{"id":13536,"date":"2025-02-25T15:15:32","date_gmt":"2025-02-25T15:15:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.augsburg.edu\/now\/?p=13536"},"modified":"2025-12-16T21:51:44","modified_gmt":"2025-12-16T21:51:44","slug":"the-structure-of-us","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.augsburg.edu\/now\/2025\/02\/25\/the-structure-of-us\/","title":{"rendered":"The Structure of Us"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Dhruti Panchal<\/strong> couldn\u2019t imagine spending the next five to seven years writing articles and logging data, but most doctoral programs she found focused on research and publishing clinical psychology rather than practicing it.<\/p>\n

\u201cHaving worked in community mental health, I wanted to positively contribute to health and well-being while going to school,\u201d she explained. She kept searching until she found a practitioner-scholar model that empowers students to apply research to social justice and mental health efforts in local contexts.<\/p>\n

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Provost Paula O\u2019Loughlin<\/strong> presents at the five schools focused conversation on January 28. (Photo by Courtney Perry)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Panchal found Augsburg.<\/p>\n

During orientation for the Doctor of Psychology in Clinical Psychology program last fall, Panchal learned the university had shifted the structure of its academic programs from two large divisions to five schools focused on the arts, business, health, humanities and social sciences, and natural sciences.<\/p>\n

Provost Paula O\u2019Loughlin<\/strong> explained how the five-schools model aligns Augsburg\u2019s organizational structure with the university\u2019s core values and its goals for the future: \u201cThe schools serve as smaller academic neighborhoods where students have closer ties with peers and mentors, greater support for career exploration, and a deeper sense of belonging\u2014all of which empowers them to succeed in their professional lives and as leaders in their communities.”<\/p>\n

Interprofessional and community-centered education<\/h2>\n

Panchal liked the sound of five schools, but\u2014as a student\u2014she didn\u2019t anticipate noticing the effects of a structural shift. As the semester progressed, however, she witnessed various disciplines working together \u201cto gain a better understanding of the complex and interdisciplinary nature of health care,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

The School of Health invited Panchal to help launch its Interprofessional Clinical Education initiative later this spring, which will facilitate students\u2019 professional development and collaborative practice skills. Panchal said this and other interdisciplinary projects have deepened a sense of shared identity among the school\u2019s departments, which also include nursing, social work, and physician\u2019s assistant studies.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs part of the initiative, we are creating a virtual telementoring program that allows students to build and exercise skills as they work through real-world problems,\u201d she said. \u201cThis telementoring will play a big role in furthering and facilitating community by bringing together students, faculty, community partners, and alumni for professional development, resource sharing, and interprofessional education.<\/p>\n

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Director of the School of Health Vanessa Bester<\/strong> speaks with students during an Interprofessional Experience event, February 2025. (Photo by Courtney Perry)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cBy learning to work with different disciplines to solve real-world health problems as a team, students are better prepared for practica, internships, and jobs.\u201d<\/p>\n

Director of the School of Health Vanessa Bester<\/strong> said she and the other four school directors are eager to build partnerships and foster dialogue. \u201cThe five-school model has created a platform for us to work together, with outcomes driven by our collective energy and dedication to each other, our students, and our communities,\u201d she explained. \u201cIt\u2019s been exciting to be a part of that momentum to foster collaborative, inclusive, and transformative education.\u201d<\/p>\n

The School of Health held a fall retreat for faculty and staff to celebrate, connect, and plan. From the retreat, the school formed working groups focused on five areas: shared operational resources; interprofessional education; grants and funding; community and alumni relations; and student success.<\/p>\n

In less than three months, Bester said, the School of Health is on track to centralize student onboarding, establish a graduate student government, and build a database to support future funding opportunities.<\/p>\n

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Lori Brandt Hale<\/strong>, director of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences (Photo by Courtney Perry)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Lori Brandt Hale<\/strong>, director of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, worked closely with department chairs last fall to identify opportunities for collaboration among this school\u2019s 36 undergraduate majors and two graduate programs, all deeply rooted in experiential education and social justice.<\/p>\n

\u201cMany productive conversations emerged from our work together, including hands-on discussions, which opened up opportunities to collaborate, cross-list, and advise students to take appropriate classes in other departments. We ensured classes were being offered across all time slots and sequenced appropriately,\u201d she added. \u201cWe want to create a habit of this kind of robust, collaborative work.\u201d<\/p>\n

Brandt Hale will facilitate a school-wide retreat in the spring to amplify and leverage opportunities for cross-disciplinary collaboration and curricular innovation in the new school structure.<\/p>\n

Strengthened community connections<\/h2>\n

That collaborative work and spirit extends beyond the confines of each school. The five school directors meet weekly to share and discuss, and Hale said those university-wide connections may lead to the new model\u2019s most innovative outcomes.<\/p>\n

\u201cEach director brings a unique disciplinary lens to important conversations regarding university-wide or community issues,\u201d Hale said. \u201cAs members of the faculty, we have a clear sense of the needs and challenges of the departments and programs under our direction.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Jeanne Boeh<\/strong>, director of the School of Business, speaks with attendees after the 2024 Augsburg Entrepreneur Cup. (Photo by Rebecca Slater)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Jeanne Boeh<\/strong>, director of the School of Business, said school directors act as translators between disciplines within their schools as well as with other directors and university leadership. That deeper understanding of their school helps directors better advocate for and identify opportunities across the university and in the community.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis model,\u201d she said, \u201cmakes us collectively stronger and more agile. We can do more and be more.\u201d<\/p>\n

A stronger sense of identity and purpose, Boeh added, helps faculty and directors better communicate with external stakeholders. For example, she said, \u201cIt\u2019s easier to approach a community partner and say you are the School of Business rather than the Division of Professional Studies. They know what a School of Business is, so the five-school model makes more sense to people outside of the university. It gives them more direct access to decision-makers.\u201d<\/p>\n

With deep ties in the community, the School of Business will explore ways to expand signature programs, including the Augsburg Entrepreneurship Cup, a competition for student entrepreneurs, and the Innovation Scholars program, which engages students in the business development of medical innovations.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are just getting started,\u201d Boeh said, \u201cbut it\u2019s an exciting time to be an Auggie or to partner and dream with us.\u201d<\/p>\n

A clear approach<\/h2>\n
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Ben Stottrup<\/strong>, director of the School of Natural Sciences (Photo by Courtney Perry)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Ben Stottrup<\/strong>, director of the School of Natural Sciences, said he is proud of the way Augsburg has responded to its natural growth. \u201cUniversity leadership is constantly reflecting on how we can best serve our students and the community,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe shift to five schools is not a critique of what was, but a demonstration of Augsburg\u2019s commitment to personal, hands-on learning and experiences that prepare students to lead.\u201d<\/p>\n

The previous Division of Arts and Sciences, he said, supported 50 majors and managed nearly 100 full-time faculty. Division-wide meetings were few and far between, and faculty were not always clear about whom to approach with ideas\u2014an opaque complexity that could stifle creativity and collaboration. Requests for reports and data collection pulled faculty away from teaching, research, and service.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe five-school model reduces layers of structure to provide faculty, staff, and students with a more direct link to administrators,\u201d Stottrup said. \u201cEach director has a seat at the table and can take on much of the work to plan and create efficiencies for administrative tasks and reporting.\u201d The new structure, he added, has also revealed ways to eliminate redundancies and create more user-friendly processes, which gifts faculty more time and energy to prepare students to be critical thinkers, informed citizens, and thoughtful stewards.<\/p>\n

A deliberate evolution with philanthropic promise<\/h2>\n

Stottrup said he and his fellow directors have benefitted from the thoughtful and transparent formation of the five-school model, a process that began in 2019 with an interdisciplinary, campus-wide task force that explored ways to adapt to Augsburg\u2019s growth and institutional goals.<\/p>\n

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Schwartz School Director Christopher Houltberg<\/strong> (Photo by Courtney Perry)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In April 2023, Augsburg announced the creation of the John N. Schwartz \u201967 School of the Arts<\/a>. Established through an estate gift from a visionary alumnus, the school houses 12 undergraduate majors in narrative, performing, and visual arts, as well as master\u2019s degrees in music therapy and creative writing.<\/p>\n

O\u2019Loughlin said that the collaborations and efficiencies that emerged from the creation of the Schwartz School spurred conversations about expanding the school-based model across disciplines. Augsburg faculty unanimously voted to approve the shift to five schools in Spring 2024.<\/p>\n

The Schwartz School also opened Augsburg\u2019s eyes to the fundraising promise and power of more connected, focused communities of practice. \u201cPutting a name to a school,\u201d O\u2019Loughlin said, \u201cfurthers a sense of pride, history, and connection across generations.\u201d<\/p>\n

Schwartz School Director Christopher Houltberg<\/strong> said it\u2019s been a privilege to create student learning and experiences that demonstrate that \u201cwe can do so much more together than we can separately.\u201d<\/p>\n

In late January, the school came together to participate in the Great Northern Winter Festival, which engages the Twin Cities in 10 days of outdoor activities, live music, art, dining experiences, and community conversations. Houltberg said \u201cExpanding Landscapes & Impossible Futures\u201d invited the public into a multisensory experience to explore physical and psychological shifts of climate change.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn response to our external environment, humanity\u2019s own internal systems and senses have adapted, evolved, shifted, and sometimes even faltered,\u201d Houltberg said. \u201cThis event showcased the range of artistic output among the school\u2019s 10 undergraduate majors, two graduate programs, five performing ensembles, three art galleries, multiple annual theater productions, and the Design & Agency trans-disciplinary design studio.\u201d Citlali Flores \u201925<\/strong>, a studio art and art education major, said the shift to five schools has created more visibility for her work and major.<\/p>\n

\u201cSince the formation of the Schwartz School, I\u2019ve seen more resources for our art department, and it feels bigger,\u201d said Flores, an aspiring elementary school art teacher. \u201cIt\u2019s also been fun to see more non-art majors taking art classes because they want to try different mediums of expression. It gets us all out of our bubbles.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hearing students and even community members reflect on visible progress, Houltberg said, encourages the schools to continue toward creative and bold outcomes.<\/p>\n

Panchal said she and other students are proud to know the university is continually learning, as they are, about the best ways to move through and impact the world. Rather than data entry, her next five to seven years will be a brave experiment for all she can accomplish within a close, imaginative, and driven campus community.<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t settle and kept looking for a university that shared my vision to positively contribute to the health and well-being of my community,\u201d she said. \u201cI\u2019m now laying the groundwork for a project that will positively impact students\u2019 learning experience, including my own, and I look forward to engaging in all the collaborative efforts that will come from more focused schools of learning and service.\u201d[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_images_carousel images=”13610,13611,13613,13614,13615,13616,13617,13618,13619,13620,13621,13623,13624,13625,13626,13612″ img_size=”full” autoplay=”yes” title=”Slideshow: Expanding Landscapes & Impossible Futures”][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

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Top image: Augsburg University’s inaugural five school directors gather on campus. Left to right: Lori Brandt Hale, Jeanne Boeh, Ben Stottrup, Vanessa Bester, and Chris Houltberg (Photo by Courtney Perry)<\/em>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n<\/section>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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