Recommendations of the Faculty Task Force for the Restructuring of the Division of Academic Affairs
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FTF May 15, 2013 Recommendations of the Faculty Task Force For the Restructuring of the Division of Academic Affairs Introduction On March 1, 2013, the Provost, pursuant to the Chancellor’s request, formed two Task Forces to consider the optimal structure for the Academic Affairs Division: a Chairs Task Force and a Faculty Task Force. The Executive Committee of the Faculty Senate selected the members of the Faculty Task Force from nominations submitted by the colleges and key councils/committees of the Faculty Senate. The members were: Adriana Lopez-Ramirez - College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences Cynthia Daily - College of Business Kent Layton - College of Education Shannon Collier-Tenison - College of Professional Studies Matthew Gifford - College of Science Steve Minsker - College of Engineering and Information Technology John DiPippa - Law School (Chair) Karen Russ - Ottenheimer Library Thomas Clifton - Undergraduate Council Amanda Nolen - Graduate Council Andrew Wright - Faculty Senate Executive Committee Elisabeth Sherwin - Planning and Finance Committee Sarah Beth Estes – Academic Restructuring Liaison (non-voting member) Time Line The Task Forces were to review the existing Academic Affairs division structure and to recommend, by May 15, 2013 at least two new academic structures designed to: Enhance interdisciplinary collaboration to facilitate UALR’s timely response to the changing needs of the city, state and nation in terms of curricula, community engagement, and research. Implement an efficient academic structure that will result in cost savings allowing UALR to match available resources to strategic priorities. By April 23, 2013, the task forces submitted their preliminary recommendations to the Liaison who made them available to the campus community. On April 26, 2013, the Liaison held a university- wide “town hall” on the task forces’ preliminary recommendations. The task forces incorporated the feedback from the April 26 town hall into a final set of recommendations due to the Provost on May 15, 2013. Those recommendations will be considered by the Academic Restructuring Steering Committee which will send a final recommendation to the Provost by August 15, 2013. Faculty Task Force Process The Faculty Task Force met six times between February 27 and April 17. In addition, the Faculty Task Force held “town hall” forums for each college, for the Ottenheimer Library, and for Graduate School Faculty. Finally, the Faculty Task Force met twice after the April 26 town hall to consider the feedback it received at the meeting and from other sources. 1 FTF May 15, 2013 In the interest of transparency and to solicit wider input, the Faculty Task Force provided a venue for comments through Blackboard. The Faculty Task Force also created a Blackboard site where we provided information to the campus community about our charge, the context, as well as a forum for campus response on the discussion boards. Decision Criteria The Faculty Task Force exhaustively discussed a number of restructuring plans. The criteria we used to guide our choices included: 1. Efficiency: To restructure in order to achieve cost savings. 2. Alignment: To place like, similar, or related disciplines together. 3. SSCH: Where the majority of SSCHs were generated by majors in the department. 4. Size: The ultimate size of the college. (e.g., Some reorganizations created unmanageable mega- colleges.) 5. Collaboration: Whether the structures allowed for increased interdisciplinary work. 6. Community: Whether the structures allowed for increased community engagement. Possible College Structures On the following pages are the three preliminary plans unanimously endorsed by the Faculty Task Force. The order in which they are presented does not reflect our preference of any one plan over another. Across all three plans there are opportunities for new efficiencies and synergies regarding the merging of departments of related disciplines. Merging small departments could result in several benefits: 1. create more stability and program support when faculty retire, go on OCDA, or otherwise step down from their duties; 2. create more efficient departmental structures (e.g., reduce the number of Chairs and administrative staff); and 3. create a greater concentration of resources (e.g., technology, skill, knowledge, supplies). Applied Science Department Regarding the Department of Applied Science, the Faculty Task Force decided to retain its initial recommendation notwithstanding the strong case put forward to keep it as currently configured. We concluded that the Applied Science Department is unique among departments at UALR in that 1. it is inconsistent with the way the college governs and supports its other PhD programs, 2. elements of the current PhD program are fully supported by faculty outside the Applied Science department; and 3. it is an artifact of an earlier period in UALR’s development, when it was the only PhD program at UALR. While we recognize that the department is interdisciplinary in nature and conducts important and significant research, neither of these characteristics will be lost under our recommendation. That is, the interdisciplinary nature of the PhD will not disappear. Rather, we believe that a more efficient structure will create more opportunities for such collaboration. Moreover, the home location of the faculty should not have an adverse effect on the research any individual faculty member pursues. 2 FTF May 15, 2013 The Applied Science faculty will move to a department where they are best qualified based on their terminal degree. For example, a faculty member with a doctorate in Chemistry will move to the Chemistry Department. Because the Faculty Task Force believes that the Applied Science Department is unique and, therefore, our proposal does not “target” this department or “single them out” unfairly. It is the only department we recommend dissolving because it is the only department with the unique constellation of characteristics discussed above. We recommend that the Steering Committee consider whether any other program or department has substantially the same characteristics as the Applied Science Department. If so, we believe that such departments or programs should also be reviewed. 3 FTF May 15, 2013 Plan 1 College of Business College of Arts, Humanities College of Education & College of STEM College of Professional & Social Sciences Health Professions Studies Departments: Departments: Departments: Departments: Departments: Accounting Art Teacher Education Computer Science Criminal Justice Management Music Educational Leadership Engineering Technology Public Admin./IOG Marketing & Advertising Theater Arts & Dance Counseling, Adult, & Rehab. Grad. Institute of Tech. Rhetoric & Writing Economics & Finance Psychology Education (CARE) Information Science Speech Communications Business Info. Systems Int’l & Second Languages Audiology & Speech Path. Systems Engineering Nursing (Approved for 7/1/13 start.) Sociology & Anthropology Health, Human Performance Const. Management & English & Sport Management Civil/Const. Engineering Schools: History Biology Mass Communication Political Science Chemistry Social Work Philosophy & Interdisciplinary Physics & Astronomy Studies Earth Sciences Mathematics & Statistics Faculty (Tenured, Tenure- Faculty (Tenured, Tenure- Faculty (Tenured, Tenure- Faculty (Tenured, Tenure- Faculty (Tenured, Tenure- Track and Non-Tenure Track and Non-Tenure Track) Track and Non-Tenure Track and Non-Tenure Track and Non-Tenure Track) Track) = 45 = 126 Track) = 70 Track) = 126 = 95 Plan 1: 1. The College of Education gains the Departments of Audiology & Speech Pathology and Health, Human Performance and Sport Management. 2. The College of Engineering and the College of Science are combined. The Applied Science department is eliminated and the faculty will move to an area where they are best qualified based on their terminal degree. The Applied Science Ph.D. and M.S. will be moved to the college level, to parallel the structures and processes for EIT's doctoral degrees. 3. The Department of Nursing moves to the College of Professional Studies. 4 FTF May 15, 2013 Plan 2 College of Business College of Arts, Humanities College of Education & College of STEM College of Professional & Social Sciences Health Professions Studies Departments: Departments: Departments: Departments: Departments: Accounting Art Teacher Education Computer Science Speech Communications Management Music (Early Child., Middle School Engineering Technology Criminal Justice Marketing & Advertising Theater Arts & Dance Ed., Secondary Ed., Special Graduate Inst. of Technology Public Admin./IOG Economics & Finance Psychology Education, Reading, and Information Science Rhetoric & Writing Business Info. Systems Int’l & Second Languages Curriculum & Instruction) Systems Engineering (Approved for 7/1/13 start.) Sociology & Anthropology Educational Leadership Const. Management& Schools: English (Higher Ed. and Ed. Admin. & Civil/Const. Engineering Social Work History Supervision) Biology Mass Communication Political Science Educational Psychology Chemistry Philosophy & Interdisciplinary (EDFN, LSTE, Adult Ed., Physics & Astronomy Studies Gifted, Earth Sciences School Coun./Counsel. Ed) Mathematics & Statistics Nursing School: Health Professions Departments: Rehabilitation Counseling Interpreter Education, & Orientation/Mobility Audiology & Speech Pathology Health, Human Performance & Sport Management Faculty (Tenured, Tenure- Faculty