Below is a description of the work groups which will be constituted as a part of the planning process coordinated by the Planning Committee on the Combination of the College of Education and the College of Family and Consumer Sciences. Faculty, staff, students, and alums from the colleges constitute the membership of the committees. Each workgroup will report to the Planning Committee, which will use the reports in preparing an overall proposal for the combination.
One work group initially proposed has been dropped, the work group on space and equipment. The Planning Committee determined that any work this group might do would be duplicated in other groups. If a need for this group arises later, it can be re-constituted. Other groups can also be constituted if needed.
Work Group will review current governance documents and policies in two founding colleges and clarify key issues to be addressed in new college documents and policies. Work Group will propose a process and timeline for implementation of new documents and policies, and will draft new documents. Group may consider an incremental move to a common document.
Work Group will review current missions of two colleges and collect relevant research on other colleges in nation. Will propose a method for gathering input on key issues from all constituent groups, possibly including surveys and open meetings. Will propose mission and name for new college and identify related issues.
Work Group will coordinate communication between planning committee and faculty, staff, students, and alums of two founding colleges. Will coordinate collection of materials and documentation of committee work. Responsibility will include public forums and colloquia, retreats, and routine sharing of committee progress through web page, e-mails, and other means. Will help coordinate work group activity.
Work Group will coordinate efforts to share the history and values of the founding colleges and will facilitate conversations about building a shared culture and community in a new college.
Work Group will gather information on teaching and learning in the two founding colleges and clarify how the combination of the colleges will affect curricula at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Will identify key issues for transition.
Work Group will study current organization of two deans' offices, including communications, alumni relations, development, special responsibilities like teacher education and extension, and related staff. Will identify key roles of new dean's office, suggested organization, staffing, budget, and transition plan.
Work Group will review current missions and activities in extension and outreach in two founding colleges. Work Group will identify key issues and practices to be addressed in combination.
Work Group will collect and review information on current external funding, including endowments and gifts. Work group will identify key issues to address in the combination of the two colleges.
Work Group will review current research missions of two founding colleges and key issues related to the missions, including a review of the Experiment Station, centers and institutes, indirect cost distribution, and graduate assistants funded by university funds.
Work Group will compile a list of issues and procedures for use by the search committee for the dean of the new college (search committee will later be appointed by Provost). Work Group will make recommendation for the issues to be considered and process to be used in the successful recruitment of a new dean. The committee will collect input from interested parties (stakeholders) and will also coordinate its recommendations with established procedures in the university for hiring deans.
Work Group will study current philosophy and operations of student services, including advising, recruitment, study-abroad programs, and international and minority student support. A particular focus on creating an efficient and effective student services operation. Will identify key roles and responsibilities for combined college and propose organization of services, staff, budget, and transition plan for combined college.
Work Group will review current uses of and needs for technology in all responsibilities (teaching, research, extension, administration) of two founding colleges. Will propose technology plan for combined college, including budget and transition plan.
Several of the work groups have been asked to prepare a "preliminary report" by mid-May (or in some cases mid-September). This is a progress report in which the group should identify key issues it will need to study and a list of information and documents it will need to do its work. This preliminary report will not contain recommendations about the combination. Those progress reports due in May will allow the Planning Committee to coordinate the best use of planning time over the summer.