August 26, 2014

SVSU adds master’s degree program in teaching Chinese

Saginaw Valley State University is adding a Master of Arts degree program in teaching Chinese as a foreign language to its curriculum, following approval by the SVSU Board of Control Monday, Aug. 18. Courses will be offered for the fall 2014 semester, which begins next week.

The program is a joint effort with Taiwan-based Ming Chuan University, which dedicated its Michigan campus on SVSU’s campus in June. Mandarin has become an increasingly important language in the business world and global society, and SVSU expects demand for the program to grow among both domestic and international students.

In other business, the Board:
•    Passed a resolution of appreciation for Joe Rousseau, who is retiring as director of SVSU’s School and University Partnerships office, which oversees charter schools.
•    Appointed Isabelle Weiss to the board of directors for the Marshall M. Fredericks Sculpture Museum.
•    Appointed Trish Burns, Janet Greif, Don Pussehl, Laura Yockey and Bill Zehnder; and reappointed Waheed Akbar, Paul Chaffee, John Decker, Ken LeCureux, Terry Lerash and Scott Walker to the SVSU Board of Fellows, a community advisory board.
•    Approved spending up to $475,000 to renovate South Campus Complex buildings B and C. These structures were built in 1966 and 1968, respectively, and are in need of new windows, doors and other materials.