Emporia State University announced the creation of new schools and a new institute Wednesday as part of its ongoing restructuring efforts.
“Emporia State University is boldly restructuring in order to create exciting new collaboration and innovation opportunities and to advance and evolve its academic programs,” the university said in a written release. “These changes help us to best serve future generations of students and the needs of the Kansas workforce.”
Under the new framework, the university is creating new schools and a new institute, including:
Institute of Interdisciplinary Studies: Includes Interdisciplinary Studies and Ethnic, Gender & Identity Studies.
School of Applied Health Sciences: Includes Psychology, Counseling, Nursing, HPER.
School of Business & Technology: Includes Accounting and Technology, Business Administration, Economics and MS Informatics.
School of Humanities & Social Sciences: Includes English, Modern Languages, Communication, Social Sciences, Sociology & Criminology and Intensive English Program.
School of Library and Information Management & Library and Archives: Adds Instructional Design & Technology to the restructure from fall 2021 that combined SLIM and University Libraries and Archives.
School of Science & Mathematics: Includes Biological Sciences, Mathematics, Physics, Earth Science, Chemistry and Forensic Science.
School of Visual & Performing Arts: Includes Art, Music and Theatre.
The Teachers College: Includes Elementary Education/Early Childhood/Special Education, School Leadership and Middle/Secondary Education and Field Placement & Licensure.
“A key component of the new model is the valuable relationships it creates,” said Dr. R. Brent Thomas, provost and vice president for academic affairs. “It brings together academic programs by commonalities rather than tradition.”
The new schools mix programs together, such as the School of Applied Health Sciences, which brings together Psychology, Counseling and HPER from The Teachers College with Nursing from the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. ESU said the move “creates facilities cost savings and improved space optimization, two important initiatives for both ESU and the Kansas Board of Regents.”
“The Regents are excited about the new academic model Emporia State is launching. The university continues to implement innovative solutions that meet the needs of modern students and adapt to higher education’s changing landscape,” said Kansas Board of Regents Chair Jon Rolph. “This alignment of programs will help students achieve their goals, support the needs of the Emporia community and build a talented workforce for Kansas.”
According to the release, the restructuring was completed with input from students, faculty and staff “and aligns with ESU’s strategic direction of elevating academic programs to deliver a best-in-class experience.” The university said the move will help maximize strengths for students pursuing degrees in education, health, business, technology and library sciences and opens up new paths for students and faculty in science, math, humanities and the arts.
“This new structure will better enable ESU to adapt and quickly respond to the rapidly changing needs of the world and workforce,” Thomas said. “I am also excited about what this means for our faculty and staff in terms of new leadership development opportunities.”
(7) comments
If you go back to the programs Hush cut in September, these are the same ones he is "creating" now, with the exception of the nursing program. So this supposed framework to cut costs was just a callous, immoral and hopefully illegal way of firing staff that Hush does not agree with. I don't know why he doesn't just go away and count his $33,000+ monthly pension from the Kochs.
This just makes me wonder how many graduate students will be teaching classes next fall instead of professors. It’s kind of like when ice cream went from being a half gallon container to a 3 pint container. You still pay the same amount of money, you just don’t get as much for your money.
Although outside the scope of this article, your question is a fair one, Horsey, . An article on the programs that will be offered, how they will be staffed, etc. would be a good follow up article. Great suggestion!
Thank you for sharing this information. I’m glade that felt it important enough to write it.
What are your criteria that decides what is posted online and what isn't? I would much rather read why my Evergy bill might raise $14.00 rather than new schools to open at ESU.
This is just me, observer, but I think both are important and both should be covered. ESU is a vital element of Emporia, our culture and our economy. This is a critical ongoing story of substantial local interest.
Here you go: There is an article on this site titled "Evergy proposes rate increases to residential electricity bills." Glad the Gazette made you happy!
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