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UHH Faculty Congress Academic Affairs Re-Organization Task Force
Report to Faculty Congress
April 15, 2016
Goal: The Re-Organization Task Force was appointed by Faculty Congress to develop proposals to re-organize
relevant Academic Affairs units (Colleges, Departments) at the University of Hawaii – Hilo in order to improve
efficiency and functioning across units. A significant problem in the current organizational structure is the
imbalance between CAS, CoBE, and CAFNRM in terms of size, complexity, and resources. The aim of a
reorganization effort is to allow decision making to be moved down to the local level in order to provide more
autonomy to departments/colleges as they make important resource allocations in the future. It is expected that
decentralizing budget decisions will allow academic units to make better allocation decisions.
Our assumptions: The proposals for this reorganization are offered with several assumptions:
1. This effort is not about downsizing the university or faculty retrenchment – no faculty or staff will lose
their jobs as a result of this effort;
2. No faculty or staff will experience a reduction in salary, benefits, rank, or tenure status as a result of this
effort;
3. Jobs of support staff and ATP positions will inevitably need to be restructured or reorganized, but no
one currently in these positions will lose their positions as a result of this effort;
4. This effort will require transparency and consultation with all key stakeholders on campus and the
relevant unions;
5. This effort will be essentially cost neutral to the university.
Our approach:
1. We compiled financial data, student semester hours (SSH), and academic FTE for each of the colleges
in the existing organizational structure;
2. We identified different ways to group units (e.g., traditional, thematic, functional lines);
3. We decided that our consideration should be approached at the macro level rather than the micro level;
4. We agreed that our goal would be to develop several general conceptual models (vs. fully developed
and detailed operational models) to present to faculty and staff at UHH for initial discussion, feedback
and refinement.
Current UHH College Organization and Data:
Colleges
SSH*
Budget for
Faculty FTE*
Salary**
66,792
$11,686,367
157
3,468
$1,546,356
14
College of Arts and Sciences (CAS)
College of Agriculture, Forestry, and Natural
Resources Management (CAFNRM)
College of Business and Economics (CoBE)
5,816
$1,757,172
12
Daniel K. Inouye College of Pharmacy (CoP)
11,323
$5,874,078
24
Ka Haka ʻUla O Keʻelikōlani,
5,068
$1,154,776
11
College of Hawaiian Language (KHUOK)
College of Continuing Education and Community
$264,108
Service (CCECS)
*Data are for FY15 - obtained from the Institutional Research Officer
**Data are for FY16 - obtained from the Chair of Long-Range Planning; data represent faculty, administrative,
and APT salaries.
This Task Force was appointed by Faculty Congress in January 2016, and has reported monthly to the Faculty
Congress Executive Committee and to Faculty Congress.
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Proposed Conceptual Models for Re-Organization
A. Traditional units:
Colleges
Natural Sciences + CAFNRM + Nursing
Social Sciences + CoBE
Humanities
SSH
31,228
30,155
14,693
Salary
Faculty FTE
$6,908,409
84
$5,829,635
65
$2,251,851
34
21,827
24,339
14,693
15,217
Salary
Faculty FTE
$4,385,833
52
$3,660,010
53
$2,251,851
34
$4,692,201
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AA. Traditional units:
Colleges
Natural Sciences (less Computer Science)
Social Sciences
Humanities
CoBE + CAFNRM + Computer Science + Nursing
SSH
Rationale: Models A and AA are variations on our current, traditional structure that allow for a more balanced
size and complexity across three and four colleges, respectively.
B. Thematic units:
Colleges
Allied Health: Psychology + KES + Nursing
Basic Sciences: Natural Sciences + CAFNRM
Humanities
Social Sciences (less Psychology + KES) + CoBE
SSH
13,575
27,258
14,693
20,550
Salary
Faculty FTE
$1,388,673
31
$5,932,189
72
$2,251,851
34
$5,417,182
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BB. Thematic units:
Colleges
SSH
Salary
Allied Health: Psychology + KES + Nursing
13,575
Natural Sciences
23,790
Humanities
14,693
Social Sciences (less Psychology + KES)
14,734
CoBE + CAFNRM
9,284
*A five College approach is based on using the dean position within CCECS
Faculty FTE
31
58
34
34
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Rationale: Models B and B are variations of a thematic approach that allows for a reorganization into four new
colleges of relatively comparable size and complexity.
C. Status Quo: Make no changes (see previous page for data by College)
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Appendix 1: Notes, Issues for Further Consideration, and Resources
Notes:
1. These models assume that only CAS, CoBE, and CAFNRM are involved in the reorganization, though
KHUOK and CoP are welcome to join the reorganization if they choose to.
a. The by-laws of KHUOK require that all faculty within their College speak Hawaiian.
b. The unique tuition-dependent business model of CoP would complicate its reorganization or
merger with any other unit on campus.
2. The three involved colleges have a total of 4 E&M positions (3 Deans and 1 Associate Dean) that can be
repurposed as needed.
a. The proposed reorganization models assume that the current Division structure of CAS, and the
Division Chair positions, will be eliminated.
3. CAS + CoBE + CAFNRM = 76,076 SSH total. Divided into three (3) Colleges it would be an average
of 25,359 SSH each; divided into four (4) Colleges it would be an average of 19,019 SSH each.
4. None of these models are developed in full detail and it is expected that there may be some movement
of individual departments from one College to another.
a. For example, a department currently within one CAS Division might be moved to the College
formed by another Division in order to help balance SSH or budget across Colleges – or to
achieve better thematic homogeneity within Colleges.
Issues for Further Consideration:
1. Should the role or organizational structure of CCECS be considered at this time?
2. Although no program accreditations appear to be jeopardized by reorganization, per se, program
accreditation is a critical issue that must be attended to carefully.
3. How will this effort affect Department/Division/Unit level personnel committees?
4. UHH is in the final year of its strategic plan.
Resources:
From CAS Dean Susan Brown: These guidelines from Arizona summarize the processes for a well
thought out reorganization:
http://facultygovernance.arizona.edu/sites/facgov/files/guidelies_for_reorg_final_12.1.14.pdf
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Appendix 2: Other Models Proposed and Considered
AAA. Traditional units – “Budget Version”:
Colleges
Natural Sciences
Social Sciences
Humanities + Nursing
CoBE + CAFNRM
SSH
23,790
24,339
18,663
9,284
Salary
Faculty FTE
$4,385,833
58
$3,660,010
53
$3,640,524
46
$3,303,528
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BBB. Thematic units:
Colleges
Basic Science and Technology (Natural Sciences, less
Geology)
Humanities and Social Sciences (less KES +
Geography)
Agriculture and Applied Sciences (CAFNRM +
Geography + Geology)
Business, Economics and Allied Health (CoBE +
Nursing + Kinesiology)
SSH
Salary
22,296
Faculty FTE
54
31,942
77
8,010
23
13,279
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D. Functional lines: Combine three Colleges together and appoint three (3) Deans.
(C1) Personnel (hiring, T&P)
(C2) Curriculum
(C3) Research
E.
(E1) Natural Sciences + CAFNRM
(E2) Social Sciences
(E3) Humanities + CoBE
(E4) CoP + Nursing
F.
(F1) Natural Sciences + CAFNRM
(F2) Social Sciences (less History)
(F3) English + History + Art + Performing Art
(F4) CoBE + Philosophy + Communication
(F5) CoP + Nursing
G.
(G1) Natural Sciences
(G2) Social Sciences (less KES) + Humanities
(G3) CoBE + CAFNRM + Nursing + KES
H. (partial proposal)
(H1) Comm + Nursing + Computer Science + Philosophy
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Appendix 3. Ad Hoc Faculty Congress Task Force Membership
Kainoa Ariola-Sukisaki (Student Affairs)
Jeanie Flood (Nursing, CAS)
Chris Frueh (Social Sciences Division, CAS)*
Kim Furumo (CoBE)
Jene Michaud (Natural Sciences Division, CAS)
Kirsten Mollegaard (Humanities, CAS)
Karen Pellegrin (CoP)
Matt Platz, VCAA**
Mike Shintaku (CAFNRM)
Laz Sye (UHSA)
Pila Wilson (KHUOK)
*Chair
** Ex Officio
Note: The committee also consulted formally with the Deans of CAS, CAFNRM, and CoBE, as well as the
Chair of the Long-Range Planning Committee and the Institutional Research Officer. Suggestions and
proposals from faculty across the UHH campus were also considered and incorporated.