Reorganization

Academic Reorganization at Truman

Academic reorganization is not simply a matter of moving people around but a more thoughtful, organic part of sustaining a university’s academic drive. At Truman we are pursuing this work from a position of strength, retaining our existing academic programs, degrees and majors, while creating opportunities to move these and other new programs forward. At Truman, our work on academic reorganization is driven by a positive mindset that embraces continuous improvement.

Our purpose for academic reorganization is focused on reducing the barriers to student, faculty and staff success and to creating a balanced and sustainable academic program portfolio that aligns with the needs and interests of our students and the world beyond our walls—realizing new synergies within new school and department structures. As we move through academic reorganization, we do so knowing that our work will continue to lead to positive student learning outcomes.

What will not change for our students? All of our existing academic programs and majors will continue to be offered. We will continue to strengthen these and we will continue to be open to new and innovative program ideas that honor what the world and the workplace ask of us as engaged citizens. What will change for our students? Your program or major may have a new departmental home, as we bring related disciplines together under new departmental structures that better reflect the type of knowledge sharing and disciplinary collaboration so critical to answering big questions. Our students need to be able to construct a vision of the world and their place in it, and we believe creating stronger disciplinary bridges within newly aligned academic units will allow us to realize this honorable goal.

Truman is a dynamic institution, and we as a community look to strengthen our place in the landscape of higher education. We also strive to better prepare our students for productive lives and rewarding careers, even as we remain distinct by design. Our new academic affairs model is built on three pillars: a School of Arts and Humanities, a School of Science and Mathematics, and a School of Business and Professional Studies. This structure highlights our commitment to a robust academic portfolio and our unique strength in honoring the liberal arts and sciences and acknowledging their value in transforming a broad range of professional practices.

 

Our New Academic Model (Effective Fall 2024)

School of Arts and Humanities (Steve Parsons, Dean / Eric Dickson, Associate Dean)

  1. Art and Design (Art + Design + Art History) (Aaron Neeley, Chair)
  2. Communication and Theatre Arts (Brad Carlson, Chair)
  3. English (Jay Self, Acting Chair)
  4. Languages and Linguistics (Classical and Modern Languages / Linguistics) (Dan Doman, Chair)
  5. Music (Victor Marquez, Interim Chair)
  6. Social Sciences and Human Inquiry (Anthropology / Criminal Justice / History / Philosophy and Religion / Political Science and International Relations / Sociology) (Kathryn Brammall, Chair)

School of Science and Mathematics (Tim Walston, Dean / Stephen Hudman, Associate Dean)

  1. Agricultural and Biological Sciences (Drew Sieg, Chair)
  2. Computer and Data Sciences (Computer Science / Statistics) (Scott Alberts, Chair)
  3. Health Science (Hyun-Joo Kim, Chair)
  4. Mathematics (David Garth, Chair)
  5. Physical Sciences (Chemistry / Physics) (Brian Lamp, Chair)

School of Business and Professional Studies (Rashmi Prasad, Dean / Lance Ratcliff, Associate Dean)

  1. Business and Economics (Accounting / Business Administration / Economics) (Stacey Kaden, Chair)
  2. Communication Disorders (Amy Teten, Chair)
  3. Education (Jocelyn Stevens, Chair)
  4. Exercise Science (Julene Ensign, Interim Chair)
  5. Military Science (Stephen Laz, Chair)
  6. Nursing (Cindy Waller, Chair)
  7. Psychology and Counseling (Katie Judd, Chair)

FAQ

Academic reorganization is a process undertaken by many colleges and universities. It is part of supporting and focusing a university’s mission and sustaining its academic drive; and it also changes how we administer our academic programs. At Truman, academic reorganization is being driven by a positive mindset that thoughtfully remaps our department and school structures. Our new model includes eighteen departments and moves their affiliated majors and programs into three new schools.

Truman is undertaking academic reorganization in part to align with our current enrollment and staffing, but also to create new disciplinary bridges across our existing majors and programs. Those academic bridges are central to our liberal arts and sciences mission, and will continue to provide opportunities for exploration, specialization and collaboration. Academic reorganization will allow us to strengthen our existing programs as well as identify and build new programs that draw from the shared knowledge and skills of our faculty. Our newly aligned academic units are intended to support a forward-looking curriculum and to think more creatively about our academic portfolio.

Your program or major may have a new departmental home, as we bring related disciplines together under new departmental structures that better reflect the type of knowledge sharing and disciplinary collaboration so critical to answering big questions. Your department chair and department administrator may change, and your department office may be relocated; but the same department support services will be available to you.

All of our existing academic programs and majors will continue to be offered; there will be no impact on your ability to graduate in a timely fashion and with your intended degree. We will continue to strengthen our existing majors and minors, and we will continue to be open to new and innovative program ideas that honor our mission.

No. The name of your degree is not changing, and the name of your major is not changing.

We have already started implementing many of the internal processes related to academic reorganization. Our new organizational model will take effect by Fall 2024.

You can continue to check this website for ongoing updates. You can also reach out to your department chair to answer questions about your academic program. And to answer those bigger questions, and to have your questions added to and answered on our FAQ, feel free to reach out to the Office of Academic Affairs: vpaa@truman.edu or to Student Government: studentgovernment@truman.edu.