The College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHSS) held another town hall meeting about the CHSS restructuring on Dec. 10. The forum took place at the Feliciano School of Business, room 255. Dr. Fatma Mili, interim CHSS dean, presided over the lightly attended conference.
The meeting followed a similar session held by the Student Government Association (SGA) on Dec. 3 where Jonathan Koppell, university president, discussed the CHSS restructuring before an audience of 100.
Mili gave a detailed overview of the CHSS restructuring, stating the initiative began in November 2024 under Junius Gonzales, former CHSS provost. After a lengthy review, a final restructuring proposal was materialized. She said the proposition entails making four separate schools under the CHSS banner.
Mili said the overall restructuring goal is to encompass different academic disciplines for enhanced curriculum.
The dean noted the goal of the program was “creating more opportunities for programs that resonate much more deeply with what the student of today needs and wants and aspires to and will need 10 years from now.”
Dr. Fatma Mili, dean of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHSS), discusses the CHSS restructuring in Feliciano School of Business room 255 during a special town hall meeting. Thomas Boud | The Montclarion
Mili shared the CHSS transformation is slated for completion by summer 2026. She said the restructuring process is still incorporating additional feedback from faculty and staff.
“Right now, I am charging the department chairs to lead the continuing of this design,” Mili said. “By saying, ‘Okay, now we have four schools. How would things work inside these schools?’ They wanted to have departments underneath these schools. I said, ‘That’s fine. Go ahead, but there are still a number of decisions.’”
According to Mili, the restructuring finalization date is to coincide with the naming of a permanent CHSS dean. The dean selection committee is to be formed in January, selecting the new official by June, in time for the completed restructuring,
Mili mentioned Gonzales originally wanted to enact the CHSS overhaul by June 2025. However, that changed when Koppell called for delaying implementation to allow more opportunity for advice from additional faculty and staff.
Jonathan Koppell. university president, talks about the College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHSS) restructuring at the Dec 3 CHSS town hall in Student Center room 411. Photo credit: Thomas Boud
Koppell had mentioned that point at the Dec. 3 town hall meeting, explaining how hearing more campus community opinions on the restructuring is better “than having it behind closed doors and simply unveiling a finished product.”
“I think that has advantages because now we get input and we get feedback and it will add to the quality of the outcome,” Koppell said, referring to the completed CHSS restructuring.
Along those lines, Mili said the CHSS restructuring committee had done extensive consultation before conceiving tentative restructuring options.
“We counted 13 different events where they went back and forth to the staff and faculty, saying, ‘Here’s what we have. Tell us what you think. Tell us what your opinion is.’” Mili said.
Dr. Fatma Mili, dean of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHSS), discusses the CHSS restructuring in Feliciano School of Business room 255 during a special town hall meeting. Thomas Boud | The Montclarion
Mili shared the review process continued even after the committee finished its work in June. Gonzales had sent a survey to university faculty and staff to weigh the three proposed restructuring versions.
“What do you think of this model? Does it increase multidisciplinarity? Does it reduce administration? Does it promote research work? They had four or five criteria and asked faculty to reflect on each one of the models based on these criteria,” Mili said.
