Department name changed

The Department of Natural Resources Management and Engineering will be renamed the Department of Natural Resources and the Environment.

The name change, approved by the Board of Trustees on Nov. 18, better fits the mission, vision, and curriculum of the department, part of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, said Provost Peter J. Nicholls.

“The new name will open up more research and educational opportunities in an increasingly interdisciplinary environment,” Nicholls said.

“The name strongly resonates with students, provides a label broad enough for future growth, and embodies the teaching, research, and extension mission of the department.”

In other business, the trustees also voted to discontinue the Bachelor of Arts degree in sociology, part of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, at the Stamford campus.

The decision was part of a review of the eight liberal arts and sciences majors offered at the campus, Nicholls said.

“After reviewing the eight majors, analysis showed that inconsistent enrollment patterns and chronic shortages of full-time teaching faculty have contributed to the sociology major’s decline in quality and viability during the past decade.”