Chairs, learning facilities get fresh look for fall semester

New seems to be the best word to describe the six colleges across
campus this fall.

Whether it is new professors, programs or learning facilities, each
college is getting revamped for the upcoming semester.

College of Science and Technology

“Science allows us to advance beyond what is known and to make
discoveries that shape the future,” said University President Michael
Rao.

For that reason, Dean Robert Kohrman of the College of Science and
Technology is expecting increased enrollment in industrial and
engineering technology, as well as meteorology, because they are newer
to the college’s curriculum.

“We are the only school in the state with a meteorology program,”
Kohrman said.

The college offers several other programs, including computer
science, chemistry and mathematics.

Kohrman said undergraduate students also can continue their studies
outside of the classroom at research facilities, including CMU’s
Biological Station on Beaver Island.

The Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow College of Health Professions

Although it is the smallest college on campus with about 2,500
students, the Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow College of Health Professions
boasts the largest number of graduates, said Dean Marvis Lary.

Lary said some of the students provide services to approximately
10,000 patients per year in Carl’s Center for Clinical Care and
Education, which is located just inside the east entrance of the Health
Professions Building.

“It is a wonderful learning site for our students,” Lary said.

A majority of the college’s programs are accredited, meaning they
have a well-designed curriculum and a sufficient level of resources to
help maintain an excellence in education, she said.

“We maintain some of the top-ranked health programs in the nation,”
Lary said.

College of Business Administration

Nearly 90 percent of CMU business students receive a job within three
months of graduation, said Senior Associate Dean Daniel Vetter after
reviewing a recent University survey.

Vetter said the survey also shows that six out of 10 business
students complete a successful internship.

Although these percentages may seem pleasing to business students,
Vetter is not expecting an increase in the college’s enrollment this
school year.

“Last year, we had a slight decline, mostly attributable to
declining graduate enrollments,” he said.

Vetter is hoping the addition of a real estate program, financially
supported by alumni, will boost enrollment in future years.

The college also is welcoming two new faculty members in the
marketing department – Concha Neeley and Samuel Spralls.

College of Communication and Fine Arts

The University Theatre, CMU’s Marching Band and Moore Hall Television
are just a few of the many activities students can get involved in
outside the classroom to further their education in the College of
Communication and Fine Arts.

“We are a very hands-on and engaged college where the students make
many of their discoveries by participating in specific co-curricular
activities … ” said Dean Sue Ann Martin.

Martin said the faculty and staff have plans to further develop the
college through the school of broadcast and cinematic arts, the
department of journalism and the integrative public relations program.

In addition to the developing programs, the college has added two
new chairs – Professor Harold Wildey in Art and Professor Bill Dailey
in Communication and Dramatic Art.

College of Education and Human Services

The College of Education and Human Services ranks first among state
colleges and universities in the number of graduates teaching in-state.

CMU ranks third in the state in terms of the number of students in
the teacher preparation program.

With high in-state job placement numbers, the college leads CMU in
the number of students involved in international study programs, said
Dean Karen Adams.

Adams also can boast that the college places the most students in
internships, with a range of locations including West Africa, the
Dominican Republic and France.

“We have a very high placement rate for graduates from our many
programs throughout campus,” Adams said.

A new leadership minor also has been added to the department of
recreation, parks and leisure services administration, which Adams is
hoping will add to an already-growing college.

College of Humanities and Social Behavioral Sciences

The College of Humanities and Social Behavioral Sciences is welcoming
seven new tenure-track faculty members this fall, but Dean Gary 
Shapiro said this is the lowest number of new faculty members in years.
They are mainly replacement positions, Shapiro said.

The college also has obtained the museum studies program, which was
once a part of the College of Communication and Fine Arts.

“We’re hoping to improve the quality of the program and the
facilities,” Shapiro said.

Those classes will be taught in Rowe Hall.

Shapiro said the college currently is the leader in students
studying abroad, which could be attributed to the college’s steady
enrollment numbers.

“Enrollment looks very, very good for our college,” he said.