Less than one week after announcing plans to restructure the
Holub’s proposed plan would eliminate four colleges, in addition to forming a Task Force on Recognition (TFR) to facilitate faculty involvement in the decision process. The chancellor specified that a final decision on the details of the reorganization would not be reached until the faculty had an opportunity to provide feedback.
In his e-mail, Holub described the potential annual savings to be between $1.3 and $1.5 million, estimates he termed as ‘conservative.’ However, the chancellor did not offer an estimate of the one-time costs of restructuring in light of the University’s impending $46 million operating budget deficit for the next fiscal year.
An estimate of the expenses associated with the change has not yet been determined, said University spokesman Ed Blaguszewski.
The crux of the chancellor’s proposed plan involves combining the
The TFR will evaluate the proposal over the next four weeks and provide further feedback to Holub by March 6. In addition, the chancellor called on the Faculty Senate to make a formal recommendation. Holub will present the changes to the senate during its Feb. 9 meeting.
He also instructed the TFR to develop any alternate organizational plans ‘that it finds appropriate.’
Though, the phrasing of the e-mail and his presentation to the faculty last Friday indicate that a restructuring will most likely take place, regardless of full faculty support.
‘I know that not everyone will agree,’ wrote Holub. ‘But I hope that faculty will put aside their personal preferences and work within the proposed structure toward the goal we all want: moving UMass Amherst into the upper echelon of public research universities in the country.’
According to Holub, the official name of the new colleges would be a faculty decision, but temporarily referred to them as the
The chancellor broached the idea of creating an arts and sciences mega-college that would include over 40 departments, but said that he has ‘serious reservations’ about creating such a large administrative unit.
‘I believe that the structures I am proposing make the most sense for the campus at this particular time,’ Holub wrote. ‘They will also demonstrate that we are taking the financial crisis seriously and that we are managing the campus effectively.’
The reorganization would streamline many processes repeated across colleges, thus greatly increasing the administration’s operating efficiency, added Holub.
The chancellor also promised that the implementation of any plan would involve ‘minimal disruption’ for faculty and departments and possibly create new opportunities for cross-departmental collaboration.
Additionally, the
The plan would leave the
The e-mail followed a prevailing sentiment at last Friday’s faculty meeting of a desire for details about Holub’s intentions and various calls for concern over the danger of a budget crisis precipitating reorganization.
Michael King can be reached at mking
@dailycollegian.com.