PLEASE ATTEND General Faculty Meeting TODAY (Thursday, 29 January 2009)
Our concerns include at least the following issues: Pertaining to the academic reorganization plans: 1. What are the cost savings expected or required from a reorganization of the academic units on campus? How would these be achieved and what options or flexibility is there in achieving these savings? 2. Why is reorganization being proposed so strongly? Is any outside stakeholder driving the need for reorganization? If so, who? 3. What is the plan? If there are options or variations, what are they, and how do they differ? (Details are important here, it is not possible to have a productive discussion about the merits of reorganization unless we know the details of the plan.) 4. How will the plan be evaluated? What is the duration of the evaluation period? Who will be charged with organizing input from faculty, staff and students? How exactly will the evaluation influence the end reorganization event? Pertaining to overall budget problems: 5. How are the Chancellor and the administration working to stabilize funding for the university at the state and national levels? How will that effort be improved? Our understanding is that the Chancellor will present a review of the budget issues and his rationale for possible reorganization of academic units. Our hope is that this will leave ample time for questions and comments. It is important that as many attend as possible, and that the faculty, librarians, staff and students on campus have an open forum for asking questions and sharing their views. A follow up meeting is planned for Randy Phillis President |
