’s experience or consider gender as a relational system will complement rather than replace courses that acknowledge women’s experience as their starting point.  A richer exploration of sex, gender and human (inter)action will result.

Thomas Beattie challenges the sex/gender system that we traditionally take for granted;  Pope Benedict XVI espouses that traditional system as a matter of faith and morality.

Both of these positions – and the assumptions that underlie them — warrant scrutiny in the search for understanding that constitutes a university education.

With a name change, WGST faculty members signaled their willingness to consider these difficult questions raised so dramatically in 2008.

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We are told that these evaluations are very important, since it can make or break whether a professor is promoted or considered for tenure.

Students fill out these short and simple questionnaires, rating both the class and the professor. There is also the option to answer some open-ended questions to give additional feedback.

Being a sophomore, I’ve had my share of really good and really bad professors. Some of them I don’t know how they even passed an interview, while others I wish I could take for every class. I’m sure that other students would love to know who I’m talking about, and what their peers have to say.

Now, this kind of thing already happens through word of mouth, and from the popular “Rate My Professor” website. However, most of this information is usually skewed, since students tend to only complain about the really bad ones, or (less often) praise the great ones.

What if we could see the real opinions of every student? What if that information was published? I feel that students would feel a lot more prepared and likely perform better.

Think about this: Two professors teach the same class. Professor A uses lots of handouts and grades homework. Professor B has few handouts and doesn’t grade homework. For some students there might not be a difference, but for me, I know that if I have a professor who will grade my homework, I will most certainly do it. Where as if I know it’s not graded, I might slack off.

Now, I know one of the reasons that the administration probably does not want to release these results is for fear that students would all try to take the “popular” professor for a class, somehow causing problems. Or maybe it’s because they don’t want to somehow hurt professors’ feelings. Or maybe it’s in the professors’ contracts? (I couldn’t see anything in the latest Collective Bargaining Agreement that professors are part of.)

Whatever the reason, I feel that students should be able to hear what others are saying. Student evaluations should be published and available to students, for better or worse.

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