On Monday evening the SGA hosted new Dean of the College and Vice President of Academic Affairs, Samuel J. “Jack” Connell for an open question and answer session. Several questions were submitted beforehand via an online survey created by SGA, while others were taken from students in attendance. The topics ranged from Connell’s history with Houghton, to questions concerning online education, diversity on campus, and the state of several academic programs. Connell comes from a long line of Houghton alumni and has been involved with the college in a variety of ways, including working in administration during President Mullen’s first year and serving as a youth pastor at Houghton Wesleyan Church.
Regarding online education, Connell commented on Houghton’s current online presence, saying that although it is currently a small presence, he thinks Houghton needs to and will make more aggressive moves into the online market. Expanding its online presence would allow Houghton to reach previously unreachable audiences, as well as being a helpful way to generate revenue.
When asked about diversity on campus, Connell replied that he did not think Houghton had a sufficiently diverse population on campus, particularly in regard to faculty and staff. To address this, Connell said among his priorities are to ensure that class curriculums reflect diverse viewpoints as well as making an effort in the future to recruit and hire diverse faculty members.
Although Connell is only three weeks into his new position, he spoke confidently of his vision for Houghton’s future and expressed his excitement to once again be a part of the Houghton community.