Joint message from President and Senate Officers regarding College Reorganization Consultation Plan

Dear Cal State East Bay community,

The following message was shared with the Cal State East Bay Academic Senate. Because this reorganization-consolidation is a university-wide effort, we thought it would be useful to share this document more broadly.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION:

The process of the Formation, Dissolution, Name Change, or Merger of Academic Units is governed by 22-23 CAPR 28. This policy outlines sequential steps of consultation and approval of proposals. When proposals originate from faculty members, Department Chairs, College Curriculum Coordinators, College Curriculum Committees, Associate Deans, or Deans, the proposal is then reviewed and approved by the Provost of Academic Affairs. It is then sent to Standing Committees CAPR, CIC, and/or FAC, followed by Ex Com, and finally the full Academic Senate. Upon approval of these Senate bodies and signature of the President, the unit change is effective.

The policy stipulates, however, that “in cases of initiatives from the University President…they do not need to seek approval of the Senate bodies listed.”

President Sandeen has decided, based on input from the Fifth College Feasibility (2021-22) and Implementation (2022-23) Task Forces, to institute a College of Health at Cal State East Bay. Based on current budget and enrollment concerns facing our institution and feedback through the Academic Senate, however, the College of Health will be created through a reorganization of the existing four colleges, rather than creating a fifth college.

The individuals and bodies included in 22-23 CAPR 28 are invited to participate in consultation to determine the details of this reorganization within the constraints of maintaining four total colleges and creating a college with “Health” in the name that includes at least the departments identified through previous Task Force work: Nursing, Public Health, Kinesiology, Social Work, and Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences.

• Sharing a written plan with at least 2-3 reorganization options (Fall 2024)
• Organizing Open Forums to present ideas to the East Bay community (Fall 2024)
• Formal request to Senate standing committees and Ex Com to provide written feedback (Fall 2024)
• Survey to general campus community to receive feedback on options presented or ideas for alternative reorganization options (Fall 2024)

It will be the responsibility of the Academic Senate, through its normal processes, to present to the President for consideration a recommendation for the reorganization of the colleges and relevant departments within the constraints described above by the end of the Fall 2024 semester, to be implemented during Spring 2025, and take effect Fall 2025.

For your consideration,

Cathy Sandeen, President
Jenny O, Chair, Academic Senate
Maureen Scharberg, Vice-Chair, Academic Senate
Michael Rowley, Secretary, Academic Senate

September 3, 2024