The Master of Arts in Teaching program was approved on March 4 by the full-time Simpson faculty members at their monthly meeting.

All Simpson faculty members voted and the MAT program was passed with 53 faculty members for it, and 23 against it. One faculty member abstained from voting, according to R. Kevin LaGree, president of Simpson College.

Since the faculty approved the MAT program, now it must be presented to the board of trustees in May. The board of trustees must agree that the MAT program would be beneficial to Simpson College. An approval by the board will send the proposal to the North Central Commission on Accreditation.

This organization will visit campus in November to determine whether Simpson has the proper resources and integrity to host the MAT program, according to Steve Rose, associate professor of education.

“The North Central Commission on Accreditation must approve all programs that Simpson offers, including any Bachelor of Arts program,” said Walter Pearson, director of the division of adult learning.

Simpson College students and alumni may see the MAT program surface in the fall of 2004 at the earliest.

“Simpson needs to diversify its offerings to maintain the quality of the programs it does offer,” said Rose.

According to Pearson, the MAT program will be offered to those who have already received a Bachelor of Arts in a subject area that will permit a teaching endorsement. The MAT program is designed for graduates that decide they want to teach within the field of their bachelor’s degree.