Ariela Sofer and Sanjeev Setia have been named interim divisional deans for the Volgenau School of Engineering and the proposed School of Computing.
Setia, Volgenau’s associate dean for Computing Programs and Initiatives, brings a wealth of administrative experience to the position. In addition to serving as chair of the Computer Science department for two terms from 2011 to 2019, he served as interim chair of the Computer Science department in 2006-07 when Computer Science and Information and Software Engineering merged.
Sofer and Setia agree that obtaining approval from the State Council for Higher Education in Virginia (SCHEV) is a top priority. The three goals they seek to address at the same time include:
- Write the SCHEV proposal for the creation of the School of Computing and the reorganization of the school of engineering into the College of Engineering and Computing;
- Develop bylaws and a governance structure for the proposed School of Computing and determine how it will interface with the School of Engineering and other schools;
- Take the steps necessary to boost enrollment in Mason’s Tech Talent Investment Pipeline (TTIP)-eligible master’s programs.
“The bylaws should foster and promote cross-disciplinary collaboration in our educational programs, and in research,” Soffer said.
Setia said the biggest and most immediate challenge is boosting enrollments in the master’s programs in computer science, software engineering, and computer engineering.
Longer version: https://www2.gmu.edu/news/592686