Jerry Feezel, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, ended last year’s Academic Affairs Priorities Presentation with the image of a diamond to represent the 75th anniversary of the college. This year’s presentation began with an image of that same diamond as he said, “Our overall vision is to polish that diamond.”

During his Priorities Presentation yesterday afternoon in the Moulton Hall Ballroom, Feezel explained how he planned to do so. He focused on six sections within the college and what improvements and additions should be made to each area.

Traditionally, the College of Arts and Sciences is broken up into humanities, social sciences and natural sciences, but Feezel said the college has become much more than that.

“We have evolved into one diamond with facets on many different levels,” he said. “These clusters include the basic core of liberal education. We are often challenged in arts and sciences and thought of as the foundation college for all other professional programs.”

During his presentation of cultural studies, Feezel said that by 2010 he wants to develop a master’s program in Pan-African studies, a religion studies major and a women’s studies major. He stressed the importance of re-establishing the Native American and indigenous peoples section of the Pan-African studies department.

International studies has new bachelor’s and master’s programs in translation. Feezel also talked about the importance of modern and classical language studies and a NATO studies program.

By 2010, he wants to develop a doctorate in translation. He also said it will be important to expand Arabic and Chinese translation and expand international studies initiatives.

The college also wants to develop a bachelor’s in pharmaceutical chemistry, expand the biomedical sciences program and further develop a newly funded project geared toward Multiple Sclerosis research.

The college also wants to establish a center for cell systems research and develop bio-sciences minors.

The section of computation and informatics has recently developed an institute for applied linguistics and also created a master’s in computer science.

By 2010, Feezel wants the college to have specialization in linguistics informatics.

He also set some overall goals for the college. Within the next year, Feezel wants to implement a College of Arts and Sciences strategic plan, develop a differentiated staffing model with full rewards and recognition and develop itsáá own college handbook.

Feezel closed his presentation by reading a quote from his PowerPoint presentation: “Keep up the good work, but improve and stay vital to our centennial in 25 years.”

Contact Honors and undergraduate studies reporter Elise Franco at [email protected].