University of Alabama Museums are now part of the College of Arts and Sciences.
“The College of Arts and Sciences has long partnered with UA Museums on a variety of endeavors,” said Dr. Robert Olin, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. “We are thrilled to expand this partnership and to strengthen our academic ties.”
The College of Arts and Sciences is the largest liberal arts college in the state of Alabama and includes the departments of anthropology, biological sciences, geography, geological sciences, history and others. The College launched an interdisciplinary graduate certificate in museum studies in the fall of 2016.
University Museums includes the Alabama Museum of Natural History, Discovering Alabama, Gorgas House, Moundville Archaeological Park, the Office of Archaeological Research, and the Mildred Westervelt Warner Transportation Museum.
“Many College of Arts and Sciences faculty members are also curators in University Museums,” said Dr. Bill Bomar, executive director of University Museums. “This merger will strengthen these ties and lead to increased collaboration on collections-based research by faculty and students.”
“I am very excited about the University Museums now being part of the College of Arts and Sciences,” said Dr. Kevin Whitaker, executive vice president and provost. “This will create numerous opportunities for the Museums to augment academic programs, both current and future, and for faculty to be an integral part of museum activities of all types.”
The change became effective Oct. 1.