The Air Force Academy welcomed new deans Wednesday who will lead four new schools charged with integrating cadets’ studies. 

Dean of Faculty Brig. Gen. James Valpiani, who started earlier this year, is leading the restructuring of the faculty.

Previously, the 20 departments at the Air Force Academy all answered to the dean. The new schools introduce a layer of oversight. 

“We recognize that the span of control within our academic leadership had become too centralized,” said former Superintendent Lt. Gen. Tony Bauernfeind during the ceremony. The superintendent retired on Friday. 

Valpiani introduced philosophy professor Mark Jenson as the new dean of the School of Integrated General Studies, which is charged with integrating the core curriculum required at the school. 

The school requires 90 credit hours, more than most other universities.  

Valpiani previously described this school as an idea novel to the academy because of its sweeping breadth and scope. 

Jensen earned his doctorate from the University of Notre Dame in 2006 and he has worked at the academy since 2010. 

Valpiani said that Jenson was an ideal candidate for the job because of his experience integrating coursework across disciplines. 

In his address, Jenson invited other members of the faculty and staff to help him develop the refreshed classes that all cadets will take. Valpiani expected new courses could be introduced in the spring and a completely updated curriculum could roll out next fall.

Jenson described the coming curriculum as “one in which disciplinary boundaries give way to an orderly, coherent, common, and formative education.”

History professor Col. Meg Martin will lead the School of Integrative Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences. She previously led the history department and has served as a command pilot. 

The school will unite the study of “human nature, history, language, law, government, society, and war,” Valpiani said. 

Col. Steven Hasstedt, who served as acting dean, will now lead the School of Integrative Basic Sciences.

Hasstedt, a biology professor, said he expected math would be the common language for the basic sciences.

Col. James Gresham, previously the aeronautics department head, will lead the Integrative School of Engineering Science. 

In this position, Gresham is expected to lead the transformation of the technical sciences, Valpiani said. Earlier in his career, Gresham previously worked as a flight test engineer and earned his doctorate from Virginia Tech.