02
May
1994
|
18:00 PM
America/New_York
Ohio State proposes to streamline administration
OHIO STATE PROPOSES ACTIONS TO STREAMLINE ADMINISTRATION
In an effort to further streamline the administration of its
academic activities, The Ohio State University is proposing a
series of actions that Provost Richard Sisson says will increase
academic excellence and strengthen the university.
In a report that will be presented to the university's Board
of Trustees at its meeting on Friday (5/6), Sisson says progress
is being made in the university's efforts to restructure itself.
With the approval and support of President E. Gordon Gee,
Sisson is proposing several actions that would reduce and realign
the number of academic and administrative units reporting
directly to the provost; strengthen cooperation and collaboration
among colleges with similar missions; discontinue the Office of
International Affairs, and reduce and restructure the Office of
Academic Affairs.
All of the actions contained in the report are
administrative and can be implemented by the trustees upon the
recommendation of the president.
"It is absolutely essential that the number of units now
reporting directly to the provost be reduced," Sisson said.
"That number currently approaches 40 and also approaches being
unmanageable. The new structure will afford each unit the
attention it deserves and will afford me a greater opportunity to
concentrate on larger issues regarding academic direction and
quality."
He also said that the actions will better focus the talents
and energies of the university's academic leadership. Under
Sisson's plan, for instance, the Council of Deans would be
reorganized into four groups: the Colleges of Arts and Sciences,
the Health Sciences colleges, the Professional Colleges, and the
Regional Campuses. The Arts and Sciences and Professional
Colleges groups would be coordinated by executive deans, a role
that would rotate among the deans within each group. The
Regional Campuses will continue to have a coordinating dean.
The Arts and Sciences group would include the Arts,
Humanities, Mathematical and Physical Sciences, Biological
Sciences, and Social and Behavioral Sciences.
The Health Sciences colleges would be headed by a newly
created vice president for health sciences who would be
responsible for providing academic and fiscal leadership for the
colleges of Dentistry, Medicine (including the School of Allied
Medical Professions), Nursing, Optometry, Pharmacy, and
Veterinary Medicine. The vice president for health sciences
would be a position separate from the dean of the College of
Medicine and would assume the duties of the present vice
president for health services, a position that would be
eliminated.
The Professional Colleges cluster would include Agriculture,
Business, Education, Engineering, Human Ecology, and Law.
"These groupings will enable the deans to focus on shared
interests and issues, enhance collaboration, and make more
efficient use of the time and talents of the university's
academic leadership," Sisson said.
In another action, Sisson proposes reducing the number of
units reporting directly to him. Once his plan is fully
implemented:
* The Office of Faculty and Teaching Associate
Development will be transferred to the College of
Education.
* The Office of Undergraduate Studies of the Arts and
Sciences will report to the executive dean of the arts
and sciences.
* The three ROTC departments will report to the executive
dean of the arts and sciences.
* University Honors will report to the executive dean of
the arts and sciences.
* The Office of International Affairs will be
discontinued. International area study centers will be
coordinated by a lead director who will report to the
senior vice provost for academic affairs. The Office
of International Education will report to the vice
provost for academic program support. A Provost's
Council on International Affairs consisting of deans
and faculty will be created to guide the university's
international affairs activities.
* The Biotechnology Center will report on an interim
basis to the vice president for research.
* The Stone Laboratory will report to the vice president
for agriculture.
* Reorganization within the Office of Academic Affairs
will result in the continued reduction of senior
administrative positions reporting to the provost from
the current six to five positions. All will be full
partners in the decision process in Academic Affairs.
Sisson's report also includes a list of actions that have
been implemented or are taking place as a result of the
restructuring process, noting that so far there are
recommendations to reduce the number of departments by 15, just
under 15 percent of the number of departments at the university.
"It is difficult at this time to offer an estimate of the
amount of money that will be saved and redirected in order to
enhance academic excellence," Sisson says, "but there are two
statements I can make with confidence. One, we expect that the
long-term savings from these actions will be substantial. Two,
the clarification of priorities, the enhanced support of core
academic activities, and the streamlining of the administrative
organization will strengthen the university."
He noted that the review of additional areas of academic and
administrative reorganization is on-going and that additional
proposals to realign or consolidate university activities will be
forthcoming.
"It is my conviction that while there is much work yet to be
done, The Ohio State University is facing the challenges posed by
internal and external change and seizing the opportunity to
position itself in the front rank of the premier teaching and
research universities in the nation," Sisson says. "Our
experience to date bodes well for the future."
#
Contact: Richard Sisson, (614) 292-5881.
[Submitted by: STERRETT (sterrett@ccgate.ucomm.ohio-state.edu)
Tue, 03 May 1994 17:05:58 -0500 (EST)]
All documents are the responsibility of their originator.
