Dyson Faculty Assembly Gets a Boost

Aseel Sawalha

Dyson faculty members from both campuses have the opportunity to come together in the newly reenergized Dyson Faculty Assembly, which brings together Dyson faculty from all of Pace’s campuses as a community of scholars.  The assembly serves in an advisory capacity to the dean on college issues.

Last November, the Dyson Faculty Assembly elected a new slate of officers: Sociology and Anthropology Professor Aseel Sawalha as chair, Modern Languages Associate Professor Andres Villagra as vice chair and Biology and Health Sciences Associate Professor Daniel Strahs as secretary. At that time, they also voted new members for three of the assembly’s committees: the sabbatical committee, the tenure and promotion committee, and the curriculum committee.

“We want to create a sense of community among the faculty,” said Sawalha. “I believe in the liberal arts education, and I always try to do interdisciplinary work.”

Sawalha’s plans include hosting monthly presentations of scholarly work, most often by Dyson faculty members, but sometimes by scholars from outside of Pace. These lectures would be open to students and faculty alike.

“We are scholars. We need intellectual stimulation,” she explained.

Other goals are to get the junior faculty members more involved and to encourage collaboration. The next meeting of the Dyson Faculty Assembly will be on December 12.