The College of Arts and Sciences at Eastern Kentucky University has been split into the College of Science and the College of Letters, Arts and Social Sciences (CLASS).
The College of Science, headed by Dean Dr. Tom Otieno, consists of the departments of Biological Sciences, Chemistry, Computer Science, Geosciences, Mathematics and Statistics, and Physics and Astronomy. It also houses the Division of Natural Areas.
Otieno, who joined EKU chemistry faculty in 1995 and had served the past 11 years as associate dean for the College of Arts and Sciences, said the new structure offers “a greater focus on EKU’s science and math programs, giving all the programs opportunities for increased prominence. Because it houses STEM disciplines, the College of Science will play a central role in the University as EKU adapts to the realities of performance-based funding that is on the horizon.”
The College of Letters, Arts and Social Sciences, headed by Dean Dr. Sara Zeigler, houses the departments
of Anthropology, Sociology and Social Work; Art and Design; Communication; Economics; English and Theatre; Government; History; Languages, Cultures and Humanities; the School of Music; Philosophy and Religion; and Psychology. It also includes the University’s numerous interdisciplinary programs.
“CLASS represents EKU’s enduring commitment to a liberal arts education as the intellectual foundation for work, life and citizenship,” said Zeigler, who joined EKU in 1997 and had previously served as dean of university programs, the functions of which have been dispersed to other areas on campus. “In CLASS, we ... cultivate students’ creativity and critical thinking skills to help them adapt to diverse environments and resolve society’s most challenging problems in a culturally competent and ethical way.”
It was also announced that Dr. John Wade, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences since 2008, was returning to teaching economics at Eastern. During his tenure, the college launched its first doctoral program (Psy.D.), brought Phase 1 of the New Science Building online, and began construction of Phase 2 of NSB. He also was instrumental in developing EKU’s e-Campus model for online programs and in the revisions of the University’s general education and developmental education programs.