To:
Heidi MacPherson
Provost/Vice-Chancellor
Brad Seebach, Chair
Faculty Senate
From:
Ruthann Benson, Dean
College of Liberal Studies
Re:
Proposal to Create Two Departments from the Current Department of
Sociology/Archaeology – A Department of Sociology and a Department of
Archaeology and Anthropology
I am writing to lend my full support for the Proposal to Create Two Departments from the
Current Department of Sociology/Archaeology – A Department of Sociology and a Department
of Archaeology and Anthropology. The Department of Sociology/Archaeology voted in favor of
this proposal on August 27, 2014 with a vote of 15-1-3. Prior to this date I worked with a
Transition Team with two faculty from the Sociology Section (Kim Vogt and Tim Gongaware)
and two faculty from the Archaeology Studies Section (Tim McAndrews and David Anderson)
to explore all of the ramifications of such a proposal and to prepare a document for discussion by
faculty members regarding the potential benefits, negative aspects and important considerations
in making such a decision. Subsequently, the Transition Team prepared the Proposal to Create
Two Departments accompanying this letter.
My reasons for supporting this proposal are many. I believe that the faculty associated with the
different disciplines of Sociology and Archaeology/Anthropology can articulate clearer missions,
student learning outcomes and strategic plans when working with the discipline that they were
trained in and teach and do research in. I believe that the faculty associated with the different
disciplines can make more informed decisions in evaluating teaching, research and service (for
retention, tenure and promotion) when dealing only with the discipline in which they have
expertise. I believe the interests of the different disciplines will be better served when faculty
from each new department can be represented on governance groups and college and university
committees. Furthermore, I believe that there can be efficiencies created when faculty are not
double booked with department meetings/service and section meetings/service.
There are costs associated with splitting into two departments. The College of Liberal Studies
will support the split into two departments by providing two chair stipends during the summer.
The college will advocate for the creation of a second .92-1.00 FTE Academic Department
Associate (ADA) position when classified FTE and funding becomes available. Until that time
the two new departments will need to share the current .92 FTE ADA. The two new departments
will also need to continue to share the same department office and faculty office spaces until
such time as a separate department office suite can be obtained. The college will pursue this
when space becomes available in Wimberly Hall with the move of the College of Business
Administration to a newly renovated Wittich Hall. The College of Liberal Studies will work
with the two new departments on an equitable plan for splitting resources (S&E, Student Help,
Travel) and provide support for additional expenses (i.e. second copier/scanner) as necessary.
The university will need to assume the additional expense of providing a second Chair stipend
during the 9-month academic year.
The faculty lines can be easily divided between the two new departments, as outlined in the
proposal. Future curriculum development will be more focused by a split into two departments,
particularly as each department explores new options for both undergraduate and graduate level
programming. Each new department will be able to establish a clearer identity for students,
community partners, and granting agencies.
Having been hired twenty-one years ago into the Department of Speech & Theatre and seeing
how the split into the two departments of Communication Studies and Theatre Arts allowed each
program to experience tremendous growth and curriculum development (approximately fivefold), gives me a strong conviction that a split of the department of Sociology & Archaeology
can be equally successful.