SF State News {University Communications}

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Proposal for University Reorganization

Note: The following e-mail was sent on 3/21/11 to all faculty and staff.

 

Dear Colleague:

 

Provost Rosser and I are pleased to share a new proposal for university reorganization for your consideration.

 

Since the Academic Senate released the results of the referendum on university reorganization several weeks ago, we have continued to meet with members of our campus community, review feedback to reorganization proposals, and develop a plan for reorganization that will best serve the university and its respective units. The referendum elicited broad participation: more votes were cast in this referendum than in any other university-wide faculty vote in our history and the comments received have been extensive, substantive, and thoughtful. The referendum also stimulated meaningful discussion on campus about collaboration and the benefits to be gained through reorganization. Departments across the university have been in conversation about the possibilities of collaboration across disciplines-aimed at breaking down outdated notions of structure and at streamlining operations.

 

Concurrently, we have continued to follow reports from Sacramento. We fear that as the state's budget continues to deteriorate, the CSU will face an additional reduction in funding beyond the $500 million cut included in the Governor's budget proposal.

 

Informed by the wealth of input we have continued to receive and driven by a desire to streamline our administrative expenses in light of our budget realities, we have developed a modified plan for university reorganization. It draws upon the University Planning Advisory Council's (UPAC) recommendation that identified a six-college structure as favorable. It also produces greater cost savings than the alternative favored by the faculty in the referendum-all of which are achieved through cuts in administration. To view the new proposal and to provide feedback on it, please visit http://www.sfsu.edu/~news/announce/newsix.htm.

 

I met with UPAC and sought the Council's advice on the proposal. UPAC endorsed it and deemed it worthy of advancing to the university community to gather feedback. Toward that end, I will ask the Academic Senate to carry out a faculty referendum on whether this new concept merits adoption. I also seek feedback from staff via the online tool at the link above.

 

As we continue to confront the realities of diminishing state support, I am pleased by the thoughtful and deliberate manner in which our community has sought to maintain the high quality education that is both our mission and our pride. We must always be driven by a desire to uphold this central tenet. Through this reorganization, I believe that we will be doing just that.

 

-- Robert A. Corrigan, president

 

 

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