Presented to the Mānoa Faculty Senate by the Committee on Administration & Budget (CAB) for a vote of the full Senate on March 24, 2021, a resolution opposing the Phase I and II Reorganization of the Mānoa Management Structure. Approved by the Mānoa Faculty Senate on March 24, 2021 with 32 votes (72.73%) in support; 12 votes (27.28%) opposed; and 9 abstentions.
Resolution Opposing the Phase I AND II Reorganization of the Mānoa Management Structure
WHEREAS, the Mānoa Faculty Senate is required to evaluate and provide recommendations on the Phase II Reorganization of Mānoa’s Management structure, relating to the creation of Vice-Provost offices and subsequent reorganizations under their leadership; and,
WHEREAS, the Mānoa Faculty Senate’s Executive Committee referred both the Phase I and Phase II reorganizations to the Committee on Administration and Budget (CAB) for review, consideration, and recommendations; and,
WHEREAS, the Mānoa Faculty Senate previously stated that it “reserve[d] the right to endorse or oppose the reorganization in its entirety [including Phase I] after all phases of the proposal have been received, evaluated, and considered”; and,
WHEREAS, this reorganization lacks innovation, consisting primarily of renaming executive and management titles, and realigning the duties and responsibilities of these officers on Mānoa following the implementation of Phase I; and,
WHEREAS, the Phase I and II proposals concentrate authority within the President/CEO, resulting in less autonomy for the University of Hawaiʻi’s (UH) flagship campus, particularly due to the Mānoa Office of Business and Finance reporting directly to the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa CEO rather than the Provost; and,
WHEREAS, consultative opportunity was denied regarding the reporting line of the Office of the Mānoa Business and Finance, that replaced the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Administration, Finance and Operations; and,
WHEREAS, this concentration of authority is exacerbated by Administrative Policy A3.101 University of Hawaiʻi Organizational and Functional Changes, authorizing the President to make administrative changes at two levels below the President while approving changes at UHM CEO one level below, leading to a consolidation of power in an individual with limited oversight and potential conflicts-of-interest; and,
WHEREAS, The Phase II proposal as written does not provide an itemized list for budget savings, eliminated positions, and created positions, providing no way to verify the proposed savings are accurate, nor is there discussion in the document regarding overall ‘efficiencies, service improvements or other benefits that will be achieved as a result of this reorganization’. These elements are required in the body of proposal per A3.101, p5, Section 5a, 1(d) “Reorganizational Proposals”; and,
WHEREAS, the proposed Phase II reorganization lacks strategic direction, failing to incorporate the overall goals of the 2015-2025 Strategic Plan for UH Mānoa (UHM); and,
WHEREAS, specific elements within the Phase II proposal remain underdeveloped, particularly First Year Programs, Graduate Division, Global Engagement, Advising, and Mānoa’s Research and Scholarship office; and,
WHEREAS, the Phase II proposal provides no clear criteria to evaluate its implementation, particularly with regard to student success; and,
WHEREAS, insufficient opportunities were provided for individual units or faculty members to provide feedback during the design phase of the Phase II proposal, and no guidance was provided post-release for how individual units or faculty members should provide feedback, or even if it would be considered; and,
WHEREAS, the Mānoa Faculty Senate can provide only global, rather than department or unit-specific feedback; consultation with the Senate does not replace direct consultation with individual units.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, until the aforementioned issues are addressed, the Mānoa Faculty Senate is unable to support, and thus opposes, both Phase I and Phase II Reorganization of the Mānoa Management Structure.
Supporting document:
Resolution Opposing the Phase I of the Reorganization of the Mānoa Management Structure (February 20, 2019)