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Regents approve honorary degrees and program planning; professor submits time-sensitive written comment about compliance confusion
Summary
The Board approved several honorary doctorates and requests-to-plan for new degree programs; separately, Dr. Anya Jabour submitted a written, time-sensitive comment asking the Board to make clearer information available about compliance with pending/passed legislation, executive orders and the Department of Education guidance, citing circulating misinformation on campus.
The Montana Board of Regents on March 13 approved multiple academic items including honorary doctorates and requests-to-plan for new degree programs.
UM President Seth Bodnar presented a request to award an honorary doctorate to Steven Rinella (ITEM 217-1012-R0325) and to award an honorary doctorate to Eric Sprunk (ITEM 217-1013-R0325); MSU Provost Bob Mokwa presented honorary doctorate requests for Morton H. Meyerson and Wendy Red Star (ITEM 217-2002-R0325 and ITEM 217-2003-R0325). Regents moved and approved each request by recorded motion (each passed 6–0). The board also approved requests to plan proposals, including a Bachelor of Science in Optical and Photonics Engineering and a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, and proposed centers such as a Center for Hunting and Conservation and a Montana Public Health Training Center; staff said these items have reached the next development stage in the approval process.
During public comment and in Appendix A, Dr. Anya Jabour, Regents Professor of History at the University of Montana Missoula, submitted a time‑sensitive written comment stating that she and campus community members have seen confusion and misinformation circulating about what compliance with pending or passed legislation, recent executive orders, and the Department of Education’s Dear Colleague letter will mean in practice. Jabour said some circulating information is probably inaccurate (for example, claims that syllabi cannot include the phrase “climate change”), other items may be misinterpreted (for example, changes to signage), and some directives (for example, on use of students’ preferred pronouns) appear to come from individual administrators rather than systemwide policy. She asked the board to make clear, accurate information available to faculty, staff and students.
Chair Buchanan called for a motion to hear appeals related to the Commissioner’s decisions; no motion was made and therefore the commissioner’s decisions were upheld. The board adjourned the public meeting at 11:27 a.m. and later convened an executive session on matters involving individual privacy.
