Reporting their interim "deliverables" to several hundred faculty and staff in the McKay Auditorium on April 10, the BYU-Hawaii Organizational Design Team proposed sharpening the focus on the university's core processes by reorganizing the administration into three major divisions: Academics, Student Support and University Support. Vice presidents for each of the divisions, plus an Assistant to the President, will comprise the proposed new President's Council, who report directly to BYU-Hawaii President Steven C. Wheelwright [pictured at upper left].
While Dr. Max L. Checketts has already been named to replace Dr. Keith Roberts as the new Vice President of Academics, President Wheelwright indicated the other two proposed VPs have not been designated yet. The current members of the President's Council are Michael B. Bliss, VP of Administrative Services; Isileli T. Kongaika, VP of Student Affairs; V. Napua Baker, VP of University Advancement, who will retire at the end of this school year; Jim Nilson, Chief Information Officer; and Dr. William G. Neal, Assistant to the President.
"We're trying to unfreeze people from thinking about the current organization, although Academics is still Academics, but some things have been changed, some added and others moved elsewhere. The Vice President of Student Support is actually a much-expanded role, for example," President Wheelwright said.
He added that over the next two months the Design Team and administration will refine the proposals and determine the candidates for the new organization, adding if those currently holding the positions "are a good match, and the job hasn't changed much, then they're probably going to be by far the best candidates for the job. But, if the job has changed dramatically, they may not be the best candidate."
At the outset of the meeting, President Wheelwright explained the Design Team — consisting of William Neal, Arapata Meha, Susan Barton, Bret Ellis, Steve Tueller and David Lucero — has met with about 75% of all university departments, and will soon conclude the remaining interviews.
He also pointed out that Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles had referred to the book, Turbulent Times, in his address to the BYUH/Polynesian Cultural Center Presidents' Leadership Council in Utah on April 7, which stated "the need to periodically reassess an organization and realign it with its primary mission."
"That's really the purpose of this effort here," President Wheelwright said, noting that the proposals included consolidating and assigning various "processes and activities" to each vice president. He said the Design Team will also propose any realignment of departments, under each of the vice presidents, on June 1, "basically suggesting the right size and focus of each of those parts of the organization."
In formulating the recommendations, President Wheelwright said the Design Team followed "guiding principles," including a focus on the needs of student learning and fewer direct reports to him.
"The experience of most organizations is the further up something has to go to get resolved, the longer it takes and the more political it becomes, as opposed to fact-based resolution. I would like to have many more of the decisions, the day-to-day kind of things, pushed down in the organization," he said. "That means the organization has to come together at a lower level than it might otherwise do. That's one of the arguments for fewer direct reports at my level."
"The second reason is that I want to be able to spend more time on the initiatives that are most important to the university, going forward; and that's hard to do if you have to spend all your time resolving things that could have been resolved at a lower level, but were not, because the organization wasn't structured that way."
"Part of what we're trying to do is push things down in the organization where people have data, where people know the facts and can make sure they come together. We're going to have councils to help coordinate that, where necessary," he continued, emphasizing that some activities will involve more than one vice president. For example, technology is widely used across the university.
"We want the core processes to have a single owner at the lowest level possible, who has responsibility," he also, adding the new organization needs to "address the gaps...we hear about all the time from students, staff and faculty."
Design Team member Steve Tueller then outlined how some of the changes under the proposed vice presidential areas line up:
The president, for example, would focus on providing leadership for long-range fund raising goals and activities, strategic planning, oversight for internal audit functions, response to compliance with all government and legal expectations, and coordination with campus stakes and wards.
The Assistant to the President would oversee implementing public relations and communications programs, including content media and publications, as well as special events, institutional data and assessment, service missionaries and volunteers and other special projects as assigned.
The responsibilities of the three vice presidents would include, among other things:
| Academics | Student Support | University Support |
• Assimilate students • Facilitate learning and development of leadership • Promote gospel scholarship and discipleship • Develop the qualities, knowledge and skills in a content area to successfully enter a chosen profession • Assure appropriate course content and up-to-date curriculum • Assure excellent classroom instruction • Assure excellent student learning in alternative academic settings • Provide proper student testing and evaluation • Continue to increase the quality of teaching • Provide distributed learning opportunities • Provide service classes for community members • Evaluate teaching • Recruit prospective students •Link with alumni • Identify and allocate financial aid •Assist students in registering for classes • Schedule classes • Provide ongoing academic advising • Provide books and other educational materials for students and faculty • Oversee intercollegiate sports • Support and develop the university web interface • Maintain the computer and campus cable systems • Coordinate information technology • Provide voice, video and data network services | • Orient new students • Oversee student involvement and development in clubs, student government, activities, service projects, etc. • Support academic programs • Respond to campus informational needs and provide ticketing • Plan and implement a strong intramural program • Develop and manage the student employment services • Connect student jobs with academic learning outcomes • Assist students in preparing for employment • Track returnability and placement data • Assure Honor Code compliance • Provide counseling services for all students • Maintain compliance requirements for international students • Oversee housing, including training of resident leaders, resident activities, cleaning and maintenance • Provide housing for eligible students, faculty and staff • Oversee food services, including vending • Provide medical services for those eligible • Coordinate alumni activities | • Prepare and maintain the university budget • Assure accurate and timely financial operations and reporting • Provide online payment and cashiering services • Maintain the fixed asset inventory • Assure the appropriate use of investment and endowment operations • Package and disburse student financial aid • Maintain the C.N.A. database • Prepare a long-term physical facilities plan, and submit the plan for the City's Planned Review Use (PRU) • Direct the planning and completion of construction projects • Provide custodial services • Maintain and repair campus facilities and equipment • Maintain the grounds and nursery • Assure the appropriate and effective use of campus facilities • Provide on-campus security • Schedule and maintain the motor pool • Assure compliance with safety requirements, and training • Administer risk management and worker's compensation • Oversee the emergency preparedness program • Provide employee recruitment services • Manage the employee timekeeping program • Provide training and recognition programs • Assist employees with the benefits program • Assist students and employees with travel services • Provide purchasing, receiving and distribution services • Provide mail collection and distribution • Order and sell books, office supplies and similar merchandise • Provide duplication services |
President Wheelwright invited faculty and staff to talk to any member of the Design Team or submit questions by email. He added focus groups will also discuss the proposals.
"We will transition to the new President's Council over the next two months," he said, "so that by the first of June, we will have that level in place. The Design Team will also be looking at physical locations — what ought to be physically located next to what; but we then expect the next level will take many months to put in place."
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