Feb. 20, 2006

Bethany Board Creates New Major, Degrees

LINDSBORG, Kan.--The Bethany College Board of Directors met Sunday on the Lindsborg campus, approving several changes in Bethany degree programs and welcoming new members to the board.

The board voted to replace the current communication major with a new major: theatre and communication arts.

Courses in the new major will be taught by professor Carl Isaacson, now in his second year as associate professor of communication, and professor Greg LeGault, who has been assistant professor of theatre since 2000. Isaacson holds a Ph.D. in theatre from the University of Minnesota. In his scholarly work, he focuses on dramatistic theories of human communication. LeGault holds a Master's in theatre history and criticism, and he focuses on playwriting.

Previously, Bethany did not offer a theatre major, and communication courses were taught by one full-time faculty member and several part-time instructors.

"With this new major, everybody wins. I can focus on courses that are my strength, we can offer a communication and theatre major, and the new major has clearer focus and more depth," Isaacson said.

The board also approved two new degree programs: Bachelor of Music and Bachelor of Music Education. The change is in name only, but is important. "The degrees themselves will be exactly the same. This change simply better reflects what the majors actually are," said Bethany College Academic Vice President Eugene Bales.

In music-education circles, the Bachelor of Arts in music refers to a degree program heavily weighted toward general-education studies, with core classes in music. The Bachelor of Music and Bachelor of Music Education, on the other hand, refer to degree programs heavily focused on music courses, supplemented with generalist studies.

"In the past, we've had to explain ourselves to our music accreditors because the names of our degrees didn't conform with accepted vocabulary. This change also will help us better market the major to prospective students. The degree titles will more clearly communicate the focus and purpose of our different programs," Bales said.

Previously, the board approved adding a musicțuliberal arts major. This Bachelor of Arts degree in music will continue to give Bethany students the option of studying music without the majority of their coursework in music. Those wishing to complete a more specialized degree may choose Bachelor of Music or Bachelor of Music Education.

As the first meeting 2006, the board welcomed new members voted in at the November 2005 board meeting. New members include Dodge City attorney Glenn Kerbs; Wichita investment specialist Wanda Vaupel; and Washington, D.C., attorney Peter Strand. All three are Bethany College graduates.

The board also voted to accept alumnus John Olsson as a new member of the endowment trustees. Olsson is a retired chief financial officer living in Dallas, Texas.

The meeting was held on Sunday so board members could stay in Lindsborg on President's Day and interact with the campus community. Several board members attended classes, worshiped in chapel and ate in the union dining hall on Monday.

The Bethany College board will next meet on campus May 6.

Bethany College, established by Swedish Lutheran immigrants in 1881, is a college of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America. The mission of Bethany College is to nurture and challenge individuals in their search for truth and meaning as they lead lives of faith, learning and service.

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CONTACT: Colene Lind, (785) 227-3311, ext. 8122