By fall 2006, students could be enrolled in the new liberal arts residential college.
Tentatively named after former South African leader Nelson Mandela, the college would grant degrees and have a base in international issues and would reside in Snyder and Phillips halls.
The executive summary draft of the New Residential College Program Planning Committee details the new college.
"What you have in the final report is sort of a more fleshed-out concept of what a liberal and creative arts college at MSU would look like," committee Chairwoman Marcellette Williams said.
Work began last spring to create a residential college in the liberal arts and humanities. A committee spent the summer talking with those involved in liberal arts and residential programs and released a draft report near the end of July.
Open forums and discussions were held this semester to hear people's ideas about the college.
The initial report outlined having the first incoming freshman class in 2005, but Williams said the class coming in 2006 was more practical.
"The responsible recommendation was for us to approach the provost and say, 'Perhaps fall 2006 would allow for a better overall experience for the incoming class,'" Williams said.
Committee member and art history Professor Susan Madigan said some people were concerned that the initial report did not contain anything about curriculum. But addressing specific curriculum was not the committee's mission, so Madigan said they tried to generally describe the classes.
"We didn't develop curriculum, but came up with concentrations based on research of other colleges," Madigan said. "Another committee has to do that."
The programs outlined included separate integrative studies classes; classes in science and global issues; arts, humanities and social change; classical texts and contemporary contexts; and arts, media and technologies.
President-designate Lou Anna Simon said the committee wasn't charged with creating curriculum because the curriculum change would impact the faculty.
"The curriculum has to be a response of the faculty that are going to teach the courses," she said.
