Mount St. Mary's University Reorganizes
Mount St. Mary's Reorganizes
Rick Fulton/Gettysburg Times
Mount St. Mary’s University President Thomas H. Powell and the board of trustees announced that, effective July 1, Mount St. Mary’s University implemented an academic reorganization creating four new schools within the university, each with its own dean.
“The rebirth of the university in this way refocuses and re-energizes faculty, staff, students and administrators on the start of its third century as educators,” said President Powell.
“The reorganization streamlines the levels of responsibility and aids the administration and faculty — offering more efficient and effective service which will enhance the students’ educational experience,” Powell stated.
The new schools include the College of Liberal Arts, School of Business and Leadership, School of Education and Human
Services and School of Science. The College of Liberal Arts ncompasses the Mount’s core curriculum along with humanities and social sciences. It is led by Joshua P. Hochschild. Dean Hochschild is currently director of the Master’s Degree Program in philosophical studies. Hochschild stated, “I was drawn to the Mount because of its award-winning core curriculum and its community of dedicated teachers. The new
position as dean of the liberal arts college is an opportunity to serve the Mount’s Catholic liberal arts mission.”
The School of Business and Leadership will focus on business management, accounting, economics, marketing and sports management. William G. Forgang, professor and current chair of the department,
has been named dean. “This re-designation reflects the academic strengths and complexity of our undergraduate and graduate degree programs,” explained Dean Forgang. “This challenges our faculty
and staff to engage more actively with the regional business community. We hope to develop new degree and non-degree programs designed in collaboration with area employers to meet the area’s
workforce needs,” he said.
The School of Education and Human Services will guide education majors and prepare them to be fully
accredited teachers or members of school administrations. Dean of the school is Barbara Martin Palmer, associate professor of education and chair of the education department since 2004. “We envision a School responsive to changing needs, one that will be recognized for creating innovative programs
in teacher education, leadership and human services rooted in the university’s Catholic liberal arts missions,” said Dean Palmer.
“One of our first tasks will be to develop a B.S. degree program in Human Services,” she stated.
Dean of the School of Science is former Mount Science Professor, David W. Bushman. “By tradition and proximity to extraordinary resources …the Mount is well positioned to take a leadership role and the new School of Science is a very public commitment to making that vision a reality,” he said.
Along with their standard duties, the newly appointed deans are expected to reach out to community organizations on behalf of the university. The academic restructuring at Mount St. Mary’s University is the first facet in its revolutionary Third Century Plan for Excellence.
The Mount has been named one of the most “Faithful and Affordable” Catholic colleges in the country in the Newman Guide to Choosing a Catholic College published by the Cardinal Newman Society.
