In an effort to enhance communication, increase individual program representation, and disburse responsibilities, Massachusetts Maritime Academy (MMA; www.maritime.edu), a top-ranked public university with undergraduate degree programs focusing on science, engineering, technology, math, and business that blend academics and experiential learning, is in the process of restructuring its former Engineering Department with the formation of the School of Engineering.
To be headed by an associate dean, the School of Engineering will be composed of the Departments of Marine Engineering, Facilities Engineering and Energy Systems Engineering. Each department will have a department chair reporting directly to the new Associate Dean of Engineering, who in turn will report to the Dean of Undergraduate Studies.
By creating the three distinct departments, the expectation is to improve program delivery and allow the future growth of the Academy’s engineering programs. Presently, the Engineering Department stands as the largest department at the Academy and includes 25 full-time faculty members covering a diversity of engineering sub-specialties. As such, the current Department Chair is tasked with a considerable workload, managing a large number of faculty, students, and courses with differing needs.
“This reorganization will provide greater opportunity for individual programs to advocate for their specific needs and develop the curriculum and faculty to best suit the academic and professional requisites of their students, while also supporting future growth and development,” said Rear Admiral Francis X. McDonald, USMS, president of Massachusetts Maritime Academy, noting that “with three clearly defined departments housed under the umbrella of the School of Engineering, we will continue to be a leader in the field.”
