The Shippensburg University Forum held its November meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 21. 

Forum is a governing body through which recommendations concerning curriculum, academic policies, co-curricular and student life matters are routed to the university president.

Forum Chair Matthew Cella gave a report about a meeting with representatives from Rep4, which is a “national organization that tries to amplify student voices and get their perspective to give to faculty about the things that will help them to succeed.” 

The group’s “Fidgets vs Phones” was given as an example of their work. “It’s been shown that students, if they have fidgets and something to kind of deal with their anxiety, they are less likely to want to be on their phones and so forth,” Cella said.

Cella also recognized Hannah and Jenna Cornell, who won first place at the National Honors Conference for the Shippensburg University Pennsylvania Election Research (SUPER) Map project. 

Mathematics professor Grant Innerst presented a report from the University Curriculum Committee (UCC). The committee had passed proposals for nine courses that were included as informational items for the forum. Two graduate policies were also included. 

Innerst moved to approve changes to two programs. The computer engineering major, which currently has four tracks, is being streamlined to a single track. The exercise science major is also seeing a minor change. 

Sport Psychology (ESC 325) currently double-counts for the coaching minor and the Allied Health pre-professional and pre-athletic training concentrations, but not human performance & fitness concentration (HPF). The change would allow students in the HPF concentration to count sport psychology for both the coaching minor and the major. 

VP of Student Affairs Lorie Davis Sheetz gave a report detailing the usage of the university’s critical need housing program. Guidelines were created last year to assist students who have issues going home during breaks. Sheetz also spoke about ShipCARES, which has supported at least 80 students this semester with emotional, academic or other concerns.

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