University of Delaware
Office of Public Relations
The Messenger
Vol. 5, No. 1/1995
Reorganization considered for five UD colleges

     Under a proposal currently being considered, five of the
University's small colleges would be merged to form two new,
larger colleges. The proposed reorganization was one option
recommended in October to University Provost Mel Schiavelli by
several deans.
     The option under consideration would merge:
     * The colleges of Nursing and Physical Education, Athletics
and Recreation into a new college for health-related issues and
programs; and
     * The colleges of Education, Human Resources and Urban
Affairs and Public Policy into a new college for public affairs,
human resources and education.
     Currently, the University has 10 colleges: Agricultural
Sciences; Arts and Science; Business and Economics; Education;
Engineering; Human Resources; Marine Studies; Nursing; Physical
Education, Athletics and Recreation; and Urban Affairs and Public
Policy.
     Schiavelli outlined the proposed reorganization in a letter
sent to the faculty in the colleges involved, and he has asked
for review and comments on the proposal from all deans and the
executive committees of the University Faculty Senate and the
Chairs' Caucus.
     In his letter, Schiavelli said trustee bylaws call for the
faculty to be "given the opportunity to consider and make
recommendations on proposals originating outside the faculty
regarding...changes in University organization, before final action
is taken by the Board of Trustees."
     If approved, the reorganization would begin as soon as is
practical, Schiavelli said, with the names of the new colleges to
be recommended by faculty and administrators of the departments
involved. A search that had begun for a new dean of the College
of Education has been canceled.
     Earlier in the fall, the provost had questioned whether the
University is organized in the way "best designed to maximize
program strength and to effect the most intellectual synergy
among related programs."
     Before asking a group of deans to recommend the most
appropriate way to organize their colleges, the provost asked
them to think about "whether years from now [the academic
programs] will have the structure best suited to generating
educational connections for students and intellectual vitality
for faculty."
     The deans concluded that the college reorganization should
"strengthen academic programs and provide new opportunities for
enrichment and growth as programs build connections with each
other."
     In their report, the deans concluded that the current
colleges of Education, Human Resources and Urban Affairs and
Public Policy are linked "by the common mission of being
interdisciplinary pre-professional and professional programs with
a policy and service orientation directed to central societal
issues and challenges."
     The programs are complementary, the report went on, and
share academic and professional values that emphasize
interdisciplinary research and instruction to meet societal
needs, preparing undergraduate and graduate students to provide
essential community and governmental services.
     "The proposal for college reorganization poses many
challenges and opportunities for the University as a whole as
well as for the colleges that will be directly affected," Daniel
Rich, dean of the College of Urban Affairs and Public Policy,
said. "While many questions need to be addressed as the
discussion of reorganization proceeds, I believe it is most
important to insure that any changes serve the overriding goal of
academic enrichment and that they enhance the quality of our
instructional, research and service programs.
     "My colleagues in the College of Urban Affairs and Public
Policy and I look forward to working with our colleagues in the
colleges of Human Resources and Education to explore new
possibilities that may strengthen all of our academic programs
and create greater responsiveness in key areas of societal need,"
Rich said.
     Dene Klinzing, dean of the College of Human Resources, said
she had been discussing the proposed merger with department
chairs throughout the entire process and that the college faculty
has met to discuss the proposed merger. In addition, she has
written letters outlining the proposed reorganization to Human
Resources Alumni Association board members and past presidents.
     "I believe the proposed merger will enhance program
development and increase opportunities for interdisciplinary
research and outreach," Klinzing said.
     William Stanley, interim dean of the College of Education,
said the faculty plans to hold a series of meetings to discuss
the implications of the proposed merger.
     "Our main concern is that any structural or program changes
work to improve teacher education at the University," Stanley
said. "There are excellent faculty in the colleges of Human
Resources and Urban Affairs and Public Policy. We look forward to
meeting with our colleagues in the other two colleges so that we
can begin the detailed examination of the proposed merger and
attempt to answer any questions or concerns our respective
faculty might raise."
     The consolidation of the current colleges of Nursing and
Physical Education, Athletics and Recreation will create a single
college with a central mission related to health and fitness, the
deans wrote. "The consolidation will bring together health-
related professionals and scholars who have moved toward a
wellness model that spans an individual's lifetime."
     "With the current focus on health promotion in health care
reform movements, it's very timely for us to merge with a college
that emphasizes healthy lifestyles and fitness," Betty Paulanka,
dean of the College of Nursing, said. "Nursing faculty are
looking forward to developing multidisciplinary research projects
and working together to strengthen the health curricula of the
University. I've been talking with the faculty of the nursing and
medical technology departments throughout the process, and both
groups are enthusiastic about the support we have received from
the provost for this initiative.
     "Although we realize that change can be painful in the short
run, we believe the long-term goals of such a merger will
strengthen the overall mission of each college's health
initiatives," Paulanka said.
     "I have supported this philosophy since I arrived here," D.
Allan Waterfield, dean of the College of Physical Education,
Athletics and Recreation, said. "The field of physical education
has changed from when I received my training more than 30 years
ago. We look at health in a different way now and it is more life-
span oriented."
                                             -Cornelia Weil