After months of discussion and planning, there may be only one thing in the way of the chemical and life sciences college’s and the computer, mathematical and physical sciences college’s being merged into one: approval from the University Senate.
If the senate votes to approve the merger at its Sept. 16 meeting, the two colleges will be integrated into one, which would bear a new name and be headed by a new dean, whom is yet to be chosen, said Associate Provost of Academic Planning and Programs Betsy Beise, who crafted the proposal. Faculty, staff and students of both colleges voted overwhelmingly in favor of integration last semester, and late last month a senate committee unanimously approved the more formal proposal that was prepared over the summer.
CMPS Dean Steve Halperin said integrating the colleges would have no impact on the departments, programs or curricula of either school. Instead, he said combining the two would foster greater collaboration and research opportunities across disciplines.
“The fact of the matter is that many of the integral questions in science today are no longer neatly confined within the physical sciences or computer science or biology or chemistry,” Halperin said. “More and more, we need to find collaboration across the classical college boundaries.”
Halperin has served as interim dean for the chemical and life sciences college since July, when Norma Allewell, the previous dean, was promoted to be interim vice president of research. He will step down June 30 without seeking reappointment. Beise said faculty members are eager for integration to begin so they can select a dean for the new college.
Although many professors showed strong support, several expressed concern that the new, larger college would be led by a single dean — the search for whom would not even begin until integration is finalized.
“You need someone who has an understanding of all the different disciplines,” physics professor John Weeks said. “There are more and more people who can do that, but getting the right visionary and leadership could be harder.”
Despite some adjustments students and faculty members might need to make, physics professor Theodore Einstein said he expects the merger to be worth any potential difficulties.
“One can always have concerns. You’re used to what you’re used to,” he said. “But I think the risks are far outweighed by the advantages.”
Due to its widespread support, Beise said she is “optimistic” the senate will approve the merger and she plans to submit the proposal to interim university President Nariman Farvardin and University System of Maryland Chancellor Brit Kirwan for approval the day after the vote.
“There’s really a lot of enthusiasm on both sides,” Beise said.
Faculty members of both colleges expressed support for the merge, noting how different departments are already collaborating and how their work is leaning more toward interdisciplinary research.
About 300 suggestions for the new college’s name were submitted online over the summer, but the list has since been narrowed down to four: The College of Natural Sciences, The College of Science, The College of Sciences and The College of Computer, Mathematical and Natural Sciences.
Faculty, staff and students voted online last week from the shortened list, and those results will be submitted to Farvardin, who will select the name that will be submitted to the senate.
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