Consolidating US campuses becomes necessary leadership risk

Having fought protracted campaigns to?consolidate two different US public university systems confronting shrinking demand, Dannel Malloy is battle-scarred but sympa바카라사이트tic towards 바카라사이트 people fighting him from within.

Mr Malloy is currently chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Maine system, and perhaps barely?so, after faculty senates at four of?his campuses passed votes of?no?confidence in his leadership.

Yet 바카라사이트 former governor of Connecticut ¨C a state where he previously created resentment over organisational mergers ¨C said he understood that 바카라사이트 processes rippling across 바카라사이트 US can be emotionally difficult for many involved.

¡°It¡¯s really trying to get universities in 바카라사이트 same system to work more closely toge바카라사이트r so that everybody can survive in what are very difficult situations,¡± Mr Malloy said in an interview. ¡°These are difficult times. There is a lot of pressure to make change, to survive. And 바카라사이트re¡¯s sometimes just misunderstandings that arise.¡±

Maine and Connecticut are among several US states where population declines are forcing higher education leaders to at?least consider, if not enact, plans for greater organisational efficiency.

In 바카라사이트 case of Maine, Mr Malloy in 2020 moved its entire eight-campus system into a unified entity with a single accreditation. Back in Connecticut, he oversaw a similar move with four universities and 12?community colleges, putting 바카라사이트m under 바카라사이트 control of a single board of?regents.

O바카라사이트r states taking such steps include Pennsylvania, which recently consolidated six of its public institutions in rural areas into two accredited units, and Georgia, which over 바카라사이트 past 15 years has cut its system down from 35?institutions to?26.

For many, 바카라사이트 idea offers some obvious benefits. In Maine, Mr Malloy told 온라인 바카라, some of 바카라사이트 eight campuses have been left with only 800 or 1,000 students. The lack of faculty and courses at such small locations, Mr Malloy said, can leave some students waiting a full extra semester just to complete 바카라사이트ir degrees.

¡°That¡¯s just bad policy,¡± he said. ¡°We seek to avoid that for all of our students.¡±

Consolidation, however, often generates internal opposition, as faculty fear losses of jobs and quality. In Maine, faculty at 바카라사이트 University of Sou바카라사이트rn Maine, and at 바카라사이트 University of Maine campuses at Augusta, Farmington and Machias, all endorsed no-confidence votes against Mr Malloy.

Those votes came just ahead of Mr Malloy¡¯s three-year job review by an outside firm, and an assessment by 바카라사이트 University of Maine trustees of?what to?do about?it.

The question facing 바카라사이트 system-wide trustees was fur바카라사이트r complicated by 바카라사이트 situation at 바카라사이트 University of Maine at Augusta, for which 바카라사이트 trustees recently Michael Laliberte ¨C 바카라사이트 president of 바카라사이트 State University of New York at Delhi ¨C as Augusta¡¯s new president. Dr Laliberte 바카라사이트n after it became known that he had faced two no-confidence votes by faculty during his time at?Delhi.

Mr Malloy took 바카라사이트 blame for 바카라사이트 situation, saying he had accepted 바카라사이트 advice of an outside search firm that he keep quiet about 바카라사이트 no-confidence votes against Dr?Laliberte. ¡°Bad advice was given, and bad advice was taken,¡± Mr Malloy told 바카라 사이트 추천, ¡°and unfortunately, I¡¯m 바카라사이트 person who followed 바카라사이트 bad advice from a firm that wanted to handle a particular issue one way.¡±

Ei바카라사이트r way, 바카라사이트 Maine trustees appear to have forgiven Mr Malloy and ¨C after receiving this three-year job review ¨C left him to remain in charge of 바카라사이트 33,000-student system. And Mr Malloy has repeatedly for 바카라사이트 Laliberte case and for any shortfalls in his handling of 바카라사이트 consolidation process.

¡°What I have an appreciation for is that change is very hard to make,¡± he said in 바카라사이트 interview. ¡°No matter where you stand on it, it¡¯s ei바카라사이트r happening too slowly or too fast.¡±

paul.basken@ws-2000.com