UL System approves merger of two UNO colleges

The University of Louisiana System recently approved a proposal from the University of New Orleans to merge the College of Liberal Arts and the College of Education and Human Development into one standing college.

In one fell swoop, the merger will maximize potential for both students and faculty with a now expanded staff in addition to the money the university will be saving.

With the current financial crisis facing all public universities across Louisiana, the $419,500 per fiscal year UNO will save with the new merger is an important factor as to why this merger was approved.

According to Graves, the first year’s savings will be slightly lower, approximately $327,500 due to merging costs, but the savings will go up for the second year and are expected to increase each year.

The College of Education and Human Development will combine three academic departments and 22 faculty members with the College of Liberal Arts, which currently boasts 11 academic departments with 111 faculty members.

“Currently, neither college office is fully staffed,” said Kevin Graves, Interim Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and College of Education and Human Development. “With the merged staff, student services will be significantly improved.”

Once run by two understaffed colleges, administrative work that students need can now be distributed and handled by one college with a sufficient staff, making it easier for all parties involved.

Faculty from both colleges supported the merger in preliminary school-wide voting, as it not only offers more support, but also promotes collaboration.

“While this merger is, at first an administrative structural change, it will open avenues for faculty to cross traditional academic boundaries to create new, interesting and exciting opportunities for student learning and involvement.”

With the merger, expansion and addition of academic programs becomes more likely, which could provide students more academic opportunities.

“One of the chief advantages of this merger is the ability to explore and develop interdisciplinary and academic opportunities that have otherwise not been explored,” Graves said. “This merger will position all disciplines to develop synergisms and cooperative academic initiatives that will become extremely exciting and unparalleled for our students.”

In the end, Graves said that the main beneficiaries of the merger are the students.

The merger will go into effect on July 1 of this year and will be named the College of Liberal Arts, Education and Human Development.