In March, the Metropolitan State University of Denver College of Letters, Arts and Sciences unveiled a new vision, mission and principles and realigned to establish a third area: the Division of Fine and Performing Arts, housing the Departments of Art, Music, and Theatre and Dance.
The College of Letters, Arts and Sciences is the largest college at MSU Denver, comprising 20 academic departments, spanning over 55 majors and disciplines across three divisions. The new Division of Fine and Performing Arts complements the existing identity-based areas: the Division of Humanities and Social Sciences and the Division of Mathematics and Sciences.
The new structure demonstrates that the CLAS is “more than just a collection of 20 different departments,” said Dean John Masserini, DMA. “(The realignment) is about emphasizing the identity-based structures in the college, reflective of the work that faculty and students do and value.”
The realignment process
“It is important to acknowledge that outstanding work was happening before my arrival to MSU Denver,” Masserini said. “The CLAS leadership, faculty and staff were actively finding a way to establish a cohesive identity while highlighting and attracting students to a college that houses the foundational core of a comprehensive liberal–arts–and–sciences education.”
Masserini’s continuation of these efforts began last summer and included 55 hours of one-on-one meetings, an all-day CLAS leadership retreat and a collegewide convocation. Advisory councils, divisional meetings, chair and director meetings, donor meetings, community partnerships, events and department tours were held in the fall, with faculty and staff working groups, opportunities for student input and a collegewide town-hall meeting early this year.
“I spent the last eight months hearing our student-success stories; witnessing groundbreaking teaching, research, creative work and scholarship among our faculty; and discovering service and engagement programs within the Denver community, involving staff, faculty and students,” Masserini said.
The change is an important step toward shaping a new direction and future for the CLAS that is based on a rounded and robust liberal-arts, humanities and sciences education, Masserini said.
Vision, mission and principles
After extensive evaluations, Masserini was determined that the CLAS should accurately and publicly reflect the type of education students receive at MSU Denver, guided by a refreshed mission:
“Our college will attract, educate and champion students from every community who are motivated by learning, discovery and a desire to make a difference. Through expertly crafted content and hands-on learning, CLAS students attain holistic knowledge, disciplinary expertise and advanced critical-thinking skills. They understand the intersectional qualities of humanity and thought, utilizing this knowledge to thrive and succeed in life’s journey.”
Along with the college’s revised vision, mission and principles, Masserini is establishing a support and organizational structure around interdisciplinary work in the college. This enhances the value of a CLAS degree by helping students attain holistic knowledge, find the “connection points” between disciplines to analyze and answer complicated questions, and build advanced critical-thinking skills.
Visit the college’s revised website for more information on its realignment, vision, values and principles.
Next steps
Throughout the summer and fall, college leaders will focus on reorganizing the infrastructure of operating systems; developing new processes and policies; budgeting for priorities; providing opportunities; and establishing goals and assessments.
There will also be consideration of stakeholder input and messaging through expanding advisory councils, a robust communications strategy and a rebranding campaign. Additionally, the CLAS will focus on external partnerships and advancement through donors, specific industries, community groups and organizations.