The Miami University Senate introduced a new review process, approved a department merger and advanced a proposal for a new degree during its meeting on March 30.
Nathan French, vice chair of senate and chair of the senate executive committee, opened Monday’s meeting congratulating the men’s basketball team on their recent success and encouraging students and faculty to continue their support for Miami University athletics as the spring sports season begins.
French introduced the newly approved curricular process. He recognized the need for patience, trust and feedback while improving this process.
“Part of this new process may require our senate to rethink its own committee structures and work,” French said.
This new process includes initial consultation of new curricular proposals with the Office of the Provost and presentation to the University Senate for discussion and feedback 10 days prior to formal action.
French announced the senate has recommended merging the biology and microbiology departments and approved the motion to do so.
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Steven Lippmann, professor and chair of the Department of Sociology and Gerontology, and Ryan Steel, assistant professor of sociology and gerontology, introduced a proposal for a new criminology degree. The proposal aims to address the high concentration of students in the existing department.
The proposal includes a 42-credit hour major with 30 core courses. The degree also includes an internship or research experience in addition to a capstone project.
“By and large we can do this with mostly existing resources and existing expertise,” Lippman said.
Lippman explained how the proposal fits into the existing criminal justice degree and will help limit the need for excess resources. Criminology is more analytical and theory driven, while criminal justice is more applied and systems oriented.
"The two are related, for sure,” Lippman said, “but they are distinct disciplines and in terms of career path the students often go on to pursue with these degrees.”
Steel said the proposed degree is important because criminology and criminal justice attract different types of students, emphasizing the need for the new program.
Rosemary Pennington, chair and professor of the Department of Media, Journalism and Film presented a proposal to add contextual agility to the revised Miami Plan.
Contextual agility, an applied skill, was proposed as another addition to the Miami Plan in response to calls for stronger global and intercultural learning outcomes. The addition aims to better prepare students to navigate diverse perspectives and complex social environments.
“Students could gain competencies including respect to diversity, accurately summarize and interpret personal biases and effectively manage conflict,” Pennington said.
In response to questions from the senate body, Pennington explained the name “contextual agility” is a placeholder that will be improved upon further discussion.
The senate moved to authorize 2026-2027 committee appointments in order to allow the committee to begin confirming appointees this month rather than waiting for summer term.
Danny Martin, president of Associated Student Government, announced new Student Body President Charlie Merill, and Vice President Susanne Morrissey to conclude the meeting.
The University Senate will meet again at 3:30 p.m. April 13, in 111 Harrison Hall.
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