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K-State Today

December 14, 2018

Welcome, College of Health and Human Sciences: Name change for College of Human Ecology

Submitted by Communications and Marketing

Kansas State University administrators say a name change for the College of Human Ecology to the College of Health and Human Sciences will better reflect the academic majors, programs and departments in the college. The new name is consistent with the names of other colleges across the country offering similar programs.

The name change was approved by the Council of Chief Academic Officers at the Dec. 12 Kansas Board of Regents meeting. It will take effect on June 1, 2019.

"There is tremendous need for and interest in health sciences, in Kansas and nationally," said Charles Taber, Kansas State University provost and executive vice president. "Kansas State University has an opportunity to serve this need by expanding programs and clearly signaling our commitment to health and human sciences. All of our colleges will benefit from an emerging emphasis on health sciences, and the renamed College of Health and Human Sciences is an important first step in this initiative."

"We are extremely excited about the new name of the college," said John Buckwalter, Betty L. Tointon dean of the college. "Even with the new name we continue to celebrate our rich history which remains part of our being. The motto of the college, 'In a world focused on things, we focus first on people,' has not changed. This is simply the next chapter in our history as we continue to discover, disseminate and apply knowledge to meet basic human needs and improve the human condition."

While the name is new, the College of Health and Human Sciences will continue to offer its programs through the School of Family Studies and Human Services and departments of Hospitality Management; Apparel, Textiles, and Interior Design; Food, Nutrition, Dietetics and Health; and Kinesiology. The college is making plans to add a fifth licensed health professions program next year, which will join the current programs in dietetics, athletic training, speech pathology, and couple and family therapy.

"All of the programs in the college reflect an interaction with people, health, or both," Taber said. "The term 'human ecology' has become outdated at a national level and is not easily understandable to today's students. In addition, more of our peers with such colleges are shifting to 'human sciences' or 'health and human sciences.'"

The change aligns with the Board of Human Sciences, one of the formal designated areas within the Association of Public and Land Grant Universities, Taber said.