New academic structure to make university more efficient and accessible

September 16, 2009

Athabasca University is changing its academic structure to better manage the institution's growth and diversity of course offerings. Four new faculties have been created to streamline academic operations and to make the university's academic structure more transparent to new students and faculty in other institutions.

The four new faculties are; Business, Health Disciplines, Humanities and Social Sciences, and Science and Technology.

Dr. Alex Kondra has been appointed Dean of the Faculty of Business, Dr. Donna Romyn will be the university's new Dean of the Faculty of Health Disciplines, Dr. Jeff Taylor has accepted an appointment as Dean of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, and Dr. Lisa Carter will be Dean of the Faculty of Science and Technology.

"The faculty structure will make our current centre structure more understandable to new students and to faculty from other universities in search of colleagues in similar disciplines," says Dr. Margaret Haughey, Vice-president, Academic. "It will reduce administrative inefficiencies and increase faculty involvement and sense of ownership."

Previously, all Centre directors reported directly to the Vice-president, Academic. Under the new model, most will report directly to the Dean.

The four faculty model breaks down as follows:

Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences

• Centre for Language and Literature
• Centre for Psychology
• Centre for Integrated Studies
• Centre for State and Legal Studies
• Centre for Work and Community Studies
• Centre for Global and Social Analysis
• Centre for World Indigenous Knowledge and Research

Faculty of Health Disciplines

• Centre for Nursing and Health Studies
• Graduate Centre for Applied Psychology

Faculty of Science and Technology

• Centre for Science and Mathematics
• School of Computing and Information Systems

Faculty of Business

• Centre for Innovative Management
• Centre for Organizational Behaviour and Marketing
• Centre for Accounting and Taxation
• Centre for Finance, Economics, E-Commerce and Decision Sciences

The Centre for Distance Education (CDE) will continue to report directly to the Vice-president, Academic.

"I'm looking forward to working with the new Deans to promote and enhance the academic activities of the faculties," says Dr. Haughey.

The changes to the university's academic structure are effective immediately.

 

For more information, contact:

John O'Brien
Manager, Media Relations
Athabasca University
403-298-2931
403-990-1131 (cell)
jobrien@athabascau.ca

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Updated August 21, 2012