By Abby Crossen, Assistant Dean for College Affairs
Effective January 1, 2009, the College of Architecture and Urban Planning officially changed its name to the College of Built Environments (CBE). CBE houses the departments of architecture, construction management, landscape architecture, and urban design and planning, and devotes its resources to the tangible improvement of built and natural environments.
Established in 1957 with just two departments, the College of Built Environments now encompasses four departments and eight research centers and laboratories. The college offers 14 graduate and undergraduate degrees, two interdisciplinary Ph.D.'s, as well as seven certificates. The new name better reflects the diverse academic composition of the college community as well as the interdisciplinary nature of research and design inquiry. The term "built environments" orients to the grand challenges that will shape the twenty-first century experience, in particular urbanization and climate change.
