UVM’s board of trustees approved the proposed School of the Arts within the College of Arts and Sciences at a Feb. 4-5 meeting, according to a Feb. 5 press release. 

This vote solidifies the proposed changes for the SOTA, which will combine the departments of music, art and art history, and theater and dance, according to a Feb. 3 Cynic article. 

“The new School of the Arts will spark greater student interest and engagement in the arts across all disciplines at the University, expand faculty collaboration, help raise awareness of the arts and arts-related events on campus, and help us grow community engagement,” CAS Dean Bill Falls said. 

The board also approved the proposed termination of UVM’s Greek major, Greek language and literature minor, Latin major and Latin language and literature minor, following a lengthy faculty review resulting in uncontested proposals, according to the press release. 

Additionally, the board approved a proposal to relocate the geology department to a new department of geography and geosciences in CAS, which reflects current scholarly approaches in these disciplines, according to the press release. 

“UVM’s geology and related programs are well-known and highly respected,” Falls said. “The new department will ensure that we remain at the forefront of these fields for future generations.” 

The board also approved the creation of a Bachelor of Arts in Neuroscience in CAS and a Micro-Certificate of Graduate Study in Sustainable Family Enterprise in the Graduate College and the Grossman School of Business, according to the press release.