New year, new dean: Fowler faces continuous leadership turnovers

Photo by Easton Clark, Photo Editor

The Fowler School of Engineering underwent administrative restructuring before the fall 2025 semester began, sparking concern as students were informed of the changes two weeks after the semester had already started. 

“That was alarming to me,” said Nataniel Farzan, a senior computer science major. “Some people are in favor (of the changes), but I think the majority of people are confused and kind of frustrated and just want more clarity and communication.”

The first change came when Chapman appointed Interim Dean Kendal Harris over the summer after Tom Piechota, last year’s interim dean, transitioned back into a teaching and research-based role.

Harris is contracted for one year of deanship at Chapman and has ambitious plans to enhance and strengthen Fowler's foundations. 

“I am laying the foundation that will allow our permanent dean to come in and take our team to greater heights,” Harris said. “(Interim Provost Michael Ibba) gave me a laundry list of things for me to look at from the current structure of our school, to the course curriculum of our school (and whether we are) prepared for Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) accreditation, which is especially important for the engineering perspective of our school.”

Harris is passionate about strengthening the engineering side of Fowler by bringing in ABET accreditation to help students get a leg up in entering the industry. 

“We're making sure that we're having the right courses to deliver these things to our students in a manner that's gonna make them computer scientists, data scientists (and) engineers when they walk out this door,” he said.

The computer science, data science and engineering majors were part of the Schmid College of Science and Technology before Fowler officially opened in 2019. 

“We're just trying to do what's best for Fowler and to take us to greater heights,” said Harris. “The university, as a whole, has invested in Fowler, and I think we're capable of giving them a return on that investment.”

Additionally, the previous undergraduate programs advisor, Elizabeth Stevens, had stepped down in the spring, yet none of the student body had been privy to this knowledge.

“She's not only a professor, but also our previous program director, and people didn't know that she was gone,” said Farzan. “Students were Slacking and emailing her, thinking that she’s still here.”

While program restructuring is a standard expectation with new leadership, students have become worried about communication and transparency from the faculty.

“The program director is a pretty important position for a school, especially in the first week when people are changing classes and things are happening,” Farzan said.

Another staffing change that has had multiple students concerned is the removal of Eric Linstead from leadership at Fowler. Linstead was one of the founders of the school in 2019 and served as the associate dean.

“I know several people who say that the reason they're at this school is because of Dr. Linstead,” said Farzan. “(Profesor Linstead and Profesor Stevens) are both involved with a lot of the recruiting and info sessions that (Fowler) has for high schoolers.”

Alumni Travis Hummel attributed Linstead to pushing him into the computer science field, along with helping him further his education and career. Hummel went on to be an engineer at Google, LinkedIn and Instacart after receiving his BS in mathematics and computer science at Chapman, and then his master's degree at the University of California, Irvine (UCI). 

“I credit (Linstead) with the reason I chose computer science,” said Hummel. “He wrote a letter (of) recommendation for me to go to UC Irvine for graduate school, and I really believe that the only reason I got into UCI was because of it.”

To some students, the overall solution seems relatively simple.

“We're not asking for much," said Farzan. “Just transparency.”