Despite missing final report deadlines, university officials say they are hopeful the Committee on College Reorganization and the New Residential College Program Planning Committee will have reports complete in the next several weeks. The reports will detail what changes should be made to the liberal arts and whether a residential college should be created.
President-designate Lou Anna Simon said the committees' deadlines were set to allow them to have time to develop their reports. The initial deadlines were Oct. 1 for the reorganization committee and Oct. 15 for the residential college committee.
The reorganization committee has been looking at changes such as putting majors in different colleges, absolving some, or maintaining the current system.
"It was my understanding that they will have a report, for my review, at the end of the month," Simon said. "We wanted to let each committee meet at its own pace."
The residential college committee had a report due Oct. 15, but according to chairwoman Marcellette Williams, the committee hopes to have something done within the next few weeks.
The residential college committee is looking at plans to create a new liberal arts and sciences college with an international focus, in Snyder and Phillips halls.
"We're trying to complete it and get attachments and get it into the provost," Williams said. "I say every day, 'today is the day.'"
She also said that because Academic Council scheduled the committee to report later in October, the deadline wasn't set in stone.
"I don't know that I think of it as having missed the deadline, because Academic Council talked about deadlines being moveable at the last meeting," Williams said.
The reorganization committee, which had set a deadline of Oct. 1, is also still in the process of putting together its final report, several committee members said.
Nora Rifon an advertising associate professor and committee member, said they have been working to get a resolution from the varying opinions of reorganization committee members.
"Everybody has good intentions and is trying to create a solution that's satisfactory to everyone affected by this," Rifon said.
Chairman of the reorganization committee and philosophy chairman Stephen Esquith did not return repeated phone calls.
Norman Abeles, psychology professor and candidate for acting provost, said the university needs to try to wrap up the issue of college reorganization.
"The reorganization started last year - so it's almost a year ago," said Abeles, vice chairman of the Executive Committee of Academic Council. "We need to get it done and over with and make adequate progress in any potential reorganization."
Simon also said when she receives the reports, they will be looked at very carefully, but she will not edit them.
"I am not going to rewrite the reports," Simon said. "I will put a recommendation on top of the reports for governance."
