UW Review Committees Submit Final Reports on Academic Changes

Committees charged with reviewing and advising on proposed changes to academic programs at the University of Wyoming have submitted final reports, as work continues on a proposal to present to the UW Board of Trustees in November.

The reports from the review committees may be found on the Office of Academic Affairs website. Provost and Executive Vice President Kevin Carman is considering the committee reports, along with feedback from internal and external stakeholders, as he prepares a final recommendation to President Ed Seidel.

“I personally want to thank everyone who has been involved in the committees and the campus community for their unceasing dedication and passion for our great institution,” Carman says. “We have already made some adjustments based upon interim reports from the committees, and we’re looking closely at the final reports to further refine our final proposal to the president.”

The initial plan presented to the trustees in July outlined a transformation of UW’s academic programs to propel new and ongoing initiatives and to deal with budget cuts. While the administration is moving forward with the recommendation for reconfiguration of some academic colleges, along with reorganization, reduction and consolidation of some departments, the initial proposal to discontinue some departments has been modified significantly.

Carman plans to submit his final recommendation to the president this week, and it will be posted to the Academic Affairs website for additional public comment. The president is scheduled to present a final proposal to the board during its Nov. 17-19 meeting.

“I have received some preliminary feedback from the deans about the proposed restructuring plans for their colleges and will continue to work with them and their working groups during the implementation phase (after Nov. 19) to ensure a smooth transition for faculty, staff and students,” Carman says.

The academic restructuring and reduction process is governed by UW Regulation 2-13. This process was initiated in July and has included numerous listening sessions, a survey and other input from stakeholders.