University of Missouri-Rolla Chancellor John F. Carney III outlined the plan
for an administrative restructuring at UMR at an open forum held Thursday, Feb.
1, on campus. The plan details changes that will take place when the university
eliminates its three schools and one college.

Beginning July 1, the School of Engineering, School of Management and
Information Systems, School of Materials, Energy and Earth Resources and the
College of Arts and Sciences at UMR will be eliminated. The elimination of the
school/college structure is intended to enhance direct interaction among
departments and the provost’s office and remove the dividing lines between
schools, thereby encouraging more interdisciplinary activities.

Two new vice provost positions, one for graduate studies and one for
academic affairs, will be created under the new structure. These new positions
will take on many of the administrative functions currently performed in the
deans’ offices. In addition, an Academic Service Center will be established to
assist with the human resources, budgeting and research proposal issues.

Search committees are being established to fill the new vice provost
positions as soon as possible. Carney hopes to have people in place by the end
of March.

Under the new structure, individual academic department chairs will also
take on additional administrative responsibilities and will begin reporting
directly to UMR Provost Warren K. Wray. Training sessions will begin this
semester for chairs and support staff in the academic departments.

Staff currently employed in the deans’ offices will be relocated to other
positions on campus.

“No one will lose their job or receive a reduction in salary as a result of
the restructuring,” Carney told the audience of UMR faculty and staff at the
open forum. “We will do everything in our power to fill new positions from
within the university.”

The leaders of the four restructuring advisory committees presented their
recommendations to Carney on Dec. 18. The four committees will stay intact for
consultation throughout the transition process.

More information on UMR’s restructuring plans, including final reports from
the four planning committees, is available online at umr.edu/orp.