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Dear Colleagues,
As we move into the final stages of our college reorganization, I appreciate the engagement of the CHSS chairs and directors. Through dozens of hours of conversation and design, I believe we are nearly there thanks to everyone’s efforts.
However, as in any complex journey, the final miles require the most intentionality. The strength of our reorganization lies in its "intellectual logic." For our structure to be successful, it must be intuitive and easily understood by our students and the wider community. As President Koppell noted in a recent communication regarding our progress:
"We must ensure this structure – and the description thereof – reflects the intellectual openness and the values of the university. This will be in part important to attract students and a world-class faculty and Dean who sees a clear, logical, and exciting college to lead."
Our task is to ensure that the design we choose doesn't just "arrange" our disciplines, but actually amplifies them.
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The current state of the organization designed by the Chairs and Directors represents extraordinary progress. At the same time, the current proposal preserves a few structures intact, generating both intellectual tensions (making the overarching logic difficult to articulate and understand) and parity tensions (a desire for fairness and engagement by all departments). This is the remaining distance. In their efforts to move us to the finish line, chairs sent me questions about the final composition of the schools and the fairness argument. Here is my response to the questions:
Intellectual framework and coherence
As we have discussed, School D existed pre-merger as the School for Interdisciplinary Studies. It needs to maintain its character. For this, World Languages & Cultures and Religion do not make sense as part of the Interdisciplinary School.
Fairness in mergers
I understand the desire to have a criterion for which departments need to merge. Of course, it is a combination of things, intellectual and administrative. From the purely administrative perspective, the restructuring was meant to address the multiplicity of departments with a small number of faculty and a small number of majors. In this respect, restructuring should seek to merge departments with small numbers of faculty and/or small numbers of majors, while maintaining an intellectual foundation to the merger.
Future of School D
Chairs asked whether the Interdisciplinary School for Social Transformation could be taken out of the picture, allowing it to stand on its own, and create 4 different schools that meet all criteria including the chairs’ principles. I am happy to entertain such an alternative proposal, as a second option, assuming we are maintaining the intellectual foundation and the administrative efficiency.
For the sake of total transparency, I am sharing this with all of you so that we are all aware of where we are at in the process.
I thank you again for continuing to do the hard work. I look forward to choosing a path that best positions us to be the voice of context, connection, and sense-making our community needs.
Despite trends across the country and recent layoffs right here in New Jersey, Montclair State University remains committed to retaining all of its programs and faculty. We are in the enviable position where we are looking to grow and thrive, not shrink. With the architecture established, we will have moved past the hardest phase of our restructuring.
In gratitude,
Fatma
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Venezuela Today: Crisis, US Policy, and Future Scenarios
Join the conversation with Dr. Anthony Spanakos and Professor Alfredo Toro Carnevali from Political Science and Law.
Date: Monday, March 2, 12:15 - 1:20 p.m.
Location: Cohen Lounge, Dickson 178
Strengthening Global Research, Collaboration, and Institutional Support
The International Advisory Committee (IAC) in collaboration with the Office of the Provost, the Office of International Academic Initiatives (IAI), the Office of Global Engagement, the Office of Research, and the Office for Faculty Excellence (OFE) will hold a half-day campus event dedicated to advancing the university’s internationalization efforts, inviting faculty, staff, and key community stakeholders. Registration is required
Date: Wednesday, March 4, 8:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Location: Student Center Ballrooms
Montclair250: Innovation Nation - Knowledge, Discovery and the American Emergence
President Koppell will discuss how intellectual property and innovation have played a pivotal role in shaping America’s economic growth. This lecture is open to the public. No prior registration is required.
Date: Wednesday, March 4, 6 - 7:30 p.m.
Location: Presentation Hall, College of Communication and Media
Montclair250: The French in/and the American Revolution
Thierry Chaunu, President of the American Society of Le Souvenir Français and author of Memories of France, will present a talk on France’s involvement in the American Revolutionary War as part of the ongoing commemorations of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
Date: Wednesday, March 4, 3:30 - 5 p.m.
Location: University Hall 1050
Wise Women: Humanity's Untold Origins, Documentary Screening and Panel Discussion
What if everything we’ve been taught about aging – especially for women – needs a rewrite? All are welcome to a free, exclusive screening of the documentary Wise Women that flips the script on beauty, power, and visibility. Featuring the filmmakers and special guests, this is more than just a film screening – it’s a thought-provoking conversation you’ll want to be in the room for.
Date: Thursday, March 5, 6 p.m.
Location: Feliciano School of Business Room 140
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How Montclair Turned My Passion for Service into a Career in Policy and Child Advocacy
Internships, research and campus leadership at Montclair State University are helping Jose Carlos Aguilar, a double major in Political Science and Child Advocacy and Policy, launch a career in government and child protection reform
Aguilar spent last fall helping children find safe places to live, one of several internships and fellowships that have taken him into child welfare, government and advocacy work. At Montclair, he has also contributed to child maltreatment research and taken on leadership roles, building toward a career in government and child protection.
Read more of Jose's Story
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Roxanna Ast (Social Work and Child Advocacy) assisted the New Jersey Office of Food Security Advocate develop its 3 year strategic plan that is intended to guide coordinated, cross-sector action to advance food security and sustainability in New Jersey.
Teresa Fiore (Italian, Inserra Chair) was interviewed on Radio In 102 about an ArcGIS project on the iconic site of Scala dei Turchi in Sicily.
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Native American & Indigenous Studies (NAIS) Summer Field School
*An exciting opportunity to share with students in your networks!*
This four-week, community-engaged program (May 18 – June 12, 2026) is offered in collaboration with New Jersey’s indigenous communities and centers Indigenous sovereignty, environmental justice, food sovereignty, language reclamation, and cultural heritage preservation. Students spend much of the program off campus, learning directly from tribal elders and leaders while supporting community-identified priorities.
The field school is open to all current Montclair State undergraduate and graduate students. Participation is free, and accepted students receive a $2,000 stipend. Transportation, meals for off-campus days, and camping gear are provided. More information and the application can be found here.
Application Deadline: March 15
CHSS Dean Search: Your Input Needed
The Search Committee and WittKieffer team invite your feedback to help shape the leadership profile for this search. Your input will guide the development of the public profile used to attract and evaluate candidates. We look forward to your insights as we seek the future leadership of our college.
Coursera Career Academy Sessions
Faculty are invited to join an upcoming virtual Coursera Career Academy Enablement Sessions, held online via Zoom. These sessions are designed for faculty interested in integrating Coursera content into their courses and curriculum. Registration is required for attendance.
The session will introduce Coursera Career Academy and demonstrate how you can leverage its career‑aligned learning pathways and professional certificates to enhance your courses, enrich programs, and help students build the skills needed for today’s workforce. We will also share several use‑case scenarios, followed by time for Q&A.
Please register below:
If you have attended a Coursera Enablement Session in the past, there is no need to attend again, but you are welcome to join if you’d like a refresher or have additional questions.
Nominate a Student for the Future Student Affairs Professionals Program
The Future Student Affairs Professionals aims to educate, mentor and engage with undergraduate students who have the potential to pursue a future career in Student Affairs. Through an application process, 20 juniors and seniors will be selected to learn more about the field of Student Affairs. Participants will have the opportunity to shadow different departments, attend conferences, join committees and meet and build relationships with current professionals in different functional areas of Student Affairs. Submit a Nomination
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Join an AI Reading List
AJ Kelton is curating a living document of articles on AI in the humanities, social sciences, and/or pedagogy. The document is searchable and each entry includes a citation and a 150-word AI-generated synopsis, organized by topic headings.
If you’d like access to view the document, please complete this form.
Those with access receive a brief update on Fridays listing new articles added that week, including the citation and a 50-word summary.
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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