Rowan University announced the new Ric Edelman College of Communication, Humanities, & Social Sciences and the College of the Arts on Feb. 24. 

According to a statement from Provost Anthony Lowman via a Rowan Announcer, the move will create two new schools formed out of existing colleges. 

The Ric Edelman College of Communication & Creative Arts (CCCA) will break into two separate entities, with the College of Communication combining with the College of Humanities & Social Sciences (CHSS) to create the College of Communication, Humanities, & Social Sciences. The school will be led by current CHSS Dean Nawal Ammar.

As for the College of Creatives Arts, it will combine with the College of Performing Arts to make the College of the Arts, which will be under the direction of current College of Performing Arts Dean Rick Dammers.

“Rowan University has maintained its position as one of the fastest-growing public research universities in the country through strategic, forward-thinking. A hallmark of our strategy is to leverage existing strengths and provide greater possibilities for growth,” the statement said. “We find ourselves now with an opportunity to align colleges that are core to the University mission and better serve our students.”

The move comes after Ric Edelman College of Communication & Creative Arts (CCCA) Dean Sanford Tweedie announced his resignation effective on Aug. 1. He has served in the position since 2016 and has worked for Rowan for 31 years.

“In nearly a decade as dean, I have had the opportunity to interact with an amazing and committed group of students, colleagues, and donors. Together, we have moved Edelman CCCA forward thanks to our combined commitment to Rowan’s mission, to student success, and to the well-being of all,” said Tweedie. “I am very excited about the opportunities afforded us via the new configurations and look forward to watching, from a different position, the continuation of the amazing trajectory Rowan is on.”

To ease tensions surrounding the future merging of colleges, a forum was organized in King Auditorium on March 3, in which Tweedie answered questions from CCCA faculty and staff regarding the changes.

While there are still a lot of questions surrounding the merger with the CHSS, Tweedie assured staff of their job security, saying that the change would be initiated as soon as he stepped down as Dean.

“It was not going to take place [college merger] until I left,” said Tweedie.

Tweedie also emphasized a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) despite orders from the Department of Education (DOE) to remove DEI from higher education.

“There is some realignment going on and the university does have to respond to that,” said Tweedie. “That does not change our commitment.”

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