President’s Report

given to the University Senate on March 31, 2008

submitted by President Leland, given orally by Dr. Robert Haney

Reporting on behalf of President Leland who unexpectedly had to travel to Atlanta, Dr. Bob Haney gave an update on two important strategic matters of interest to the university community. 

(1) The first topic was administrative realignment in Academic Affairs, Enrollment Management, and the Office of the President effective July 1 of this year. 

Ø      Most of the units now organized under the Vice President for Institutional Research and Enrollment Management will move to Academic Affairs.  The Division of Academic Affairs will be led by an interim vice president for academic affairs beginning July 1; following a national search, the new chief academic officer effective January 1 will carry the title Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs.  The new title aligns more closely with institutions of our size and complexity.  The Enrollment Management units making this move are Admissions, Financial Aid, Registrar, Student Success (Advisement and Retention), Graduate Admissions, Testing, Tutoring, and the Bridge Scholars Program. 

Ø      Technology units now under the Chief of Staff and those now under Academic Affairs will be consolidated under Academic Affairs.  This is consistent with our consultant’s recommendation a few years ago. 

Ø      The Office of Institutional Research will report to the Chief of Staff area as will the new Office of Institutional Effectiveness, with both officers making possible a consolidated institutional research, planning and assessment effort.  These units, joined by Human Resources, Legal Affairs, Internal Audit, and Institutional Equity and Diversity, will be led by the new Chief of Staff, Dr. Paul Jones, whose title will be Vice President and Special Assistant to the President, and who will also add duties in local community relations, internal communications for the office of the president, and liaison with the Board of Regents.

Dr. Haney pointed out that the new alignment streamlines our administrative structure by reducing the number of senior administrators (vice president level) by one. 

(2) The second topic was the search process for a new chief academic officer following the announcement of Dr. Gormly’s retirement July 1.  The university has engaged the services of one of the nation’s respected executive search firms in higher education, Parker Executive Search, a group that has done extensive work in the University System and that also has familiarity with Georgia College. 

The timeline for the search is expected to take shape along these lines:

April 2008           Parker Executive Search appointed

Parker and search committee members conduct listening sessions with the campus

Early May            Position description finalized and position advertised

May-July             Candidate recruitment

Consultants, search committee, others participate in applicant pool-building process

August                 Search committee conducts preliminary screening off-site with approximately 10 candidates

September         Campus visits/interviews by top 2-4 candidates

Early October     Offer made and accepted

January 2009     Start date for Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs

As one of their first orders of business, they will visit the campus in April to conduct what are called “constituent listening sessions” as a means of defining what the campus seeks in a new provost and vice president for academic affairs, that is, the priorities for the new provost and the qualifications that the campus deems most important.  President Leland requests quick feedback from senators on proposed search committee composition so that committee members may participate in those sessions.

Here is her proposal [following the meeting, it was confirmed that a student will also be asked to serve on the committee]:

• Two faculty members elected at large by faculty in a process coordinated by ECUS

• One faculty representative from each academic school and also from the Library and Instructional Technology Center.  Faculty will be selected by the president from a slate of nominees submitted by the schools and the library.  

• One dean  

• One academic affairs staff member  

• One academic affairs administrator  

• University Registrar  

• Two additional professional staff members/administrators from area with significant academic affairs interface  

• One vice president

Dr. Haney closed by requesting that feedback be sent to president@gcsu.edu in the next day or two.  Again, the short turnaround will allow President Leland time to carry out the processes needed to identify search committee members prior to the constituent listening sessions in April.