Recap: Ian Davison outlines goals, timetable for CMU organizational review in open forum
Ian Davison, senior vice provost for academic reorganization initiative, said all input from the Central Michigan University community will be welcomed during the university's review and restructuring effort.
Davison and Provost Michael Gealt answered questions about CMU's organizational review process at an open forum Friday in the Charles V. Park Library Auditorium.
The organizational review effort falls under Central Michigan University’s updated “Advancing Excellence” strategic plan — running from 2017-22. The review will look for ways to improve the efficiency of the university and enhance student success, Davison said.
CMU last conducted an academic reorganization in 1996 — leading to the creation of the College of Communication and Fine Arts, College of Humanities and Social and Behavioral Sciences and the College of Science and Engineering from the College of Arts and Sciences. The College of Health Professions was also created in that process.
The goals of a reorganizational review would be to advance the goals in CMU’s strategic plan and to determine how CMU can improve going forward, Davison said.
Criteria for change, Davison said, would be:
- 1. The Way — Any organizational change must be justified by a clear rationale
- 2. Assessment — Changes have defined metrics that relate to goals in strategic plan
- 3. Budget — Considering costs
- 4. Broader Impacts — Considering the entire university
The review is not designed to achieve budget savings, reduce faculty or staff or eliminate academic programs, Davison said.
CMU President George Ross has appointed committees comprising faculty, staff and students to conduct the review, Davison said. He added those appointments could be announced sometime early next week.
The timetable through the rest of the semester is to solicit ideas and suggestions through November and develop drafts and recommendations in December.
Davison encouraged input and suggestions from the CMU community and said he was happy to meet with departments, small groups and people if they wish.
During the question and answer session, faculty and staff members, who made up the majority of the audience, expressed concerns with the timetable for the review and how the potential recommendations could affect student success.
Read the Oct. 9 edition of Central Michigan Life for more details on the open forum and review process.
