Advisory regarding Southern California wildfires

Advisory regarding Southern California wildfires

On behalf of everyone at Thomas Edison State University, we hope that students affected by the wildfires in Southern California remain safe. The University is offering accommodations to students affected by the wildfires:

  • Students who are directly impacted by the fires and who are currently registered in courses for the November 2024, December 2024 and January 2025 terms have the option of receiving a free eight-week course extension without mentor approval; or, a 100% tuition credit for their course(s) to a future term. Affected students should submit a Request for Course Extension Form or a Request for Course Withdrawal Form indicating “Southern California wildfires” as the reason for the request. Please note that TECEP exams in these terms cannot be extended, nor credited for tuition after the exam has been taken.
  • Impacted students who are currently on a course extension for the September 2024 and October 2024 terms can request a second eight-week extension on their current term at no additional cost.

Request an Accommodation: Students affected by the wildfire and evacuations who need an accommodation should contact the Office of the Registrar by email at registration@tesu.edu or by phone at 609-777-5680. Accommodation requests should be submitted by January 24th. Requests after that date can be accommodated if the student provides documentation of the reason for the late request.

Meet the Dean

Malcolm K. Oliver, Ph.D., MPA

Dean, John S. Watson School of Public Service

Malcolm K. Oliver, Ph.D., MPA

Dr. Malcolm K. Oliver serves as the dean of the John S. Watson School of Public Service. In this role, he reports to the provost and vice president and oversees the School’s undergraduate and graduate programs that are focused on public service and designed for working adults interested in professional and personal growth. As dean he leads the School’s strategic direction, academic programming and community engagement.

Prior to joining the University, Oliver served as associate dean for the School of Graduate Studies at Excelsior College. He has also served as a graduate program director at California Lutheran University, National Louis University and The College of New Rochelle, in addition to hands on applied experience as a city planner and development coordinator.

Oliver’s extensive public sector administrative experience gives him insight into all facets of community development that directly enhance TESU’s academic programming. With a Ph.D. in Public and Urban Administration from the University of Texas, Arlington, he embodies lifelong learner values and recently completed a Master of Science in Instructional Technology from the New York Institute of Technology.

He also holds a Master of Public Administration from Cal Poly Pomona and Bachelor of Arts degree in political science with a minor in economics from University of California, Riverside.