NW Missouri Times

Northwest Missouri State University has announced plans to reorganize its academic structure and create a new center aimed at enhancing student support and community connections.

In a communication shared with faculty and staff, Provost Dr. Jamie Hooyman remarked on the evolving landscape of higher education, noting, “We all recognize that higher education is shifting, amid changing student expectations, rapid advances in technology, enrollment pressures, funding challenges and evolving workforce demands. The disruptions we face are real, and they are redefining what it means to teach, to serve and to lead in our work environment.”

Starting July 1, the university will reorganize its academic departments under four colleges. Each college will be overseen by a dean responsible for the quality of academic programs, research, faculty development, and student outcomes. This move reinstates a previous structure that existed before 2016 when the university had dissolved its three academic colleges.

Under the new organization, all academic departments will become schools. Dr. Hooyman emphasized that the changes will address future needs, improve communication, and foster partnerships. “This restructuring has been carefully evaluated to deliberately and strategically move us forward in the ever-changing higher education climate,” she stated.

Northwest will also open the Center for Engagement and Community Connections at the beginning of the fall semester. This new center will replace the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, which was announced to close in spring. A task force made up of students, faculty, and staff proposed the center as a means to enhance student support programs and foster community involvement.

The center is designed to enhance mentorship programs, particularly for first-year, first-generation, and transfer students. It aims to foster dialogue on campus, promote cultural engagement, and support collaborative activities. It also seeks to provide resources for financial, academic, and professional development.

Dr. Hooyman clarified that the aim is to build on existing programs while introducing new initiatives for student support. “It is important to understand that we are not eliminating programs and resources that have been successful,” she said. “We are working to build on the established foundation and looking for new opportunities to close gaps and better support students.”