Printer FriendlyMarch 7, 2008
OFFICE OF THE CHANCELLOR
“Building a New Vision Together”
University Councils: A New Form and Purpose
From the outset of my appointment as Chancellor, I have been committed to working closely with the faculty, staff and administration to build a new vision for the future of the University. To that end, the Senior Executive Team and I have worked closely with the deans, campus leaders and special committees on administrative organization, facilities and housing to determine how we can best organize the resources of the campus to take the University to the next level.
Central to this effort, was a process for bringing the Transformation Plan to the next phase. To that end, the Provost led a review of the recommendations of the 10 planning teams of the three-year Transformation Project, as well as those of the Retention Task Force. In addition, leaders of the current councils and other faculty committees that received discretionary funding (CFCI, CITA) in the past, met with the Provost and deans for discussions about their activities and plans to determine how to best maximize resources to implement key recommendations of the transformation teams.
This broad-based review was an essential component of the transition from a long-standing administration to a new one faced with serious financial, operational and academic challenges. At the same time, the fresh look at existing structures opened up opportunities for positive change and new arrangements with the promise of better results for students, faculty, staff and the public. In considering new models of governance, the administration has been mindful of the need to be inclusive and transparent in University affairs. With the continued stress on resources, the administration is intent on conducting University business in ways that will be most efficient, effective and responsible.
A New Council Structure
After reviewing all data from the various planning groups and study teams, the administration is proposing a new University Council structure, consisting of re-formulated Councils on Teaching & Learning and Research & Scholarship, plus a new Council on Outreach & Engagement.
The administration engaged the Deans’ Council and Chancellor’s Cabinet, and received input from the current council leaders, the Executive Board of the Faculty Senate, and the Faculty Union in creating the governance structure, scope and plans for the councils.
The work of the University Councils will support the mission of our campus:
The mission of the University of Massachusetts Lowell is to enhance the intellectual, personal, and cultural development of its students through excellent, affordable educational programs. The University seeks to meet the needs of the Commonwealth today and into the future and supports the development of sustainable technologies and communities through its teaching, research, scholarship, and engagement.
The councils represent deliberate interdisciplinary collaborations designed to complement, energize, and further engage the efforts of our traditional academic units in (1) a continual review of our campus vision and mission and (2) the effective execution of our strategic objectives through excellence and innovation.
The University Councils will empower faculty and staff in building a vision of the future together by:
1) Targeting strategic innovations that will advance the campus mission across the pillars of scholarship;
2) Cultivating external funding to support innovative initiatives;
3) Assessing the effectiveness of the innovations and targeting initiatives to mainstream;
4) Imbedding a commitment to a diverse campus culture as reflected in personnel, curricula, research, scholarship, programs, and partnerships; and
5) Fostering interdisciplinary collaboration to advance the university’s mission.
Each council will have a distinct charge and conduct its work through task forces organized each year around strategic initiatives. Certain initiatives will cross council and task force lines and will require close consultation between and/or among councils and task forces, for example, the Outreach & Engagement Task Force addressing service learning must link up with the Council on Teaching & Learning task forces. Diversity priorities will be imbedded in the work of each council. Other committees and centers, such as CFCI and CITA will be encouraged to integrate their initiatives into the new structure.
Each council will feature tripartite leadership, with one dean and two co-chairs representing the range of disciplines and professions on campus. The administration is now seeking volunteers who wish to serve on the three councils. Interested faculty and staff members should notify the Office of Academic Affairs of their willingness to serve by writing to universitycouncils@uml.edu. The deadline for volunteering is Tuesday, March 25, at 5 p.m. The administration will work with the leadership of the existing councils and committees to appoint members of the council and to create vehicles for broad participation of the faculty.
In early April, the Chancellor will appoint council members to one- and two-year terms initially, with two-year terms to become standard after the first rotation. Each council will be supported through the office of the respective dean linked to the council. Council co-chairs will report to the Provost or Provost’s designee. Councils will be asked to create proposals with budget requests, for action plans that can be implemented in FY09. During the transition this spring, the new councils will work closely with existing councils and related campus committees. The proposals will be reviewed by the Chancellor’s cabinet, and the Chancellor will approve final plans and award funding. The councils will then implement their plans, employing task forces and other vehicles to meet their goals. Council work will be conducted by the members in collaboration with other volunteers from the campus community who have a strong professional or personal interest in the tasks at hand.
Attached are two diagrams (in pdf format) of the new council structure. One diagram identifies the strategic challenges and the second provides an illustration visual of how the councils might organize themselves. The items listed under each council are illustrative only. Each council will set its own goals and plans for the year.