Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in
the Aug. 8 issue of FOCUS EMU. It is being run again
to provide the information to members of the campus community
who may have been away this summer.
To streamline resources and strengthen efficiency and
effectiveness in Academic Affairs, a major reorganization
of the division was announced July 31.
The reorganization includes consolidating three associate
vice president positions to one; renaming the existing
senior associate vice president position and redefining
the position's duties; renaming the assistant vice president
for academic human resources and adding divisional budget
management responsibilities; eliminating the associate
dean position in the Graduate School and a vacant dean
position in Continuing Education; and creating three new
functional roles to focus on interdisciplinary programming,
diversity and international programming, and a coordinator
for research institutes and centers.
 |
Loppnow |
This reorganization allows Academic Affairs to reallocate
resources to address priorities such as enhancing interdisciplinary
programming, strengthening international and global learning
opportunities, and enhancing support for scholarly and
creative activities.
"These changes are driven by the serious fiscal constraints
we face and the desire to organize the division to operate
as efficiently and effectively as possible," said Don Loppnow,
provost and vice president for academic affairs. "This
reorganization affects a number of individuals. The fact
that this reorganization profoundly impacts the careers
and lives of people who have served the University well
has made this decision both difficult and agonizing."
The net result of these changes and other personnel changes
within Academic Affairs results in approximately $840,000
in cost savings, Loppnow said. Of those savings, approximately
$240,000 will be allocated to implement the reorganization
and fund several of the new initiatives, he said. The total
reorganization package should net approximately $600,000
in divisional savings, which is necessary to meet the budget
target for this fiscal year, Loppnow said.
The realignment was the result of a study conducted by
the Divisional Office Realignment Task Force. The task
force, created in November 2005, studied the organizational
structure and staffing in all Academic Affairs offices
except the colleges. The committee was asked to look for
ways to streamline the administrative structure, find efficiencies
and enhance effectiveness.
In late May 2006, the task force submitted its report
and recommendations to Loppnow. The report recommended
several guidelines, including:
- Consolidation of undergraduate and graduate program
oversight under one executive level administrator.
- Creation of an Office of Continuous Improvement, with
broad responsibilities related to accreditation, assessment,
planning and program review.
- Creation of a position for coordination of diversity
and international initiatives.
- Consolidation of the administrative oversight of research
institutes and centers, coupled with release time for
appropriate faculty for focused attention on the scholarly
components of the institute's or center's mission.
"In the new structure, I not only incorporated much of
the Task Force's thinking but also made several additional
changes intended to strengthen the Division's operation," Loppnow
said.
The realignment includes the following changes:
- Three existing associate vice president positions (Undergraduate
Studies, Graduate Studies and Research, and Extended
Programs) will be consolidated into one position, the
associate vice president for academic programming. Functionally,
many of the administrative units that were previously
a part of Undergraduate Studies, Graduate Studies and
Research, and Extended Programs will now have different
reporting relationships.
 |
Neely |
In order to save funds, this new position will be vacant
pending the outcome of a search that will be launched in
early fall. In the interim, Bob Neely, interim senior associate
vice president for academic affairs, will handle the responsibilities
of the position.
Bob Holkeboer, associate vice president for graduate studies
and research, and Ellene Contis, associate vice president
for undergraduate studies, will return to the faculty.
Both will take professional development leaves effective
in the fall semester.
- The existing senior associate vice president position
occupied by Neely has been redefined and re-titled associate
provost and associate vice president for research. Neely
will serve in this role on an interim basis. A search
will be launched to fill this position with a permanent
appointment.
"This position includes areas of responsibility that have
both institutional and divisional impact, and incorporate
the research activities of the division," Loppnow said. "The
net result of the foregoing changes is that we will move
from four senior level positions to two."
 |
Kinney
Longworth |
Two positions — David Costanza, manager, budget
and operations; and Sandra Williams, director of institutional
assessment — were eliminated as part of the reorganization.
- The existing position of assistant vice president
for Academic Human Resources will be renamed assistant
vice president for Academic Human Resources and Divisional
Budget. This position will assume the major responsibility
for divisional budget management. Rhonda Kinney Longworth
serves in this position on an interim basis.
-
 |
deLaski-Smith |
The associate dean of the Graduate School position that
has been occupied by Deb deLaski-Smith will be eliminated
and converted to a position titled dean of the Graduate
School. deLaski-Smith will serve as the interim dean
and a search will be conducted to appoint a permanent
dean. A vacant assistant dean position in Continuing
Education will be eliminated and converted to a position
entitled dean of Continuing Education. Mary Sue Marz,
who has been serving as associate vice president for
Extended Programs, will serve as interim dean of Continuing
Education. A search for the permanent dean will be launched
early this fall, Loppnow said.
- Three new functional areas will be created. These include
a leadership role and resources for interdisciplinary
programming; a leadership role promoting diversity in
the classroom and in scholarly activities, and coordinating
and facilitating international programming; and a coordinating
office for research institutes and centers that will
provide post-award support to faculty who lead research
units.
"Several other administrative and staff positions within
the existing organizational structure are affected by these
changes, including several that are being moved to different
administrative units; several new staff positions that
are being created; and, regrettably, several positions
that are being eliminated," Loppnow said. "All of these
changes are precipitated by the need to reduce costs and
are intended to ultimately enhance efficiency and effectiveness."
A full organizational chart for the provost's office will
be posted once it has been refined in consultation with
staff in several of the administrative units, Loppnow said.
