Academic affairs faculty and staff reviewed the first five models of college reorganization for T28 presented in October.
“Feedback from all of our staff and faculty is essential in guiding this process,” Provost Melody Tankersley said in an email sent to academic affairs faculty and staff Monday.
The first review resulted in 701 unique survey responses with over 60 consultation documents presented by the Faculty Advisory Committees and College Advisory Committees. The two new models have not been shared with students and there have been no updated emails on T28 sent out to students as of Dec. 4.
T28 Models
Kent State Undergraduate Student Government posted a “Resolution to Formally Request Transparent Details of Transformation 2028” on their Instagram page, @kentstateusg.
Tankersley said the university shared suggestions about the first five models, including that the academies presented were too large, having fewer colleges is preferable to having large academies, a “general dislike” of the term academy but appreciation of having department and school names retained and strong appeals to ensure that all accreditation levels are maintained for all programs.
The next two models have fewer colleges with smaller organizational units that do not include the term “academy.”
The new models show how leadership of two or more departments or schools will be shared and retain each unit’s name with all colleges and programs having the ability to keep their accreditation levels.
Each unit (department, school or college) had specific feedback on how to organize their units in relation to other units and college structures.
“And, to the greatest extent possible, we have tried to adhere to the advice provided with the two new models,” Tankersley said.
Tankersley said there was an overall enthusiasm from some units about the opportunities to collaborate with other disciplines that have been separated by the current organization and/or have been discouraged because of consequences pertaining to the Responsibility Center Management funding formula. RCM is a decentralized approach to budgeting that places revenues to areas experiencing growth and encourages entrepreneurial activities.
“In both survey responses from individuals, as well as feedback from the FACs and CACs, we saw many endorsements for coming together in ways that have not been realized to date,” Tankersley said. “We tried to incorporate as many of these collaborative arrangements as possible in these two models.”
There was strong opposition to some of the shared leadership of different units in the first five models presented, Tankersley said. Some departments and schools were not supportive of coming under one leadership organization, due to their vast disciplinary differences and size.
“We tried to realize these suggestions while also focusing on our need to reduce administrative costs,” Tankersley said.
The two new models show the overall reduction in administration by the fewer colleges, chairs and directors. The models would reduce the number of deans from its current number of ten to six or seven, 28 assistant/associate deans to 15 to 18 and the number of school directors/department chairs from 40 to 24 to 29. One to two independent school directors will be included, Tankersley said.
“Further cost reductions will occur as we reorganize and reduce duplication of roles and services over the implementation period,” Tankersley said.
Tankersley recognized the concerns of faculty and staff as they continue to undergo reviews of the reconfiguration models.
“I understand the difficulty of the tasks I am asking you to engage in, and the myriad considerations and consequences we have to plan for in implementing change,” Tankersley said. “Thank you for engaging in this important work — difficult work that will help ensure we can be strong for years to come.”
All feedback from faculty and staff, including feedback from CACs and FACs, on the two new configuration models are due by Dec. 16.
Lauren Bischof is a beat reporter. Contact her at [email protected].