June 01, 2009
KNOXVILLE -- The administration of the University of Tennessee System
will be smaller and more efficient under preliminary plans announced
today by Acting UT President Jan Simek.
Simek presented his plans to the UT Board of Trustees Committee on
Effectiveness and Efficiency for the Future.
The proposal is an initial phase in reorganization and ongoing
evaluation. The reorganization is intended to help clarify the role of
the System, the functions it should perform and the functions better
suited for the campuses and units to determine.
"One of the University's priorities during this changing economic
climate is to be leaner, more efficient and less redundant. This
proposal is a first stage in reorganizing the System administration,"
Simek said.
"This is not about the present structure being good or bad. It's about
having the right structure for the environment we face today. This is an
assessment of the functions the System should perform. The bottom line
is to have a rational structure."
Simek stressed the plans are an effort to streamline the System. The
proposed FY2010 budget plans include a reduction of nearly $5.4 million
for System administration, including cuts of $2.8 million from
administrative salaries, $759,126 from benefits, and $1.8 million from
operating expenses. Cost savings will more likely be felt at the campus
or unit level.
The UT Board of Trustees has been involved throughout the planning
process and will continue to be, according to Simek.
"We are working collectively so that trustees have ownership in the
proposals and are thus better able to support our direction," he said.
"Clarifying the structure and organization based on function is the
first step. Then we can make budget cuts based on what we know we need."
The reorganization plans do not require board approval to put into
place; however, the board's support and input is critical.
Under Simek's proposal, the functions of the UT System will include:
"These functions are what we believe are needed to support the core
mission of the University, which is education, research and outreach. We
will concentrate our resources in those areas," Simek said.
The functions of two vice presidents' offices will be eliminated,
redistributed within the System administration or delegated to the
campuses. Those include:
In addition, the title of vice president will be dropped from five
positions. In those cases, the title of vice president is seen as not
necessary to the function of the position:
The proposed reorganization reflects input from the president's staff,
developed in individual meetings Simek had with each vice president.
"Remarkable consistency" occurred in the feedback and recommendations
received, Simek said.
Ongoing evaluations will study the functions of the Institute for Public
Service and the Office of Equity and Diversity, and the role of the
System in overseeing athletics at UT Knoxville.
"All of these are functions that are important to our mission, and we
want to review how they are positioned to maximize their contributions
and success," Simek said.
The new structure would go into effect July 1.
The UT System oversees campuses in Knoxville, Chattanooga and Martin;
the Health Science Center in Memphis, the Space Institute in Tullahoma,
the Institute of Public Service and the Institute of Agriculture.
To view materials from the meeting, visit
http://bot.tennessee.edu/docs/EEF_Meeting_060109.pdf.
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Contacts:
Gina Stafford, (865) 974-0741, stafford@tennessee.edu
Elizabeth Davis, (865) 974-5179, elizabeth.davis@tennessee.edu
