Welcome from the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences
Welcome to the College of Arts and Sciences, the largest and most diverse college at Governors State University. We are the academic hub and cultural heart of GSU; and we’re driven and inspired by the service we provide and the responsibility we hold to the GSU community. CAS is comprised of the Division of Arts and Letters; the Division of Science, Mathematics, and Technology; the Visual Arts Gallery; the Center for Community Media; and the Center for Performing Arts. The staff of CAS are experienced, energetic and talented. We are always happy to help.
CAS is the academic home to over 1,800 students pursuing over 80 degree programs, minors, and certificates. We provide most of the general education core for all of the majors at GSU. Within the College, you’ll find leading edge programs in Biology, Computer Science, Communication, Information Technology, Media Studies and others. We house Interdisciplinary Studies and innovative cross-disciplinary programs like Anthropology and Sociology, Gender and Sexuality Studies, and Theatre and Performance Studies. Our graduate offerings include a joint degree in Criminal Justice (MA) and Public Administration (MPA) and the terminal MFA in Studio Art or Independent Film and Digital Imaging. No matter the program or course, CAS professors are dedicated to student success. They are stars in their field, so the attention, experience, and value you find in CAS is unparalleled in our region. As Dean, I share the same commitment to student success. I’m here to facilitate continuous improvement to make sure our Divisions, faculty and staff have everything they need to deliver an exceptional for our students.
An education in the arts and sciences prepares you not for one specific job, or even a single career, but for a life and a lifetime of employment. The skills developed and afforded by an arts and sciences education—creative problem solving, effective multimodal communication, intellectual flexibility, critical thinking, continuous learning— will prepare you to navigate, adapt and thrive in the changing landscape of our times. Furthermore, by equipping you with skills in technological and media literacy, cultural competence, knowledge literacy and data management, as well as teamwork and collaboration, our goal is to prepare you to think and speak for yourself, to succeed in a world characterized by a diversity of ideas, cultures, and approaches, and to effectively solve future problems we have yet to imagine.
The College of Arts and has been my home for the last fifteen years. I came to GSU because the wealth of diversity found here was, and continues to be, the ideal place to put into practice the skills and values I’m passionate about. Like many of our faculty, I found a place where what, and who, we teach matters and contributes to the project of making the world a more just place for more people more of the time.
As the world evolves, so does CAS. When the globe was under siege, our faculty, students, and alums impacted the world in crucial ways, like helping to develop Covid vaccines, or documenting legendary LGBTQ regional history and activism in independent film. I invite you to explore everything CAS has to offer. You’ll be the next CAS torch bearers changing the world in no time. Until then, put in the work towards your goals and dreams and we'll be right here doing the same on your behalf.
Yours in Service,
Jason Zingsheim, Ph.D.
Dean, College of Arts and Sciences
CASDean@govst.edu
708-534-4011