Wentworth Creates Five Colleges as Part of Academic Restructuring

Enhancements to Multi-Disciplinary, Project-Based Work and Academic Leadership

BOSTON, Nov. 18, 2010 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Wentworth Institute of Technology announced today an academic restructuring which organizes existing programs into five colleges–College of Arts and Sciences, College of Design and Architecture, College of Management and Construction, College of Engineering and Technology, and College of Professional and Continuing Education.  

This new academic organizational structure was created to address the need to provide multi-disciplinary, project-based curricula, which will increase the educational opportunities for students, and ensure robust academic leadership in each college through the creation of dean and department chair positions. The reorganization will bring a level of balance and equity to the size and administration of each new college, as the current student enrollment at Wentworth is divided as follows: one-half of the population is enrolled in engineering and technology programs, one-third is in design programs, and one-sixth is in management programs.

"In reviewing the existing academic structure, it was clear that we could provide educational opportunities for our students with greater efficiency by aligning programs more effectively with the goal of collaboration across academic disciplines," said Dr. Russell Pinizzotto, vice president of academic affairs and provost. "These moves help position Wentworth for the addition of new programs that will fall under more clearly defined colleges, and will energize faculty to work more closely with colleagues from programs they may have had limited exposure to in the past."

The impact of the reorganization to existing curricula will be a multi-year process that will include new program designs, new course descriptions, planning, and implementation of the new curricula. The new academic organizational structure is effective as of January 2011.

Academic leadership is critical to the effective launch of the five new colleges from the existing seven departments and one division for continuing education. To that end, deans have been named in each of the new colleges as follows:

• College of Arts and Sciences: Patrick Hafford
• College of Design and Architecture: Glenn Wiggins
• College of Management and Construction: Craig Capano
• College of Engineering and Technology: Fred Driscoll
• College of Professional and Continuing Education: Larry Carr

Wentworth Institute of Technology

Founded in 1904, Wentworth Institute of Technology is an independent, co-educational, nationally ranked institution offering career-focused education through 14 bachelor's degree programs in areas such as architecture, computer science and systems, construction management, design, engineering, engineering technology, and management. The Institute also offers master's degrees in construction management and architecture. Wentworth is a leader in technical education and well-known for its academic excellence and cooperative education (co-op) program, community service, and support for the economic growth of the region.  For more information, please visit www.wit.edu.

SOURCE Wentworth Institute of Technology