The School of Social Research and Justice Studies (SSRJS) is a new administrative unit within the College of Liberal Arts (CLA). This school's purpose is to facilitate and encourage
interdisciplinary social research, especially in social justice related areas, and to expedite and promote
interdisciplinary teaching and development of degree programs among the constituent organizational
elements making up the school.
This new school is composed of two existing departments, the Department of Sociology, already located in the CLA, and the Department of Criminal Justice, which has administratively relocated from
the College of Health and Human Sciences to the College of Liberal Arts. In addition, the school
houses the Grant Sawyer Center for Justice Studies, a state-wide program for research and public service
currently reporting to the Vice President for Research office. The Sawyer Center currently administers
the Master's and Ph.D. degrees in Judicial Studies, as well as the Master of Justice Management degree,
two interdisciplinary programs reporting to the Associate Dean of the Graduate School. These degree
programs are now also part of the new school. The school will continue to promote public service activities related to
areas of competence of faculty in the constituent units within the new school.