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NIU committee endorses new School of Mathematical & Statistical Sciences and approves faculty promotions and tenure recommendations
Summary
Trustees endorsed the transfer of faculty tenure homes into a new School of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences and approved the committee’s promotion and tenure recommendations (multiple promotions and one abstention recorded); the items will be forwarded to the board for final approval.
The Academic Affairs, Student Affairs, and Personnel Committee on May 7 endorsed an administrative reorganization to combine mathematics and statistics into a School of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences and approved the university’s recommendations for faculty promotion and tenure for 2026–27.
Provost Lori Eilish Piper described the proposed merger of the Department of Mathematical Sciences and the Department of Statistics and Actuarial Sciences, saying the move is intended to create administrative efficiencies, curricular opportunities and a more sustainable budget model. The committee was asked to endorse transitioning faculty tenure homes to the new school so the president can forward the request to the Board of Trustees for consideration on June 4, 2026. Trustee Montel Gales moved the endorsement; Trustee Eric Wasowitz seconded and the motion carried by voice vote.
Piper then presented item 7d—recommendations for promotion and tenure—including 14 promotions to professor, 23 promotions to associate professor with tenure, and several clinical promotions and appointments. Trustee Rita Athas moved the approvals and Trustee Barcima seconded. The committee conducted a roll-call vote: Trustees Rita Athas, Dennis Persina, John Butler, Montel Gales, Leland Stroud and Eric Wazos voted yes; Trustee James Innes recorded an abstention. The motion carried and will be forwarded to the board for action on June 4, 2026.
Piper noted the recommendations result from a multilevel shared-governance review that included departments, colleges, the provost’s office, faculty senate and the president.
