The Faculty Senate approved a new major last night to be added to the department of linguistics.
A human language technology major will be available to students in January and will focus on key areas of study in speech technology.
The major will prepare students with backgrounds in linguistics to enter a competitive scientific workforce, according to the consent agenda.
The senate also approved to expand the University of Arizona College of Medicine in Phoenix, and add a new department of basic science.
The expansion and establishment of the basic science department will cost $6 million to start, and another $4 million in the next three years.
In other business, the senate welcomed presidential search committee chair Regent Fred Boice, to the meeting to discuss what the faculty would like to see in the next president.
Faculty voiced concerns about the UA's difficult financial situation and stressed the need for a candidate to have the ability to multitask finances and academics.
President Peter Likins drew a Venn diagram on the board to illustrate the intersection of entrepreneurial sense and scholarly work that should be qualities in the next candidate.
Likins told the committee that once potential candidate names are released to the public, the faculty should be prepared to watch the rest of the search fly by.
Boice told senators that although he could not discuss individual candidates, he felt that there are some "profound" people competing for the presidential position.