HPER interim dean Torabi continues transition to school of public health

Dr. Mohammad Torabi, interim dean of the School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation, will continue the school’s transition into a school of public health, said Cindy Miller, director of marketing and communication for HPER.

“He’s working with the campus and our internal leadership to stay on the same path to get the School of HPER in the transition mode of becoming a school of public health,” she said. “We’ve been continuing on the path that we started, and he is taking into account all the different stakeholders. With the department chair’s support, he is meeting all the deadlines and approvals that need to be done as we go through this
transition.”

The goal of becoming a school of public health is to include more graduate level degrees, and these proposed degree programs are in the approval stage with the Indiana Commission for Higher Education, Miller said.

“Students won’t see any difference in the academic offerings that they currently have, and ultimately, once we get through these approval processes, we will start to see how the transition will start to benefit students in the future,” she said.

With Torabi appointed as interim dean, David Lohrmann took Torabi’s vacated position as interim department chairman. Lohrmann said he is familiar with job duties because he worked with Torabi closely before and on the transition to a school of public health.

“There is broad-based support to do it, but as with anything, there are challenges that can be addressed and successfully overcome,” he said. “It is an involved process.”

The tentative change to the possible IU School of Public Health will include the addition of four concentrations to the current master’s degree in public health.

The four proposed additions are health advocacy and policy, epidemiology, biostatistics and environmental health.

“It is a natural transition for our school,” Lohrmann said. “Many of the faculty and students are already engaged. It is a natural extension for what many of us are already doing. My perception is the faculty is on board with moving forward.”

The Office of the Provost is currently not initiating a search for a new dean, Miller said.

“We are in the transition phase, so we felt the stability of having this leadership in place would be a good choice for the school right now,” she said. “It is determinate on the whole process. We are very happy that he has taken on this leadership position, and we are just moving forward.”