James Bell
Hays Post

In an email sent to Fort Hays State University faculty Thursday, Graham Glynn, FHSU Provost, announced the Kansas Board of Regents has approved the renaming of several colleges and departments across the campus as FHSU moves to restructure the academic functions of the university.

Glynn announced the following changes were approved following a meeting of the regents earlier this month:

Renaming of the College of Arts and Sciences to Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences (AHSS)
Renaming of the College of Health and Life Sciences to Health and Behavioral Sciences (HBS)
Renaming of the College of Education and Technology to Education (E)
Split of the Department of Sociology and Social Work into separate departments and move Social Work to HBS
Rename Institute of Applied Technology to Department of Applied Technology
Rename Department of Management and Marketing to Department of Management
Rename Department of Justice Studies to Department of Criminal Justice

The university has worked this year to prepare for the changes in academic structure, however, not all proposed changes have been approved. In his email Glynn addressed those changes that have yet to become a reality at the university.

“The split of the Management and Marketing Department into the Department of Management and the Department of Applied Business Studies has not yet been approved as the formation of a new department with a new name needs full board approval,” Glynn said in the email. “There were no objections to forming the new fifth college, however, the inclusion of Engineering in “Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM)” did cause some contention. At the May board meeting the Council of Chief Academic Officers were supportive of STM but not of STEM. This was subsequently discussed by the Council of Presidents meeting in June where they voted in favor of STEM. The final decision on these two issues must now be made by the Board, which cannot occur until September as they do not hold business meetings in July or August.”

While waiting for board approval, Glynn has announced an alternate plan for the proposed College of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.

“The approved changes listed above take effect on July 1 but we cannot form the new college until its name is officially approved,” he said. “As an interim solution I am appointing Dr. Greg Farley as a special assistant to the Provost effective July 1, 2015. The departments assigned to the new unnamed college will report to Dr. Farley as of that date. Once the college name is resolved Dr. Farley will transition to the Interim Dean – hopefully in September. I will also start the search for the permanent dean at that time.”