On Jan. 13 UW’s Board of Trustees approved the launch of the School of Computing (SoC), a new academic unit soon to be hosted by the College of Engineering and Applied Science (CEAS).
“I was happy to see that the Trustees recognized the potential that a SoC can bring to UW and to our students,” Cameron Wright, Dean of Engineering and Applied Sciences, said.
The School of Computing will begin implementation as soon as possible, allowing for the appointment of initial staff and an interim director for the unit.
“I was happy to hear that the School of Computing was approved by the board. I was one of the people to work on the initial preliminary report we sent out,” Suresh Muknahallipatna, professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, said.
The SoC will initially be housed within the College of Engineering and Applied Science in the hopes of minimizing administrative burden and overall costs.
This timeframe, referred to as an ‘incubation’ period within SoC preliminary plans, will last an estimated four years.
“SoC will have some of its own faculty, and also share faculty appointments with existing departments. Eventually, SoC will probably transition out of CEAS to be a stand-alone unit,” Wright said.
Wright then clarifies that the School of Computing will not serve as a foil to pre existing departments of the university.
“I’ve been, and will continue to be, very clear to all our people that the SoC isn’t competition to other units but rather adds to what we can do,” Wright said. “Sure, some will be uncomfortable with change, and that we’re expanding our activities, but I’m confident they will quickly see the benefit to students and to our faculty and staff.”
(Photo by Erin Ramsey)
Following the ‘incubation’ period, the School of Computing will become an independent academic unit, akin to the Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources and the School of Energy Resources.
Eventually the SoC will have its own dean, graduate assistants, faculty, and interdisciplinary connections.
“Where it sits in the hierarchy of other units on campus is somewhere between a department and a college,” Mike Borowczak, an Assistant Professor of Computer Science, said.
The SoC also outlines plans for increasing digital literacy among UW students and founding partnerships with research centers across the state.
“The new School of Computing will also provide a platform for all the faculty and graduate students who are doing computing research across the university- we really didn’t have that until now,” Muknahallipatna said.
Supporters look forward to the School of Computing’s future accomplishments.
“I think the creation of a new, flexible, and innovative space provides students, faculty, industry partners, and our broader community, with amazing opportunities for growth and relevance in the 21st century,” Borowczak said.
The newly established SoC intends to increase digital literacy and student support through new majors, minors, certificates, and individual courses. The soonest one can expect new courses from the SoC is fall 2022.
“I look forward to seeing what the SoC has accomplished in 5 or 10 years. I think it will be amazing,” Wright said.
