Montclair State University is planning to broaden its horizons.
Recently, President Jonathan Koppell announced new and exciting things for Montclair State. Those which include two colleges, one school and four degrees.
The two colleges are to be named The College for Education and Engaged Learning and The College for Community Health.
The school is titled The School of Computing, which is located inside The Center for Computing and Information Science.
The Center for Computing and Information Science, home of the School of Computing. Meagan Kane | The Montclarion
The current College of Education and Human Services is set to be the new home for both the College for Education and Engaged Learning and the College for Community Health.
The College of Education and Human Services, set to be the new home of the College For Community Health and the College For Education and Engaged Learning. Meagan Kane | The Montclarion
Last fall, Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs, Junius Gonzales announced the news of the new colleges.
“Effective July 1, 2023, the College of Education and Human Services will be divided into two separate entities: the College of Education and Engaged Learning, and the College for Community Health,” Gonzales said.
Approved by the Board of Trustees back in March, one of the new degrees is a Bachelor of Science in Business Analytics.
The message behind the openings is to better prepare students for the future, as well as aiding the needs of the workforce as stated in a press release last semester.
“In the coming year, Montclair State University will enhance its academic offerings to promote further student success and respond to current and future workforce needs,” the press release stated.
With hearing the striking news, students are excited knowing that there will be more opportunities available at Montclair State.
Noor Alalwan, a sophomore psychology major, thinks it’s a great plan.
“With the new population of students coming in, I feel like this could really broaden the amount of education that Montclair State can offer to everyone,” Alalwan said.
Alalwan believes the openings can give more opportunities to those who have yet to declare a major or are curious to learn more about that area of study.
“I feel like it would also create more opportunities for students who still haven’t declared a major,” Alalwan said. “Also for other students who do have a major, they can maybe broaden their knowledge and minor in different things that weren’t being given to us before.”
Alana Beshaw, a sophomore psychology major, finds it interesting. She believes the openings should have happened sooner.
Alana Beshaw (left) and Noor Alalwan (right) are looking forward to the new opportunities at Montclair State University. Meagan Kane | The Montclarion
“There’s a lot of cool stuff that they’re doing,” Beshaw said. “That was something that should have been done from the beginning. Every alumni I know was an education major or a psychology major, that should have been a priority from the start.”
Beshaw is looking forward to the colleges, which are set to open in July. She hopes for more space, as Dickson Hall is where most psychology and some education classes are held.
“All education majors have to take some sort of psychology class,” Beshaw said. “You’re funneling your biggest field of students into Dickson [Hall]. We need more space.”
Mario Iannelli, a freshman economics major, believes the two colleges, school, and degree offerings are crucial in order for students to find themselves in academics and to be better prepared for the real world.
Iannelli feels the new offerings will expand choices for students. Meagan Kane | The Montclarion
“These opportunities will help students to find things like jobs and also find out who they truly are,” Iannelli said. “I also think that more academic offerings can help students discover things within the university and different places around campus.”
He also feels that the additions to Montclair State will help commuter students find more places to spend their free time in between classes.
“I also think it’s pretty cool that they’re adding this because there’s a lot of commuters on campus,” Iannelli said. “So since there’s a lot of commuters, it gives them something to do and also makes them stay on campus longer instead of coming in and going home.”
