Organizational Changes in Academic and Student Life
During the past year a series of conversations have ensued on the structures and organization of Academic and
Student Life (ASL). Per these discussions, including suggestions by the Provost Council at the August 4, 2015
meeting, the following changes will be implemented:
I. Dissolve the Provost's Council and create an Academic and Student Life Council (ASLC)
A. The creation of an Academic and Student Life Council (ASLC) continues the development of ASL.
The ASLC will serve as a needed place for collaborative team work that furthers academic quality,
student success and institutional sustainability at CWU. The ASLC will be an inclusive group that
will expand the scope of collaboration, communication, and action at Central Washington
University. Policies, procedures, and recommended action at the University level will be the main
work of the Academic and Student Life Council.
B. The ASLC will meet once a month to debrief various work groups and consider possible
recommendations that might require actions within ASL, the Cabinet, Faculty Senate, ADCO,
Student Government, or other entities at CWU.
C. The ASLC will be inclusive and include the following membership:
i. ASL: Deans (7) Executive Directors (3), Associate Provosts (2), Registrar, DHC Director, Exec.
Asst., Provost [16]
ii. Presidential Division: Inclusivity Director, IE Exec. Director [2]
iii. BFA: ASL Financial Manager, AVP Enrollment Management [2]
iv. Public Affairs: Legislative Rep and Media Rep [2]
v. Operations: Faculty Relations [1]
vi. Faculty Senate 2 reps [2]
vii. ADCO 1 rep [1]
viii. Student Government 1 rep [1]
D. ASLC will develop a formal mission statement, by-laws, and minutes that will be distributed and
posted for all meetings.
II. Create work groups to accomplish substantive needed actions to ensure academic quality, student
success and institutional sustainability.
A. ASL will establish a working ethos to the issues we are facing. The provost will assign work groups
of no more than 5-7 members, with specific objectives and no more than 2-3 month timelines.
B. Each work group will make a report and any recommendations to the ASLC, who will vote on those
recommendations.
C. Among possible working areas to consider in AY15-16:
◦Integrated Strategic Planning
◦ Innovation
◦ Student recruitment
◦ Student retention
◦ Financial sustainability
◦ Academic quality issues (multimodal issues, grading policies, etc.)
◦ Teaching and Research balance
◦ Faculty issues (College by-laws, travel guidelines, etc.)
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◦ Guidelines, Policies and Procedures reform
◦ Campus culture and change
◦ Summer Session
◦ Course scheduling issues and workload assignment planning
◦ Chairs – their roles, responsibilities and status
◦ Interdisciplinary/Transdisciplinary collaborations and Institutes
◦ Marketing and Media
◦ Legislative activities
◦ Facilities and Space Issues
III. Create a Provost's Leadership Team
A. Includes seven deans, two associate provosts, one exec director, one director, one exec asst.
B. Will have informal breakfast or lunch together once a month
IV. Create ASL Communiqué and a more informative, interactive ASL Web site
A. A regular update for ASL through an email communication that summarizes key internal and
external meetings and issues that arise
B. Will alleviate need for lengthy and numerous meetings
C. Reformatting and Repurposing of the Provost's Web site to an Academic & Student Life Web site to
expand to next stage of transparency and accountability
V. Town Hall Meetings
A. In addition to At the Heart of It and Coffee with the Provost at the SURC the provost will hold town
hall meetings at least once a quarter
B. Will invite President Gaudino to co-host with provost
In summary, these five changes aspire to enhance institutional stability by focusing on rational problem solving,
developing a spirit of consultation and collaboration, and creating a more productive work situation for leaders,
faculty and staff in Academic and Student Life.
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Survey on ASL Organizational Changes
1. Please rank the following work groups in priority order as issues for ASL to address:
1= highest prioritized
◦Integrated Strategic Planning
◦ Innovation
◦ Student recruitment
◦ Student retention
◦ Financial sustainability
◦ Academic quality issues (multimodal issues, grading policies, etc.)
◦ Teaching and Research balance
◦ Faculty issues (College by-laws, travel guidelines, etc.)
◦ Guidelines, Policies and Procedures reform
◦ Campus culture and change
◦ Summer Session
◦ Course scheduling issues and workload assignment planning
◦ Chairs – their roles, responsibilities and status
◦ Interdisciplinary/Transdisciplinary collaborations and Institutes
◦ Marketing and Media
◦ Legislative activities
◦ Facilities and Space Issues
2. Please list other work groups or topics of change to consider:
3. Please list features you would like to see on the Academic & Student Life Web site:
4. Please list ideas for an Innovation Work Group:
5. Are there issues of concern that are not addressed in the current ASL change agenda? Please share
them.
Return Surveys to: Provost@cwu.edu
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