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The plan announced today is designed to achieve one simple goal: to enhance efficiency while fostering a unified, inclusive and dynamic educational environment that serves the entire BW community.
Several strategic updates are designed to streamline operations, enhance student experiences and strengthen BW's commitment to inclusivity and excellence. These changes allow the University to stay competitive within a balanced budget and provide for investment in key areas.
Music History, Jazz, Visual/Studio Art, Communication Studies, Film Studies, Public Relations, Public Health, Master of Public Health, Digital Marketing-to-MBA graduate program and Leadership in Higher Education MAEd are all being phased out. Each program requires a separate teach-out schedule for all currently enrolled students and will no longer accept new students. About 4% of the current student population are enrolled in the 10 majors that are no longer accepting new students.
A new academic administrative approach will provide direct reporting lines to the Provost. The administrative structure across the five academic schools of the University will change with the elimination of all deans, with the exception of the Dean of the Conservatory of Performing Arts. This shift also includes the reduction of associate deans and a reduction of academic departments from 28 to 19.
The student experience, from initial campus visits, admission, First-Year Experience (FYE), wellness and co-curricular opportunities, will be coordinated under one leadership area to ensure a seamless delivery of the BW experience outside the classroom. A VP of Student Experience and Enrollment Management will work in partnership with the Dean of Students.
The BW Athletic Director and his team, which were previously part of Student Affairs, will temporarily report to the VP for Operations for the interim until the arrival of our next President. The TRIO Upward Bound program will move to the Provost's office. Parent and Family Services will transition from Student Affairs to Alumni Engagement.
Event and Conference Services will move under Dining Services, and management of Strosacker Union will move to Operations.
Diversity and inclusivity are embedded in BW's DNA and will be a collaborative effort across the BW community rather than led by a single office. Key in this initiative will be leaders across academics, athletics, spiritual life, advising, enrollment, student life and communications. Under a reduced administrative model, the position of Chief Diversity Officer has been eliminated.
Career preparation is one of the many ways BW defines its purpose. As part of this plan, career preparedness is being integrated into the curriculum and other student services. The Executive Director of Corporate & Organizational Development will have a revised role, leading a reinvented Career, Character and Cost initiative for all students. The new model will include broadened career experience opportunities, career preparation, financial literacy, professional character building and resiliency for every student at BW.
This deeper review is the second phase of the work that began earlier this year when a series of cost-cutting measures aimed to reduce the original projected $20M deficit. At that time, the University outlined the reduction of approximately 20 full- and part-time non-tenured faculty positions and the teach-out of 9 academic programs. Once BW realizes the full impact of the changes being made, the University's operating budget will be reduced by approximately $13.5M or approximately 13% from fiscal year 2023-24.
