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Meet the Provost, Dr. Ali A. Houshmand

It is with great pride and anticipation that I welcome you to this new academic year at Rowan University.  This fall Rowan is serving over 11,000 students, a record! I have always referred to Rowan University as a jewel. With its dedication to student learning and faculty development, and its commitment to the community and region in which it resides, I believe that you will agree with me that Rowan is a wonderful place to learn, to live and to work.

This past year has seen the fulfillment of a number of initiatives. We have acquired a new building in Camden that offers our Camden campus the space and visibility needed to extend our 40-year presence in the city of Camden. Our undergraduate programs continue to expand, providing students with experiences that enable them to acquire the skills for the 21st century.   We have initiated new 4+1 programs, in which students may acquire a bachelor’s and master’s degree in an accelerated fashion and new interdisciplinary majors and concentrations. The exploratory studies program has been established to provide appropriate academic support and access to the various disciplines and programs for the many students who have not yet decided upon a major. Our freshman class is receiving the benefits of our laptop initiative, where students can purchase laptops at competitive prices with guaranteed technical support and security.  The campus is almost completely wireless, allowing us to use all campus areas as learning space.

The Graduate School and the College of Professional and Continuing Education have continued to grow and improve with the implementation of new degree and certificate programs and flexible modes of instruction that give access to non-traditional students for personal and professional growth.  

And yet with all we have accomplished, we are not standing still. The coming years will see the advent of new interdisciplinary programs at the graduate and undergraduate levels and the establishment of a medical school in partnership with Cooper Hospital.  We are exploring other health related degrees such as a four-year nursing program in collaboration with Camden County College and Helene Fuld school of Nursing; as well as various other allied health programs. We have started serious conversation with the faculty and staff regarding the creation of a high-quality, interdisciplinary Ph.D. program in biomedical science and engineering. We have a new leadership and an expanded energy and commitment for the development of our faculty at the Faculty Center. In this academic year, we would also like to implement the recommendations made by the Provost/Senate Taskforce on Enrollment Management; and to work towards the implementation of the recommendations made by the Cost-Center Taskforce.  There is a lot to be involved in.

This is a very exciting time to be at Rowan University. We have a wonderful future ahead of us and I encourage all of you to engage fully in our campus life so we may work together to continue to enhance our university and truly be the outstanding institution in our region.