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Syracuse University’s David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics will be renamed the David B. Falk College of Sport, according to a Monday release.

“With the growth of sport participation domestically and globally, there is unprecedented demand for talented practitioners and leaders,” Vice Chancellor Gretchen Ritter said in the release. “The Falk College of Sport will produce hundreds of students every year who are educated across multiple disciplines and well-prepared to lead in the burgeoning sports field.”

The David B. Falk College of Sport will have programs in sport management, sport analytics, exercise science, nutrition and esports — a joint program with the Newhouse School of Public Communications. The college will be the first of its kind to “focus exclusively on sport-related disciplines,” according to the release.

“Syracuse University has long been a leader in the development of sport-related programs,” Falk Dean Jeremy Jordan said. “From creating the first-ever sports analytics program to the recent launch of an esports major, the University and Falk College have demonstrated the value of and important role sport plays in the day-to-day lives of people, and not just elite athletes.”

With the removal of human dynamics from the college, Ritter is set to create a Human Dynamics Task Force that will “be charged with reviewing the college’s human dynamics programs and identifying future pathways for their growth and success.” Students who are currently enrolled in the program or will begin in fall 2024 won’t be impacted by Monday’s changes, according to the release.

Associate Provost for Academic Affairs Lois Agnew and newly-appointed Associate Dean for Human Dynamics Programs Rachel Razza will co-chair the task force leading the changes in the human dynamics program.

“These areas of academic excellence are not only central to our University’s mission but also critical to the communities, particularly those who are currently underserved, that our students will eventually serve as the next generation of social workers, therapists, public health professionals and human services providers,” Ritter said in the release.

In March 2023, Falk College established a task force to create plans for “elevating” the Department of Sport Management within the school. Jeff Rubin, senior vice president for digital transformation and chief digital officer, said in the release that the task force concluded that this was the correct time for Falk to “capitalize on relevant marketplace trends” by renaming the school.

Published on April 15, 2024 at 1:26 pm

Contact Anish: asvasude@syr.edu | @anish_vasu