Inside Iowa State: Iowa State University

March 12, 2004

College combination plan due by fall

by John Anderson
Vice president for academic affairs and provost Benjamin Allen has appointed a 17-member committee to develop plans for combining the colleges of Education and Family and Consumer Sciences. The committee is made up of faculty and staff from the two colleges, and facilitated by associate provost Susan Carlson.

The combination was proposed by President Gregory Geoffroy Feb. 2; however, Geoffroy said no action on the proposal will be taken until after it has been thoroughly discussed and all issues associated with the restructuring are addressed by a planning committee, in accordance with the Faculty Senate's policy on academic reorganization. The planning committee is to complete its study and submit a report by this fall.

Any action involving the colleges must be approved by the Board of Regents, State of Iowa.

Some of the issues the committee will address include:

Name and mission for the combined college.
A process for selecting a dean.
Staff and space needs for the combined college administration.
Governance documents that need to be developed.

Allen said, "This committee will seek widespread input into this process. It will complete much of its assignment through work groups, consisting of faculty and staff from the two colleges who are not on the planning committee, and it will make a special effort to involve all other stakeholders of the two colleges, especially alumni and students."

The committee consists of two associate or assistant deans, two department chairs, three faculty members and a P&S staff person from each college. Walt Gmelch, dean of Education, and Pamela White, interim dean of Family and Consumer Sciences, will serve as ex officio members.

The committee members are:

Thomas Andre, chair of curriculum and instruction
Susan Carlson, associate provost and committee facilitator
Letha DeMoss, academic fiscal officer, College of Family and Consumer Sciences
Dianne Draper, professor of human development and family studies
Heidi Eichorn, academic fiscal officer, College of Education
Ann Marie Fiore, college caucus chair and associate professor of textiles and clothing
Mary Gregoire, chair of apparel, educational studies and hospitality management
Georgia Hale, assistant dean of Education
Suzanne Hendrich, associate dean of Family and Consumer Sciences
Mary Huba, professor of educational leadership and policy studies
Doug King, professor of health and human performance
Maurice MacDonald, chair of human development and family studies
Gary Phye, college caucus chair and professor of curriculum and instruction
Cheryll Reitmeier, professor of food science and human nutrition
Roger Smith, associate dean of Education
JaneAnn Stout, associate dean of Family and Consumer Sciences
Jerry Thomas, chair of health and human performance