The University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents will meet today and discuss approval for two new degree programs — including a doctor of physical therapy at UW-Madison.
The board is also set to hear a presentation on campus safety from UW-Madison Police Chief Susan Riseling and discuss the rising costs of textbooks.
According to a report by the School of Medicine and Public Health at UW-Madison, the D.P.T. is a clinical doctorate that prepares students for independent practice as physical therapists.
The D.P.T. will replace the existing Master of Physical Therapy and will expand the curriculum to meet the advancing professional standards for preparation of physical therapists.
UW System spokesperson David Giroux said the addition of the D.P.T. would provide students with a broader basis to carry out in the profession.
"The D.P.T. will provide the essential requirements and credentials to graduates who intend on setting up an independent physical therapist practice," Giroux said. "It fulfills the requirements for employment in many settings."
In addition, Giroux said UW-Green Bay is asking the regents to implement a bachelor of applied studies in interdisciplinary studies, which is designed to complement the skills of students who received a technical college education.
"The bachelor degree is designed to serve people who come out of a technical college with an associate of applied sciences and want to turn it into a bachelor's degree," Giroux said.
Giroux said this degree fits in with an initiative known as the New North, which connects academic institutions — particularly in northern Wisconsin — with the economic needs of the area in order to better serve the regional market.
According to the proposal for the bachelor of applied studies issued to the regents, the degree program has been developed in cooperation with UW-Oshkosh and the Northeast Wisconsin Educational to "jointly promote, recruit, market and advise students throughout the region, and in some cases, throughout the state."
Besides the new degree programs, the Board of Regents will hear a presentation by Riseling regarding the commission on university security that was put in place by UW System President Kevin Reilly following the fatal shooting at Virginia Tech.
Regent Chuck Pruitt said the board is looking forward to the presentation to see what the university is doing in response to the Virginia Tech tragedy.
"There is a considerable level of interest for the regents on this level," Pruitt said.
"We want to hear about the formation of the commission and their timeline."
Pruitt, who is chair of the regents' Business, Finance and Audit Committee, said his committee will also discuss the rising costs of textbooks in higher education and how it affects UW System students.
Giroux said the textbook review program confirms the cost of textbooks is a growing burden on campuses around the system, but added there is not a "one size fits all" solution because students' textbooks vary by major and campus.
"There is considerable interest to students because they are the ones paying the bills," Pruitt said. "We see a direct relationship between the affordability of textbooks and the affordability of education for students."
Pruitt said his committee will also hear reports on student-lending practices within the UW System given the national coverage of the issue.
"The presentation is to reassure people that this is an important issue to address decisively," Giroux said, "and outline priorities that would lead us toward a code of conduct for lending practices."
