Pending approval by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia, New Century College (NCC) will be renamed the School of Integrative Studies (SIS), effective spring 2016. The new school will retain the academic majors, minors, concentrations and programs created by New Century College and will remain housed within the College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHSS).
The School of Integrative Studies is a more accurate and contemporary title for the programs offered and faculty work within the academic unit. Integrative studies enables students to understand the relationships among various disciplines and apply academic learning to the wider world. For the past 20 years, NCC has pioneered integrative, hands-on learning at Mason, requiring all its students to complete at least 12 credit hours of experiential learning through internships, field studies, study abroad or other learning opportunities.
In November, Deborah Boehm-Davis, dean of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, named Kelly Dunne as interim associate dean of NCC while the unit conducts a comprehensive search for long-term, new leadership. Dunne has worked in a variety of roles in NCC since her arrival at Mason in 1996. Most recently, Dunne served as the unit’s assistant dean, providing high-level administrative support in all areas of the unit’s operations.
CHSS Dean Deborah Boehm-Davis said, “As New Century College recasts itself as the School of Integrative Studies, Kelly Dunne has the skill set and leadership to guide important discussions among all the stakeholders who will help to make this transition a successful one.”
Efforts to rename NCC began in 2014 and included outreach to community partners, alumni, faculty and students. Following this extensive research and discussion, the School of Integrative Studies will remain closely aligned with NCC’s original mission to provide a robust, liberal arts-based education emphasizing integrative, experiential learning.
Dunne said, “As we assume our new title of the School of Integrative Studies, we look forward to continued conversations and learning opportunities with our students, alumni and community partners. Our future promises exciting new paths for the school, and we look forward to exploring these new opportunities.”
November 30, 2015
