Dear Colleagues,

I am pleased to share the exciting news that the College of Science will be working to create a School of Mathematics and Science Foundations to launch in time for the 2026-27 academic year. 

The School of Mathematics and Science Foundations (SMSF) will serve as the home for introductory-level courses that provide the necessary mathematics and science foundations for STEM majors and core COS courses that serve all students at UNT. The school will work collaboratively with departments within the college and across the university to reform, coordinate, and deliver dynamic and impactful courses that will set students on a path toward success.

The anticipated benefits of SMSF are multifaceted. It will streamline coordination — both logistical and content — among the introductory courses across the college that many students enroll in concurrently. SMSF will increase the agency of faculty with existing pedagogical expertise and support the professional development of faculty and graduate students as innovative, effective educators for the very challenging pedagogical task of helping students make the leap from high school to college in STEM disciplines. SMSF will include advising capabilities to embed career planning into students’ journeys from the outset of their UNT academic journey. SMSF will work with the extensive network of STEM education researchers at UNT to serve as a learning laboratory to drive curricular and pedagogical innovation. This is also an opportunity for departments to tighten their focus on their research mission and the education of upper-level majors and graduate students.

All faculty will be eligible to teach within SMSF. Tenure-line faculty who do so will retain their departmental appointments. Professional faculty whose teaching responsibilities lie within the scope of SMSF will be appointed within the new school, creating a community to elevate their expertise and agency in the design and delivery of curricula. 

In the coming weeks, Dean Dzialowski and I will convene and charge an Ad Hoc Committee on the Formation of the School of Mathematics and Science Foundations. This committee will conduct a national search for a new associate dean and director for SMSF and will create the framing for the school — mission, scope, and governance. To ensure we have input from all stakeholders, this committee will comprise tenure-line and professional faculty from all COS departments and also include expertise on education research, advising, and colleges whose curricula rely on mathematics and science foundations (e.g., the Colleges of Engineering and Business).

We envision that the School for Mathematics and Science Foundations will emerge as a national model for intentional and effective support of STEM students that bolsters their success and advances their career goals.

This is an exciting opportunity, and we look forward to working with all of you on it. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to Dean Dzialowski.

 With gratitude,

Michael A. McPherson, Ph.D.
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs