SCHEV approves two unigue, new VCU schools

By Mike Frontiero
VCU School of Education

RICHMOND, Va. – Two new schools in Virginia Commonwealth University's College of Humanities and Sciences have received approval from the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) and directors of the schools have been appointed.  Dr. Robert D. Holsworth will lead the School of Government and Public Affairs and Dr. R. McKenna Brown the School of World Studies.

Unlike liberal arts and science programs at other universities, the new VCU schools will not have traditional departmental structures, allowing greater collaboration between disciplines and stronger faculty resources for students.

"These two new schools will combine the talents of faculty in our College of Humanities and Sciences into academic programs that cross many disciplines," said VCU President Eugene P. Trani, Ph.D. "This is truly a unique approach to developing interdisciplinary academic programs." 

The School of Government and Public Affairs will be the largest of its kind in the southeast. It will offer programs in criminal justice, economics, nonprofit management, political science, public administration and urban studies. "This new academic entity will help VCU strengthen its academic programs in these areas, help our faculty focus on policy issues related to state and federal government, and give the university an opportunity to develop a nationally ranked public affairs academic unit," said Roderick J. McDavis, Ph.D., Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. 

The School of World Studies will offer programs in cultural anthropology, foreign languages, geography, international studies and religious studies. "This school will challenge our faculty to think outside the box about their academic disciplines," McDavis said.

An internal search for directors was launched in late May after the VCU Board of Visitors approved the creation of the schools. "In addition to being outstanding scholars and enjoying the respect of the faculty, both Dr. Holsworth and Dr. Brown exhibit the leadership and vision that will guide the new schools into the national spotlight," said Stephen D. Gottfredson, Ph.D., dean of the College of Humanities and Sciences.

Dr. Holsworth came to VCU in 1978 as an assistant professor in the Department of Political Science. He was promoted to associate professor in 1985 and to professor in 1993. From 1991 to 1995, he served as chair of the Department of Political Science, and in 1994 he became the director of the VCU Center for Public Policy. He received a Ph.D. from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a B.S. from Seton Hall University. Prior to his service at VCU, Holsworth held faculty positions at Texas Tech University, the University of Missouri-St. Louis, and the University of Iowa.  He received the VCU Outstanding Teaching Award in 1991 and the State Council for Higher Education in Virginia Outstanding Faculty Award in 1997. Holsworth will continue to direct the Center for Public Policy while assuming the responsibilities of director of the School of Government and Public Affairs.

Dr. Brown joined VCU in 1995 as associate professor in the Department of Foreign Languages and was promoted to full professor this year. In 1998 he became director of the International Studies Program.  Brown received a B.A. in Speech Pathology from Florida A&M University, an M.A. in Latin American Studies and a Ph.D. in Latin American Studies from Tulane University. Prior to his service at VCU, he held faculty positions at Tulane University and the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay. Brown received the College of Humanities and Sciences Distinguished Teaching Award in 2002 and is currently directing a multi-year Title VI grant from the U.S. Department of Education.

SCHEV has set Aug. 15, 2003 as the effective date for the new schools. No degree programs have been eliminated and all resources needed to create and support the schools will be reallocated from within the College's existing resources.