Dean's Message
The College of Natural and Social Sciences (CNSS) includes the following 11 academic departments: Biology, Chemistry and Biochemistry; Communication Disorders and Sciences; Computer and Information Sciences; Geosciences; Mathematical Sciences; Physics; Political Science; Psychology; Sociology, Anthropology, Social Work and Criminal Justice; and Sport Management and Exercise Science. The College has about 1600 majors, 85 full-time faculty, 60 part-time faculty, and 23 staff members. We offer 35 majors, 30 minors, and 5 graduate programs. In addition, many majors have multiple tracks. We have pre-professional programs in engineering, law, and many areas of medicine and dentistry. The College of Natural and Social Sciences also houses or participates in 8 interdisciplinary majors and 15 interdisciplinary minors. We work closely with the College of Education on teacher preparation in Biology, Chemistry, Geosciences, Mathematics, Physics, and Speech Pathology.
Schematic design for the new $60 million Science and Technology Center is complete. Construction drawings should be done in Fall 2010 and groundbreaking should follow in Spring 2011. We expect to occupy the new building in 2013. The project will allow our science and mathematics programs to fulfill their vision of delivering an education that prepares students for cutting edge careers, top notch graduate and professional schools, fulfilling lives, and of serving the broader community’s science education needs.
Grant support to the college continues to be good, with $1.7 million in active external support. The SUNY Fredonia Technology Incubator, located in the city of Dunkirk, will open next month. Client companies are being recruited, and sources of venture capital are being identified. Several CNSS faculty and I have been involved in launching this exciting project.
Our students do well in and out of the classroom, actively participating in internships, faculty mentored research projects, professional organizations, and campus clubs and athletics. Our student centered faculty are excellent teachers and active scholars who involve many students in their research.
The College of Natural and Social Sciences is a dynamic unit at SUNY Fredonia. I’m proud to be its Dean.
David W. Ewing, Ph.D.