Senate Bill 23-24-26
| Bill ID: | 23-24-26 |
| PCC ID: | 23083 |
| Name: | PCC Proposal to Rename the Bachelor of Science in "Community Health" to "Public Health Practice" |
| Proposed: | 02/02/2024 |
| Proposal: | The School of Public Health’s Department of Behavioral and Community Health proposes to rename the Bachelor of Science in "Community Health" to "Public Health Practice". This major is a public health degree program rooted in social and behavioral science and theory and focused on making meaningful contributions to impact health and quality of life at all levels of society. The program is designed to serve as a gateway to graduate studies or as a transition directly to the field as an engaged, prepared, and well-informed public health practitioner. The new title, “Public Health Practice,” better reflects the nomenclature that is current in today's public health landscape and best identifies the program’s differences and similarities with Public Health Science, a separate major in the School of Public Health. The name "Community Health" is not as recognizable as the term "Public Health." Prospective students interested in practicing public health tend to overlook the Community Health major and choose instead the Public Health Science major, even though the Public Health Science major is geared toward students who are interested in pursuing a degree in medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, and other allied health professions given its heavy focus on the life sciences, such as human anatomy and physiology, general/organic chemistry, and genetics. Through conversations with students and from student survey results, the department has learned that many students were unaware of the content of the Community Health program earlier in their college careers and wished that the public health nature of the program had been clearer. Changing the program title would lead students to enter the program sooner, which should lead to better student performance and shorter time to degree. |
| Active? | Yes |
Status
| Status: | Complete |
| Related Files: |
| Status: | Complete |
| Reviewer: | Senate |
| Received: | 2024-02-28 |
| Decision Date: | 2024-03-06 |
| Decision: | The Senate voted to approve this proposal. |
| Next Step: | Presidential Approval, MHEC Approval, Chancellor Approval |
| Related Files: |
| Status: | Complete |
| Reviewer: | Senate Executive Committee (SEC) |
| Received: | 2024-02-14 |
| Decision Date: | 2024-02-21 |
| Decision: | The SEC voted to place this proposal on the agenda of the March 6, 2024 Senate Meeting for consideration. |
| Next Step: | Senate Review |
| Related Files: |
| Status: | Complete |
| Reviewer: | Programs, Curricula, & Courses (PCC) Committee |
| Received: | 2024-01-26 |
| Decision Date: | 2024-02-02 |
| Decision: | The PCC Committee voted to approve this proposal. |
| Next Step: | SEC Review |
| Related Files: |