By Carissa Smith on June 19, 2008
In the fall of 2008, Pacific Union College students will be offered a new major in environmental studies. The interdisciplinary Bachelor of Science degree will be based in the biology department and allow students to choose a specialization from a variety of course electives.The major was established because of numerous requests from students in the environmental science class, taught by associate professor of biology Floyd Hayes. "We decided to submit a proposal in which the degree could be offered without hiring a new faculty member, but asked for a full-time laboratory coordinator to assist us with our teaching loads," Hayes says. The original environmental science course has now been split into three sections as part of the curriculum for the new major.PUC is the perfect place for this program, with its natural setting and location in environmentally conscious California. "Green" awareness and commitment on campus has increased with projects such as Green Week, a Green Club, discussions about the eco-village project, and the building of our own cogeneration plant several years ago to supply the college's electrical, heating and air conditioning needs with cutting-edge, forward-thinking energy production.This setting, Hayes explains, will benefit the new major: "Instruction here would be enhanced...
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