Rider University announces the creation of new College of Arts and Sciences

Bidle’s leadership team will include two accomplished associate deans, Dr. Brooke Hunter and Dr. Jason Vodicka  ’03, ’09. Hunter is currently an associate dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and an associate professor of history. A two-time alumnus of Westminster Choir College as well as a singer, conductor and organist, Vodicka is currently the chair of the Choir College’s Department of Music Education and an associate professor of music education. 

“We are extraordinarily lucky to have both Dr. Vodicka and Dr. Hunter on our leadership team,” Bidle says. “They are each uniquely suited to contribute towards  helping Rider thrive in the years to come, all the while preserving and carrying on important legacies and traditions of our programs across the arts and science disciplines.” 

Dr. Marshall Onofrio, who has served as dean of the Westminster College of the Arts since 2017, has announced his plans to retire in August. The decision marks the end of a more than 40-year career in higher education for Onofrio. “The merger is intended to extend and enhance his accomplishments in helping to create artists able to perform at the height of their abilities and thrive in an ultra-competitive 21st-century marketplace,” Fredeen says. 

Despite the restructuring, Fredeen emphasized that the day-to-day academic aspects of students’ lives will continue as usual with minimal disruption. “Our students should feel confident that this new structure and leadership will not impact the quality and delivery of their educational experience,” she says. 

Likewise, the decision to preserve the unique identity of Westminster Choir College, which has operated under the umbrella of the larger Westminster College of the Arts since 2007, represents the continuation of Rider's ongoing commitment to its legacy of musical excellence. Since the Choir College was integrated into Rider's Lawrenceville campus in 2020, the University has invested more than $12 million into facilities and other accommodations to support Westminster students and faculty. 

While the merger will reduce expenses and save money — about $500,000 annually, based on initial calculations — Fredeen says the decision was inspired by a larger vision of integrating the humanities, social sciences, arts, mathematics, technology and science. 

“We believe this merger will foster creativity across disciplines and provide enriching new opportunities for research, collaboration and performance,” she says. “The new College of Arts and Sciences will play a significant role in the transformative growth and leadership we seek to instill in our students.”