Two new colleges at The University of Toledo will bring together academic programs in new organizational structures that provide more opportunities for curriculum innovation and research collaboration.
The new Judith Herb College of Arts, Social Sciences and Education brings together the College of Arts and Letters and the Judith Herb College of Education. The new College of Health and Human Services integrates programs within that college with the College of Nursing to align and strengthen education in the health professions.
The two college mergers were approved by the UToledo Board of Trustees at its March 2025 meeting and will be effective July 1, 2025, for the upcoming academic year.
“These are intentional and strategic college mergers to leverage the University’s resources in ways that promote academic program innovation and enhance services to better meet the needs of today’s students,” said Dr. Scott Molitor, interim provost and executive vice president for academic affairs. “I appreciate the efforts of our deans, faculty and staff during this past academic year to work through these mergers and position these new colleges for success.”
The mergers were approved by the UToledo Board of Trustees at its March 2025 meeting and will be effective July 1, 2025, for the upcoming academic year.
The Judith Herb College of Arts, Social Sciences and Education brings together under one college UToledo’s liberal arts general education, visual and performing arts, humanities, social sciences and education programs. The merged college will also be home to the Criminal Justice and Legal and Paralegal Studies programs currently housed within the College of Health and Human Services. Bringing these disciplines closer together will build on a long history of collaboration and shared curriculum to enhance UToledo’s degree program offerings.
“Universities must evolve to meet the needs of 21st century students who want a nimble and fluid experience with multiple career options and no barriers to their success,” said Dr. Melissa Gregory, dean of the College of Arts and Letters who will lead the new college. “Bringing these programs under one tent means we can also create unique co-curricular opportunities. I’m especially excited about creating a global experience cornerstone by providing students with international experiences through the Palmer Global Fellows and Rocket Kids leadership programs.”
The new College of Health and Human Services, though the faculty voted to retain the name of the existing college, is an intentional integration and not an acquisition of the nursing school, said Dr. Mark Merrick, current dean of the College of Health and Human Services who will lead the merged college.
“In this new college we will have the structure, scale and alignment to achieve excellence and forge our identity as the region’s premier health professions college,” Merrick said. “We have the opportunity to capitalize on our interprofessional education program and pre-professional pathways to help students find their best fit major and have a successful career in healthcare.”
The new College of Health and Human Services will include a School of Nursing along with a Department of Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences, Department of Human Services and Department of Population Health.
