The committees have spoken and a new residential college for the arts and humanities that has been in draft stages for the past year will now move on to becoming a reality.

Committee members in the Academic Governance system have expressed support for the college, slated to make its debut in fall 2007, after the proposal was approved by Academic Council on Tuesday.

MSU President Lou Anna K. Simon will now take the proposal - which includes plans for the college's curriculum and location - to the MSU Board of Trustees for the board to consider at its October meeting.

"It will provide the College of Arts and Letters many opportunities," said Patrick McConeghy, the college's acting dean. "It will really expand what we do here in a much more visible way."

In December 2004, a goal to create a liberal arts residential college during MSU's sesquicentennial year arose in Academic Council. The college is planned to be housed in soon-to-be renovated Snyder and Phillips halls and will focus primarily on creative arts and humanities.

This summer, a task force was put together to continue work on the project's programming and curriculum. Department of Philosophy Chairman Stephen Esquith led the summer group and continued to field questions from people in the MSU community early this fall.

Many faculty were worried that the new residential program could detract from already-existing programs at MSU.

Computer Science and Engineering Professor George Stockman said he is concerned the college will take freshmen away from other programs. Each freshman class will aim to have between 100 and 125 students, according to the proposal.

But Honors College Associate Professor David Bailey said MSU will lure students who were not otherwise planning on attending.

"Our assumption is that in-state students will be attracted," Bailey said. "We will be getting students that have otherwise given us a pass."

English senior Kyle Martin said he wants to make sure students stay involved in the process of creating the college, even now that the residential college has gone through Academic Governance. Martin said he was involved in reviewing the proposal in several different committees and has met with Esquith several times to ask questions.

"Students know what is missing on campus academically," said Martin, external vice chairperson of ASMSU's Academic Assembly. "They know what they want and what they need."