Miami Trustees approve new programs, get updates on strategic plan

The Miami University Board of Trustees approved four new degree programs, including a Bachelor of Science in artificial intelligence, during a May 16 meeting.

New degree programs require board support before going to the state for final approval. This month’s batch of new programs include the artificial intelligence major, a PhD in computer science, a Bachelor of Science in Education for inclusive education and a Bachelor of Arts in world languages and cultures. The latter program will consolidate six existing language and culture majors once it gets state approval.

Miami’s push for an AI program comes just weeks after Bowling Green State University announced its own Bachelor’s degree focused on AI. The new technology has rapidly transformed higher education in the past three years. According to data presented to the trustees’ academic and student affairs committee, less than 15% of students reported never using AI tools for academic work, while more than 60% reported using AI for academic work between once a week and every day.

The AI major will be under the computer science and software engineering department. It aims to meet the “increasing demand for AI professionals and the interdisciplinary applications of AI across industries,” according to the program proposal.

Miami eliminated its inclusive special education major within the Department of Educational Psychology in fall 2023 and instead put more emphasis on its dual licensure program, which combined a primary education major with a primary special education minor. The dual licensure structure didn’t comply with state requirements for dual licensure programs without a stand-alone major, which the new inclusive education major aims to address.

The world languages and cultures major combines most language programs at Miami, excluding Spanish and Portuguese, which had been identified as low enrolled in 2023. The PhD in computer science, meanwhile, was guided by demand for high-level computer science skills among employers.

Also during the board meeting, newly promoted Vice President for Strategy and Partnerships Ande Durojaiye and Assistant Vice President Melissa Thomasson gave an update on MiamiTHRIVE, the university’s current strategic planning initiative.

Key goals of the current phase of the strategic plan include a focus on experiential learning, identifying the most impactful uses of revenue and increasing brand familiarity, Durojaiye said. The conversion of Miami’s Hamilton campus to a new Polytechnic Campus, as well as the expansion of Miami’s nursing program, are strategic plan initiatives.

Moving forward, Thomasson said the university plans to invest in new software to track strategic plan goals and implementation. The university will publish a dashboard allowing people to track progress on specific goals.