MSU-N education programs coming back

Montana State University-Northern Provost William Rugg said Wednesday that plans to bring back the secondary education programs at the university would have them back next year.

Rugg and the administration of Northern is going to present the plans to the Montana University System Board of Regents Sept. 15 and 16 and the board will vote on whether or not to allow the university to bring the programs out of moratorium.

Rugg said when he arrived at Northern, he began examining the programs.

“It was kind of amazing that secondary education was on moratorium,” Rugg said.

If the board of regents allows it, students will be allowed to pursue bachelor’s degrees in health and physical education and general science broadfield for grades 5-12.

Rugg said that the probability of the board voting in favor of bringing back the programs is very high because the plans have already been through a long process of other channels and the board of regents vote is just the last step.

“A student could actually enroll today and start taking their general education,” Rugg said. “They don’t have to wait until next year to start this program.”

Rugg said bringing these two back is not the end of his plans and that the next two programs he plans to bring back to Northern are English and social science broadfield. He said the social science program will be a little more difficult, because the university will have to hire new faculty before they offer it.