Beginning July 1, 2019, three new deans will step into their new roles of overseeing three new schools at EMU. The three new schools contain the STEM disciplines; the social sciences and professional programs; and theology, arts, and humanities. Each new school will contain both undergraduate and graduate programs.

The STEM school will be overseen by Tara Kishbaugh. Kishbaugh has been a faculty member at EMU since January 2004 and has taught a variety of courses. She has also been on multiple University committees and has served as the Biology/Chemistry department chair for the past six years.

“I’ll maintain faculty status and continue to be in the classroom as a teacher … [and] Jim Yoder will be stepping into the department chair position starting in July,” Kishbaugh said. She is most excited for “the opportunity to work with this team … [and setting] up a new structure [because it] is very energizing to me.”

The STEM school will include the undergraduate programs in Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Engineering, the science track of Environmental Sustainability, Math, Nursing, and Psychology. It will also include the graduate program in Biomedicine and Nursing and the Natural History Museum Program.

David Brubaker will be the new dean of the Social Sciences and professional programs school. Brubaker has been at EMU for 15 years and is currently an associate professor and the director of the MBA and MAOL programs.

Next year, in addition to being the dean of this new school, Brubaker will also teach Leading Organizational Change for the Center for Justice and Peacebuilding in the fall and Organizational Behavior for MAOL in the spring. A member of the business and leadership department will take over Brubaker’s current role as director of the MAOL program.

The Social Sciences and Professional Programs School will include programs in Business, Education, Counseling, Social Work, Justice and Peacebuilding, and Social Sciences. Brubaker stated that he “already knows the program directors of each of the programs in this new school …, [whom] are impressive professionals,” which is why he is “excited to work collaboratively with them.”

The new theology, arts, and humanities school will be overseen by Sue Cockley. She has worked at EMU for 23 years, and is currently dean of the graduate and seminary schools. “[I] won’t be handing off these two positions because they will be eliminated,” Cockley said.

Because Cockley has spent most of her time working with the graduate programs at EMU, “the undergraduate world is relatively new” for her. She is excited to begin “learning about—and learning from—students, staff, and faculty in the undergraduate programs.”

The theology, arts, and humanities school will include the Seminary graduate program, the undergraduate programs in Bible and Religion, Music, History, Language and Literature, and VACA.

In addition, it will also include the Intensive English Program, the Bach Festival, Preparatory Music, and the Shenandoah Valley Children’s Choir.

Cockley reported that in the coming months, until the deans officially take on their new roles, they will be “considering how the deans can cover the administrative tasks efficiently, so that faculty have more time to relate to students, pursue their own research, and develop new, innovative programs.”

Kishbaugh said they will also be “attending a leadership workshop in April as a team, which should give [us] time to work together.”

Brubaker also plans to meet with each of the program directors in the new social sciences and professional programs school to “understand their aspirations and ideas.”

There was also a “Meet the Deans forum” for all students, faculty, and staff to learn more about this restructuring and to get to know the new deans.