College of Humanities Social Sciences Leading the way& to wisdom. ANNUAL REPORT ACADEMIC YEAR 2015 - 2016 ON THE COVER Students collaborate in a Spanish 1 classroom. College of Humanities & Social Sciences 201 Mullica Hill Road Glassboro, New Jersey 08028 www.rowan.edu/colleges/chss facebook.com/RowanCHSS youtube.com/RowanCHSS twitter.com/@RowanCHSS CONTENTS 2 | Dean’s Message 3 | Senator Fred Madden Charges Graduates to Make an Impact 3 | Castner Receives Distinguished Alumni Award 4 | RCHGS Highlights Connections Between Past and Present 5 | New Degree Programs in CHSS Offer New Opportunities 6 | Rowan Partners With Law Schools in New 3 + 3 Program 7 | College Welcomes International Conference 7 | Student Awarded Prestigious Boren Scholarship 8 | College Celebrates Ongoing Accomplishments 9 | New Faculty Bring Fresh Perspectives 11 | CHSS Faculty Honored at Celebrating Excellence Awards 12 | In Appreciation WWW.ROWAN.EDU/COLLEGES/CHSS 1 it iS with mixed emotionS that Justice Studies Program is an integral to serve the College as I rejoin my I write this message for the Annual part of our partnership agreements faculty colleagues. Report for 2015-16, my f nal year as dean with Rowan College at Gloucester of the College of Humanities and Social County and Rowan College at Dr. Cindy Vitto Sciences. Burlington County. We also have Dean instituted accelerated 3 + 3 programs Much change is occurring within with Drexel’s Kline School of Law, CHSS, all of it positive, and the most Widener University-Delaware Law signif cant change of all is a transition School, and Rutgers Law School. Dean’s to a new dean, Dr. Nawal Ammar, as Under these agreements, students of August 1, 2016. Dr. Ammar has who complete their major and core served for several years as the dean requirements at Rowan in the f rst Message of the Faculty of Social Science and three years will receive their Rowan Humanities at the University of degree upon successful completion of Ontario Institute of Technology their f rst year of law school. and is well-suited to moving our own College forward. I am especially proud that in collaboration with the College of For my part, I am looking forward Education, and at the request of the to returning to my “real” job as a New Jersey State Commission for Rowan English professor. I have Holocaust Education, we launched missed teaching medieval literature Rowan’s Center for Holocaust and and American English Grammar, my Genocide Studies during 2015-16. two specialty areas. I am grateful to The Center has already become a have had the opportunity to serve as vital contributor to Rowan’s efforts the founding dean of CHSS and also to promote understanding and to have initiated the CHSS Match reasoned discourse among diverse Internship Program, which has groups. The Center now sponsors the brought real-world work experience Dr. Paul B. Winkler Lecture Series, to many of our students. an annual teacher training workshop, and a book club and conversation Several other changes have taken place series open to all. within CHSS as well. The College now has a total of four new interdisciplinary During my four years as dean, growth undergraduate programs — Modern and change have become constants Languages & Linguistics, International at Rowan University. I am honored Studies, Human Services, and to have served as dean during this Disaster Preparedness & Emergency exciting, dynamic time for CHSS, and Management. In addition, our Law & I am looking forward to continuing 2 COLLEGE OF HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES ANNUAL REPORT 2015 - 2016 Senator Fred Madden (center) receives an honorary Doctor of Law degree after addressing the Class of 2016. Senator Fred on a campuS that continueS to evolve daily, Senator Fred Madden, this acting superintendent. Madden told the graduates their Madden year’s College of Humanities and Social knowledge and skills are paramount in Sciences (CHSS) Commencement In 2003, he was elected to the New today’s workplace—and today’s world. Charges speaker, charged the Class of 2016 Jersey State Senate. He chairs the Labor Mentioning the College’s nearly 20 degree to make an impact on the world that Committee and is vice chair of the programs, he urged members of the class Graduates surrounds them. Health, Human Services, and Senior to utilize their studies in every area of Citizens Committee. their professional and personal lives. to Make an A 1980 graduate of then-Glassboro State College, Madden earned his master’s At Commencement, he was awarded “You’re moving into a world that really Impact degree from St. Joseph’s University an honorary Doctor of Law degree in needs you,” Madden said. “Stay the in Philadelphia. He had a long and recognition of his leadership and his course. Embody the highest ideals of distinguished career in the New Jersey commitment to higher education, the professionalism. Your ethics are going State Police, working his way through safety of the state’s citizens, and the law to be challenged. The important thing the ranks to become lieutenant colonel enforcement community. is don’t let them be compromised.” and ultimately leading the force as William Casner addresses the Class of 2016 prior to receiving the Distinguished Alumnus Award. Since earning hiS rowan degree compliance, ethics, regulatory affairs, Castner more than two decades ago, William and health affairs. He also has served in Castner, ’95, has adeptly navigated the numerous other positions. Receives upper echelons of New Jersey state government in a number of roles. After earning his bachelor’s degree from Distinguished Corporate and Regulatory Affairs at Rowan, he earned his master’s degree In light of his many accomplishments, Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New from the Eagleton Institute of Politics Alumni Award the Rowan University Alumni Jersey, Castner oversees government at Rutgers University and his law degree Association awarded him the affairs, public affairs, enterprise from Rutgers Law School. Distinguished Alumnus Award during communications, and regulatory roles. the 2016 College of Humanities and Previously, he served as chair of the During Commencement, he reminded Social Sciences Commencement. Government Affairs Department graduates that Rowan alumni are unique. at Gibbons PC law frm, practicing Currently senior vice president of in government affairs, corporate “You know, what’s great about my continued, page 4 WWW.ROWAN.EDU/COLLEGES/CHSS 3 Dr. Stephen Hague educates residence hall students about biased vandalism. Dr. Paul B. Winkler Lecture Series RCHGS rowan uniVerSity’S center the center’S fall lecture Highlights for Holocaust and Genocide Studies series now is known as the Paul B. (RCHGS) may bring to mind Winkler Lecture Series. Winkler, Connections unspeakable historical images, but who passed away in July, served as there are cautionary messages for the the executive director of the New Between Past present. affected, in positive ways, discussions Jersey Commission on Holocaust/ and dialogue at Rowan,” he said. Genocide Education for 42 years and Present “We work hard to make connections and was instrumental in develop- to things that happen today, things With the New Jersey State K-12 ing the RCHGS. that are happening in our society,” educational mandate to teach said Dr. Jenny Rich, co-coordinator of holocaust and genocide studies in Donations to support the series the center and a College of Education a grade-appropriate manner, the or the center can be made on the instructor. “We want to really help center not only helps prepare teacher center’s website — www.rowan. our University students understand candidates for this task, but serves as edu/colleges/chss/rchgs/. that the choices they make are actions a professional development resource that matter.” for teachers. Alumni and community members are welcome to attend the lecture Since its launch in fall 2015, the “We want very much to engage with series, as well as all RCHGS pro- center has received an outpouring teachers and community members to grams. of support. It has hosted a bi-weekly be a resource in any way that we can conversation series, a book club, a be,” Rich said. holocaust and genocide education teacher workshop, public programs on Using grant funding, the center will Castner, continued the Darfur genocide and other topics, evaluate what teachers know about generation of Rowan grads — and this and additional events. these issues and research how the will carry on — is we have a little bit of center can better educate them. a chip on our shoulders. I think that’s a “In a short time, the RCHGS has f rmly good thing and I think we carry that on established itself as an important Highlighting the need to examine to our professional lives,” said Castner, entity at Rowan but perhaps more events that led to genocide, the center acknowledging the class’s proud New importantly, in the region,” said Dr. stresses the danger of complacency. Jersey roots. Stephen Hague, center co-coordinator. “We not only want to study horrif c “We have served as a conduit for episodes, we want to learn from “We are Rowan grads. We are information about the Holocaust, them and most especially create an practical. We are gritty. We are street other genocides, anti-bias education, environment where others can draw smart. We don’t back down from and open dialogue. lessons, develop their thinking, and f ghts. We’re hungrier than you are. take action to make the world a better And that’s why we succeed. “We feel we have set out a clear place,” Hague said. “You’re going to succeed…and you’re strategic direction and have already going to bring honor to this great institution.” 4 COLLEGE OF HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES ANNUAL REPORT 2015 - 2016 Student Captures Survivors’ Accounts When Iannaci, along with classmates was captivated by the stories of Holo- Peter Chamalian and Shannon Farrell, caust survivors Charles Middleberg completes Perel’s documentary, she and Helene Bouton during the Holo- while hiStory continually plans to present it at Rowan, inviting caust Center’s inaugural event in No- repeats itself, junior Patricia Iannaci Perel to speak.