White Paper: A Conversation Starter
Read President Botman's remarks at Town Meetings held on October 26-28. (10/28/09)
President's Charge
Due to the challenges facing USM, it became apparent to me last spring that USM needed to reexamine its organizational structure with an eye not only to streamlining it in order to save money but also to developing an organizational structure that supported the creative application of our faculty’s intellectual capital and programmatic creativity. I commissioned this White Paper (read the complete White Paper on Administrative Restructuring: A Conversation Starter), asking Deans Devinder Malhotra, Brian Toy, Betty Lou Whitford, John Wright, and Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs Susan Campbell to prepare a series of scenarios that would launch discussions about organizational change.
As the White Paper’s subtitle suggests, these scenarios are meant only as conversation starters. Indeed, none of them captures all of the elements essential for USM’s future success. That is why your participation in and contribution to this discussion are critical. This is an opportunity for us as a community to exchange thoughts and ask questions. I urge you to offer your best, most creative thinking in service of this university’s future.
This is difficult and increasingly urgent work, but it can also be a source of inspiration and hope. I look forward to receiving your counsel about how best to reorganize USM and build a stronger, more vital university.
Selma Botman
President
