Clemson Trustees Approve New Degrees, Construction and Renovation Plans

CLEMSON, SC – April 23, 2012 – Clemson University trustees approved new majors aimed atbroadening humanities opportunities for students and gave the final OKfor building and renovation projects at their April meeting Friday.

The trustees approved six bachelor of arts degrees in the College ofArchitecture, Arts and Humanities: Global Studies, Women’s LeadershipStudies, Cinema and World Cultures, Pan-African Studies, SportsCommunication and Religious Studies. The majors are offered as minorsnow and faculty would be shared among them. They are being funded byreallocations within the college.

The new majors reflect the need for graduates who have broad global views and are based on student demand.

Also approved by trustees are a Ph.D. in Applied Health Research andEvaluation and a bachelor’s of science in Youth Development Services, anonline program that enables some former students to complete theirdegrees.

The board gave the OK to offer online the master’s degrees inProfessional Communication and Civil Engineering, which are aimed atworking professionals who are seeking additional education.

The degrees could be available by fall 2013, pending the approval ofthe S.C. Commission on Higher Education and the university accreditingorganization, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.

Trustees also approved six new certificates students can seek to addto their degrees. Each requires from nine to 18 credit hours: DigitalEcologies (architecture); Social Impact Design1:1_Architecture+Community (graduate students); Structural Design ofLow-rise Structures (post-baccalaureate, online); Dynamic Loads(post-baccalaureate, online); Non-profit Leadership (undergraduate,online); and International Engineering and Science (undergraduate).

The trustees also acted on various projects:

• Approved the concept plan for an addition to Doug Kingsmore Stadium.The $7 million project will be financed by private donations.
• Approved the concept of an addition of a research and educationcenter to the Clemson University/Greenwood Genetic Center to increasethe capacity for Clemson students to conduct genetic research on acellular level. The $6.5 million project would be funded through stateinfrastructure bonds.
• Approved an additional $700,000 more to complete the Highway 93 pedestrian safety.
• Gave the OK for improvements and updates to the farm animal researchcenters at the Simpson Station and LaMaster Dairy. The stateLegislature appropriated $2.6 million for the project.
• Gave final approval for HVAC system renovation in 48-year-oldBarnett Hall. The $4 million will come from Housing Improvement Funds.

In other action, the board approved naming the gallery in the lowerlevel of Lee Hall the John Acorn Gallery in honor of the professoremeritus and former art department chairman.