Consolidation plans demand ‘a desire for clarity’

In an email sent out on Sept. 10 to USF faculty, staff and students, Currall said he is aware of the concerns regarding the consolidation process. ORACLE PHOTO/LEDA ALVIM

Most consolidation details are still yet to be known, however, USF President Steve Currall started the discussion in establishing the organizational structure for USF as a single-accredited university at the Board of Trustees meeting on Tuesday morning.  

Currall shared with the room of mostly faculty, staff and trustees his plans for combining USF’s 13 colleges across Tampa, St. Pete and Sarasota-Manatee. As an example, he used a “proposed organization chart” modeled after the Muma College of Business. 

“This represents our latest thinking about how we believe we will structure our colleges across all three campuses,” Currall said. 

The sitting dean of the Muma College of Business, Moez Limayem, would oversee the performance of the directors and deans for Tampa and the other campuses. 

However, the dean of the Kate Tiedemann College of Business in St. Pete, Sridhar Sundaram, and Tom Becker from Sarasota-Manatee would now act as “campus operational deans” for the adjacent campuses. 

This is so all the business colleges can operate from their geographical location while still having a present voice on the other campuses. 

“The idea is to have a united college structure that applies to all campuses and a leadership team that can reflect every campus,” Currall said. 

Regional chancellors from St. Pete and Sarasota-Manatee expressed concern about the Tampa campus being a possible prioritized location over the branch campuses. 

Currall said that the chart is merely a mockup and finalized decisions are expected to come in December. 

The example USF President Steve Currall used to establish the organizational structure for USF after consolidation. SPECIAL TO THE ORACLE

In an email sent out on Sept. 10 to USF faculty, staff and students, Currall said he is aware of the concerns regarding the consolidation process. 

“One of the common themes I have heard is a desire for clarity, especially regarding the expanded opportunities we anticipate and how our consolidated academic structure can facilitate those opportunities,” Currall said. “ … I continue to invite feedback as I proceed with additional listening tour visits in the coming months.” 

The BOT has to finalize a draft of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACSCOC) Substantive Change Prospectus by Nov. 1. The SACSCOC organization has to vote on the finalized document March 5 in order for USF to acquire approval for consolidation. 

The consolidation plan is scheduled to go into effect July 1, 2020.