The School of Geology, Energy and the Environment will split into the departments of geological sciences and environmental science starting this September.
and environmental science starting this September (photo courtesy of the Monnig Meteorite Gallery)
The announcement was made in late June by Provost Nowell Donovan, who is a faculty member for the school.
The two departments were originally divided and were combined in 2009 but have decided to separate as programs like environmental science have grown over the last semesters.
Dr. Art Busbey will serve as the chair of the geological sciences, and Dr. Mike Slattery will serve as the chair of the environmental sciences department.
“The shift has mainly been programmatic,” Slattery said. “It was time for these programs to be distinct.”
While the departments may be separating, Slattery said that “we’re not taking our ball and going home. The two departments will continue to work side by side, just with two budgets rather than sharing one.”
Students who are in that college do not have to change their class catalog, Slattery said. All of the changes are being done on the administrative level.
“It’s been a pretty clean split,” Slattery said.
