Inside Iowa State: Iowa State University

April 16, 2004

Forum goers mull opportunities, challenges in combining colleges

by Karen Bolluyt
Fifty-four faculty and staff members attended an April 12 open forum on the proposal to combine the colleges of Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) and Education.

The take-away points came from two sources: summaries of round-table discussions and remarks during an open comment period.

Several themes emerged from the round-table discussions, including the conclusion that most issues viewed as challenges also could be characterized as opportunities. Those included:

Merging two, often quite different, administrative structures and ways of doing business.
Considering the combination while the university is developing a new strategic plan.
Developing a mission that earns commitment from both colleges and their alumni.

Factors described primarily as strengths included:
More clout with a bigger budget and more people.
New collaborations.
New faculty positions.
A broad-based focus on families and human development.

Participants spoke with concern about:

The turmoil and lost productivity associated with major reorganizations.
The difficulty of knowing or under-standing enough to make good decisions quickly.
The effect of lost identity on alumni and donor relations.

Cindy Needles-Fletcher, human development and family studies, asked about the budget analysis prepared for the committee and requested a "clear delineation" of costs and benefits. She noted that annual losses in services should be weighed against annual cost savings.

Barbara Licklider, Education student services, said it might be necessary to "go slower to go faster," noting how much she still had to learn about FCS. She also said a mission focused on the human condition offered the potential "to build something that has not been built before."

That observation prompted Sue Crull, human development and family studies, to ask if enough people had been invited to discussions about a new college focused on the human condition. "Should sociology and psychology be invited?" she said.

A videotaped recording of the forum will be available (see committee Web site for details). Three other sessions are planned, including another for faculty and staff at 4 p.m. Wednesday, April 21, in the Memorial Union Campanile Room.

Updates on the committee's work are available online at http://www.provost.iastate.edu/educfcs.