Joseph Marbach, Ph.D.

 Welcome to the 2008-09 academic year!  This year promises to be an exciting one for the College of Arts and Sciences and Seton Hall University as we fully launch new University and College core curricula, reduce the number of credits required to graduate to 120 and charge undergraduates a universal tuition rate. 

This is also the year in which the College implements its strategic plan guided by the vision of being recognized as one of the premier Catholic academic units.  At the same time, the University's strategic planning process will hit full stride.  Ensuring that the two plans are complementary will be one of the principal tasks of my office. 

In addition to welcoming well over 800 freshmen and 130 transfer students to the College, we have added 26 tenure-track and term faculty members.  Among them are Anthony DePalma, formerly of the New York Times, who joins the College as its first “Writer-in-Residence” in the Department of Communication. 

Visitors to the College will note two major renovation projects in Arts and Sciences facilities, one by design and the other out of necessity.  The one by design is for the Music program where classrooms were technologically upgraded with new audio systems and LCD projectors.  In the Music faculty offices new walls, lighting and carpeting were installed.  The renovation by necessity was the second floor of Arts and Sciences Hall that due to complications resulting from replacing the air conditioning unit some painting, tile replacement and new carpeting occurred.  Elsewhere, one of the classrooms located in the language lab has been fitted to allow instructors to record their lectures and download them to disks. 

Later this semester, the new telescope for the observatory will be installed and additional  equipment that will allow full use of the greenhouse will also be installed 

The College's speaker series will begin in earnest and features “Hill comes to the Hall” that brings a member of Congress to campus.  Departmental speakers will once again be funded by a gift provided by the President's Advisory Council for Arts and Sciences. 

The Arts Council plans four classical concerts, three jazz concerts, a gospel choir concert, and three theater productions that will be performed at the South Orange Performing Arts Center (SOPAC).  The College is also cosponsoring a concert by Grammy-winning artist Paquito D'Rivera that will celebrate the launching of Joseph A. Unanue Latino Institute at SOPAC.  Poetry-at-the-Hall will host three readings/performances this fall and the Multicultural Program will sponsor 16 presentations and film screenings over the course of the academic year. 

Programmatically, we launch two new degrees (B.A. in Latin American and Latino/Latina Studies and a Physics B.A.) and a dual degree program (B.A. Psychology/M.S. Experimental Psychology) this semester.  I also anticipate additions and changes to the College core curriculum as we implement it. 

As you can see, it is a busy and exciting time for the College of Arts and Sciences.  As always, I am relying on the talent and dedication of our faculty and staff to move the College closer to reaching our goal of becoming a premier Catholic academic institution.

Hazard Zet Forward!

Dean Joseph Marbach
College of Arts and Sciences
marbacjo@shu.edu