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Today's Message from President Koppell

I am writing today to address the restructuring initiative underway in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences. There are a lot of rumors and conjectures going around, causing uncertainty and anxiety among students. I want you to have the facts. You deserve to know what might change and to get a clear, direct statement from me about what will remain unchanged.

Read the full message here

Dear Colleagues,

Last week offered one of those moments that reminds us why interdisciplinary work matters so deeply in higher education. On Thursday afternoon, November 20, the Interdisciplinary School for Social Transformation (ISST) hosted its inaugural Showcase Event in SBUS 140. In the span of two hours, more than one hundred twenty students, faculty, administrators, and community members moved through fourteen unique presentations—each one an invitation to engage across disciplines, grapple with real-world challenges, and imagine new pathways for social transformation.

Faculty and students stood side-by-side as co-researchers and highlighted their innovative collaborations. Partners from various Centers across both campuses showed how cross-sector approaches strengthen public impact. Montclair’s students and faculty illustrated how they turn theory into practice in concrete, community-centered work. The presenters shared their artifacts, fieldwork materials, videos, and nonprofit initiatives with enthusiastic listeners. The room carried a steady charge of excitement, making clear that our collective commitment to interdisciplinary thinking is both deeply rooted and newly emboldened.

ISST was created to amplify the work that CHSS, Montclair State University, and Bloomfield College have long done well: bridge disciplines, cultivate civic imagination, and prepare students to confront complex human problems with creativity and rigor. The Showcase embodied that spirit. The event revealed what becomes possible when we build structures that encourage inquiry across fields, support student participation in research, and create spaces for conversations that draw together multiple ways of knowing. The afternoon stood as a testament to our faculty’s dedication, our students’ talents, and the university’s growing recognition of interdisciplinary collaboration as a signature strength.

My thanks go to everyone who presented, visited, supported, or helped make the event welcoming and intellectually vibrant, including the CHSS administrative team and staff. I look forward to continuing this momentum with all of you as we build the next chapter of ISST together.

With appreciation,

Laura Nicosia

You're Invited!

AI Distinguished Speaker Series

Join us for a conversation with Julio M. Ottino, who will join us live via Zoom, for Beyond Breakthroughs: Human Creativity, Break-Withs, and the Limits of AI.

Creativity isn’t just about producing better answers—it’s about asking different questions. This talk will explore the anatomy of transformative creativity, distinguishing between breakthroughs that extend existing frameworks and break-withs that redefine them.

Date & Time: Wednesday, December 3, 10 - 11:30 a.m.

Location: Presentation Hall, College of Communication and Media

Register to Attend

Upcoming Events

US Foreign Policy in the Second Trump Administration: Latin America and the Middle East

All are welcome to join an engaging discussion with panelists Dr. Gabriel Rubin (Justice Studies) and Alfredo Toro Carnevali (Politcal Science and Law). The conversation will be moderated by Dr. Timothy Gorman (Sociology). Pizza and refreshments will be served. RSVP here.

Date & Time: Monday, December 1, 6 - 7:30 p.m.

Location: Cohen Lounge, Dickson Hall 178

Live Podcast with Leyma López

Join host Dr. Raul Galoppe (Spanish and Latino Studies) online for an engaging discussion with Leyma López, Director in Residence at Repertorio Español (NYC), as she shares insights into the art of theatrical adaptation and stage direction. This live podcast will be conducted online in Spanish. RSVP for access link!

Date & Time: Wednesday, December 3, 12 - 1 p.m.

Location: Online, RSVP here

Summit of Excellence Series

Education is for Liberation: Why Africana Studies Matters!

Dr. Leah Tonnette Gaines, an Assistant Professor of Africana Studies at BCMSU will present an academic lecture and dialogue. RSVP here

Date & Time: Wednesday, December 3, 2 - 4 p.m.

Location: Van Fossan Theater, Bloomfield College of Montclair State

Metaphor and Cosmology in The Lord of the Rings

In J.R.R. Tolkien’s mythic realm of Middle-Earth, the setting of The Lord of the Rings, we find Northrop Frye's Shakespearean concept of “the Green World” writ large: a magical domain that represents a vision of fulfilled human desire and dream, and thus clarifies our relationship to the so-called “real” world. In this presentation, Dr. Gill explains how Tolkien created a fantasy world so well-ordered, so imaginatively alluring, that comparing (even preferring) it to our own world becomes inevitable.

Date & Time: Thursday, December 4, 12 - 1 p.m.

Location: Cohen Lounge, Dickson 178

Containing Iran's Nuclear Program: What are the Options Going Forward

Lecture by Frank Von Hippel, Professor of Public and International Affairs Emeritus and Co-Founder of Program on Science and Global Security at Princeton University. All are welcome!

Date & Time: Thursday, December 4, 5:20 - 6:45 p.m.

Location: Cohen Lounge, Dickson 178

VOCES: A Fireside Conversation with Junot Díaz

Latinos of Montclair, in partnership with the English Department, will welcome Pulitzer Prize–winning author Junot Díaz for a special event. Díaz will discuss “the intersections of culture, history, and imagination in the context of the current political climate,” engaging in a candid fireside conversation followed by an audience Q&A and book signing. Tickets are required for entry. Montclair State University students, faculty and staff can attend for free, but must reserve a ticket and show ID at the door.

Date & Time: Thursday, December 4, 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.

Location: Conference Center, University Hall

Kudos is a space to celebrate one another—whether it’s expressing gratitude to a colleague, sharing milestones, or recognizing accomplishments and awards. Help us spotlight the people and moments that matter: send us your Kudos for an upcoming edition.

• To Jacob Gutierrez, a first-year student in the Clinical Psychology MA program and a graduate research assistant in Dr. Erin Kang's lab, who was awarded the Alex Dubé Scholarship from the Entertainment Community Fund. The scholarship supports the education of dancers in building their next professional platform to enhance their employability. Read More

Voyages of Wonder: Reggio Emilia Educators Explore The Age of Black Metal

On Saturday, November 23, 2025, the George Segal Gallery at Montclair State University became a space of radical imagination as New Jersey Educators Exploring the Practices of Reggio Emilia (NJEEPRE) convened for “Voyages of Wonder: Exploring The Age of Black Metal Through the Eyes of a Child.” Organized by Gina Miele (World Languages and Cultures) and NJEEPRE executive board member, the four-hour professional development experience brought together educators from New Jersey’s public and private schools to engage with “The Age of Black Metal,” a visionary exhibition curated by Afrotectopia founder Ari Melenciano, through the lens of Reggio Emilia inspired practice. The Segal Gallery Exhibit is open through December 14.

At Your Service

CHSS Resource Guide

This guide is designed to support our faculty, instructors, and staff by providing quick access to the tools, policies, and information you need to carry out your work effectively. Inside, you’ll find resources on office operations, administrative processes, technology support, and campus services all in one place. Whether you’re new or a tenured colleague, this guide will help you throughout the academic year. If you have a question and cannot find the answer in this guide, or don’t know who to contact, start with the Administrative Services Team.

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