For details, contact:
Doug Mell
Executive Director of Communications and External Relations
715-232-1198
melld@uwstout.edu
In a major effort to reduce ongoing administrative costs, University of Wisconsin-Stout announced Monday, Jan. 11, that it has reduced the number of its colleges from four to three and combined two other units as well.
Chancellor Bob Meyer said the college reorganization will save about $360,000 a year. The idea was recommended in 2015 by the campus Strategic Planning Group as one way to address the state aid reduction imposed in the 2015-17 state budget. That reduction amounted to an annual $5.3 million cut for UW-Stout.
“The state budget reduction meant that we had to examine how we operate all over campus,” Meyer said.“While a reorganization of this type is painful and disrupting, it was a necessary step in how we addressed our budget shortfall.”
Meyer asked Provost Patrick Guilfoile to develop alternatives to how four colleges could be merged into three and to ensure that campus governance groups and others had the opportunity to participate in the decision-making process.
The final structure, pending UW System approval, is effective July 1. The new structure will be:
• College of Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Management
• College of Education, Hospitality, Health and Human Sciences
• College of Arts, Communication, Humanities and Social Sciences
The current college structure is:
• College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
• College of Management
• College of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics
• College of Education, Health and Human Sciences
The savings will result from having one fewer dean, associate dean and other administrative support necessary for a college’s operation.
Guilfoile said that although the process took time and involved tough decisions, he was pleased that the campus came together to help form the new structure.
“We received a lot of good ideas and advice from all over campus,” Guilfoile said. “I am especially grateful for the participation of the governance groups and our deans in making this plan possible.”
Guilfoile also said Associate Vice Chancellor Glendali Rodriguez played a major role in developing the new college structure.
Searches are being conducted for the deans of the College of Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Management; and the College of Education, Hospitality, Health, and Human Sciences.
Maria Alm will remain the dean of the College of Arts, Communication, Humanities and Social Sciences.
Also, UW-Stout Online and the Graduate School are being merged for a total savings of up to $100,000. By combining functions into one office, there is the potential to eliminate redundancies associated with some administrative functions.
UW-Stout Online administers distance education programs. The Graduate School administers 24 graduate programs.
More information is available here.
