Faculty Senate approved creating three new certificate programs and a new graduate degree at its meeting Tuesday.

The certificate programs — a Post-Baccalaureate in Teacher Education, a Certificate in Assistive Technology and a Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages — will all be provided by the Graduate College, effective fall 2012.

The graduate degree — a Master of Education in Teacher Education — will also be effective fall 2012 in the Graduate College.

“These are all very good programs, and I look forward to them being implemented,” said John Folkins, Faculty Senate chair.

Senators also approved changing the name of a graduate degree Tuesday. A Ph.D. in Communication Studies will now be referred to as a Ph.D. in Media and Communication, effective fall 2013.

The change will reflect the school’s name change in 2009 to the School of Media and Communication, said Joshua Atkinson, the school’s graduate coordinator.

In addition, the senate voted Tuesday to amend its attendance policy to encourage senators to send substitutes to meetings they are unable to attend.

“The existing policy was overly restrictive,” Folkins said. “Now the policy allows for much more flexibility.”