A Panel with Provosts and Deans on the Risks and Rewards of Realigning Academic Divisions

The demands on colleges and universities have changed rapidly in recent years, with volatile enrollments, rising student interest in multidisciplinary programs, and increased funding for cross-disciplinary research that addresses real world challenges. But even as academic disciplines have continued to evolve, the academic organizational structures in which they are housed have typically remained static. And yet simply raising the possibility of adjustments to departmental and college structures often ignites a firestorm of protest from stakeholders across the unit.

This virtual event will bring together a panel of provosts and deans who have led efforts to restructure departments and colleges. They will share what worked and what didn’t, including:

• How can new academic structures improve student success, attract more students, facilitate interdisciplinary teaching and research, and reduce administration overhead?
• How can you decide when the enormous effort required to redesign academic structures is worth the time (and the risk) versus other policy approaches to improving collaboration across academic siloes (like centers, institutes, or joint programs or courses)?
• How can university budget models support or hinder efforts to improve collaboration across academic units?
• What are the best ways to engage faculty in planning discussions? How can you design a process that transparently addresses their concerns without collapsing under the weight of faculty anxiety?

Session

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Attendance is best suited for provosts and university deans. 

• Friday, August 16, 2024 | 1:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time

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