Colleagues,
Since President Feinstein’s campus communication on Friday, we have received some concerns about the Administrative Service Center model for meeting the operational needs of the University. Please know that we heard your concerns and value your input and perspective.
Many of the concerns we heard are about student support services provided by administrative staff - particularly student recruitment and student advising. We agree that serving our students well is of utmost importance. It is the purpose of the SESS Plan and other visioning work, and it is our focus as we consider how to effectively organize Academic Affairs. The need to reallocate resources to faculty and other roles specifically directed at student success is a primary reason for considering how the business operations are being conducted. We hear your concerns and understand that there will be a human impact.
The Administrative Service Center proposal was developed during discussions among the Cabinet, Deans, Assistant & Associate Deans, Department Business Managers and Senior Administrative Staff. The focus of these discussions was on the business operations of the University. Necessarily, these conversations included the continuing need of the University to address our financial realities.
Concentrating business operations in shared Service Centers will enable us to dedicate resources to supporting student outcomes and supporting faculty in their service to students. Action Teams 3 and 4 of the SESS plan have been focused on how the University can better support student success. This SESS work will inform the discussion on Student Support organizational structures. The next stage of the organizational design work is with developing a structure to support student success. Because each college has aspects that are unique, these Student Success Professionals and their specific role necessarily must be defined by each college and its faculty. In the coming days and weeks, we will be having broad conversations within each college about how best to serve students. As we engage in these conversations, we must continue to be mindful of the University’s budget.
We anticipate that the organizational design work will result in a University that has better and sustainable business practices and one that continues to serve our students and faculty well. Thank you for your participation in the next steps of the organizational design work.
Sincerely,
Mark Anderson, Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs
Eugene Sheehan, Dean, College of Education and Behavioral Sciences
Laura Connolly, Dean, College of Humanities and Social Sciences
Burkhard Englert, Dean, College of Natural and Health Sciences
Kiki Gilderhus, Interim Dean, College of Performing and Visual Arts
Jay Lightfoot, Interim Dean, Monfort College of Busines
