Dear Clarkson colleagues and students,
The Re-imagining Clarkson Task Force has been assembled for one week now. This message contains an update on our work, and some FAQ below.
What has the Task Force been doing this week?
We the Task Force have met thrice as a group, familiarized ourselves with the charge given to us by the Provost, committed to a regular meeting schedule (no less than twice per week), and organized our operations. We have begun substantial dialogue with our VP of Finance, requested additional information about the Prototype Plan, and engaged with the Universitycommunity through the various sessions organized around campus and also through written (email) communications. Know that we are tracking all suggestions submitted.
We have also begun both a top-down and bottom-up approach to building our recommendations. From the top-down, we are carefully assessing the feasibility of the Prototype Plan, its assumptions, and its implications to our students, our staff, our faculty, and our facilities. From the bottom-up, we are assessing our curricular needs based on degree requirements, accreditation requirements, and available human and facility resources. As it was presented, we have already concluded that aspects of the prototype plan are infeasible, and are identifying alternative ways to meet the cost reductions that are needed for fiscal sustainability.
What can I do to help?
We want your ideas! Have an idea that you think would result in substantial savings, or increased revenue? No idea is too small! It’s even better if you include a rough estimate of the cost savings or revenue increase, with enough work to show your thinking. The best way to reach us is via suggestions@clarkson.edu . Know that we are reading and logging all messages, even if we don’t reply to yours personally.
We also want to acknowledge that this situation is painful for everyone in our community. Toward that end, we encourage you to be mindful of both your own well-being and that of others. Do what you can to support struggling colleagues, co-workers and students. Have a concern about someone? Share what you’re observing via Safety Net.
We remind you that nothing is final, and that our work is to provide recommendations (not decisions). One thing we have concluded unequivocally is that courses in humanities, social sciences and communication will continue to be taught at Clarkson University by faculty members with scholarly qualifications in these domains. We plan to send our next update in one week.
Best,
The Re-imagining Clarkson Task Force
Tom Langen (co-chair, A&S)
Alex Cohen (co-chair, A&S)
Allan Zebedee (Reh)
Amanda Pickering (Provost Office)
Amber Stephenson (Reh)
Brian Helenbrook (Coulter)
Laura Ettinger (A&S)
Laurel Kuxhaus (Coulter)
Salome Brooks (Lewis)
Stephanie Schuckers (Coulter)
FAQ: (new/updated questions are marked with an *)
Q: How can I reach the Task Force?*A: The best way is to use suggestions@clarkson.edu – we all have access to those messages.
