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Northwest Missouri State University has announced its plans for a restructure of its academic units and establishing a new center to better support students and foster connections among the University community.
“We all recognize that higher education is shifting, amid changing student expectations, rapid advances in technology, enrollment pressures, funding challenges and evolving workforce demands,” Provost Dr. Jamie Hooyman said Wednesday in an email to faculty and staff regarding the changes. “The disruptions we face are real, and they are redefining what it means to teach, to serve and to lead in our work environment.”
Dr. Elise Hepworth
Dr. Ben Blackford
Dr. Tim Wall
Dr. Rod Barr
Effective July 1, Northwest’s academic schools and departments will be reorganized within four colleges, each led by a dean charged with ensuring the quality of academic programs, research, faculty development and student outcomes.
The reorganized colleges are listed below with their associated deans and schools.
The academic restructure returns Northwest to a structure in place before its current arrangement was implemented in 2016. At that time, Northwest dissolved its three academic colleges and reorganized the academic departments housed within those colleges. Six departments with programs uniquely tied to Northwest’s focus on profession-based learning were reorganized as “schools.”
Within the new structure, all academic departments are referred to as schools. Hooyman also said the reorganized structure will help Northwest meet future needs, enhance communication, and cultivate external support and partnerships.
“This restructuring has been carefully evaluated to deliberately and strategically move us forward in the ever-changing higher education climate,” Hooyman said. “The months to come will call on us to act boldly and continue collaborating across roles and disciplines. Northwest is ready for the challenge.”
Northwest also announced it will launch a Center for Engagement and Community Connections when the fall semester begins.
The new center is taking the place of Northwest’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion, which the University announced it was dissolving this spring. The new center is the result of recommendations presented to Northwest leadership by a task force of students, faculty and staff that worked this spring to consider best practices related to student support programs. The task force also organized listening sessions to gather input from the campus community.
The center will broaden first-year peer mentoring and other mentorship programs, including those for first-generation and transfer students. Additionally, it will expand the role of students to engage peers in programs that promote dialogue, celebrate different cultures and encourage cross-campus collaboration. The center will offer resources to assist students with financial concerns, academic success and professional development.
“It is important to understand that we are not eliminating programs and resources that have been successful,” Hooyman said. “We are working to build on the established foundation and looking for new opportunities to close gaps and better support students.”
