Jim Richardson has been named interim director of the new School of Social Research and Justice Studies in the College of Liberal Arts, as of Jan. 1. Under Richardson's direction, the new school will provide a single administrative unit for the departments of sociology and criminal justice and the Grant Sawyer Center for Justice Studies to stimulate research, the development of new courses and degree programs, and to advance justice studies.

"Formation of the school represents a strategic development in the organization of the college similar to the creation of the School of the Arts and facilitates further collaboration with the National Judicial College and National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges," said Heather Hardy, College of Liberal Arts dean.
 
"The creation of the new school provides sociology majors and minors with more course offerings, promotes collaborative faculty research and grant activities and encourages development of future interdisciplinary programs," said Johnson Makoba, sociology chairman.

Sociology and criminal justice offer master's degrees. "Our hope is that if we are able to secure the resources, we could pursue doctoral programs with tracks in criminal justice, sociology and justice management," said Richardson. 

"The department of criminal justice looks forward to collaborating with excellent researchers and teachers in the College of Liberal Arts and justice studies," said Grant Stitt, criminal justice chairman.

The criminal justice department moves from the College of Health and Human Sciences. The College of Liberal Arts was created Jan. 1, 2004. The College of Arts and Sciences, its predecessor, housed criminal justice at one time.