By Cara Miller

Arizona Daily Wildcat

UA media arts majors may face an increase in general admission standards if a proposal to control the department's enrollment is accepted by the Faculty Senate this

The Instruction and Curriculum Policy Committee has recommended that the minimum grade point average for students entering the University of Arizona Department of Media Arts be raised from 2.25 to 2.5 because existing faculty and staff cannot accomodate the 620 students currently enrolled.

"We've looked at other alternatives such as a first come, first serve lottery but this seems to be the most logical solution. If we have to restrict the major, at least we are getting the best students," said Billy Jo Inman, an English professor and head of the policy committee.

Faculty Chairman J.D. Garcia said he thinks the measure will be approved, but there are concerns that the new GPA will have a "domino effect" on other majors.

The report recognizes that students whose GPA falls below 2.5 could seek similar majors in the Journalism and Communication departments, which would in turn, also ask to raise their respective grade requirements.

"Our admissions policy says that you can come to the university, but there is no further representation that you will not have to meet certain requirements to be accepted into your major. Engineering and Education (colleges) already have fairly high standards," Garcia said.

If the recommendation is accepted, it will be effective for all media arts majors in the fall semester of 1995.

In other business, the Faculty Senate is slated to vote on a curricular review process which would evaluate new and temporary courses and eliminate courses which have not been taught for three years.

Frank Besnette and Douglas Wall, executive director and president of the Arizona Board of Regents respectively, will also be in attendance as part of an annual question and answer session.

"Every year we invite the (board) president to address the Senate and give them the opportunity to ask questions regarding the future," Garcia said. Read Next Article