WKU could be expanding its academic profile as early as this fall.

 The Board of Regents committee meetings convened earlier today in the Cornelius A. Martin Regents Room located in Mass Media and Technology Hall.

The Academic Affairs Committee approved all items, which included multiple degrees. One of the degrees was a Master of Science in Psychology. The new degree will be offered through the department of Psychological Sciences, which was created on Nov. 1 of last year.  

An undergraduate minor in Classical Studies was also approved. The minor will draw from courses in philosophy, ancient languages, history, art and archaeology.

Faculty regent Patricia Minter expressed her support for the minor.

“Curriculum in history have been incredibly popular for years,” Minter said.

The Academic Affairs Committee concluded with an informative presentation by the WKU Forensics team and the WKU Army ROTC.

Jace Lux, director of forensics, said forensics provides students with skills they will use for the rest of their lives.

“It is an activity that is very much academic in nature…,” Lux said. 

The Finance and Budget Committee approved all items on their agenda, including acceptance for filing the 2013-2014 Second Quarter Statement of Revenues and Expenditures and personnel actions. The personnel actions included changes of the base salaries for some faculty and staff due to rank changes and reappointments.  The information items in the committee include a budget update and a quarterly internal audit report.

Ann Mead, vice president for Finance and Administration, said fall enrollment for last semester dropped, which resulted in a $1.6 million revenue shortfall. Mead said the shortfall continued into this semester. 

 “At this point, we’re projecting that the shortfall for the spring will probably be an equal amount,” Mead said.

 The Executive Committee only had one item for vote, which was approved. The item will officially name a demonstration classroom in The Medical Center-WKU Health Sciences Complex. 

Information items discussed in the committee included a legislative update by President Gary Ransdell.  

A closed session regarding a discussion related to individual/specific personnel matters was also held. The meeting concluded after the closed session. All items will go to the main Board of Regents meeting in April for full approval.