On Monday, Feb. 24, Provost Anthony Lowman announced via a Rowan Announcer email that Dr. Sanford Tweedie will be stepping down as dean of the Ric Edelman College of Communication & Creative Arts on Aug. 1, and as a result, the Ric Edelman College of Communication, Humanities & Social Sciences will be launching next year led by Dean Nawal Ammar. 

In addition, the Creative Arts will also be joining the College of Performing Arts to create the College of the Arts, which will be led by Dean Rick Dammers. Both new colleges are set to launch by the beginning of the next academic year.

Currently, the schools operate independently, with the Ric Edelman College of Communication and Creative Arts, and the College of Humanities & Social Sciences being separate colleges within the university. This change, according to Lowman, will be a step towards “aligning our liberal arts programs into a more expansive college that will encourage and facilitate synergies that benefit our students.”

While there isn’t an abundance of information for students at this time, the change is certainly something that will be a huge shift for many Rowan students. With both colleges combining, there’s an opportunity to create new degree programs and certificates, new interdisciplinary courses, and learning opportunities for students that we don’t currently have. 

Some of the majors in each college will have frequent interactions with one another in their respective workplaces, so being in closer proximity to one another might foster networking opportunities for future employers. For example, journalists and political figures have frequent encounters at all levels whether it’s local, state, or national. Having the two majors under the same college gives students the opportunity to learn from one another and practice good communication early on in their careers. 

As communication students, The Whit Staff would first like to recognize Dean Tweedie’s contributions and leadership in his 31 years at Rowan University, and how much his work for our respective departments has helped shape our educational journeys. As student journalists, we also want to thank him for his constant support of The Whit and our mission to provide the university with independent student journalism.

The Whit Staff also recognizes the benefits and potential downsides of these new consolidations of our current college. While in some ways, this presents new opportunities to connect with more of our peers across campus, it also has the potential to put a strain on our current programs and resources. 

Sophomore and junior students have had a few years to get adjusted to their current college, and introducing this change during the middle of their college careers could lead to confusion and panic in some. It also might separate some students whose creative passions and communications careers align, like graphic design students and advertising students. 

Despite personal opinions or concerns, it’s important that all students are open and willing to embrace the change, as our university continues its mission to grow and expand. This is not the first time, and certainly not the last time that Rowan University will change. It is part of our identity and is part of the appeal for prospective students and donors. 

When we are open-minded to new opportunities, we are able to grow, and we are able to create a future together that innovates, pushes the boundaries of the status quo, and solves problems, not just in the field we work in– but in the world at large.

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