President's Report Masthead
December 31, 2012

Faculty Senate OKs CCPA doctoral program

The Faculty Senate has given unanimous approval to a unique interdisciplinary doctoral program in community and public affairs developed by the College of Community and Public Affairs.

The new program, once approved by SUNY and the New York State Department of Education, will prepare students in three areas: research methods and data analysis; community systems, cultural competence and social justice; and leadership of public and nonprofit organizations.

“It’s been a very considered process as we’ve developed this interdisciplinary doctoral program for CCPA,” said Josephine Allen, professor of social work. The program will involve all departments in CCPA, as well as faculty in the Decker School of Nursing, the Thomas J. Watson School of Engineering and Applied Science and several Harpur departments in the humanities and biological sciences, she said.

“We will be looking at community-based problems facing public agencies and nonprofits that find solutions in the complex society in which we now live,” she said. “This program focuses on leadership and the kind of strengths leaders of the future will need to address the problems before us. It will allow us to look through a number of lenses at complex issues we face.”

With Faculty Senate approval, the program proposal will now be submitted to SUNY by the Graduate School. Once SUNY has approved the proposal, it will be forward to the NYSED for approval. Typically, the entire process takes about a year.