The final report of the Cabinet for Institutional Change calls for a dramatic overhaul of campus governance. This would include creation of a broadly representative University Senate to recommend policy, and an overhaul of campus committees.
The report contains a host of recommendations to achieve practical applications of the University’s vision, ensure student success, bolster diversity and instill “a culture of evidence”—policy and budget decisions that are based on empirical data and systematic analysis.
Policymaking and budget decisions are to be integrated in stronger support of academic programs.
“A lot of the creation of a culture of evidence has been done,” noted HSU Provost Bob Snyder. “For example, we’ve created a new Office of Institutional Research and Planning and hired a director.”
In an email to the campus community, the Cabinet wrote, “At the heart of our report is a call for campus-wide change and renewal.”
The report’s preamble underscored that campus decision making works most effectively when there is a clearly defined boundary between policy recommendations and their execution. Policymaking requires broad campus consultation, the Cabinet stated, but once a recommendation is made, it is the administration’s responsibility to carry it out at the direction of the President.
The group also wrote that, while its work was now formally concluded, members would continue to promote their recommendations in coming months. “We care about HSU, and we think we have identified important changes that, if carried out, will serve the campus and our students for years to come,” it said.
In developing its recommendations, the Cabinet held forums and small-group discussions across campus, and gathered information from every division. It also accepted comments and suggestions online.
The 13-member Cabinet for Institutional Change was formed a year ago to address critiques made by numerous outside experts. Many of the identified challenges were related to decision-making and organizational culture.
Snyder said, “Now that the Cabinet has finished its report, I’m hoping the University community will take the recommendations very seriously. We can argue about the details but I would like a decision fairly soon from the community—meaning the key governance groups of faculty, staff, students and administrators—about whether we can use this as the framework to move forward. I’m hopeful we can work this out.”
The full report and a list of the panel’s members are at http://change.humboldt.edu. The group’s full message is at http://www.humboldt.edu/humboldt/mailings/provost/2feb10.