. . Capital Times V 01.22 No.B Reorganization of Divisions Proposed by Dr. Graham By Kimberly Anastas A major restructuring that would cause the Humanities and Behavioral Sciences and Education departments to merge may go into effect for the next academic year. The proposal is being made by Dr. Robert J. Graham, Associate Provost and Associate Dean of Faculty. In a memo to the divisions' faculty, Graham said he is proposing the merge for "sound academic and institutional planning reasons." In an interview, Graham said that this change must happen soon "for Capital College to advance in the 19905. He also said, "we must think ahead - - Penn State Harrisburg must have larger, stronger academic units" to accomodate the growing number of students at Capital College. Graham said that last year's graduate enrollment increased 16 'Weeny this year and under-graduate enrollment increased eight to 10 percent. In the memo Graham said that "a single liberal studies and education academic unit can lead to the following: * improved opportunities to Proposal's Effect Will be Slight for Students By Michele Hart Dr. Robert J. Graham's proposed reorganization of the Behavorial Science/ Education and Humanities divisions into one school or college will benefit the students of Capital College by allowing the school to live up to its inter-disciplinary mission he said in an interview Jan. 21 Graham's proposal, , outlined in a memo sent to faculty Jan. 20, has met with anxiety and confusion among some of the students of those divisions. Brenda Marchegiani, junior humanities communications major, does not care for the proposed reorganization because she does not want her. degree or program to change: "If they are going to change it have it affect the new juniors, not us," she said. Marchegiani also does not think that the programs in the divisionc will be compatible as one school. "Liberal studies and communications are two different things," she said. Dr. William J. Mahar, humanities division head, said that students do have a number of "very meet our interdisciplinary _responsibilities and better realize the rich potential evident in the expertise of social science and humanities faculty; * better coordination and flexibility in handling the dramatic changes coming in teacher preparation-- changes bringing renewed emphasis on connections between liberal arts and professional education courses; * more effective curriculum planning in meeting the increasing elective needs of engineering and business students for behavioral/social science and humanities courses; * the necessary and natural transition to a larger college organized-- at some point in the future--into schools; * an ability to realize the advantages a critical mass of faculty and students bring to an academic unit in allocation of resources, grant-getting and fund-raising for professorships." - Graham said that a larger single division may attract investors more easily than two smaller departments. After the merge, the new division will be almost doubled in size. See RESTRUCTURING, p. 14 serious concerns," but that "the faculty will make sure that the students are not affected adversely." He said that initially students , like Marchegiani, will be concerned about graduation requirements and degrees. However, student's majors will not be changed as a result of the reorganization he said. Graham also does not see major changes in the near future for programs of study. Currently the divisions offer 300 plus courses, he said, and more courses will not be needed immediately. The proposal, which he wants to implement next fall, will improve courses of study Graham said, by giving students more choices when deciding which classes to take. "It will allow better planning, and that is really my foremost reason," he said. "Eventually it will improve the intellectual enviroment on the campus. These units can get together." For Laura Karinch, junior humanities/ secondary English major the combining of the units will be beneficial. "I think it will be good for me, being an education major but not being in the education department, Penn State University at Harrisburg because communications will be better between the two divisions," she said. But, junior humanities communications major Judy Hricak doesn't see it that way. She feels that the proposal is rhetoric intended to save the school money in the long run. "What's it doing for us?" she asked. To combine the divisions, she said; would take a lot away from each of them. She especially does not want the closeness that humanities students feel within the division to be disrupted. Graham does not want to see that happen either. "There is a much closer relationship in humanities between the faculty and students and the division head that shouldn't change," he said. Mahar agreed that the humanities division deals with the students on a very personal level and said that all of the divisions affected by the proposal have always stressed accessibility and personal advising. "It would be a pity if that changed and I don't think it will." he said. He said the dedication of the faculty in those divisions will keep it from changing. 1987 behavorial science graduate Wendy Bowie isn't so sure that all of the divisions work on a personal basis with the students. She said that she found it hard while an undergraduate here to get the help she needed from her division. "They can't handle the departments they have now," she said. "The departments are too large now." Bowie isn't quite sure why the univiersity would want to make this change she said. "What's best for the college is not always what's best for the students. They forget who they are serving," she said. One student who will not be affected by the change, Jon Geisler, a senior accounting major, does think that the reorganized division will better serve the students. "If it improves the quality of education and the desirability of the students from the curriculum I feel that the change would be favorable," he said. Angie Dill, senior communications major, expressed the same sentiments as Geisler. "Students will be able to take a wider variety of courses which will make them more marketable when seeking jobs," she said. Feb. 3, 1988
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