University of Akron to consider reorganizing some of its colleges

AKRON—The University of Akron unveiled new plans for a potential reorganization of some of its colleges, changes that could affect the College of Polymer Science & Engineering.

In a letter to campus, interim president John Green said the proposed changes would help the university create new degree programs in areas of strength, make academic pathways clearer for students, encourage more faculty collaboration and work toward long-term financial stability.

"Today we are challenged by rapid changes in demographics, technology, competitive environments and other factors," he wrote. "Our status quo is not conducive to success under these circumstances, and can no longer serve as a default option."

Green started this conversation in the fall, extending the original deadline to give members of the university community more time to share their thoughts. On March 7, he presented the new proposals to the university's Faculty Senate, and willl present to University Council next week.

The senate will have until its May 2 meeting to provide a response, Green said in the letter, and recommendations are welcome. A proposal could go before the board of trustees at its June 12 meeting.

The current proposal, which notes that the college names are just for discussion purposes, would make the following changes at the university:

• Create a College of Polymer, Chemical, and Biological Sciences that brings together select programs from the College of Polymer Science and Polymer Engineering, the College of Engineering, the Buchtel College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Applied Science and Technology
• Create a College of Engineering, Science, and Technology that brings together select programs from the College of Engineering, the Buchtel College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Applied Science and Technology
• Turn the Buchtel College of Arts and Sciences into the College of Arts, Letters, and Sciences
• Disperse the programs and faculty in the College of Applied Science and Technology to other colleges
• Create an Innovation College that wouldn't grant degrees, but would focus on supporting initiatives from e-sports to flexible learning options to corporate partnerships

An overview of the proposal can be found at University of Akron website.

Changes have already been made to the plan that had been shared in the fall. For example, at that time, there was a suggestion to create a computer science and data science-focused school or college, but no suggestion around an "innovation college."

If the board of trustees approves any proposals, it still would be some time before changes are seen on campus.

If approved, the proposals wouldn't take effect until July 1, 2020, according to a presentation posted on the university's reorganization proposal's website.

Committees would be formed, incorporating personnel from involved units, and work would begin July 1, 2019. Those committees would develop goals, budgetary needs and timetables in time for the fall 2019 action-planning process.

If the university went ahead with a reorganization that created new colleges, there would be an open search for deans for those colleges, the presentation said. Those searches would begin in fall 2020, with the goal of fall 2021 start dates.

Information from the university said that the colleges equivalent to the new ones—the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Polymer Science and Polymer Engineering and the College of Engineering—all have interim deans. If the College of Applied Science and Technology did not exist, the deanship would likely be eliminated, but that is yet to be determined.

The presentation states that two colleges unaffected by the reorganization proposal also soon would see open searches for deans. The education and health professions colleges would begin those searches in fall 2019, with the goal of fall 2020 start dates. Both have interim deans.

Ultimately, the plan would try to avoid physical relocation of academic units and involuntary personnel reductions, the presentation said. And degree completion for students would not be disrupted.