UpDate - Vol. 16, No. 7
October 17, 1996
Proposed college merger subject of senate hearing

     Name changes, faculty reaction and budget matters were
issues raised at the Faculty Senate hearing Monday on the
proposed merger of the College of Nursing and the College of
Physical Education, Athletics and Recreation.
     With Robert Carroll, chairperson of the senate's
Coordinating Committee on Education, conducting the meeting,
Margaret L. Andersen, vice provost for academic affairs, spoke on
the merger process, the proposed governmental structure of the
new College of Health and Nursing Sciences, the budget
implications and possible new academic incentives. She said a
resolution proposing the merger will be presented at the December
meeting of the University's Board of Trustees.
     According to Andersen, the new college as proposed would
include departments of Nursing, Medical Technology, Nutrition and
Dietetics and Physical Education, Athletics and Recreation. The
biomechanics and movement science program, an interdisciplinary
and intercollegiate graduate program, will continue to be
administratively located in the college.
     Andersen said there would be no curriculum changes as a
result of the merger and no change in academic requirements for
majors. Committees are working to reconcile promotion and tenure
procedures and to prepare a strategic plan for the college.
     As currently envisioned, the new college would include a
director for such special programs as distance education and
educational outreach, an associate dean for academic affairs and
a director for health and recreational programs, such as the
Wellness Center, the HEALTH Center that operates at the Newark
Senior Center and various fitness and recreation centers on
campus.
     Ludwig Mosberg, representing the senate's Committee on
Budget and Space Priorities, asked if the two directors and
associate dean are new positions. Andersen indicated that these
are not new positions and the funds are currently in the budget.
     When asked if the new college will cost additional money,
Andersen told the audience of about 50 persons that the new
college is expected to work within existing budgets, which would
be transferred intact to the new structure. Any new initiatives
requiring additional funds would have to be negotiated by the new
dean with the provost's office.
     Mosberg asked the two deans how their faculty feel about the
merger. "In a general sense, the merger is accepted," said Allan
Waterfield, dean of the College of Physical Education, Athletics
and Recreation. "A number see advantages, and a number are
reluctant."
     Betty Paulanka, dean of the College of Nursing, said the
merger was "embraced enthusiastically" by her faculty, who "see
opportunities for interdisciplinary activities and research."
Jack Smith, chairperson of the Department of Nutrition and
Dietetics, said his faculty voted unanimously with one abstention
to join the new college.
     Several questions arose about the name of the new college.
Andersen said that when representatives of the two merging
colleges could not agree on a name, they deferred to the provost,
who named the proposed college. She noted that changes in some
department names are being discussed by departmental faculty and
they may be modified before the final resolution comes to the
senate and the trustees.
                                                   -Cornelia Weil
     A report on the Oct. 16 hearing involving the proposed
merger of the colleges of Human Resources, Education and Urban
Affairs and Public Policy will be printed in next week's UpDate.