By Sarah Carlson, Copy Editor

A proposal for a new Master of Student Affairs graduate program will go before the College of Arts and Sciences Academic Council on Friday and the Graduate Council on Tuesday for approval.

The 39-hour program is a master’s in higher education with an emphasis in college student affairs and is designed primarily to prepare students for professional careers in colleges and universities, said Dr. Carol Williams, dean of the Graduate School. The program will be implemented in the fall of 2006.

“I think it will be a go if those two councils approve it,” Williams said. “I’m hopeful that they will.”

Williams said the idea for the program evolved over several years with different administrators and professors around campus talking about it, and the University Planning Committee and the Academic Council for the Department of Education approved it in October.

The program is designed to train students to work in higher education in areas like Campus Life, Chapel, financial aid, advising and residence life. Being at ACU, the program will emphasize faith and a role in administration as a ministry.

“There aren’t many master’s programs that have the Christian emphasis we have,” Williams said. “We think we can be a national leader in this area.”

She said she is unsure of who would teach the courses in the program, but a likely candidate would be Dr. Mimi Barnard, director of Residence Life and Housing.

Barnard said she considers her job a ministry and thinks implementing a program that emphasizes faith and higher education is important.

“I think it’s a wonderful idea,” Barnard said. “It prepares you for a life of ministry as well as a professional career.”