Recently, Dean Kate VandenBosch sent letters to department chairs with individual recommendations to help focus each department’s structure exploration. Recommendations were either to explore a merger with one or more departments, explore a collaborative with one or more departments or to remain as is and look for ways to cooperate with other units. Recommendations from the letters we excerpted and included in an eCALS post on April 16.
Departments are considering the dean’s recommendations and other ideas, with the objective of drafting a concept document summarizing their best path forward by the end of May. The goal of the redesign project is for all collegiate departments to be positioned for future success.
Planning conversations will continue throughout the semester and into the summer.
April: Departments considering a merger or collaborative meet jointly to discuss content for a concept document.
May: Each departmental structure committee completes a concept document, based on input from their department(s) and using the provided template.
June: The dean will review concept documents and discuss them with chairs to determine whether departments should move forward with developing formal proposals for redesign, or continue working towards an alternative plan.
July: Work on phase two, developing formal proposals for redesign, begins.