Published: April 27, 2018

Provost Russell Moore today announced the membership of the Provost Committee on Academic Reorganization, the subject, in part, of his April 17 columnin 񱦵 Today.A total of 20 members, with 11 coming from the College of Arts and Sciences and 9 from other units around the campus, comprise the committee. The committee is expected to add representation of graduate and undergraduate students from Arts and Sciences soon.

Russell Moore

Provost Russell Moore

“We had a large number of nominations of great people from across the campus, which I take as proof that now is the right time to engage a healthy conversation about the structure of the College of Arts and Sciences and perhaps of other academic units that link to it,” said Moore.

“The individuals I selected for the final committee represent a cross section of disciplines, experiences and points of view, but the one thing they have in common is that, I believe, they will consider difficult questions with fairness and an open mind,” Moore added.

Along with the membership of the committee, Moore also announced its co-chair, Professor Patricia Rankin of physics. Moore previously named Vice Provost William Kaempfer as chair of the committee.

“I believe Patricia’s long tenure of service to the university as a faculty member in Arts and Sciences, as a member of the Arts and Sciences Council Executive Committee, and her ability to take a fair, campuswide perspective on complex issues make her an ideal co-chair who can join Bill Kaempfer in brokering honest and difficult conversations,” Moore said.

As a starting point for its work, the academic reorganization committee will examine the potential positive and negative outcomes of the Cumalat-Julien white paper. It also will consider the recently completed Arts and Sciences Strategic Planning Committee analysisof the white paper. As noted in the charge, the committee is not limited to the structure proposed in the Cumalat-Julien paper, but may also consider additional structural changes as it sees appropriate.

“Specifically, I am asking the committee to examine why any such structural changes would benefit students, faculty, staff and other stakeholders,” Moore said. “Improving our student and faculty experiences is our first and most important commitment.”

If the academic reorganization committee recommends a change in the leadership structure of the College of Arts and Sciences, Moore has pledged to then begin discussions on seeking a new leader or leaders for the college or colleges–the timing of which depends upon what, specifically, the committee recommends.

If the committee recommends no change in the leadership structure of the College of Arts and Sciences, then Moore said he will “quickly engage the actions needed to begin a national search for a dean of the college.”

Provost Committee on Academic Reorganization

  • Co-Chair: William H. Kaempfer, Senior Vice Provost/Associate Vice Chancellor for Budget and Planning, Office of the Provost
  • Co-Chair: Patricia Rankin, Professor, Physics
  • Paul Chinowsky, Director of ENVD (effectiveJuly 1)
  • Bert Covert, Professor, Anthropology, College of Arts and Sciences
  • Harsha Gangadharbatla,Founding Department Chair Advertising, Public Relations and Media Design, CMCI
  • Myron P. Gutmann, Director, Institute of Behavioral Sciences
  • Margaret Haefner, Berg Chair, Music Education/Associate Professor of Music Education, College of Music
  • Ben Kirshner, Professor, Faculty Director Learning Sciences & Human Development CU Engage, School of Education
  • Donald R. Lichtenstein,Professor of Marketing, Leeds School of Business
  • Terra McKinnish, Professor, Economics, College of Arts & Sciences
  • Keith Molenaar,K. Stanton Lewis Professor of Construction Engineering and Management /Associate Dean for Research Construction Engineering Management, College of Engineering and Applied Science
  • Carole Newlands, Professor, Classics, Associate Chair of Undergraduate Studies, College of Arts and Sciences
  • Armando Pares, Assistant Dean, Continuing Education
  • Roy Parker Professor, Cech-Leinwand Endowed Chair of Biochemistry, Chemistry and Biochemistry, College of Arts & Sciences
  • Cora Randall,Professor, Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, LASP
  • Erika Randall,Associate Professor/Department Chair, Theatre and Dance, College of Arts and Sciences
  • Justin Desautels-Stein, Associate Professor, Law
  • Jason Shelton,Advising Supervisor - Physical Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences
  • Paul S. Sutter,Professor, History, College of Arts and Sciences
  • Patrick Tally,Assistant Dean of Academic and Curricular Affairs, College of Arts and Sciences
  • Louise Vale, Interim Associate Vice Chancellor of Integrity, Safety and Compliance.
  • Carol A. Wessman,Program Director, Professor, Environmental Studies, College of Arts and Sciences