Hitting the books

Reorganization will foster increased collaboration

With record-setting rainfall in February, the drought is over in Connecticut.

Students across our campuses are enjoying warmer weather and looking toward the close of the semester. I’ve been reflecting on this past academic year, which seems to have gone by so swiftly.

Photo by Paul Horton

Since last September, Virginia and I have been getting acquainted with the University and all its constituents.

We’ve visited students and faculty in Storrs and at our regional campuses; gotten to know elected officials in Hartford and Washington, D.C.; and enjoyed opportunities to meet alumni and friends in New York, Florida and across Connecticut.

We still don’t yet have our grades from our first semester here at UConn, but I’m hopeful that we’ve done pretty well. And now, in my second semester, I’m taking on a few new courses.

Reorganization 101: To encourage collaboration between the UConn Health Center and other schools, colleges and centers across the University, I’ve proposed an administrative reorganization.

Under the plan, the deans of the Schools of Medicine and Dental Medicine will now report to Provost Peter Nicholls in Storrs, as all other University deans do.

My “syllabus” in this area hopes to increase the partnership activity across disciplines that is so essential to today’s higher education environment.

Advanced Research 202: This reorganization will also strengthen UConn’s research and graduate education effort. Part of this task involves expanding the role of the vice president for research, who will have responsibilities connected with all of our campuses, including the Health Center.

Establishing such an organizational structure — one that is common at other leading universities — will establish a University-wide vision for our research enterprise, foster inter-departmental and inter-campus collaboration and, at the same time, enhance UConn’s ability to compete for major research grants.

Academic Planning 303: It’s important to know where we want the University to go and what we want it to achieve, but it’s equally as important to know how we can best direct our resources to achieve those goals.

The academic plan, prepared under the direction of Provost Nicholls with consultation from the faculty, serves just this purpose. It acts as our blueprint for the future — one focused on pushing research forward, attracting strong faculty and building on our strengths.

As you read this, we should be completing the first full draft of our academic plan for submission to the UConn Board of Trustees.

Extra Credit: As you may know, I’m now an active blogger. I encourage you to visit my blog, PresRelease.

I’ve learned a great deal these past few months and am grateful for the interaction I’ve had with alumni, faculty, students and many others. It’s my pleasure to invite you to my inauguration on Sunday, April 13, on the Storrs campus.

In addition to the formal ceremony, there will be a University-wide festival that includes a dance, fireworks, music, entertainment and a lot of fun. I hope you are able to join us.

Michael J. Hogan
President