AKRON—Less than a week after the University of Akron announced proposals to potentially reorganize some of its colleges, the plans are getting put on hold.
In an email sent to the university community, interim president John C. Green said he had heard "substantial support for achieving the objectives contained in the reorganization proposals without attempting to reorganize portions of the institution at this time."
Green goes on to point out that the problem with this approach is that it has failed, or taken a long time to succeed, in the past.
Still, he said the university could pause the reorganization discussions and instead set goals to help it meet those objectives. Specific goals would be created with the help of deans, chairs, school directors and the Faculty Senate, the email stated. Examples could include proposing new undergraduate degree programs in areas of strength such as polymers, better aligning the curriculum in chemistry and chemical engineering with the polymers and biology curriculum and increasing research grant awards, particularly those that include cross-college faculty collaboration.
"We do not have the luxury of extended time to engage in this work," Green said in the email. "I believe that it is realistic that we agree to complete this work during the next six months, for the start of the coming academic year. If we are unable to achieve these goals, we will need to revisit the reorganization proposals."