2019

Planning for the Applied Science Building, co-housing the departments of Physics & Astronomy and Atmospheric Sciences, begins. Cooperation across the College of Science and College of Mines and Earth Sciences prompts initial discussions around a college merger.

July 2022

President Taylor Randall announces the merger between the College of Science and the College of Mines and Earth Sciences. The two-phase merger will unite well-funded programs, build synergy and cooperation between faculty and create a much stronger base for science and mathematics education at the U.

Fall 2022

Staff and non-academic administrative functions begin to integrate as phase one of the merger commences. Teams of administration, facilities, development, marketing, student affairs, and advising coalesce jointly across both colleges. Town halls with faculty, staff and students are held to discuss the merger process.

January 2023

The Earth & Environmental Science major is approved. This interdisciplinary degree brings together the departments of Atmospheric Science and Geology & Geophysics and the School of Biological Sciences, working collaboratively together.

February 2023

The Applied Science Building groundbreaking ceremony is held, and the creation of the Crocker Science Complex is announced.

May 2023

The Colleges hold a joint convocation ceremony at Huntsman Arena.

June 2023

Peter Trapa, Dean of the College of Science, is appointed Acting Dean of the College of Mines and Earth Sciences. Strategic planning for the merged college begins, including discussions about faculty governance structures.

August 2023

A merged College Town Hall is held to provide an overview of the merger and strategic planning process. Faculty, staff, and students are informed about focus groups occuring over the next several weeks, as well as a college-wide survey.

September 2023

An all-faculty meeting to review process regarding governance structures and framing strategic planning process is held in early September. The survey is distributed to the merged college community for strategic planning feedback and priority-setting.

October 2023

Focus groups are held with college stakeholders, including students, faculty and staff, and individual feedback opportunities with the leadership team.

November 2023

A draft of the merged college charter is circulated among faculty and staff, with an opportunity to provide feedback. On November 16, the charter is officially presented to the COS and CMES College Councils, with the vote to adopt the charter approved by both.

December 2023

The strategic planning leadership team begins framing the strategic planning process and overview of spring semester. After ratification by CMES faculty, the merged charter is approved by College of Science and College of Mines and Earth Sciences Councils. College leadership presented the merged charter and unit change process to the  Academic Senate Executive Council, which began the process of formal governance changes as a final merger step.

February 2024

The Strategic Planning stakeholder survey results are summarized (view the summary here). A final merged college charter is approved by the Academic Senate Executive Committee.

March 2024

The Strategic Planning leadership committee begins drafting the 2024 College of Science Strategic Plan, and solicit feedback collected from College and Department leadership, student leadership, and college stakeholders. The merged college council adopted by the Board of Trustees on March 18, 2024.

April 2024

The final review process begins. A Draft Strategic Plan finalized and presented for comments (comments close 4/8/24). The final Strategic Plan presented to the College Council.