by Samantha McClain, Editor-In-Chief

On Feb. 13, the Board of Trustees’ agenda and NWACC president, Dennis Rittle, discussed some degree changes and deleting a degree. 

Inside the president’s report, a Letter of Notification announced two new programs, a Certificate of Proficiency in Bike Technology and a Technical Certificate of Bike Technology. According to the briefing, adding a Technical Certificate in Bicycle Repair and Selling Technician will be changed from a 30-credit hour to a 33- credit hour program.

However, the degree will no longer be available for students due to low graduation rates for the Certificate of Proficiency in Workforce Readiness (Justice Studies), Rittle said.

According to the data collected by the Institutional Research office about the Workforce readiness certificate of proficiency,  one person in Fall 2019, one person from Fall 2020, two people in Fall 2021, and zero people in Fall 2022 had selected the major in the Workforce CP. In CP graduates, five people from May 2022 graduated, one in August 2022, and two in December. 

There have also been updates on different degree plans and certificates for the 2023-2024 Academic Year. According to the procedures, the AAS Health Science, CP in Nurses’ Aide, and CP in Nursing Assistance will combine CNA and PCA into one six-credit hour class.

In the TC in Diagnostic Medical Sonography, there will be changes in social sciences, public speaking, and medical terminology.

The AS in Agricultural Goods and Life Sciences will have an added non-STEM option. AAS in Environmental and Regulatory Sciences will have an updated technical classes and electives list. However, the CP in Workforce Readiness has changed options by updating Building Trades and Construction, adding Biotechnology, and deleting the Environmental Regulator and Funeral Science.

Several degrees will have “Or Higher Math” added: AAS in Criminal Justice, Early Childhood, Paralegal, AA in Teaching, CP in Teaching, CT in Teaching, and CP in Construction Technology.