Editor's Note: This story reflects changes since it was published Oct. 27. The leadership minor must be approved by the Educational Programs Committee and then the Baker University Faculty Senate.<em>Editor's Note: This story reflects changes since it was published Oct. 27. The leadership minor must be approved by the Educational Programs Committee and then the Baker University Faculty Senate.</em> Editor’s Note: This story reflects changes since it was published Oct. 27. The leadership minor must be approved by the Educational Programs Committee and then the Baker University Faculty Senate.

Student leaders might be able to hit the books to be better leaders now and in the future with the possibility of a new leadership minor that could be offered at Baker University.

Director of Student Life Brett Bruner said the idea for the minor came from five students after a trip to Washburn University to participate in a leadership challenge event.

“The trip served as a starting point for bringing a leadership minor to Baker,” Bruner said.

The idea for the minor has not been approved yet, as it would have to be approved by the Educational Programs Committee and then the Baker University Faculty Senate.

The idea for the new minor came from Bruner and Dean of Students Cassy Bailey, who would teach some of the required courses for the minor.

“We are currently in a long process of getting the minor started.” Bailey said. “We need to make sure (the minor) is sustainable. We hope to be all set for fall 2012.”

Any students could have a leadership minor, regardless of what their major is.

Junior Caleb Watts is one of the five students that went to the event at Washburn last semester.

He is a business major and serves as the Baker University Student Senate president.

“Leadership is key in any major that you have,” Watts said.

Bruner and Bailey hope the minor could focus on helping students to be good leaders not just at Baker University, but long after graduation.

Watts said the minor could cover the fundamentals that are well-known, but go more in-depth.

The minor would require 15 credit hours.

“It’s pretty much in line with the other minors,” Bailey said. “There are three required courses that equal to be nine hours.”

The three required courses for the minor would be Leadership 201, Leadership 301, which is a practica course, and Leadership 401.

During the 301 practica course, students would be required to do a 60-hour hands-on project to implement the leadership skills they have gained through the minor.

While steps are still being taken to approve the minor, students would have to take two required courses that each student can choose as an elective that fits in with each students chosen field of study.

So far, there have been about 30 students interested in the possibility of the new leadership program.

“Leadership in itself is so important,” Watts said. “Success comes from good leadership.”