Inside Iowa State: Iowa State University

February 4, 2004

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Q&A on plans to combine Education, FCS colleges

President Gregory Geoffroy announced Feb. 2 that the university plans to combine the colleges of Education and Family and Consumer Sciences in order to reduce administrative costs and enhance synergies between the two colleges. In this Q&A, Geoffroy and Provost Ben Allen answer some questions about the proposal.

What prompted the plan to combine colleges?
Budget cuts. Iowa State has suffered seven consecutive budget reductions over the past four years that have resulted in the loss of $64 million, or 23 percent, of our state appropriations. Our priority in coping with these cuts has been to consolidate and reduce administrative costs and ancillary services while maintaining quality academic programs and services to students. After the latest budget reversion last fall, we began exploring additional ways to reduce costs. Provost Allen worked with senior academic administrators to identify how our college structure might be reconfigured to generate savings, and this proposal is a result of his subsequent recommendation.

How much will you save by combining colleges?
Roughly, we estimate annual savings of $500,000 to $700,000. Actual savings will depend on details to be worked out by an implementation committee, to be appointed soon by Provost Allen.

Will the savings be used to meet the 2.5 percent reversion last fall?
None of the savings from this reorganization will be used to meet current budget reversions. Savings from this reorganization are in the future, and will be used to strengthen the academic programs of the combined college, primarily through new faculty hires. In addition to the estimated direct financial savings, there likely will be some efficiencies in the use of our facilities by combining the administrative functions and having closer working relationships among the programs of the two colleges.

Isn't this a large amount of institutional upheaval for a relatively small amount of savings?
Every dollar that we can move from administration into the frontline activities of faculty and staff will benefit the university during these difficult budget times. This action reflects the seriousness of the financial situation we face and the need to deal with new fiscal realities. However, we also believe combining these two colleges will benefit the university by building on many synergies that already exist between the programs in the colleges, by reducing the university's administrative costs, and by creating a larger, more viable academic division that will have a stronger presence within the university.

What synergies exist between the two colleges?
Both colleges have a strong focus on human development and transforming lives. Both also have programs in education, leadership development and human health.

How many positions will be eliminated as a result of this merger? Will there be layoffs?
We'll eventually merge two deans' offices into one, so we anticipate reducing administrative positions. However, the details are yet to be worked out by the implementation committee. As always, we would attempt to minimize the loss of jobs.

Will any academic departments be combined or dissolved in the combined college?
That's not the intent of this plan and no combined or dissolved departments are now contemplated. It is possible that the implementation committee may recommend some reconfigurations on the basis of special synergies or the interests of faculty, staff, and students in the combined college.

Who's on the implementation committee and what will it do?
The implementation committee will consist of faculty, staff and administrators from the two affected colleges (Family and Consumer Sciences, and Education) and other university officials. In consultation with students and alumni, the committee will develop plans to carry out the restructuring that would be involved in combining the two colleges.

Who will be dean of the combined college?
The implementation committee will recommend a process for the selection of a new dean for the combined college. Walt Gmelch will continue to serve as dean of Education until June 30, 2005, and Pam White has agreed to continue as interim dean of FCS during the same period.

What is the approval process that is to be followed?
We will follow the Policy on Academic Reorganization, recently adopted by the Faculty Senate, that calls for multiple levels of review and comment, including votes of the faculty involved. There is obviously a strong desire on the part of the university leadership to see this combination through to completion, but there also is opportunity for broad input and discussion at many stages. We will consider all issues and input received throughout the evaluation and decision process and will remain true to the reorganization policy. Following the campus review, the university president will make a recommendation to the Board of Regents, State of Iowa. The final decision rests with the regents.

What will the combined college be named?
That will be one of the many issues that will be examined by the implementation committee, and that topic likely will receive broad discussion among faculty, staff, students and alumni.

Would having a combined college put Iowa State at a competitive disadvantage with other schools with separate colleges of education?
No, we don't believe so, since the competitive advantage rests on the reputation of the academic programs, regardless of which college they are located. It is important to note that we are not eliminating any academic programs; rather we are combining two colleges to make their programs stronger. Training teachers, school administrators and counselors and educating practitioners in family and consumer sciences continues to be a very important part of our mission. Both of these areas remain very important to Iowa's economic needs and quality of life. We also believe that combining these two colleges will result in unique strengths.

What effect will combining the colleges have on students? Will there be any change in degree programs or majors? Will there be any loss of professional prestige for graduates in the affected disciplines?
The impact should be minimal. No academic majors or courses are being affected and we will do all we can to ensure that no students are disadvantaged or slowed in their pursuit of degrees. There will be no loss of prestige, because no degree program is being eliminated.

Why not wait until the Strategic Plan is finished to provide better coordination?
The strategic planning process is only just beginning and will take over a year to complete. It was important to begin this reorganization process now so that we can proceed within the strategic planning process and have the reorganization completed by the end of the 2004-05 year.