Rethink, reimagine, realign

Dear University Community,

Rowan University has maintained its position as one of the fastest-growing public research universities in the country through strategic, forward thinking. A hallmark of our strategy is to leverage existing strengths and provide greater possibilities for growth.

We find ourselves now with an opportunity to align colleges that are core to the University mission and better serve our students.

Effective Aug. 1, Dr. Sanford Tweedie will be stepping down as dean of the Ric Edelman College of Communication & Creative Arts. He has served the University for 31 years as a writing arts professor and department chair, and—since 2016—as dean. 

Please join me in thanking him for his leadership. Under his direction, the University strengthened its offerings, including the creation of our popular sports communication and media bachelor’s degree and the Ph.D. in creativity. Thank you, Sandy!  

This move provides us with an opportunity to rethink and reimagine what could be. 

As a result, we are creating the Ric Edelman College of Communication, Humanities & Social Sciences, aligning our liberal arts programs into a more expansive college that will encourage and facilitate synergies that benefit our students. The college will be led by Dean Nawal Ammar. 

Supporting similar opportunities, creative and performing arts will unite to form the College of the Arts, which will be led by Dean Rick Dammers. 

We will convene a group led by Deans Ammar, Dammers and Tweedie, and faculty from the various programs to finalize the alignments and be fully integrated and operational by the start of the next academic year.

I thank the University community for supporting these strategic realignments. In so many ways, we’re ahead of the curve, and that’s because this institution is so comfortable with fast-moving change. I am confident we will continue that trajectory in the years ahead.

Sincerely,

Tony Lowman
Provost