The Wood Word examined the items listed in the SRA report to see what changes have taken place in the last year. The final article of a three-part series focuses on college restructuring, student affairs and the future implementations from the report.

The SRA report, released in the fall of 2016, recommended changes to Marywood’s college structure and student affairs.

The Wood Word examined these changes regarding the college structure, the effects on student affairs and the future implementations from the report.

 College Restructuring

Marywood reduced the number of colleges to three based on the recommendation from the SRA report.

Marywood now consists of the College of Health and Human Services, the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the College or Professional Studies as well as the School of Architecture. The new structure eliminated the College of Creative and Performing Arts.

The consolidation of colleges also included the combining of six academic departments including philosophy and religious studies; English and foreign language; and mathematics/computer science and science.

Persico said she knew that some professors were not happy that certain programs combined, but said she’s excited with the changes.

“Now that they’ve [combined], [faculty] are really starting to work together and they’re enjoying their expanded departments and the new people in them, and they’re getting creative ideas and working together,” she said at the end of the fall 2017 semester. “I’m excited about that.”

Proposal to change majors to minors

The initial recommendation in the SRA report said the BA in Spanish, BA in Philosophy and BA in Religious Studies majors should move from Baccalaureate Degree Programs to solely minor programs because of low enrollment.

The chairpersons of each department appealed the recommendation and Persico passed the decision to the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee for further review. Members of the committee voted to reinstate the three majors.

Student affairs

Golf, the honor society Kappa Gamma Pi, the Student Life Committee, rugby and tennis were all placed in Quintile 5 of the SRA report as candidates for possible phase outs.

According to Vice President for Enrollment Services and Student Success Ann Boland-Chase, all five of these areas still exist. Rugby was not a Marywood sport offered at the time of the SRA report, but was approved last February and is planned to start in the Fall of 2018.

 Others areas of the university

Other areas of the University were placed in Quintile 5 as candidates for possible phase out or subject to additional review by the Coordinating Committee.

The Secretary of the University budget was placed in Quintile 5 and according to Vice President for Business Affairs Tammy McHale, the budget has continued because “it provides essential services for Marywood.”

Additionally, The Sette LaVerghetta Center Maintenance budget was placed in Quintile 5. McHale said the maintenance for this building is now managed between the music, theatre and dance department facilities and no longer has its own separate budget.

The Post Office was also placed in Quintile 5, but McHale said the budget has been continued because it is an essential service at Marywood.

Lastly, the budgets for Faculty Senate and Professional Development, which were both placed in Quintile 5, have been suspended, McHale said.

Future Implementations

According to the SRA report, implementations began when the report was released on Nov. 29, 2017 and are expected to continue until June 30, 2019.

Persico said the SRA process is “probably going to wrap up sooner than June 2019.”

“I think it’s a tribute to the faculty and staff and administration that we were able to wrap up most of this,” she said at the end of the fall 2017 semester.

According to Persico, the university could put more “energy into the positive.”

She added that there are still results of the SRA report such as letting go of faculty that are still “a sore spot for some people.”

“I understand that [and] I’m sorry about that. We just have to keep on moving forward,” Persico said.

She said there are some areas where the university didn’t see as much progress as hoped, but said it’s something she’ll keeping working at.

“Although it was difficult at the time and it was hard for most people including myself, I think a year later we’re starting to see … some progress,” she said.

Brooke Williams contributed to this article.

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Twitter: @RLookerTWW