Montclair State University is moving forward with a restructuring plan for its College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHSS), according to information released by the university. The administration has confirmed that CHSS will not be closed, dismantled, or reduced in size, and no degree programs, majors, faculty, or staff positions are being eliminated as part of the changes.
The restructuring aims to group programs and faculty by themes—such as languages and literature or social and political systems—instead of relying solely on discipline-based departments. The university says this approach is designed to foster interdisciplinary opportunities for students while maintaining departmental structures where appropriate.
“The plan is being developed collaboratively with participation of faculty, staff and students. The only set element at this stage is the grouping of programs and their faculty by themes (such as languages and literature or social and political systems) rather than relying exclusively on discipline-based departments. This does not mean departments are being eliminated but it is intended to reduce barriers to creating interdisciplinary opportunities for students and provide the flexibility to improve processes and share resources,” states the release.
CHSS will continue to serve as the academic home for all current majors and programs. The new organizational structure includes four schools within CHSS; these schools have yet to be named, with naming expected to occur through a collaborative process involving faculty and staff.
Faculty, chairs, and staff are still designing how departments will function within this new framework. No decisions have been made about eliminating academic departments.
The university notes that enrollment in some humanities majors has declined by more than 20% over a five-year period from 2021–2025. In response, Montclair State University hopes that re-aligning CHSS’s structure will help address contemporary challenges faced by higher education in these fields.
“The vision is to develop a college oriented around purpose. We want students to understand why we study the humanities and social sciences. At a time when study in these fields is being disparaged in popular press and discourse, these disciplines offer useful lenses to understand fundamental issues affecting humanity today,” reads the statement.
No academic program names will change as part of this initiative; students will still graduate with degrees such as “BA in English” or “BA in History.” Degree titles listed on diplomas remain unchanged.
The university also rejects claims that it plans to eliminate humanities majors entirely or transition into a business-focused institution like Marymount University: “Absolutely not. This initiative is not the first phase of a plan to ultimately eliminate majors or programs.”
Addressing concerns about international student enrollment impacting domestic student opportunities, Montclair State University asserts: “Absolutely not. The University is committed to expanding access to high-quality educational opportunities for all students.”
Enrolling more international students forms part of an overall strategy intended both to enrich campus intellectual life and ensure financial stability—a move which administrators believe benefits all Montclair students by supporting expanded offerings at Montclair State University.
Responding further to recent media coverage suggesting traditional disciplines like history or English may be devalued under the new model, officials state: “We value the humanities highly and want them to thrive in a modern context and attract more interest.”
The restructuring effort seeks not only administrative efficiency but also increased mentoring between faculty and students alongside greater interdisciplinary course options—changes aimed at reinvigorating declining enrollments without reducing academic rigor or support structures for established disciplines such as professional associations or peer-reviewed journals.
Regarding criticism about adopting language associated with corporate management models—such as references to “synergy” or “schools”—the university responds: “No. Many institutions – from liberal arts colleges to major research institutions – have embraced multidisciplinary ‘Schools’ to foster collaboration.”
There are no layoffs associated with this restructuring among tenured/tenure-track faculty or staff members; hiring policies remain governed by existing university-wide protocols set forth by the provost’s office.
Advisors assigned based on major—for example philosophy professors advising philosophy majors—will remain unchanged under the new structure. Curriculum development responsibilities continue under faculty purview regardless of structural adjustments.
Next steps include ongoing work among faculty and staff on internal organization details—including school names—with input from administration; no launch date has been announced for implementing the revised structure.
