Utah Senate Advances New Health Center and Business Degree
Academic leaders voted to expand graduate options and restructure education departments during the November 2 session.
By Gabriela Ivanov ·
The University of Utah Academic Senate moved forward with a proposal to formally designate the Midlife Women’s Health Center of Excellence as a University Academic Center and Institute on November 2. This designation would give the center, which is part of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, official status to operate as a specialized hub for women's health care. The center focuses on perimenopause, menopause, and late reproductive life, addressing a gap in national healthcare services.
The proposed center operates under four pillars: clinical care, research, education, and advocacy for health equity. It utilizes a streamlined model that connects patients with specialists in cardiology, endocrinology, mental health, orthopedics, lifestyle medicine, and oncology survivorship. Proponents argue that formal designation allows the university to expand regional clinical capacity without requiring new physical space or additional funds. The Academic Senate noted that the university faculty has the authority to legislate on matters of educational policy and participate in budget decisions and administrative appointments.
The body also considered a new 15-credit interdisciplinary graduate certificate in Microbiota and Mucosal Health. This program, located in the Department of Pathology, was developed with the Microbiota and Gastrointestinal Immunology Consortium and supported by Talent Ready Utah. The certificate trains students in microbiota science, mucosal immunology, bioinformatics, and translational research. It is designed for graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, and working professionals who need skills for cross-functional teams in life sciences research. The program will be available as a standalone option or embedded within a degree.
In the business sector, the David Eccles School of Business proposed a new Bachelor of Business Administration. This 64-credit degree is a generalist option that serves as an alternative to the more specialized Bachelor of Science degrees. The new pathway aims to support students pursuing double majors, those with pre-professional requirements, and transfer students who need a shorter degree option. School officials stated that the program will help increase retention and graduation rates while attracting non-traditional students. The BBA provides a broad foundation in business for those who are not fully focused on a single specialized discipline.
The School of Music presented reforms to its Doctor of Musical Arts program. The changes expand the degree to three separate tracks: Recital, Dissertation Essay, and Media Project. The reform eliminates the previous Related Fields requirement, replacing it with electives, and unifies the rigor of Qualifying Exams. The goal is to make DMA candidates more marketable in the job market and ensure a clear path to on-time graduation. The school also revised the B.A. in Music and created a new B.S. to provide differentiated liberal arts degrees that complement professional music degrees. These changes aim to serve students with varying levels of prior musical training and literacy.
The College of Education proposed restructuring its five current academic departments into three. This move aligns with the university's Impact 2030 Strategic Plan and the college's own strategic plan, titled EdUcation is Utah. The proposal resulted from the Redesign for Excellence initiative, which Dean Frankie Santos Laanan launched on April 30, 2025. The process involved eight months of data analysis, peer institution reviews, town hall meetings, and multiple rounds of anonymous feedback from faculty and staff. The College Redesign Task Force facilitated the feedback collection during this period.
The School of Public Affairs introduced changes to its Master of Science and certificate programs in International Affairs and Global Enterprise. The program moved into the School of Public Affairs two years ago when the new school was established. The proposed changes aim to modernize the program and better prepare students while integrating it further into the new school structure. Additionally, the Senate reviewed an update to Policy 6-500 regarding shared credits in combined degree pathways. The pending edit would limit shared credits to specific 5000 to 5999 level courses that meet learning outcomes for both degrees. Programs would also need to provide separate functional four-year plans for standalone and combined pathways, with a formal admission process for the combined option.
All these items are subject to approval by the Board of Trustees. The Academic Senate meets on Zoom and holds public meetings, although Utah law does not require these sessions to be public. The senate chose to conduct its business in a transparent way, and all attendees are welcome. Meetings are recorded solely for the purpose of creating meeting minutes. Faculty representatives exercise their legislative power through the Academic Senate and various college councils.
