Economics Department May Be Transferred To Busch School From Arts and Sciences

Image courtesy of The Catholic University of America

By Patrick D. Lewis

Catholic University’s economics department will likely be moving from the College of Arts and Sciences to the Busch School of Business, more than a decade after most business degrees moved to the new school when it opened in 2013.

The Department of Economics, long part of Arts and Sciences, was eliminated last year as part of the university’s reorganization. It joined the former Department of Sociology and Department of Education to form the Department of Economics, Education, and Sociology. 

This semester, Dr. Richard Gallenstein is the only full-time economist remaining on the faculty; a few part-time adjuncts are also on the faculty. Just two years ago, in December of 2023, the department included five full-time professors and 15 part-time professors, according to an archived version of its faculty directory. 

Gallenstein declined to comment, saying the measure was still under review by the faculty senate. The Senate is the body that must approve changes to departments and degree programs and is made up of faculty members representing their schools.

The senate’s ad hoc committee on the proposed move will hold a student town hall via Zoom on December 2 at 3:00 p.m.

As part of the change, if approved, economics majors will move from Arts and Sciences to Business and receive new advisors. A College of Arts and Sciences committee has recommended that the move be approved.

This is a developing story.