11/17/06
Name change process underway

Miami’s School of Education and Allied Professions (EAP) is expected to have a new name designed to better represent what the School does before the end of spring semester.

EAP faculty will be discussing potential new names Nov. 30 at a regularly scheduled divisional meeting.
 
Dean Carine M. Feyten initiated the community wide name change process earlier this fall because of widespread dissatisfaction with the current name. Faculty, staff, students and alumni have all been invited to submit suggestions. “Faculty, including those in our ‘allied professions departments,’ told me that even their own students don’t always understand what the ‘allied professions’ portion of our name means, so one can imagine the confusion among prospective students and the general public,” she said.

The goal is to have a community-wide conversation about what new name would best showcase the school.

The diversity of disciplines housed in the division and the resulting synergy are “among our greatest assets,” said the dean.

It allows students to utilize the expertise in five departments--Educational Leadership; Educational Psychology; Family Studies and Social Work; Physical Education, Health and Sport Studies; and Teacher Education-—when looking at critical issues affecting health, families, schools and communities.

In an email sent to all faculty, Feyten called for a new name that “best conveys our ability to provide this kind of integrated human experience for our students.”
The current list of about two dozen names is expected to be winnowed down to two or three names, which the dean will present to the president and provost for their input.  Since Miami’s Board of Trustees must approve any name change, the final step will be to bring the proposed new name to the trustees, probably at the February board meeting.