College Reorganization
The vision that inspires the goals and strategies in the recently approved COLSA Strategic Plan 2007 – 2012 is also central to the organizational structure design proposed for the college. The members of the Strategic Planning Committee believe that the recommended college structure will be a critical component for implementing the strategic plan and for enhancing “our position as a premier Land and Sea Grant college with nationally and internationally recognized programs in life sciences, agriculture, natural resources, and applied technical and social sciences.” (COLSA Vision Statement)
This new structure will promote the organizational change necessary for increasing regional, national and international leadership in teaching, research and outreach. Based on the COLSA Strategic Plan 2007 – 2012 and the shared vision for the college’s future, six design criteria were agreed upon and used by the Strategic Planning Committee. These are:
- Academic Program Excellence
- Research Productivity & Excellence
- Outreach, Cooperative Extension & Public Service Capacity
- Responsiveness to Current and Future Students
- Effective Shared Governance and Administrative Processes
- Efficient Resource Utilization
These criteria were used in the initial design phase and to evaluate various college academic program and administrative structure models. The consideration of a new college model also included reviewing UNH comparator universities to understand current academic program and organizational design models. The decision to recommend the academic program and organizational structure for the college is based on current teaching, research and outreach requirements but most critically, anticipates the future requirements to enhance COLSA’s reputation and leadership.
