"Inside A&S" ... August 2010 Edition

Letter From the Dean


Dear Friends of the College,

Welcome to the August 2010 e-newsletter for the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Inside A&S.

It's hard to believe but true: in a few short weeks, our students will be returning to Villanova to begin the 2010-11 academic year. Many of our students will return to campus early for music and sports camps, and RA training. Our students' return breathes new life to campus and reminds us all that the fall semester is merely weeks away.

In this issue of Inside A&S, you'll read about the many initiatives underway in the College designed to heighten the academic and intellectual experiences for our students both in and out of the classroom.

Andrew J. Bacevich, Ph.D., Professor of International Relations and History at Boston University, will deliver the Second Annual Lore Kephart ’86 Distinguished Historians Lecture on Monday, Sept. 27, at 7 p.m., in the Villanova Room of Connelly. The title of Dr. Bacevich's talk is " "Whose Army? Civil-Military Relations in the United States Since World War II.” This lecture series has been established in loving memory of Lore Kephart '86 through an endowment to the University by her husband, Horace L. Kephart.

The College also will offer four new interdisciplinary academic majors beginning in the fall semester. The academic majors are Arab and Islamic Studies, Cultural Studies, Gender and Women's Studies, and Latin American Studies. Read more about the majors in this issue of Inside A&S. As Silvia Nagy-Zekmi, Ph.D., a professor of Hispanic and Cultural Studies in the Department of Romance Languages and Literatures, explains, "[These new programs] will give our students an edge to compete in an increasingly tight market for graduate programs and other forms of intellectual engagements or employment." The College recognizes and thanks Kail C. Ellis, O.S.A., Ph.D., vice president for academic affairs, whose commitment to international and global studies, and leadership during his tenure as Dean, has resulted in these new majors.

In other College news, I am pleased to report that during the 2009-2010 academic year, tenured and tenure-track faculty in the College published 21 books, edited 11 books, and wrote 221 referred articles. Faculty wrote 45 book chapters, 69 book reviews, and published 64 conference proceedings. Faculty have applied for 141 grants, presented 352 papers at conferences, and hold 311 professional services positions. The quality and quantity of research and scholarship happening in the College is a great source of pride and a testament to the strength and caliber of our faculty.

Thank you for continuing to read Inside A&S and for your ongoing interest in the life of the College.

I look forward to working with you in the upcoming academic year, which, again, is just a few weeks away!


Sincerely,
John A. Doody, Ph.D.
Dean of the College