Despite reports an early childhood studies program will not be jointly developed by the Department of Human and Family Resources and the Department of Curriculum and Instruction, a proposal to join the two forces is still being reviewed by the two departments.

“We think a joint program is very much alive and we think the human family resources faculty and the department chair feel the same way,” Curriculum and Instruction Chairman Michael Henniger said.

At the Nov. 5 Council on Instruction meeting, council members discussed the joint program proposal and it was reported the College of Education had withdrawn from the program.

owever, Henniger said the Department of Curriculum and Instruction is still reviewing the joint program and a proposal soon will be sent to the Department of Human and Family Resources. “We will be negotiating and working through the joint program,” Henniger said.

The original proposal to create a joint program was developed in response to changes in state certification requirements which will be effective July 1988. These will require a separate early childhood certification for those teaching younsters aged one through eight.

enniger said the departments have been trying to develop the program for the past three years. However, he said the process has “faced several major snags.”

Last year, when the proposal came to the COI it was tabled due to concerns by Human and Family Resources Chairman Ray Yang. Yang said his department did not have sufficient time to discuss the new program, and he also wanted to gain additional support from his department.

Another concern was whether the childhood development emphasis, which is offered in the department of human and family resources, would be included in the program.

Former Associate Provost Lida Barrett said the College of Education approved the proposal with the understanding the emphasis would be eliminated. The College of Professional Studies approved the proposal with the understanding the emphasis would remain.

enniger said the College of Education wanted to correct the problems in the proposal before bringing it back to the council. “The College of Education wants to look at the relative amount of coursework in elementary and primary education,” he said.

The curriculum for the joint program would draw existing resources from the two departments and colleges. Henniger said the program would offer an interdisciplinary major and students would earn a Bachelor’s of Science degree in early childhood studies.