College of Health and Human Services to merge departments

The College of Health and Human Services departments of Epidemiology and Community Health and Health Management Policy will merge July 1, 2026 and become the department of Public Health and Health Administration.

The separate departments were formed in 2024 from the college’s original Public Health Sciences department. The split was made as part of the college’s move to pursue accreditation as a School of Public Health by the Council on Education for Public Health. The college has since ended its accreditation pursuit.  

All academic programs currently led by the Epidemiology and Community Health and Health Management Policy departments will remain under the new structure of the Public Health and Health Administration department. No faculty positions will be eliminated. A search is currently being conducted for additional professors and a chair for the new department.

“Bringing these two related disciplines back together will make a stronger single department,” said College of Health and Human Services dean Yvette Huet who served as interim chair of the Epidemiology and Community Health department prior to her appointment as dean. “The merger will not only produce efficiencies but will also provide opportunities for new and creative synergies and create a coherent focus on optimizing systemic operations, and managing community health initiatives.”