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| BY GRETA STEWART & JILL WILSON
Dr. Peter Folliard, inaugural Dean of the School of Music (l) and Dr. Laurie Daily, inaugural Dean of the Sharon Lust School of Education (r) 16
THE AUGUSTANA | FALL 2020
s Augustana University begins to implement phases of its Viking Bold: The Journey to 2030 strategic plan, nearly every element of university life could experience energizing change – especially those opportunities related to academics. Dr. Colin Irvine, Augustana’s provost and executive vice president, is busy navigating everything from a new academic structure to emerging professional programs. “It’s exciting,” said Irvine. “We’re engaged in an intentional approach to creating our future, integrating and elevating the liberal arts throughout the institution in ways that are original and sustainable.” Executing the academic elements of the Viking Bold plan begins with restructuring academic programs into colleges and schools, supported by a strategic plan built upon the university’s core values of Christian, liberal arts, excellence, community and service. A College of Arts and Sciences is being organized, and all students will take courses housed in this college, including those tied to the core curriculum as well as programs in all three current academic divisions, meaning the humanities, social sciences and natural sciences. From there, they will be able to take courses and pursue degrees in other schools – such as Augustana’s new School of Education and School of Music – depending on their degree programs and academic interests. In April, the university announced Dr. Laurie Daily would serve as the inaugural dean of the Sharon Lust School of Education. Daily joined Augustana in 2015 as chair of the Education Department. In addition to her position as chair, she has also served as interim associate vice president for Graduate and Continuing Education from 2016-2018. She is continuing her role in supporting Graduate and Continuing Education as the director.
