Working Groups
Each Working Group will develop implementation plans for each area. Participants should expect to attend frequent meetings each month. Those selected to participate in a Working Group will be notified in early January.
If you would like to nominate an individual or yourself to serve on a working group, please complete the form linked below. You may nominate the same person for multiple groups using the nomination form.
Working Groups Nominations
Provost Office
Provost Office Recommendation #1:
Reorganize the Office of the Provost to allow greater focus on academic excellence.
Decision: Accept Recommendation with position title to be Provost and Chief Academic Officer.
Working Group Lead: Tim Scott
Provost Office Recommendation #2:
Centralize undergraduate academic advising at the University level.
Decision: A college centralized academic advising organizational structure will be used with a single, common advising platform.
Working Group Lead: Tim Scott
Provost Office Recommendation #3:
Elevate the Higher Education Center at McAllen.
Decision: Accept Recommendation with modification to expand focus to all remote locations (McAllen, Fort Worth/Dallas, Galveston, Qatar, Houston-HSC-EnMed)
Working Group Lead: Susan Ballabina
Faculty Affairs
Faculty Affairs Recommendation #1:
Create a new Vice President of Faculty Affairs position.
Decision: Accept Recommendation
Working Group Lead: Kathy Banks
Academic and Strategic Partnerships
Academic and Strategic Partnerships Recommendation #1:
Incorporate campus units that fit the mission of Academic and Strategic Collaborations.
Decision: Accept Overall Recommendation with following modifications -Exclude Cushing Library and Music Activities Center -Include the Public Policy Internship Program -Reject recommendation that the VP for Diversity report to this office.
Working Group Lead: Susan Ballabina
Academic and Strategic Partnerships Recommendation #2:
Create an Office Focused on Improving Recruitment and Retention of Undergraduate Students.
Decision: Accept Recommendation with the following modification: Retention activities will remain in the provost’s office.
Working Group Lead: Susan Ballabina
Academic and Strategic Partnerships Recommendation #3:
Sunset community-focused programs that do not serve the needs of the community and establish new programs to best support the shared mission of TAMU and the state of Texas.
Decision: Accept Recommendation
Working Group Lead: Susan Ballabina
Academic and Strategic Partnerships Recommendation #4:
Invest in cultural centers: performing arts center, a museum, hospitality center, and campus gardens.
Decision: Accept Recommendation
Working Group Lead: Susan Ballabina
Academic Realignment
Academic Realignment Recommendation #1:
Combine the College of Liberal Arts, the College of Science, and the College of Geosciences to create new College of Arts and Sciences.
Decision: Accept Recommendation with additional action: Align titles of several academic units to be consistent campus-wide.
Working Group Lead: Tim Scott
Academic Realignment Recommendation #2:
Establish a School of Visual and Performing Arts with new departments in music, performing arts, and fine arts, and relocate the Department of Visualization to anchor new school.
Decision: Accept Recommendation. Administrative location in the university will be recommended by the working group.
Working Group Lead: Greg Hartman
Academic Realignment Recommendation #3:
Establish a Department of Journalism.
Decision: Accept recommendation with the following modification: Administrative structure of the program will be recommended by the working group.
Working Group Lead: Tim Scott
Academic Realignment Recommendation #4:
Elevate and expand the Bush School of Government and Public Service through significant investment and a merger with the Department of Political Science.
Decision: Accept recommendation with the addition of International Studies to the consolidation.
Working Group Lead: Mark Welsh
Academic Realignment Recommendation #5:
Create the new Institute of Biological Life Sciences which will contain the Department of Biology and the Biomedical Sciences Program.
Decision: Reject Recommendation to move both units to AgriLife. Modify Recommendation and move the undergraduate Biomedical Sciences Program to the new College of Arts and Sciences. Create a new life science meta-major.
Working Group Lead: Tim Scott
Academic Realignment Recommendation #6:
Merge the University Libraries into the newly created College of Arts and Sciences and create a new Department of Library Sciences.
Decision: Reject Recommendation with modification: University Libraries will become a service-oriented unit led by a University Librarian and reporting directly to Provost. Tenured libraries faculty members will continue to be assigned to the University Libraries but will explore a tenure home in an appropriate department.
Working Group Lead: Jack Baldauf
Academic Realignment Recommendation #7:
Implement Texas A&M Health Administrative Organization Structure and Budget Assessment recommendations
Decision: Accept Recommendation
Working Group Lead: Jon Mogford
Academic Realignment Recommendation #8:
Improve research organization at TAMU Health.
Decision: Accept Recommendation
Working Group Lead: Jon Mogford
Academic Realignment Recommendation #9a:
Reassign the University Studies degree program exclusively to the College of Arts and Sciences.
Decision: Accept Recommendation. Create a new unit, Interdisciplinary Programs, to house University Studies, Biomedical Sciences, Transition Academic Programs, and other interdisciplinary degree programs.
Working Group Lead: Tim Scott
Academic Realignment Recommendation #9b:
Refocus the College of Veterinary Medicine on the core mission of graduate education and invest in the construction of a new Small Animal Hospital.
Decision: Accept Recommendation.
Working Group Lead: John August
Academic Realignment Recommendation #9d:
Consolidate the Department of Health and Kinesiology in the School of Public Health, including clinical research associated with the Department of Health and Kinesiology. Move the Technology Management Degree Program to the Department of Engineering Technology.
Decision: Accept Recommendation with following modifications: Only the Health Education Division will be transferred. Accept Recommendation to transfer the Technology Management Degree Program to the Department of Engineering Technology.
Working Group Lead: Jon Mogford (Health Education) Ed Pierson (Technology Management Program)
Student Affairs
Student Affairs Recommendation #1:
Reorganize Student Affairs and expand student “High Impact Practice” (HIP) services.
Decision: Accept Recommendation
Working Group Lead: Joe Ramirez
Student Affairs Recommendation #2:
Align student organization management practices to ensure transparency and accountability.
Decision: Accept Recommendation
Working Group Lead: Joe Ramirez
Student Affairs Recommendation #3:
Integrate Student Health Services and Counseling and Psychological Services into Texas A&M Health and establish a dedicated unit to focus on providing holistic student health.
Decision: Accept Recommendation
Working Group Lead: Greg Hartman
Facilities
Facilities Recommendation #1:
Restructure of Facilities, Operations/Safety and Security to include all facilities services under new centralized structure.
Decision: Accept Recommendation
Working Group Lead: Stephen Franklin
Facilities Recommendation #2:
Create a new division of Facilities Planning and Construction (FPC) that allows for an expanded, strategic planning and construction unit.
Decision: Accept Recommendation
Working Group Lead: Stephen Franklin
Facilities Recommendation #3:
Create a Division of Facility Information Systems to maintain information in support of TAMU operations.
Decision: Accept Recommendation with following modifications: Rename Division.
Working Group Lead: Stephen Franklin
Finance and Business Administration
Finance and Business Administration Recommendation #1:
Centralize financial/business services under the Chief Financial Officer.
Decision: Accept Recommendation
Working Group Lead: John Crawford
Finance and Business Administration Recommendation #2:
Identify inefficiencies within internal workflow processes.
Decision: Accept Recommendation
Working Group Lead: John Crawford
Finance and Business Administration Recommendation #3:
Implement a matrix management structure to leverage Financial Services by integrating Academic Affairs' Business Services, Data and Research Services, and Enrollment Management.
Decision: Accept Recommendation
Working Group Lead: Joe Pettibon
Finance and Business Administration Recommendation #4:
Establish a new centralized system for shared oversight of endowment funded expenditures and stewardship-related activities with the Texas A&M Foundation.
Decision: Accept Recommendation with the following modification: These processes should apply to all endowment and gift accounts.
Working Group Lead: Andy Acker
Finance and Business Administration Recommendation #5:
Shift the research administrative management of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences research grants and facilities to AgriLife exclusively.
Decision: Accept Recommendation with the following modification -Working group will determine which facilities will be reassigned to AgriLife.
Working Group Lead: Jack Baldauf
Human Resources & Organizational Effectiveness
Human Resources & Organizational Effectiveness Recommendation #1:
Reorganize Human Resources and Organizational Effectiveness and implement a one-stop human resources service center.
Decision: Accept Recommendation
Working Group Lead: Damon Slaydon
Human Resources & Organizational Effectiveness Recommendation #2:
Provide cross-training for employees.
Decision: Accept Recommendation
Working Group Lead: Damon Slaydon
Human Resources & Organizational Effectiveness Recommendation #3:
Eliminate the Human Resources Liaison Network.
Decision: Accept Recommendation
Working Group Lead: Damon Slaydon
Human Resources & Organizational Effectiveness Recommendation #4:
Invest in succession planning and talent management.
Decision: Accept Recommendation
Working Group Lead: Damon Slaydon
Information Technology
Information Technology Recommendation #1:
Consolidate Information Technology.
Decision: Accept Recommendation
Working Group Lead: Ed Pierson
Information Technology Recommendation #2:
Establish a university-wide Help Desk and ticketing system.
Decision: Accept Recommendation
Working Group Lead: Ed Pierson
Information Technology Recommendation #3:
Prioritize cybersecurity to ensure campus services are not compromised.
Decision: Accept Recommendation
Working Group Lead: Ed Pierson
Information Technology Recommendation #4:
Utilize project managers.
Decision: Accept Recommendation
Working Group Lead: Ed Pierson
Marketing and Communications
Marketing and Communications Recommendation #1:
Centralize marketing and communications across the university.
Decision: Accept Recommendation
Working Group Lead: Marilyn Martell
Marketing and Communications Recommendation #2:
Clarify university marketing and branding guidelines, training processes, and a mechanism for enforcement of those guidelines.
Decision: Accept Recommendation
Working Group Lead: Marilyn Martell
Marketing and Communications Recommendation #3:
Streamline digital presence and contracts.
Decision: Accept Recommendation
Working Group Lead: Marilyn Martell