The Division of Academic Affairs has a plan to evolve Kent State’s academic plans in the near future. With reenvisioning the university’s academic structures, many questions are being brought up by faculty in regard to Kent State’s near future. 

Transformation 2028 was developed in hopes of reducing costs for the university. Originally, there were five different transformation plans, but the “Gold+” plan was the one officials supported. 

The “Gold+” plan divides the university into five separate divisions, combining administrators and colleges and leaving less room for faculty.  

The Kent State Retirees Association holds monthly sessions in the Kent Free Library, and this month’s session focused on T28. Kent State Faculty Senate Chair Tracy Laux and Kent State American Association of University Professors Chapter Representative Deborah Smith attended the meeting, where they discussed issues associated with reorganizing colleges, departments and programs on Feb. 12.

Issues discussed during the meeting included the potential elimination of programs, freezing of all hiring, impending leadership challenges posed by realignments and cost-cutting. 

“When they calculate the $1.5 million in savings, they are only calculating these individuals going back to faculty,” Smith said. “They are absolutely counting on a lot of these people saying ‘I didn’t come to Kent State to be a professor, but I came to Kent State to be an associate dean, I came to Kent State to be the chair…’ It is not baked into their budget savings yet.” 

Kent State also had a meeting on Monday focused on voting on the proposal. President Todd Diacon spoke at this meeting about his thoughts on the new T28 model. 

“We have a plan that is reasonable and a doable plan to ensure the financial health of Kent State for the next decade,” Diacon said. 

During this meeting, Diacon said he thought the original T28 plan was “excessive” and that he was against it, which is why the remodeled Gold+ plan would benefit the university and the “greater good.” 

President Diacon said he hopes the proposals will save the university around $8 million.